Where to Paddleboard in Austin

It’s hard to stay at home in a city like Austin. The city is packed with amazing nature and parks that get you psyched up to explore the different activities it offers.

The amazing water bodies in Austin allow us to enjoy many different water activities like Stand Up Paddleboard. Stand Up Paddleboard is a water sport that is easy and suitable for everyone. All you need to do is to stand on a board with some balance while paddling through the water.

In this article, we’ll discuss where to paddleboard in Austin and how to get the best out of your SUP experience.

So let’s dive right in.

Lady Bird Lake

Lady Bird Lake is very popular for kayak and paddleboard tours. The lake is on the Colorado River and runs through downtown Austin.

You’ll be paddleboarding through the heart of the city enjoying its view and the steady water.

Motorized boats aren’t allowed on the water which makes it suitable for SUP beginners. If you don’t own a paddleboard, you can rent one from plenty of places near the lake like Live Love Paddle, EpicSUP, and Rowing Dock.

These rental businesses also offer a variety of paddleboard tours. The most popular ones are:

• Guided Bat Tour by Rowing Dock. This tour is about 3 hours paddling to the Congress Avenue Bridge where you stop to watch about 1.5 million bats at sunset.

• Full Moon Music Paddle by Live Love Paddle. You paddleboard to Snake Island under the full moonlight.

The lake is most visited on the weekends when the whole water turns into a party free of any worries.

Snake Island

It’s a distant small island in the middle of Lady Bird Lake. It only attracts a few crowds making it perfect for quiet time to just chill and enjoy the view of the water

On nights lit by the full moon, don’t miss the Full Moon Music Paddle tour by Live Love Paddle to enjoy a campfire on the island with live music. It’ll be one of the best nights of your life.

Congress Avenue Bridge

What makes the Congress Avenue Bridge special is the bat colony living in its crevices.

Every sunset from February to November, about 1.5 million bats start their day by flying from the bridge in an amazing view that is loved by everyone in Austin.

Locals understood the beauty of this site and started many businesses that help you get the best out of your experience watching the bats.

Places like Austin Rowing Club, Capital cruises, and PaddleShack offer guided SUP tours around the bridge. You can rent SUP equipment from them as well.

SUP at this site is an amazing way to exercise your body and brain while enjoying the city’s architectural landmarks and the famous bat colony at sunset.

Lake Travis

Lake Travis is only 30-minutes away from Austin. SUP in this place is different than in any other site.

The lake is surrounded by beautiful grassy hillsides and wealthy luxurious mansions. It has a limestone bottom which makes the water look crystal clear. Now we know why it’s the most visited lake in Texas.

Imagine Stand Up Paddling through this heaven. The lake is also known for its off-water activities. You’ll never feel bored in this place.

Several rental businesses around the lake allow you to rent a paddleboard like Lakeway Mariana and Viking Ship Kayak Rentals. So no problem if you’re a beginner and don’t own a paddleboard yet.

Lake Austin

Lake Austin is located south of Lake Travis on the Colorado River. Paddling in this lake is so fun and challenging. The lake is full of several species of fish so you can go paddling and fishing on the same day.

It’s best to SUP in Lake Austin if you’re experienced because there are a lot of cruising boats that you need to watch out for.

You can rent a SUP from several places. We recommend Peace Paddling which is known for its great services.

Secret Beach

Although the Secret Beach is only 15 minutes away from downtown Austin, very few people visit it. This beach is difficult to locate even by using Google Maps.

There are no rental places nearby this beach. So you need to bring your paddleboard or rent one from any SUP rental business in Austin.

The Secret Beach is the best option for those who prefer to paddle with a few crowds. Don’t forget to visit the amazing restaurants located there.

Spring Lake

To get to Spring Lake, you have to drive about 40-minute south of downtown Austin. But we promise you the SUP experience there is worth every minute of your time.

This lake is an environmental teaching center and the only way to paddleboard in it is through tours provided by REI Austin.

Being a preserved lake, its water is the definition of crystal clear water. It’s the clearest water body in the state of Texas.

Walter E. Long Lake

If you want to paddleboard with your dog, then Walter E. Long Lake is your choice.

It’s a secluded lake located in East Austin that allows you to bring your dog to enjoy their time in the open area under the beautiful sun.

Walter E. Long Lake is a good place for sunbathing as it’s not surrounded by many trees. We recommended bringing your paddleboard or renting it ahead of time.

The Wrap Up

Austin is one of the best destinations to paddleboard. The city has a place for everyone to enjoy their SUP time.

If you’re a party animal, we recommend you paddleboard next time in Lady Bird Lake or Lake Travis. For those who don’t like big crowds, Secret Beach and Snake Island are the best for you.

Don’t waste more time and start planning a trip to SUP with your friends in one of these beautiful places.

If you’re a beginner, many renting places offer teaching classes and renting services.