AUSTIN · TEXAS
The best of Austin, most popular first.
The 15 most popular kayak & paddleboard tours in Austin. The ones worth building a day around, with prices, run times and who runs each.
Paddle under Congress Avenue as Austin’s bat colony erupts at dusk, with skyline views from the water and a beginner lesson included.
Most Popular“The tour guide was very knowledgeable. The scenery is incredible and watching the bats under the bridge is quite an experience!”
Paddle downtown Austin at sunset and watch millions of Mexican free-tailed bats exit the Congress Avenue Bridge from below.
“It was the best time our tour guide was hilarious and informational and made even a beginner feel comfortable kayaking!”
Kayak Austin at sunset to the Congress Avenue Bridge bats. 1.5M fly nightly. Gear and lights included, small-group tour.
“The operators sent a link to a page that is updated daily with specific instructions- it was very helpful in finding the meet up point. Definitely watch the instruction video because it’s not like there is an address for “under the bridge.” I was nervous before beginning because I had never Kayaked before. They gave…”
Paddle the spring-fed San Marcos River at night on a glow-style kayak tour from City Park, with small-group guidance and great date-night energy.
“This was a very last minute booked tour. Went seamless! Our guide Ben was fantastic! Awesome date night.”
Paddle the San Marcos River in a clear kayak at sunset, with glow lights for underwater views, wildlife spotting, and spring dips for $65.
“Our guide, Kaya, was great. She was patient, knowledgeable and made it a great experience for us. We got to see some cool things like raccoons, bats, birds and turtles while going down the river and the lights on the clear kayaks made it easy to see everything in the water.”
Sunset bat kayak on Austin’s Lady Bird Lake. Small-group paddle to Congress Avenue Bridge to watch Mexican free-tailed bats.
“It was an unseasonably warm Austin day but getting on the water was a perfect way to wrap it up. Our guide, Scott, was terrific. He was very knowledgeable about Austin, the skyline, the buildings and of course, the bats. If you want to take reaRead more”
Paddle Lady Bird Lake for 2 calm hours in a single or double kayak, with easy self-guided routes and Downtown Austin views.
“My kids and I had a good time kayaking on the Lady Bird lake.”
Paddle Lady Bird Lake for a downtown Austin skyline view. A $50, ~2-hour guided group kayak tour with lessons, safety gear, and wildlife.
“Great view! The tour gave great recommendations for food! It is definitely a workout for those who are new to kayaking.”
Giant paddleboard sunset tour in downtown Austin to see bats at Congress Avenue Bridge, then paddle back through city lights.
“The outfitter had no record of my reservation so we weren’t able to participate in the event. Viator charged me for the trip and submitted me tickets but didn’t provide the information to the outfitter so they didn’t have a paddle board for my group.”
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 took a Scout Troop (7 teenage girls and 3 leaders) on this adventure and we all had a great time. The guides (John and Dave) are fantastic and we loved that our kayaking group got to paddle the farthest--I believe it was 3 miles round trip. The only issue we had was what happened…”
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.”
Kayak Lady Bird Lake for Austin bat watching at Congress Bridge. 2-hour guided tour with safety gear, $54.99, small groups.
“Such a relaxing and enjoyable experience. The bats were neat to see and our guide was very knowledgeable.”
Kayak Austin’s skyline from Lady Bird Lake and Barton Springs. Learn paddling, spot bats and wildlife, and get great photo angles.
Paddle Lady Bird Lake in a clear LED-lit kayak at night, with skyline views, wildlife spotting, and patient guides. Max 12 people. $75.
“Had so much fun! Would definitely recommend! Patrick our guide was very knowledgeable and helpful Will do again”
Clear-bottom kayak on Austin’s Lady Bird Lake: downtown skyline, Congress bats, and spring-fed Barton Creek.
“The tour was excellent. We ended up being the only people on tour, so it was essentially a private tour. We were able to get very close to the bars under the Congress Street bridge. It was awesome. The views of downtown Austin from Lady Bird Lake were amazing, especially to see the difference between…”
The lake, the music, the barbecue, and every road into the Hill Country.
