How to Spend 4 Hours in Austin: Barton Springs, Umlauf and Brisket
Updated October 3, 2026
Four hours gives you a swim in cold spring water and a peaceful garden across the road. Plunge into spring fed Barton Springs Pool, cool off among bronzes at the Umlauf, then walk down Barton Springs Road for brisket.
Zilker Park is a large city park of lawns and trees on the south bank of the river. Its main draw is Barton Springs, where water from the Edwards Aquifer wells up into a long, natural pool that stays cool all year. Across the road, a garden of bronzes by a longtime UT sculptor makes a quiet contrast. The plan ends on Barton Springs Road, a short walk east, with Lockhart style barbecue. The Austin City Limits Festival takes over much of the park on the first two weekends of October each year, so plan around those dates. Umlauf closes on Mondays and Barton Springs shuts for cleaning on Thursday daytimes, so skip those two days.
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The 4 hour plan, stop by stop
Stops and travel: 2 hr 27 min to 2 hr 47 min of 4 hours
Underground springs fed by the Edwards Aquifer fill this three acre pool in Zilker Park at around 68 to 70 degrees all year. It is also the home of the endangered Barton Springs salamander. It opens daily from early morning until late evening, except Thursday, when it closes for cleaning in the daytime and reopens with lifeguards for the evening. As of October 2026, non-resident adults pay $9, and tickets can be bought online. The bathhouse is being renovated, so check the city's page for which showers and changing rooms are open.
Tip: Food, glass, coolers and pets are not allowed, so bring only a towel and water in a resealable plastic bottle. The city likes to note that Robert Redford learned to swim here at age five.
- Time here
- 50 min to 1 hr
- Website
- austintexas.gov
NaviTime to head out from Barton Springs Pool for Umlauf Sculpture Garden + Museum. It's a 7 minute walk if you leave now. Here's the link
Charles Umlauf taught sculpture at the University of Texas for forty years, retiring in 1981. This garden displays his bronzes and stone works along gravel paths among ponds and shade trees, and a small museum holds more of his pieces and changing shows. His styles range from expressionism to realism to abstraction. It is closed on Mondays and on ACL Festival weekends. As of October 2026, adult admission is $8.
Tip: The outdoor bronzes have been waxed so that visitors may touch them gently, a rule meant for blind guests, but the stone pieces should not be touched.
- Time here
- 30 to 35 min
- Website
- umlaufsculpture.org
NaviTime to head out from Umlauf Sculpture Garden + Museum for Terry Black's Barbecue, Barton Springs Road. It's a 20 minute walk if you leave now. Here's the link
The Black family comes from Lockhart, a small town famous for its barbecue, and the owners say their father Terry Black passed down what he learned there. It is open seven days a week and closes only on Thanksgiving and around Christmas. Their big hall on Barton Springs Road serves brisket, beef ribs, pork ribs, sausage and turkey by the pound. There are no reservations, but the line moves quickly.
Tip: Beef ribs sell by the pound and are large, so share one between two people and fill out the tray with a cup of mac and cheese and banana pudding.
- Time here
- 40 to 45 min
- Website
- terryblacksbbq.com
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