Where can I see the bat bridge in Austin?
You can view the bats for free by standing on the bridge and also in a bat viewing area located on the southeast corner of Congress Bridge and Lady Bird Lake. If you’re on a budget, free bat watching is a great experience.
Where do the bats come out in Austin?
South Congress Bridge Bats
About the Bats in Austin It’s one of the best places to view the South Congress Bridge Bats, also known as Brazilian or Mexican free-tailed bats. They emerge and shoot out drop the bridge daily for their nightly feeding and aerial show.
Where do you park to watch the bats in Austin?
Parking
- 305 S Congress Ave Austin, TX 78704. Limited parking is available for up to four hours at the southeast end of the bridge.
- 214 Barton Springs Rd. 78704.
- 301 W 2nd St. Austin, TX 78701.
- 208 Barton Springs Rd. 78704.
- 101 Colorado St., Austin, TX 78701.
Do bats come out every night in Austin?
The bats do continue to fly out every single night, but some nights they are very difficult to see. By the first week of November, the bats have begun to migrate, for it is starting to get cold and there is low visibility. Every morning, the bats return to the bridge about 30 minutes before sunrise.
Is parking on South Congress free?
Parking is free along South Congress Avenue. Free parking from 6pm – 12am along the street where possible and also metered parking, and located a block north of South Congress Bridge.
Do Austin bats come out in rain?
During maternity season, only part of the colony will fly close to dark, and even those bats often wait until the crowd leaves. The bats will fly 20-60 minutes after rain showers, but long-lasting rain will keep them in for the night. Best viewing is from mid-March to early May and from late July through mid-September.
Are there bats in Austin Texas?
The Austin Bats are Austin’s most popular visitor attraction. The Congress Avenue bridge spans Lady Bird Lake in downtown Austin and is home to the largest urban bat colony in North America known as the Congress Bridge Bats. This colony is estimated at 1.5 million Mexican free-tail bats.
Is there a bat watching boat ride at Town Lake?
Took the Capital Cruises “bat watching” boat ride on a Friday evening in July and totally enjoyed the trip! Made reservations online and arrived about 7:15 p.m. as stated for check in at the dock directly behind the Hyatt. (The lake is now called Lady Bird Lake rather then Town Lake as stated here on the Trip Advisor heading for this attraction).
Where can I see the Texas bat spectacle?
From late spring until early fall, get ready for the sunset show by heading towards the grassy hill vantage point of the Statesman Bat Observation Center, adjacent to the bridge. Paid parking is available at the Austin American-Statesman, 305 S. Congress Ave., or you can go down the steps at the corner of Congress Avenue and Barton Springs Road.
What makes Austin’s Congress Avenue Bridge so attractive to bats?
A 1980 renovation transformed the Congress Avenue Bridge into an ideal bat cave, soon attracting migrating Mexican free-tailed bats. Decades later, Austin’s bat numbers have swelled and locals have adopted the beloved creatures as neighbors who happily handle the city’s bug mitigation and provide an amazing nightly show. Congress Avenue Bridge.