ENTERTAINMENT

4 ways to beat the Texas summer heat in Austin including a secret spot on the lake

Hannah Ortega
Austin American-Statesman

With temperatures quickly rising, Austinites are looking to nearby waters as a way to stay cool.

Barton Springs, Lake Travis and even the San Marcos River are popular places for swimming and watersports, so if you're looking for ways to get on the water, check out this list:

Kayaking/Stand up paddleboarding

This is a favorite pastime for Austinites. A day rarely goes by that you don't see kayakers or SUP-ers out on Lady Bird Lake. Here's where you can rent kayaks or paddleboards:

People gather for Labor Day fun at a floating party in the middle of Lady Bird Lake near Lou Neff Point on Monday September 5, 2022. Dozens of people on standup paddleboards and in kayaks cooled off in the water on the unofficial end of summer.

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Daniel Broxton, a manager at EpicSUP, pulls a kayak onto the dock on Lady Bird Lake on Monday, June 24, 2024 in Austin, Texas.

Boat rentals

We all want a friend with a boat, but if you haven't found one yet, you can rent. Austin Rental Boats offers boats for large parties on both Lake Travis and Lake Austin. They also offer a Lake Austin sunset boat tour and cove boat party. Luxury Yachts are available through Lake Travis Yacht Rentals and Party Boats. ATX Party Boats offers pontoon and double decker boats for Lake Travis.

Tubing

The San Marcos River is a famed tubing spot. Here's where you can rent tubes or take a tubing trip, both on the San Marcos River and other rivers:

Riverboat rides

This is for those who want to be on the water, not in it. Check out these riverboat rides for sightseeing, bat watching and more:

A small boat cruises past Snake Island in the eastern part of Lady Bird Lake in Austin, Texas on Monday June 24, 2024.

A secret spot on the lake

If you're set with your equipment but unsure of where to paddle, check out Snake Island. Located in the eastern part of Lady Bird Lake close to the EpicSUP dock, the island is hidden by trees and undergoes maintenance from a local group of "hippies."

"They bring their own fertilizer, they cut down trees or they'll mow, and they just do their own thing," said Daniel Broxton, an EpicSUP manager. "I haven't seen them in a minute, but when they do come, I know because they'll be pulled up over here, and they've got tons of stuff that they're working on to keep up with the island."

Despite the name, Snake Island doesn't have an above average number of snakes. It does, however, have a picnic table, rope swing and lots of tree carvings from lovebirds. The island is also an occasional party pad people can paddle out or be ferried to, Broxton said.