AUSTIN · TEXAS
The best of Austin, most popular first.
The 15 most popular evening experiences in Austin. The ones worth building a day around, with prices, run times and who runs each.
Lake Travis sunset boat ride from Hurst Harbor Marina. BYOB, small groups, Austin views from the water, and Starnes Island stops.
Most Popular“Ramon was so friendly and made the ride relaxing and fun! He played all of our music requests. Would definitely do this again!”
Paddle downtown Austin at sunset and watch millions of Mexican free-tailed bats exit the Congress Avenue Bridge from below.
“Dalton and his pup were amazing!! For only being a guide for 6 months he was very knowledgeable answered all our questions and was very engaging! He made sure to cut the tour a little short to make sure we made it back to the bridge to watch the bats!”
One-hour Lake Austin sunset cruise with BYOB on a small boat. Pass Mount Bonnell, the 360 Bridge, and waterfront mansions.
“We had a great tour of Lake Austin at Sunset. The views were stunning and the trip through the canal to see the homes close up was beautiful. Thank you to our Captain Will.”
Kayak Austin at sunset to the Congress Avenue Bridge bats. 1.5M fly nightly. Gear and lights included, small-group tour.
“Nice to go out and be on kayaks as the sun went down, but not as many bats as expected, overall, would do it again.”
Paddle the San Marcos River in a clear kayak at sunset, with glow lights for underwater views, wildlife spotting, and spring dips for $65.
“We did the 9pm tour and it was absolutely wonderful! Journie did an amazing job sharing animal sighting and pointing out highlights along the way! We would 10/10 do it again and ask for Journie!”
Sunset on Lady Bird Lake, live-guided bat watching at Congress Avenue, then a narrated van loop past Austin icons.
“Enjoyable tour with Mike seeing Austin in the early evening before taking a boat on Lady Bird Lake to watch the bats leaving their roost to forage for insects. As this is the start of the season there are not the vast numbers of bats in the colony at the moment but there were still…”
Sunset bat kayak on Austin’s Lady Bird Lake. Small-group paddle to Congress Avenue Bridge to watch Mexican free-tailed bats.
“Our guide, Quinn, was great! Just being on the water at night was wonderful. I would highly recommend it.”
Small-group Austin night tour with hotel pickup and a Mercedes van, ending on a Lady Bird Lake sunset boat cruise to see bats.
“JD picked us up at a local hotel and took us on a short driving tour (there was a lot of traffic so we skipped some stops on the way to ensure we got to the bat boat tour on time). Informative. And friendly. The bat boat tour was a highlight of our day in…”
Small-group BYOB sunset cruise on Lake Austin with an expert captain, landmark views, and a private feel for $69 per person.
“Phil was a great captain! Kept the cruise very low key and pointed out various homes, neighborhoods, and other interesting sites. Highly recommend!!”
Giant paddleboard sunset tour in downtown Austin to see bats at Congress Avenue Bridge, then paddle back through city lights.
“The guides were helpful, knowledgeable, and fun. Lady Bird lake is beautiful and paddling at night with a view of downtown created a beautiful fun memory with my daughter.”
Paddle Lady Bird Lake at dusk to watch Austin’s Congress Avenue Bridge bats fly out, then glide past the lit-up skyline on a 3-hour kayak tour.
“We visited Austin to drop-off our son at UT. Whilst there we booked the Bat Kayak tour based on the trip Advisor reviews - it did not disappoint. Parking & check-in was easy, and our guide John was great filling to tour with fun facts. Paddling on the lake was easy & relaxing. All in…”
BYOB Lake Austin sunset cruise from 360 Bridge with bimini shade, stops at Hula Hut, Pennybacker Bridge, and Ski Shores Cafe.
“Great experience ride was clean and safe, captain was also so friendly and explained all the details”
Paddle a kayak or SUP at sunset on Lady Bird Lake, glide to South Congress Bridge, and watch Austin bats fly in a short guided outing.
“Our guides were awesome and helped us navigate the river the entire time. They told us facts about Austin and Lady Bird river. They led us to a great spot to view the bats. It was an overall great experience.”
Paddle Lady Bird Lake in a clear LED-lit kayak at night, with skyline views, wildlife spotting, and patient guides. Max 12 people. $75.
“Perfect night, beautiful scene, awesome tour! Would definitely recommend and do this again! Nelly was great!”
Paddle Lady Bird Lake at sunset on a clear-bottom kayak, then watch Austin bats emerge from South Congress Bridge.
“My sister and I did this tour to try and see the bats in Austin, knowing that they may be going out of season. The night was a great success! Drew was an amazing and friendly guide and made sure we had the best experience we could”
The lake, the music, the barbecue, and every road into the Hill Country.
