Paddle Boarding Austin: Top 5 Places To SUP

Lake Austin is part of the Colorado River that dissects directly through the city. Although more of a river than a lake, Lake Austin is quite wide and offers plenty of room for boating, fishing, paddle boarding, and any other water sport. It is lined with beautiful tree covered landscapes on both sides that offer incredible panoramic scenery. If you are an avid fisher, Lake Austin is a great spot to fish. Whether you are tossing your line from the shore, a boat, or a paddle board, you should be able to catch some bass or catfish. At Tower, we have great fishing paddleboard options that allow you to have a great fishing experience right from your SUP.

 

 

2. Lake Travis

Lake Travis is located just 30 minutes outside the city. Lake Travis is a popular weekend getaway spot for many locals. With mansions lining the exterior of the lake and a multitude of bars and restaurants nearby, Lake Travis has become quite the destination. Not only are there plenty of water activities to partake in but there are plenty of land activities such as golfing, shopping, and visiting local wineries and breweries. If you’re feeling really adventurous, check out Lake Travis Zip line Adventure which is the longest zip line in the state of Texas! For paddle board and kayak rentals check out Lakeway Marina. 

 

 

 

 

 

3. Barton Springs Municipal Pool

The Barton Springs Municipal pool is located right off Zilker Park through Barton Creek. The Barton Springs Pool is a 3 acre, spring fed swimming hole that maintains 68 degree temperature year round. If you are paddle boarding to this spot from the Colorado River turn onto Barton Creek which is located right in between Zilker Park and Butler Shores. The pool does have lifeguards and there is an entrance fee to access it. While this may not be the best open space for a long paddle board session, it is great to paddle in, dock your SUP board and then enjoy all that the pool has to offer. With grassy hillsides right next to the pool, it's a great place to have a picnic and relax in the sun.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

4. Lady Bird Lake

The Lady Bird Lake is another part of the Colorado River that is more like a river than a lake. This spot is located right next to downtown Austin so you can get great city skyline views while paddling. As one of the most popular paddle boarding spots in Austin, Lake Lady Bird can get quite crowded during a hot summer day. Located on the North Banks of the River is expansive Waller Beach at Town Lake Metropolitan Park. You can dock your paddle board here to stop for a picnic or just to rest. With its stunning city skyline views, this is a great spot to go for a night paddle during a full moon. If you are interested in tours or rentals, check out Live, Love, Paddle. They do several different types of tours including a full moon music paddle and a bat watching tour (Austin is home to a massive urban bat population) as well as paddle board and kayak rentals.

 

 

 

 

 

 

5. Snake Island

Snake Island is located just east down the river from Lady Bird Lake. A small island that juts out into the river this is a cool spot to explore while paddle boarding. Although the name might frighten you, don’t worry, Snake Island is not home to snakes. It’s a cool little island to dock your paddle board or kayak and explore. Live, Love, Paddle offers a moonlight paddle tour that takes you to snake island where they play live music while you sit by a campfire. That sounds like a perfect night on the water.