Date ideas in Austin: 16 ideas from Barton Springs to the bats

• Budgetfree to low
• Best forfirst date
• Time1 to 2 hours
• WhereSouth Congress Avenue (SoCo)

South Congress is Austin's most famous street, lined with vintage stores, boot shops, murals and food trucks. Walk north and you get a straight view of the Texas State Capitol at the end of the avenue. It's busy enough that silences never feel awkward, and there are dozens of places to stop for a cold drink or a taco.

Tip: Walk toward the river as the sun gets lower and finish on the Congress Avenue Bridge. In the warm months, that's exactly where the bats appear at dusk.

• Budgetlow
• Best forfirst date, calm
• Time1 hour
• WhereNext to Zilker Park

Sculptor Charles Umlauf and his wife gave their home, studio and sculptures to the city, and today the garden shows dozens of his works among ferns, ponds and shady paths. It's peaceful and small, which is ideal if you'd rather talk than shout over music. Zilker Park and Barton Springs are just around the corner.

Tip: Each of you picks the sculpture that looks most like the other person. Explaining your choice is guaranteed to make you both laugh.

• Budgetfree
• Best forfirst date, visitors
• Time1 hour
• WhereDowntown

The Texas State Capitol is made of pink granite and is famously a little taller than the U.S. Capitol in Washington. The building and its grounds are free to visit, and free guided tours often run during the day. Stand in the center of the rotunda, look up at the star in the dome and try out the echo.

Tip: Afterwards, walk south down Congress Avenue to the lake. It turns into a long walking date without any planning.

• Budgetlow
• Best forsummer, active
• Time2 hours
• WhereZilker Park

Barton Springs Pool is fed by natural springs and stays cool, around 68 to 70 degrees, all year long. It's a long, natural pool with a grassy hillside where people lie in the sun between swims. Jumping into that cold water together on a hot afternoon is pure Austin, and it's a great equalizer: nobody looks cool when they gasp.

Tip: Go in the morning or on a weekday when it's calmer. Parts of the historic bathhouse have been under renovation, so check the city's website for current access before you go.

• Budgetmedium
• Best foractive, second date
• Time1 to 2 hours
• WhereLady Bird Lake, downtown

Lady Bird Lake is the stretch of the Colorado River that runs right through downtown, and motorboats are generally not allowed, so it's calm and quiet. Rent a kayak, canoe or paddleboard from one of the boathouses along the shore and paddle past the skyline, turtles sunning on logs and the bridges. A double kayak is the more romantic choice.

Tip: An evening paddle in summer lets you see the bats from the water. Bring water, sunscreen and a hat, even late in the day.

• Budgetfree
• Best forromantic, evening
• Time1 hour
• WhereCovert Park, West Austin

Mount Bonnell is a limestone hill above Lake Austin, and visitors have been climbing it for the view since the 1800s. About a hundred stone steps take you to the top, where you look out over the river, the hills and the houses along the water. At sunset, it's one of the most romantic spots in the city.

Tip: It's popular on weekends, so go on a weekday. Bring a small blanket and sit away from the main viewing area for more privacy.

• Budgetfree
• Best forromantic, unique
• Time1 hour
• WhereCongress Avenue Bridge, Lady Bird Lake

Under the Congress Avenue Bridge lives what's often called the largest urban bat colony in North America. Around sunset, the bats pour out from under the bridge in a long ribbon across the sky. Waiting for them with a crowd of strangers and then watching in silence is a strange and wonderful date.

Tip: The bats are usually there from about March to October, with late summer often the best. Arrive early and watch from the lawn on the southeast side of the bridge or from the bridge itself.

• Budgetlow
• Best forfun, second date
• WhereSouth Lamar Boulevard

The Broken Spoke has been a honky-tonk on South Lamar since 1964, and country legends have played on its small stage. On many evenings there's a two-step lesson before the band starts, so total beginners can join in. Learning a dance together is one of the best ways to break the ice, because you'll both be bad at it at first.

Tip: Wear shoes that slide a little on the floor. Check the website for the current lesson nights before you go.

• Budgetlow to medium
• Best fornight, music lovers
• WhereSouth Congress Avenue

The Continental Club opened on South Congress in 1955 and is one of the city's best-known music rooms. It's small and dark, with a stage close enough to see the guitarist's fingers. Expect rockabilly, blues, country and roots rock rather than big-name pop.

Tip: Pair it with the SoCo walk from the first section for a full evening. Arrive early on weekends, the room fills up fast.

• Budgetlow
• Best forplayful, cheap
• Time1 hour
• WhereBarton Springs Road

Peter Pan Mini-Golf has been run by the same family since the late 1940s, with two hilly courses full of hand-painted statues, including a giant T-Rex and Peter Pan himself. It's open late, so it makes a fun night date after dinner. Friendly competition is good for a first or second date.

Tip: Agree on a small prize before you start: the loser buys tacos. The course is near Zilker Park, so you can combine it with an evening at the springs.

• Budgetmedium
• Best forrainy day, art lovers
• Time2 hours
• WhereUniversity of Texas campus

The Blanton Museum of Art has a large collection from old masters to contemporary art, but the real reason to go on a date is Austin, a small stone building designed by Ellsworth Kelly. Inside, colored glass windows throw patches of light across the white walls. It's quiet and calm, and it looks different with every change of light outside.

Tip: Sit inside Austin for a few minutes without talking. Then compare which window you liked most.

• Budgetfree
• Best forrainy day, curious couples
• Time1 hour
• WhereUniversity of Texas campus

The Harry Ransom Center is a free museum and library with a famous collection of books, manuscripts and photographs. Its permanent highlights include one of the few complete Gutenberg Bibles and what's considered the first photograph made with a camera. The rotating exhibitions are often about writers, film or music.

Tip: It's a short walk from the Blanton, so you can do both on one rainy afternoon.

• Budgetfree to low
• Best foractive, cheap
• Time1 to 3 hours
• WhereAround Lady Bird Lake

The Ann and Roy Butler Hike-and-Bike Trail loops for about ten miles around Lady Bird Lake, with a boardwalk over the water on the southeast side and skyline views for most of the way. You can walk a short section or rent bikes and ride the whole loop. Choose your stretch and stop for a snack at the end.

Tip: The boardwalk section is especially pretty at sunset. Pick a loop you can finish before it gets dark.

• Budgetlow
• Best fornature lovers, day date
• Timehalf a day
• WhereSoutheast Austin

McKinney Falls State Park sits inside the city limits but feels like the Hill Country. Onion Creek flows over wide limestone ledges into pools, and there are easy trails through the trees. It's a good half-day date if you both like being outside and want to escape the city without a long drive.

Tip: Swimming depends on water levels and conditions, so check the park website. Weekdays and early mornings are much quieter.

• Budgetmedium
• Best forspring, romantic
• Time2 hours
• WhereLady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, Southwest Austin

The Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center is a botanical garden devoted to native plants. In spring, its meadows fill with bluebonnets and other Texas wildflowers. Walking through the gardens on a mild spring day, before the summer heat arrives, is one of the nicest dates the city has.

Tip: Bluebonnet season usually peaks from late March into April. Go early in the day for softer light and fewer people.

• Budgetfree to low
• Best forwinter, festive
• WhereZilker Park

Every December, Zilker Park turns into the Trail of Lights, a long walk through light tunnels, decorated trees and holiday displays. It's been an Austin tradition for decades. Nearby, the Zilker Holiday Tree is a giant cone of lights you can stand under and spin around in, which is sillier and more fun than it sounds.

Tip: Some nights are usually free and others ticketed, and parking is limited, so check the official site and book ahead.