Free Things to Do in Austin: 12 Verified Picks and a Free-Day Route

The best free things to do in Austin are a guided tour of the Texas State Capitol downtown, the evening bat flight at the Ann W. Richards Congress Avenue Bridge, Zilker Metropolitan Park, the 10-mile Butler Trail around Lady Bird Lake, and free museums such as the Harry Ransom Center and the George Washington Carver Museum. All 12 picks below are inside the city of Austin, and we checked every one against its official site. Barton Springs Pool and the LBJ Presidential Library are only free some of the time, so they get their own section with the exact rules.

The Texas State Capitol is taller than the US Capitol in Washington, and the guided tour costs nothing.

How we chose

A place only made this list if its own official site says it's free, or lists no admission fee at all, and shows it's open.

• Actually free. No free trial and no free-with-purchase. Where only part of a place is free, or only on certain days, we quote the rule from the official site.
• Inside Austin. Every pick is within the city of Austin, Texas.
• Checked at the source. Hours and prices change, so treat every time below as typical and check before you go.

The 12 free picks

1. Texas State Capitol tours (Downtown)

Guided tours of the Texas State Capitol at 1100 Congress Avenue in Downtown Austin are free. The Texas State Preservation Board says tours leave every 15 to 30 minutes and last about 40 minutes. They typically start at 9 a.m. Monday through Saturday and at noon on Sunday, and the last tour leaves at 4:15 p.m.

What to do: Join a tour in the South Foyer, then stand under the rotunda dome and look straight up. If a tour isn't running, pick up a free self-guided brochure at the north entry. The Capitol is 302.64 feet to the top of the star in the Goddess of Liberty's hand, which the Preservation Board says makes it 14.64 feet taller than the US Capitol.

Why: In our opinion it's the grandest building in Austin you can walk into for free. The Capitol Visitors Center at 112 East 11th Street is in the restored 1857 General Land Office building, and it lists no admission fee either.

2. Congress Avenue Bridge bat flight (Lady Bird Lake, Downtown)

Watching the bats fly out from under the Ann W. Richards Congress Avenue Bridge in Austin is free. Texas Parks and Wildlife estimates about 1.5 million Mexican free-tailed bats live there, the largest urban bat colony in the world. It's a maternity colony that raises about 750,000 pups a year.

What to do: Get to the bridge or the Bat Observation Area on the southeast side of Congress Avenue before sunset. Austin Bat Refuge says the bats fly out every evening from March through October, with the biggest flights from the third week of July through September.

Why: The bridge links downtown and South Congress, so a free sunset show sits right next to dinner. Viewing is free, but the lot near the viewing area charges for parking.

3. Zilker Metropolitan Park (Zilker)

You don't pay to get into Zilker Metropolitan Park at 2100 Barton Springs Road in South Austin. The City of Austin lists no entry fee for its more than 350 acres, and city parks are typically open from 5 a.m. to 10 p.m.

What to do: Bring a blanket and a frisbee to the big open lawn. Read our Zilker area guide for what's around the park.

Why: The park itself is free, but parking isn't always. The city charges $3 an hour per vehicle on Saturdays, Sundays and official holidays, from the first Saturday of Spring Break through Labor Day. Go on a weekday, or bike in.

4. Ann and Roy Butler Hike-and-Bike Trail (Lady Bird Lake)

The Ann and Roy Butler Hike-and-Bike Trail is a free 10-mile loop around Lady Bird Lake in central Austin. The Trail Conservancy says it will always be public parkland. The Boardwalk section is open from 5 a.m. to midnight.

What to do: Walk the Boardwalk on the south shore for skyline views over the water, or pick any stretch between downtown and Zilker. E-bikes are allowed under 10 mph.

Why: It ties half this list together. Note that swimming in Lady Bird Lake is illegal, and about half the trail is unlit, so plan to finish by dark.

5. Harry Ransom Center (UT Austin campus)

The Harry Ransom Center at 300 West 21st Street, on the University of Texas at Austin campus, has free admission. The galleries are typically open Tuesday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and weekends from noon to 5 p.m. They're closed Mondays.

What to do: See the Gutenberg Bible, which the center calls one of only five complete copies in the United States, and the Niépce heliograph, an early photograph.

Why: Few places let you see a Gutenberg Bible for free, and the exhibitions rotate.

6. George Washington Carver Museum (East Austin)

The George Washington Carver Museum, Cultural and Genealogy Center at 1165 Angelina Street in East Austin is free and open to the public, according to the City of Austin. The museum is typically open Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., stays open until 9 p.m. on Thursday, opens 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, and is closed Sunday.

What to do: See the exhibitions on African American history and culture. If you're researching your family, book time in the Genealogy Center, which keeps shorter hours.

Why: It's a city museum with real depth, and free evening hours on Thursdays are rare.

7. Bullock Texas State History Museum on Free First Sunday (near the Capitol)

The Bullock Texas State History Museum at 1800 North Congress Avenue is free on one day a month. The museum's site says exhibition admission is free on the first Sunday of every month for H-E-B Free First Sunday.

What to do: Go through the three floors of exhibitions on Texas history. IMAX and the Texas Spirit Theater cost extra, even on free Sundays.

Why: Visit on the first Sunday and you save a full adult ticket. The museum also lists other free days, including the second Sunday in July and free entry through Museums for All for SNAP and WIC cardholders.

8. Covert Park at Mount Bonnell (West Austin)

Covert Park at Mount Bonnell, at 3800 Mount Bonnell Road in West Austin, lists no entry fee. The City of Austin describes it as a 784-foot promontory along Lake Austin, typically open from 5 a.m. to 10 p.m.

