5 Best Neighborhood Parks in Austin
When the days get long and you need to relax, there’s nothing better than spending some time at the park. Anyone from a toddler to a senior citizen can find joy at the park. Something about getting access to nature even within a concrete urban environment, has the power to uplift anyone’s mood. Parks can give you a great, zero cost opportunity to reflect, read, and spend good times with friends outdoors. They can also be a huge booster for mental health. Most of the time, a park is right down your street. You should check out your nearest park as soon as possible. Here are five of the best neighborhood parks in Austin to get you started:
1. Little Stacy Park
Smack in the middle of a peaceful neighborhood, Little Stacy Park brings the perfect taste of nature and lies only minutes away from South Congress Avenue. Little Stacy is filled with surrounding creeks and small nature trails, that allow for the best miniature nature escape.
The open area of the park has picnic tables that can be the perfect place for a birthday party or family reunion. Little Stacy adds the right amount of nature to Austin's city life.
2. Battle Bend Park
Battle Bend Park is a beautiful park located in the heart of South Austin. Like Little Stacy Park, its also tucked quietly inside the friendly neighborhood streets off of South Congress Avenue. It has all of the desired park amenities such as a basketball court, playground, ample park seating, and a nice long walking path.
The surrounding neighborhood and amazing views of the sunset, add a nostalgic touch to the Battle Bend experience. At this park, an afternoon that spills into the evening, can remind you of those long summer days spent outside as a kid. Battle Bend Park is perfect place for all age groups to visit.
3. Heritage Oaks Neighborhood Park
It almost too easy to pass by Heritage Oaks Neighborhood Park if you speed down Parker Lane. This couldn’t be a sadder truth, because this little gem can add the right amount of relaxation to anyone’s day. The park might be small, but it lies enclosed between quiet, neighborhood cul-de sacs, so there's a lot more room to explore. Heritage Oaks’s walking path borders a large, empty green field with wildflowers and park benches.
This park can be a great site for lunch dates, chess games, or long Sunday conversations with friends. The greenery in the park is lush and beautiful in the warmer seasons. In the spring, wildflowers bloom into a large meadow that overtakes the front of the park. This park is recommended to visit anytime of the year.
4. Armadillo Park
There can be no better place for a Sunday afternoon “escape” than Armadillo Park. Being at this park transfers you to a place of total serenity. Tall trees and overgrown vegetation encase you, as you walk down the peaceful gravel trails.
There are many stone benches perfect for sitting, and a skate path that goes around the park to add a bit of fun. On cold rainy days, the park can give a eerie and mysterious vibe that feels straight out of a detective novel.
5. Deep Eddy
As the oldest pool in Texas, Deep Eddy’s cold spring water and adjacent nature trails act as the perfect place for a summer retreat. The pool is filled with spring water from the nearby river banks, and Lady Bird Lake acts as a peaceful backdrop to the park. The hiking trails behind Deep Eddy pool are mostly flat and span all around the lake. Zilker park sits right across so you can definitely see and hear all of the action, especially in October during ACL.
The park’s close proximity to the lakeshore line, allows you to have incredibly easy access to kayaking and rowing. Seeing the hardworking rowers push through the water alongside your hike, gives you the motivation to take on the entire trail and makes you glad that you made the choice to spend time outdoors.
By: Chloé Gouraige