The word “Texas” conjures
up images of cowboy hats, country music, BBQ and Longhorn cattle.
While Austin certainly has all of that, there is also so much more.
For starters, this city in the heart of Texas has long been billed
as the live music capital of the world, hosting legendary musicians
such as Stevie Ray Vaughan, Muddy Waters and Willie Nelson.
There is always something to do and see here with huge festivals
such as South by Southwest, the Austin City Limits Music Festival
and the Zilker Park Kite Festival. But for paddlers, Austin’s
greatest asset is the great day trip lying right at its doorstep.
The blue-green Colorado River winds through downtown and is the
perfect place to wet a hull and enjoy some of what this vibrant
city has to offer. From the river, Austin is unique, with a cosmopolitan
skyline partially obscured by a nearly continuous green space of
parks and trees surrounding the river. The trails around the river
are easily accessed from downtown and always host an energetic
group of joggers, dog-walkers and sightseers. On many days, you’ll
notice the distinctive aroma of cedar trees, and the numerous
blue-sky days add to the beauty of the area.
With mild winter temperatures and an average of 300 days of sunshine
per year, Austin offers good paddling year-round.
Summers can be downright hot with temperatures soaring into the
triple digits. If you don’t mind the heat, however, summer
paddles are great. Austin’s southerly latitude also makes
it a great place for winter trips. The average winter low is 40˚F,
but it’s not unusual to see afternoon temperatures near 60˚F.
During the spring and fall, the temperatures are almost always
pleasant. |