Austin · Things to do

Mexican free-tailed bats roost in the bridge joints from late March into early autumn and emerge at sunset, taking up to 45 minutes to clear out. Watch from the bridge itself, the grassy hill at the Statesman Bat Observation Center, or the Butler Hike and Bike Trail; get there about half an hour before sunset.

A three-acre spring-fed pool inside Zilker Park that holds 68 to 70 degrees Fahrenheit year round, up to 18 feet deep, with grass banks to lie on. Entry is charged and hours vary by season and cleaning days, so check the city page before you go.

Free guided tours leave from the South Foyer every 15 to 30 minutes and last about 40 minutes, Monday to Saturday 9am to 4:15pm and Sunday from noon. You can also walk it yourself: the building is open 7am to 8pm on weekdays and from 9am at weekends.

At 2313 Red River St on the UT campus, open daily 9am to 5pm with last entry at 4pm and free parking in lot 38. Ticketed, and worth it for the reconstructed Oval Office and the recordings of Johnson's phone calls.

UT Austin's art museum at 200 E Martin Luther King Jr Blvd, open Tuesday to Friday and Sunday 10am to 5pm, Saturday until 8pm, closed Mondays. Its standout is Ellsworth Kelly's Austin, the only building he ever designed, which sits in the museum grounds.