Austin, Texas is known around the world for its live-music scene and an artsy, creative vibe infused Texas spirit. From museums and concert halls to purveyors of authentic Texas barbecue and Tex-Mex cuisine—and a crammed events calendar that includes the well-known Austin City Limits Music Festival—the Lone Star State’s fourth-largest city offers plenty to do, see and hear all year-round.
Often referred to as the live music capital of the world, Austin is surrounded by a diverse and beautiful landscape, including the charming towns and scenic woodlands of the Texas Hill Country just to the west. This picturesque area offers a perfect escape for those seeking somewhere outside the city to escape to during a visit. Below, explore our list of the best day trips from Austin.
1. Balcones Canyonlands National Wildlife Refuge
- Distance From Austin: 40 miles
- Address: 24518 E. FM 1431, Marble Falls, TX
Established in 1992 to protect the habitats of two threatened native songbirds—the golden-cheeked warbler and black-capped vireo—Balcones Canyonlands National Wildlife Refuge is a premier destination near Austin for nature enthusiasts and those captivated by the beauty of the Texas Hill Country.
The refuge features stunning canyons and ravines carved into the Balcones Escarpment, which forms the eastern edge of the Edwards Plateau, a vast landscape at the southern end of the Great Plains and the heart of Texas. Visitors can explore rolling juniper-oak woodlands and oak thickets by hiking trails such as Cactus Rock, Shin Oak, Vista Knoll, and Ridgeline, all while enjoying the natural beauty of the Lone Star State.
2. New Braunfels, TX
- Distance From Austin: 50 miles
German immigrants settled New Braunfels in the mid-1840s on land purchased by Prince Carl of Solms-Braunfels. The still-strong German-American heritage is one of the many reasons to visit, alongside annual cultural celebrations such as Wurstfest and Wassailfest.
After admiring architecture in the Downtown New Braunfels and Gruene historic districts, consider following in the paths of the locals and cool off with a tubing float on the Guadalupe or Comal rivers (or a visit to the Schlitterbahn Waterpark). The town also harbors a number of intriguing museums, including the Sophienburg Museum & Archives, Heritage Village: Museum of Texas Handmade Furniture and the McKenna Children’s Museum.
3. Pedernales Falls State Park
- Distance From Austin: 30 miles
- Address: 2585 Park Rd 6026, Johnson City, TX
Pedernales Falls State Park is near the top of many Austin day trip lists, given how close it is to the Live Music Capital of the World and the slice of the Texas Hill Country it preserves. The park is named for the splendid cascade where the Pedernales River drops some 50 feet down pale, potholed Marble Falls Limestone over about 3,000 feet.
A quarter-mile hike leads to a popular swimming hole, while extensive trails offer immersive sightseeing for hikers, mountain bikers and equestrians. From bald-cypress along the river to mixed-hardwood draws and oak-juniper hills, there’s a great selection of Hill Country habitats to appreciate. Other activities include angling (for catfish, sunfish and other quarry) and paddling.
4. San Antonio, TX
- Distance From Austin: 80 miles
Texas’s second-biggest city is easily another of the top day trips from Austin, as the number-one tourist attraction in the state lies in Downtown San Antonio. The Alamo is one of five centuries-old Spanish missions composing the San Antonio Missions National Historical Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
But this city has plenty more to offer, from a variety of restaurants and shops to such attractions as the San Antonio Botanical Garden, Tower of the Americas, SeaWorld San Antonio, San Antonio Zoo, McNary Art Museum, Six Flags Fiesta Texas and the traditional El Mercado market.
5. Enchanted Rock State Natural Area
- Distance From Austin: 100 miles
- Address/Location: 16710 Ranch Rd 965, Fredericksburg, TX
The huge pink granite dome of Enchanted Rock, rising nearly 430 feet from its base, forms a mighty landmark on the Llano Uplift of the Edwards Plateau. This isolated rock mountain, or monadnock, was designated a National Natural Landmark in 1971 and forms the centerpiece of a state natural area that also encompasses several other, lesser domes, including Little Dome and Turkey Peak. Close to 11 miles of hiking trails await you here, including the standout Summit Trail leading to the top of Enchanted Rock and its sweeping Texas Hill Country vista.
6. Fredericksburg, TX
- Distance From Austin: 78 miles
Another well-known hub of Central Texas’s rich German heritage, Fredericksburg was founded in 1846 by Otfried Haus Freiherr von Meusebach and the Society for the Protection of German Immigrants (Adelsverein). You can try German-style beer at Altstadt Brewery or Fredericksburg Brewing Co., enjoy Deutschland cuisine at hotspots such as Opa’s Smoked Meats and listen for the old “Texas German” dialect still spoken occasionally in the area.
Fredericksburg is also known for its viticultural industry, with over 60 wineries and tasting rooms to visit in the vicinity. One such location is Wildseed Farms, the largest wildflower farm in the country—as well as the outstanding National Museum of the Pacific War. The Lyndon B. Johnson State Park & Historic Site, meanwhile, includes a living-history farm and herds of American bison and Texas longhorn cattle.
7. Dripping Springs, TX
- Distance From Austin: 24 miles
The small, friendly town of Dripping Springs—“Gateway to the Hill Country”— acts as one of the many great day trip sports from Austin. Here you can relish the bright starshine of this International Dark Sky Community, visit the natural limestone swimming hole of the Hamilton Pool Preserve and stroll amid the eye-catching vintage buildings of Mercer Street, where you’ll also find the namesake Dripping Springs themselves.
Fans of country music will also thrill at the area’s musical heritage: A ranch outside town hosted the 1972 Dripping Springs Reunion, which featured such performers as Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings, Charlie Rich, Loretta Lynn and Kris Kristofferson and inspired Nelson’s famous (and ongoing) Fourth of July Picnic, held for the very first time at the same venue the following year.
8. Lockhart, TX
- Distance From Austin: 35 miles
Be sure to bring your appetite when you come to Lockhart as this is the Texas Legislature-declared Barbecue Capital of Texas. At long-running joints such as the Original Black’s Barbecue, Chisholm Trail Bar-B-Q and Smitty’s Market, you can sample brisket, ribs, smoked chicken and other barbecue classics, made as authentic as it can get.
The town also includes some handsome historical architecture to appreciate post-BBQ, such as the Caldwell County Courthouse (1894), the Gaslight-Baker Theatre (1920) and the Classical Revival-style Dr. Eugene Clark Library (1899), the oldest continuously operating public library in the Lone Star State.
9. Inks Lake State Park
- Distance From Austin: 67 miles
- Address: 3630 Park Rd 4 West, Burnet, TX
Inks Lake State Park is a beloved Hill Country destination, offering both outdoor adventure and peaceful natural beauty. Sitting along the shores of the 831-acre Inks Lake on the Colorado River, it's a great Austin day trip spot for swimming, kayaking, fishing for bass and sunfish or even trying your hand at water skiing. For those who prefer to stay on land, the park features nine miles of scenic hiking trails and unique rock formations, known as Valley Spring Gneiss, which are perfect for exploring.
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