Laura Neighbors with Bicycle Sport Shop shares one of her favorite scenic rides from her extensive mental catalog of fun urban adventures. Ride around parts of the Hike and Bike Trail and East Austin to take in a bit of history, hushpuppies, and heavenly photo ops.
View from the James D. Pfluger Pedestrian and Bicycle Bridge overlooking Lady Bird Lake. It is a shared use bridge for pedestrians and cyclists spanning Lady Bird Lake in downtown Austin, Texas. Opened in 2001, the bridge connects the north and south sides of the Ann and Roy Butler Hike-and-Bike Trail and features an unusual "double curve" design.
View from James D. Pfluger Pedestrian and Bicycle Bridge overlooking Lamar Blve. (Also called the Lamar Pedestrian Bridge and Pluger Pedestrian Bridge)
The Trail of Tejano Legends features installments that shine a light on several local Latino musicians integral to Austin's music scene in the 1940's and 1950's.
The artists chosen include Nash Hernandez, the leading man behind Austin's longest-running big band, and the Perez and Ramos families, both of whom have long musical traditions that stretch back several generations and are still very active in the Tejano music scene. Hernandez, the Perez and Ramos families, and the other artists along the trail were East Austin residents who contributed greatly to Austin’s rich cultural history and music scene.
Make sure you stop to take in the views on the hike and bike trail bridge near Edward Rendon Sr. Park.
If you look to the right, from this small bridge, you will see the upstream view of the Longhorn Dam.
The Longhorn Dam crosses the Colorado River in Austin helping to create Lady Bird Lake. Completed in 1960, the dam was built by the City of Austin as the last in a chain of Colorado River dams that begun construction during the Great Depression. The name refers to its location on a ford used for longhorn cattle drives as a part of the Chisholm Trail in the late 19th century.
You might need to duck as you ride through the trees at Roy G Guerrero Disc Golf Course!
The Montopolis Bridge is a historic truss bridge in Austin, where bicycles and pedestrians can cross the Colorado River. It's a great place to take in the Austin skyline.
Austin Daily Press is a must-stop! My personal favorite is the Pineapple Express Taco and Jalapeno Hushpuppies paired with an Eastcider Original Dry Cider.
Flitch Coffee is a specialty coffee shop operating out of a remodeled 1952 Spartan trailer. They work with local and national roasters to bring a variety of coffees to their menu. You can also purchase yummy baked good from local bakers, retailers, vendors, and farms.
The Boardwalk is 7,250-ft. along and across Lady Bird Lake, offering views of the shoreline, city, and turtles.
The Boardwalk includes several little lookout points, which are great spots for taking photos.
The Stevie Ray Vaughan Memorial is a bronze sculpture created by Ralph Helmick and located at Auditorium Shores. It was fabricated in 1993 by Argos Foundry of Brewster, New York. The work was installed in 1994 and has become a popular tourist attraction and often has flowers and other devotions at its base.
You can ride the spiral and view the ever-changing Austin skyline from Doug Sahm hill in Butler District Park. Douglas Wayne Sahm was an American musician and singer-songwriter from Texas. Born in San Antonio, he was a child prodigy in country music but became a significant figure in roots rock and other genres. Sahm is considered one of the most important figures in what is identified as Tex-Mex music.
This bike lane merges with Barton Springs Rd. You will see 3-4 food trailers about 1/4 of a mile ahead on your right!