Where to Swim in Austin, Texas || Best Swimming Holes in Austin

Find the best Austin swimming holes and watering holes to beat the heat this summer and go for a swim in Austin! Stay cool with these great parks and spots for swimming in Austin and all around Central Texas. Local favorites included! Get away from your apartment swimming pool and try one of these amazing Austin watering holes, from Barton Creek best spots to the free side of Barton Springs!

SEE MORE : 11 Texas State Parks to Explore This Summer

Twin Falls + Sculpture Falls

Two of my personal spots located right off Barton Creek inside Austin proper! A great place to lay out with your friends, dogs, and beers. They get pretty crowded on weekends, but they are still some of the best options! No reservations necessary and no payments!

Information: Both falls can be accessed from the Twin Falls Access Point. Prepare for about a 1/2 mile walk up to Twin Falls, and then continue an addition 1 mile to reach Sculpture Falls. More information about Twin & Sculpture Falls.

Upper and Lower Bull Creek

One of the most beautiful swimming holes and it’s FREE! It’s not even that far up Northwest, so an easy driving distance. Denver and I love grabbing the hammock and hanging out here. It’s totally free to the public, dog friendly, and has TONS of space to spread out. You can hit either the upper or lower portion, both are fabulous!

Information: Open daily and you can find the access points listed here

Hamilton Pool

One of the most beautiful swimming holes in Austin, and a local favorite! About 30 minutes away, this beautiful oasis is perfect for a photograph and for keeping cool. Beware, you do have to make reservations for your spot in advance. Additionally, the pool will close at random times due to different bacterias in the water so always make sure they are open before you go!

Information: Open daily from 9am – 6pm with no entry past 5:30pm. Cash only, $15 per car. Food and drink are allowed, no glass. Get more information about Hamilton Pool. Also visit Ready Set Jet Set for more info about how to get to Hamilton Pool!

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Jacob’s Well

Another one of the most beautiful watering holes in the Austin area. While not nearly as large as Hamilton Pool, the smaller gem is known for being beautiful and a perfect jumping-in spot for locals. Same as Hamilton, Jacob’s Well does require reservations in advance!

Information: Open from 10am-8pm daily. Cost is $9 for adults, $5 for Hays County residents, children, and veterans. Food and drinks are allowed, but no glass. More info about Jacobs Well. 

SEE MORE: THE ULTIMATE GUIDE TO SUMMER IN AUSTIN

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Wimberly Blue Hole Park

Another reservation-based watering hole because of how popular it got! This is definitely more of a swimming spot than Hamilton and Jacobs Well. It’s absolutely beautiful, serene, and surrounded by forest land and parks. Here you can find plenty of rope swings and relaxing spots, also GREAT for kids!

Information: Open 10am-6pm daily. Cash only, $9 for adults, $5 for kids & seniors. Food and drinks are allowed, but no glass and no alcohol. Find more information about Wimberley’s Blue Hole.

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McKinney Falls State Park

This is another one of my personal favorites! Only about 30 minutes from the city, and usually it is less packed than your other options. Plenty of space to swim, some gorgeous hiking trails, shady and sunny spots, and some awesome rocks to jump off of! I recommend the Lower Falls because I found it was less crowded and had more space to swim.

Information: Open 8am-10pm daily. Can pay by card, $6 for adults and free for 13 and under. Food and drink allowed. Learn more about McKinney Falls.

SEE MORE : 11 Texas State Parks to Explore This Summer

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Barton Springs Pool

Due to the amazing location, this is a favorite by locals and tourists both! Let me start by saying it gets crowded VERY quickly in summer. Also, they are very strict about what you can and cannot bring in. For example the paid side has NO drinks or food allowed inside. The water is also freezing cold, but they do have a really cool diving board! If you want something more relaxed and dog friendly where you can bring your own drinks and chairs, I recommend you check out the Barton Springs Spillway!!!!

Information: Summer hours are 5am-10pm with limited hours Thursday. Cash only at $3 for adults and $2 for kids. No food or drinks allowed inside Barton Springs. Learn more here. 

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Deep Eddy Swimming Pool

My go-to spot when I want to lay out and get some sun! More of a tradition swimming pool than a swimming hole, but also one of the best options for kids. Also I love that its got the swim lanes so if you want to actually swim laps in Austin its GREAT! It is very spacious with a good amount of parking available! Great if you just want to be somewhere near water but don’t want too much of a hassle.

Information: Hours are 10am-9pm and it is closed Tuesdays. Cash only, $3 for adults, $2 for teens, and $1 for kid and seniors. No food or drink allowed in the area. Learn more about Deep Eddy.

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Hippie’s Hollow Swimming Area

Well known in Austin for being the resident nude beach! A great swimming spot on the lake, but note that you are definitely going to find a few skinny dippers out there. If that’s what you are looking for, then this is for you!

Information: Open 9am-sunset at $15 per car cash only. Food and drink allowed. Learn More Here

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Krause Springs Swimming Hole

If you are looking for some great camping and swimming spots to hit with your friends, then this is your best bet! Tons of gorgeous space, plenty of swimming spots, and it is not that hard to find secluded private spots to hang out! I have not been here myself, but you bet I have been dying to go!

Information: Open 9am-9pm every day at $7 for adults, $5 for kids. Food and drink are allowed, but no glass. Campfires are also prohibited. Learn more about Krause Springs.

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Pace Bend Park

Pace Bend is famous for the cliff diving that goes on over here! Plenty of spots for a good swim and plenty of boats nearby, so just be careful. Pets are also allowed here, which is a bonus! I recommend checking out Mudd Cover or Grace Cove as some of my favorite swim spots by Pace Bend.

Information: Open daily dawn until dusk, cash only at $15 per car. Pets, food, and drink are allowed. No smoking or glass. Please proceed with caution! Learn More about Pace Bend.

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Float the San Marcos or Comal River

An absolute summer must in Texas? Floating the river! Grab your cooler, your friends, and a ton of beer before you hop on the river for a four hour ride. No better way to beat the heat! The best tubing rivers in  Texas are the San Marcos and Comal Rivers. Lately, the Comal has been very strict about drinks on the river so I highly recommend the San Marcos over the Comal.

Information: While there are plenty of tube businesses, Texas State Tubes is my go-to for tubing! Expect about a $40 cost for everything, also DO NOT BRING YOUR PHONE ON THE RIVER. Learn more here.

SEE MORE: EVERYTHING TO KNOW ABOUT FLOATING THE RIVER IN TEXAS

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Schlitterbahn Waterpark

I know, I know, it is NOT a swimming hole. But guys, I can’t not add it. This is my favorite water park in Texas and I went here all the time as a kid. Three separate parks joined by one GIANT lazy river, there is everything you could ever need in a waterpark here!!!

Information: Open every day June-August and then weekends only in September. Cost is not cheap at about $50, but you will get your moneys worth. Learn more about Schlitterbahn here.

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Thanks for checking out this list of the Best Austin Swimming Holes & Water Holes for Summer! These have always been my favorite swimming holes to keep cool during the weekend or take friends from out of town. Especially considering Texas likes to get as hot as possible! An Austin swimming hole is basically the only way to not melt.