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Green Travel in Austin

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It's simple to rent an electric scooter or bike to get around Austin, which is quite easily one of the greenest towns in the country. The best thing about Austin is the preservation of natural land outside and throughout the city, with impressive greenbelts and natural water sources dotted throughout the urban spread.

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Author: JennyMM

Day 1 - Austin

Habitat Suites is a hotel that was environmentally focused before the current trend. They've received a number of awards for their efforts over the years as well. The gardens and the birds that gather there are quite beautiful, too. Take a walk around downtown today, starting at Bremond Block. This is a great collection of homes that resemble the luxurious southern style of the mid 1800s. A walking tour introduces you to this decadent way of life. Austin has a thriving artistic culture, so you should stop into the Austin Museum of Art and/or the Jones Gallery if you're interested in seeing some Texan art. A fun green space to visit in the afternoon is Zilker Park, the largest in the city, where you can catch various festivals going on throughout the year but it's also just a nice place for a walk or a picnic. There's a botanical garden there, which houses a serene Japanese tea garden as well as an abundance of unusual plant species, and a natural pool which is perfect for an afternoon swim. At sundown, walk over to Congress Avenue Bridge to see the milliions (literally) of free-tail bats that swarm out when dusk hits. There's usually a minimum of several dozen people there to see the bats, though, so hurry down there! Finish the day with dinner at Casa de la Luz, which is a holistic sort of place, devoted to a lifestyle that revolves around conscious living and an organic diet. You can also just pop in for a delicious dinner, though, and you won't regret it!

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Habitat Suites Hotel

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Location:

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500 E Highland Mall Blvd
Austin, TX 78752

Phone:

+1 512 467 6000 / +1 800 535 4663 (Toll Free)

Austin Museum of Art

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Location:

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823 Congress Ave
At Ninth St
Austin, TX 78701

Phone:

+1 512 495 9224

Bremond Block

Location:

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700 Guadalupe to 900 San Antonio streets
Between Seventh and Eighth, San Antonio and Guadalupe Sts
Austin, TX 78701

Phone:

+1 512 478 0098

Jones Center for Contemporary Art

Location:

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700 Congress Ave
Austin, TX 78701

Phone:

+1 512 453 5312

Zilker Park

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Location:

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2100 Barton Springs Rd
Austin, TX 78746

Phone:

512-974-6700

Zilker Botanical Garden

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Location:

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2220 Barton Springs Rd.
Austin, TX 78746

Phone:

512-477-8672

Ann Richards Congress Avenue Bridge Bats

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Location:

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100 S. Congress Ave.
Austin, TX 78701

Phone:

512-478-0098

Barton Springs Pool

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Location:

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2101 Barton Springs Road
Zilker Park
Austin, TX 78704

Phone:

512-867-3080

Casa De Luz

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1701 Toomey Road
Austin, TX 78704

Phone:

+1 512 476 2535

Day 2 - Austin

Formerly a ranch, Commons Ford Park is now a large public park on Lake Austin with several miles of hiking trails, a swimming pool, outdoor games, and enjoying the beautiful lake. A more wild place for a hike is the nearby Wild Basin Preserve, probably the best place to hike in the area, and a place where you should definitely bring some binoculars for birdwatching. A smaller park with a lookout is Mount Bonnell, where you can get a beautiful view of the city and surrounding area, and in the same area is the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, full of hundreds of native plant species and featuring lots of information about the Austin area's natural history. If you want to see a bit more of the city's history, take a historical promenade tour, which will guide you through some of the more well-preserved areas of Austin that will bring back the feeling of the old South. To fill up after an active day, Leaf is the best place to go for a huge salad with fresh fixings, from their El Jefe with grilled steak to the delicious Nicoise - and everything's eco-friendly.

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Commons Ford Ranch

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Location:

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614 Commons Ford Road
Austin, TX 78733

Phone:

+1 512 474 9692

Wild Basin Wilderness Preserve

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Location:

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805 N. Capital of Texas Highway
Austin, TX 78746

Phone:

+1 512 327 7622

Mount Bonnell

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3800 Mount Bonnell Road
Austin, TX 78702

Phone:

512-974-6700

Austin Promenade Tours

Location:

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5100 Trading Bend
Austin, TX 78735

Phone:

+1 512 498 4686

Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center

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4801 LaCrosse Ave
Austin, TX 78620

Phone:

512-232-0100

Leaf

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Location:

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419 West Second Street
Austin, TX 78701

Phone:

+1 512 474 5323

Day 3 - Austin

For historical background, the Texas Memorial Museum features a number of rare American Indian artifacts and lots of dinosaur remains that have been found throughout the state as well as information about its geological and anthropological past. Near the museum is Boggy Creek Farm, which is a wonderful family-run farm that is fun to visit both to get some fresh snacks and to learn about their urban farming techniques. Rent a bike or take an afternoon walk along the Town Lake Hike and Bike trail, which traces a path along Austin's many parks and greenbelts, and then settle in for a riverboat tour at sunset. These are particularly enjoyable in the warmest summer months, as the air starts to cool and the bats come out. Finish the day with dinner at Eastside Cafe, where you can see many of the ingredients that went into your dinner growing right on the restaurant property.

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Texas Memorial Museum

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Location:

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2400 Trinity St
University of Texas campus
Austin, TX 78705

Phone:

+1 512 471 1604

Town Lake Hike and Bike Trail

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Location:

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S First Street between MoPac Blvd and Pleasant Valley Road
Austin, TX 78701

Phone:

+1 512 477 7273

Boggy Creek Farm

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Location:

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3414 Lyons Road
Austin, TX 78702

Phone:

+1 512 926 4650

Austin Steam Trains/River City Flyer

Location:

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Fifth Steet at Comal
(Plaza Saltillo)
Austin, TX 78767

Phone:

+1 512 477 8468

Lone Star Riverboat

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Location:

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Riverside Drive and South First Street
(between the Congress and South First Street Bridges)
Austin, TX 78716

Phone:

+1 512 327 1388

Eastside Cafe

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2113 Manor Road
Austin, TX 78722-2437

Phone:

512-476-5858

Day 4 - Austin

There are several great natural areas to visit in the area west of Austin, and you should spend a day exploring a couple of them. The main Balcones Canyonlands refuge is not open to the public because it is home for two endangered bird species, but you can hike through the Doeskin Ranch trails that might let you catch a glimpse of one of the elusive birds. You can also visit Longhorn Cavern state park, which of course is the location of the Longhorn Cavern, a river-formed cavern that has American Indian and Civil War history, on top of being a remarkable natural wonder. If you're up for a longer hike, head to the Colorado Bend state park, where you can climb to see one of the highest waterfalls in the area, Gorman Falls, and can enjoy some more great birdwatching. A more unusual but equally (or more) impressive hiking site is the Enchanted Rock, a huge pink granite dome that was respected in American Indian folklore thousands of years ago. Cool off after a long day of hiking at the natural Hamilton Pool grotto, and then head into town for dinner. Wink is one of Austin's upscale gourmet restaurants, and it's also committed to using the freshest local produce, so the menu changes daily. Stop in to see what delectable dishes they've cooked up.

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