Good for a short hike. Around 1 mile to complete all the trails. The path has loose sand and…read moregravel. The paths have slight grades of elevation and some stairs. There are parking spots as well. The trail has lots of trees giving the trail shade. It's good for dogs and has a few picnic tables. There are also garbage receptacles to throw away any trash. The trails are open during daylight hours. If you just want to walk your dog, get away from the hustle and bustle of Austin, or sit down to eat a sandwich, then Allen Park may be just what you are looking for.

Stopped by for a socially distanced get-together with my best friend who was in town visiting from…read moreout of state a while back (read: Christmas holiday but I'm the worst about actually publishing my reviews) We'd each picked up meals from the Galaxy Cafe before driving separately to this location. Parking was easy and we were able to find picnic tables after a quick walk up the trail. This park is lovely with the plant life, but the trails seem a little shabby and the park overall is just a tad rundown. The "play area" has definitely seen better days and I wish the trails were more clearly defined and marked. It was a nice reprieve and I'm sure the neighborhood loves having the park nearby, but the overall appearance and upkeep could certainly be improved. I would probably come here again, but it's not my first choice for parks in the Austin area.

GREAT PICNIC spot!…read more Hubby and I took a last minute detour in hopes to find a park that we could picnic at to enjoy our Snarfs Sandwiches so we could let traffic die down and WOW - THIS WAS PERFECT! We parked along the street parking - super smooth and on pulling up we were taken back on how beautiful and well kept it was! We didn't venture around much, but lovely slightly shaded area with a couple picnic tables to sit and enjoy our sandwiches! Great random find!

This park sits along Philomena Street and Browning Street. Not too far away you can actually see…read morethe traffic on I 35 from this stretch of peaceful green space. The full length of this park stretches from Airport Boulevard with a trail that runs towards I 35. This property is also known as the Mueller green space. The space is flanked on one side with Lofts and Seton and on the other side are residential homes. At the far west end of the property near I 35 are retail outlets. The property does incorporate both sidewalks and gravel trails along the full stretch of the park. I did not spot any public bathrooms on the property, but there was a very nice children's playscape. As nice as this stretch of property is, you may likely find some homeless encroachment on the property. Lots of photos included to get you better acquainted.

Republic Square Park on the Fourth of July is not for the faint of heart because wow Austin showed…read moreup like it was a competitive sport. I was not prepared for that level of crowd but honestly it was impressively well executed chaos. Do yourself a favor and skip driving unless you enjoy sitting still with regrets. Scooters bikes or a solid walk are the move. Also dress comfy because this is not the place for fashion over function unless you want to suffer for your outfit. There are plenty of restrooms which felt like a small miracle but eat before you go unless you love standing in food truck lines that test your patience. We tried one Indian truck that was fine but priced like it came with a private chef and a life lesson. All that said we had an absolute blast. The drone and firework show was hands down the best I have seen in the U.S. and the crowd was fun energetic and fully in the spirit.

Republic Square regularly hosts community programming, including events and gatherings, and is home…read moreto the Sustainable Food Center's Downtown Farmers' Market. The market features fresh produce and local vendors to the Square every Saturday. Public art installations like the dia des mortos skeleton heads in the park adds visual interest. These bright and colorful skeleton heads draw interest to park guests. An assortment of amenities enhances the experience as well. The park includes modern restrooms and an on site café (Rosen Bagels), ideal for a meal on one of the park benches. Its location at one of downtown Austin's busiest transit hubs means simultaneously accessible public transportation and being a high traffic area. That trade off is part of its character...a peaceful, busy area.

This small park of about 1 acre sits directly across the street from City Hall on Davilla Street…read more It is a small well-maintained park featuring a pavilion, playscape , swings and benches along with some picnic tables, but no grills. It's dedicated to the local residents of Granger who gave their lives in Vietnam. Despite being in downtown Granger, it's still a quiet and peaceful spot with some large oak trees for shade. Definitely a nice asset and memorial for the residents of this community.

