Best time to visit Austin

Austin is well-known for its music scene, its "Keep Austin Weird" aesthetic and its inventive cuisine. When is the best time to travel?

If you've been considering a visit, now is the time because Austin's summer has ended and it's time for winter.

If you're planning on visiting Austin in the future, you can expect mild winters, wildflowers in the Hill Country and Franklin Barbecue before you dive into Barton Springs Pool.

We have a guide on when to visit Austin.

Winter is the best time to find deals on accommodations

During the winter months, you can avoid the crowds and have a more local experience.

Is it on the positive side? Good hotel deals are common, and you can get discounted accommodations if you take advantage of them.

Even though the weather gets cold, Austin still loves live music, vinyl shopping and late night parties. One of Austin's top music venues and honky-tonks is a great place to warm up in the winter.

There will be Christmas bazaars and markets, carols, ice skating, and holiday-themed performances in the city. The Austin Trail of lights is popular.

Spring and fall are the best times for attending festivals and seeing wildflowers

Festivals in the spring and fall include South by Southwest in March and the Urban Music Fest in April.

Bluebonnets begin to peak in March and bloom through April in Hill Country. You could take a day trip outside of town to see the flowers. National Wildflower Week is hosted by the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.

September sees a break from the heat of summer and Austin doesn't explode with autumn colors. It can get very hot at the start of the season, with high temperatures in the 80s and 90s.

Summer is the best time to see bats and chill at Barton Springs

The summer months of June, July and August are technically high season, when schools are out and families travel, but temperatures are blazing-hot, with an average high of 95F in June and July. Barton Springs Pool is a natural chilly-spring pool lined with century-old pecans.

The best time to see the bat colony is in August. The platform underneath the bridge is home to the largest colony of Mexican free-tailed bats in the world. The bats roost in great columns over the Colorado River during the night.

The Congress Ave Bridge is a popular viewing point. The world's only true flying mammal is being celebrated.

The nation's independence is celebrated on the Fourth of July and Austin Pride marches into town in August. Labor Day ends summer vacations.

The article was published in March 2021.