What to do: Climb the stone stairs to the summit and look out over Lake Austin.

Why: It has drawn visitors since the mid-1800s. The city notes that a 1969 historical marker there recalls an 1898 stunt in which a performer slid down a cable from the top to the south bank below, with her pet monkey following.

9. Mayfield Park and Nature Preserve (West Austin)

Mayfield Park and Nature Preserve at 3505 West 35th Street in West Austin lists no entry fee and is typically open from 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. The City of Austin says the free-roaming peafowl are descended from birds given to the family who lived there in the 1930s.

What to do: Walk the walled gardens and lily ponds, then the trails in the 23-acre preserve. The gardens are open when they aren't rented, which is usually Monday through Thursday.

Why: The peacocks. Look, but don't touch or feed them. No pets are allowed apart from service animals.

10. Texas Governor's Mansion tours (Downtown)

The Texas State Preservation Board runs free guided tours of the Texas Governor's Mansion in Downtown Austin. You must book at least one week ahead, there are no walk-ups, and every visitor goes through a background check.

What to do: Email or call to book. Tours last about 30 minutes for up to 20 people. Leave bags, strollers and water behind, because there's nowhere to store them.

Why: The mansion has been the governor's home since 1856. The board calls it the oldest governor's mansion west of the Mississippi River.

11. Texas State Cemetery (East Austin)

The Texas State Cemetery at 909 Navasota Street in East Austin, about a mile east of the Capitol, lists no visitor fee. The cemetery is typically open daily from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

What to do: Check in at the Visitors Center, then walk the 18 acres, which hold about 3,200 burials. Groups of 10 or more can book a guided tour.

Why: It's a quiet, shaded way to see Texas history up close. Funerals come first, so the cemetery can close at short notice.

12. Austin Central Library (Downtown)

Austin Central Library at 710 West César Chávez Street in Downtown Austin is a public library, so walking in and looking around costs nothing. Austin Public Library lists typical hours of 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday, with shorter hours Friday through Sunday.

What to do: Browse the art gallery, the seed library and the Innovation Lab. The building connects straight to the Butler Trail and the Shoal Creek Trail.

Why: It's a free, air-conditioned stop in the middle of a walking day. The garage is free for the first hour, then charges tiered rates.

Is Barton Springs Pool free?

Not always. Barton Springs Pool in Zilker Park charges admission in its main season, and the City of Austin sets separate resident and non-resident prices. Outside the main season the city typically stops charging admission, and its site gives the spring date charging resumes. Honorably discharged veterans and infants are free all year.

The spring-fed water averages 68 to 70 degrees all year. The pool closes for cleaning on Thursdays from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Check the official site before you go.

Is the LBJ Presidential Library free?

The LBJ Presidential Library at 2313 Red River Street on the UT Austin campus is a paid museum, but its admissions page lists several ways in for free.

• Children under 12, active-duty military with up to five family members, and UT Austin faculty, staff and students are free.
• Visitors named Lyndon or Claudia get in free. Claudia was Lady Bird Johnson's first name.
• The library publishes a yearly list of free admission days, many of them federal holidays, and Tuesday tickets are half price.
• Visitor parking in lot 38 off Red River Street is free.

How do you spend a whole day in Austin for free?

This route keeps you downtown in the morning and by the lake in the evening. On a weekday, Zilker parking is free too.

1. Morning: Take a free guided tour of the Texas State Capitol, then see the Capitol Visitors Center at 112 East 11th Street.
2. Late morning: Walk north to the Harry Ransom Center to see the Gutenberg Bible (Tuesday through Sunday). On the first Sunday of the month, go to the Bullock Museum instead.
3. Lunch break: Head down to Austin Central Library to cool off and look at the gallery.
4. Afternoon: Walk the Butler Trail west from the library to Zilker Metropolitan Park and spread a blanket on the lawn.
5. Golden hour: Drive or ride to Covert Park at Mount Bonnell for the Lake Austin view.
6. Sunset (March through October): Finish at the Congress Avenue Bridge for the bat flight.

Looking for something with a date attached? See what's on in Austin events, and check the Austin weather page before a full day outside.

Last verified: November 2026.

Frequently asked questions

What is free to do in Austin, Texas?

Free things to do in Austin include guided Texas State Capitol tours, the evening bat flight at the Congress Avenue Bridge, Zilker Metropolitan Park, the Butler Trail around Lady Bird Lake, and the Harry Ransom Center and George Washington Carver Museum. Each one is inside the city and lists free admission or no fee on its official site.

Is the Texas State Capitol tour free?

Yes. The Texas State Preservation Board says Capitol tours are free. Guided tours last about 40 minutes and typically leave every 15 to 30 minutes from the South Foyer, with the last one at 4:15 p.m.

Does it cost money to see the Austin bats?

No. Watching the bats leave the Ann W. Richards Congress Avenue Bridge is free from the bridge or the nearby Bat Observation Area. Texas Parks and Wildlife notes that the parking lot near the viewing area charges a fee.

Is Barton Springs Pool free?

Barton Springs Pool charges admission in its main season, but the City of Austin pauses admission in the off-season and gives the spring date charging resumes on its official site. Honorably discharged veterans and infants are always free.

Is Zilker Park free to enter?

Yes, Zilker Metropolitan Park has no entry fee. From Spring Break through Labor Day the City of Austin charges $3 an hour to park on Saturdays, Sundays and official holidays, so weekdays are the cheapest time to go.

When is the Bullock Museum free?

The Bullock Texas State History Museum's exhibitions are free on the first Sunday of every month for H-E-B Free First Sunday. IMAX and Texas Spirit Theater shows are still priced separately.