When my brother-in-law (BIL) was visiting, we took him down to Auditorium Shores (official name…read more"Vic Mathias Shores"). This place is serene, especially in the mornings, with the adjacent Ann and Roy Butler Hike-and-Bike Trail. Auditorium Shores is a popular Austin location with a large green lawn, waterfront views, and a breathtaking panoramic of the downtown Austin skyline. We ate breakfast on the lawn and had a nice morning chat. In addition, Auditorium Shores is known for outdoor concerts, movies on the lawn, and outdoor events such as SXSW and July 4th firework displays. One notable landmark is the Stevie Ray Vaughan statue, who is one of our local music icons. My BIL loved visiting auditorium shores. Please note that there is plenty of street parking if you are lucky enough to find one.

Auditorium Shores aka Vic Mathias Shores is one of my favorite urban green spaces in Austin. Here…read moreis where you'll find the Stevie Ray Vaughan statue. Located just along the banks of Lady Bird Lake where the trails are. Lots of wide open green space for a picnic blanket, throwing a ball, playing with your dog, any outdoor activity. This area often has live music and festivals too. Check it out! Note: Parking can be a struggle. Early mornings are best to ensure getting a space.

Trails from the park connect to Ann & Roy Butler trails…read more Large festivals and outdoor music events take place in the grounds. Great views. Easy access to Ladybird Lake. Picnic areas, basketball courts, Martin Pool, and playground on property. Park sits at Ladybird Lake.

There are a number of reasons why Austin is popular…read more Let's add outdoor activities to the list. This East Austin park runs along the Colorado River between I-35 and Lady Bird Lake, south of the Holly neighborhood. It's a decent-sized trail. I walked about a mile and a half before I decided to turn around. If I would have kept going, the trail would have taken me under I-35 and connected to another trail that would have taken me toward Waller Beach. You'll share the trail(s) with other pedestrians and some bicycles. I added an S because the main trail sometimes branches off for side quests. Those side quests usually take you a little bit closer to the city or towards a basketball court or picnic area. Back on the main trail, benches are strategically placed in case you want to take a break and / or enjoy the view. In fact, some scenic spots allow you to walk down to the river's edge. Besides the walking trail, there's plenty of green space. When the weather is right, this is the perfect place to unroll a blanket and read a book, plan a picnic, throw a frisbee or let the kids run around and burn off some energy.

Martin Neighborhood Pool is one of several free pools within the City of Austin (free admission)…read more It's located within the Edward Rendon Park. It has a shaded area and outdoor showers. Bathrooms as well. Clean pool. Often closed so check the city's website before heading over.

Lott Park is a cute little park. One of several parks right in my Central East neighborhood. It's…read morelocated relatively close to Franklin's BBQ. Just a ten minute walk from my apartment. There's a playground with climbing rocks, swings, slide. Our fur baby absolutely loves climbing and swinging and sliding. He has the best time. He absolutely hates the splash pad (it scares him). We like walking him to this park because it's peaceful and we're usually the only ones there. Sometimes we'll grab a bite to eat on 11th and bring it to the park to eat. It's truly a nice little spot to enjoy being outdoors.

This park is very close to downtown and just a stones throw away from I 35, however, it is neatly…read moretucked behind an old Austin neighborhood. It sits on less than an acre or what might be considered a single residential home site. This property supports quite a number of amenities for its size, including a large covered area perfect for a quartet. This park boasts of a covered pavilion, 2 play scapes, a splash pad, two separate picnic areas with grills, and a fountain. I also spotted two sets of swings and a half basketball court. There are also two additional grills at the pavilion, but I did not see any public bathrooms. One thing I noticed that was noticeably absent was that there are no "no parking" signs next to this park unlike the Swede Hill pocket park just a few blocks away. Definitely a nice community park that benefits the residents in the area.