Barton Springs Pool- Austin Texas Zilker Park

“This post has been sponsored by Sparkling Ice®. All thoughts and opinions are my own.”

Each travel guide, I love to link the full #TravelinTexan bucket list so y'all can see the entire list. Nap under an oak in Zilker Park crosses number 87 off the list. Shall we get into this quick little trip?

We loaded the car with all the camera gear and Sparkling Ice® we’d bought from Albertsons and were ready for a day trip. We enjoyed seein' the many Sparkling Ice® flavors on the shelf. We were to spend the mornin’ on the outskirts of Austin, lappin’ up all the BBQ our hearts could desire. Bekah had come to visit for the weekend and wanted to spend a day in Austin as she’d never been. A short three-hour drive from my house in Dallas and wantin’ to cross items off the Texas Bucket List, I was more than happy to oblige.

BBQ and catchin’ up with friends warmed our soul and by mid-afternoon, we were ready for the real reason we came to Austin: Zilker Park Barton Springs Pool. Perfect for a spring or summer day with family.

We drove the short distance to Zilker Park, laughin’ all the way while trying to guess the newest Sparkling Ice Mystery Flavor. I chuckled, “I wonder if I’ll guess the Sparkling Ice Mystery Flavor like I did last year when I took Sparkling Ice and drove to Blanco Texas for the 'Lavender Festival.'” With 16 different flavors of the zero sugar, zero calories drinks and the JUST4U offer updating weekly with new flavors, I didn’t have much hope that I would guess the correct flavors again. But, it was fun to try. Bekah joked, that she thought the Sparkling Ice Mystery Flavor tasted like a candy she often ate.

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We arrived at Barton Springs Pool just as the afternoon Texas breeze began to stir. I’d always heard that the Barton Springs Pool in the 358 acres of Zilker Park was the premier jewel of Austin, measuring three acres and up to 18 feet in depth. And upon the first arrival, it did not disappoint. With a year-round temperature of 69-70 degrees from the underground springs, Barton Springs Pool is perfect for year-round swimming. We couldn’t contain our excitement as we paid the nine dollars non-resident fee. If only we were from Austin, we thought. Would have only cost us five bucks. We hoped we’d see the endangered Barton Springs Salamander since the springs are not only their habitat but federally protected. We opted for the hand stamp so that if we got hungry, we could come and go and eat our food waitin’ in the car at one of the many park benches.

We walked around the pool, scoopin’ the best place set up our picnic spot. I picked an overgrown oak tree perfect for nappin’.

Bekah immediately rushed to the lukewarm water as I began to assess our surroundings. I noticed that parts of the pool were slippery, and life jackets were only allowed on the shallow half of the pool. A majority of the lifeguards sat in stands on the deeper sider where you needed to be able to swim independently to use. I smiled as a crowd cheered on a little girl as she jumped from the diving board, proud of her accomplishments.  Bekah had already begun to swim around and gotten acclimated to the 68-degree water as I slowly decided which entrance I wanted to use. I’d noted that the beach entrance on the west side of the pool was shallow but slippery, and the stairs near the ramp entrance were less slippery but crowded. I opted for the ramp and shuddered as the lukewarm water hit my skin. I giggled like the children around me as tadpoles and salamanders pooled around my feet.

We quickly grew tired of swimmin’ and took our spot under the large oak tree we had scoped out earlier. We spent a lot of time people watchin’ and snappin’ pictures. “A fine blog post this would make,” I lamented.  

I read on a local blog that near the Barton Springs Pool gate boasted the Zilker Zephyr train, the indoor Splash! Exhibit, the Zilker Snack Bar, Zilker Hillside Theater, and the free wading area of Barton Creek. I'd mentioned them to Bekah, but she was content to lounge with our Sparkling Ice. With just the right amount of fizz and full flavor, we noted that it made a great treat for a day trip.

The sun began to fade as we dried off in the showers. I found myself readin’ all the signs, makin’ note to add the information in the blog post:

Barton Springs Pool

2201 Barton Springs Rd.

Austin, TX 78704

• Barton Springs Hotline (512-867-3080) to make sure the pool is open, especially after a rainstorm
• Closed Thursdays from 9am - 7pm for cleaning
• Free for children under the age of one.
• Children 1-11 residents $2 and nonresidents $4.
• 12-17 years of age $3 for resident and $5 for nonresident
• 18-62 $5 for resident and $9 for nonresident
• 62 and older $2 for resident and $5 for nonresident

We made our way to the car; a three-hour drive awaited us. She tossed me a Sparkling Ice I’d gotten at my local Albertsons for convenience as I hollered, “Chez Stop. We’ll get gas at Chez Stop so you can try the famous kolaches. I make you a Texan Yet." She chuckled before grimacing, "What is up with Texans and their love of gas station food?”

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