Under Congress Bridge, see Austin bats
Posted on 23-03-2023 11:33 PM
Under Congress Bridge, see Austin bats
Here's how to see Austin bats under Congress Bridge
Visitors to Austin are most attracted to the Austin Bats. A bat colony called the Congress Bridge Bats in Austin lives along the Congress Avenue bridge, which spans Lady Bird Lake in downtown Austin. Approximately 15 million Mexican free-tail bats reside in this colony. Around mid-March until early November, Austin Bats use the underpass bridge as a home base to forage, blanketing the sky with their wings. Known as Austin's most spectacular and unusual attraction, this event takes place nightly. Here are 5 steps to see bats in Austin.
Bats Emerging from Congress Bridge
The first thing you should do is check to see if Austin has bats
Nightly bat departures in Austin are seasonal. Like their feathered friends, they migrate south for the winter. In late October, they usually depart after the first cold snap has hit. Climate change is causing warmer weather, so they are arriving earlier and sometimes in late February. If the tours listed below offer tours, you'll be able to know if they're flying. Tour season begins when the bats arrive and ends when they leave.
2. Plan Your Arrival Time
30-60 minutes before sunset, Congress Bridge Bats depart from the bridge. As the sun sets at different times through the year, this can vary during bat season from 7:30PM to 9:00PM. Get there 90 minutes before sunset in Austin by checking this link.
Decide how you wish to view the bats
On Congress Bridge and Lady Bird Lake, you can view bats for free from the bridge and a bat viewing area located southeast of the bridge. The best thing about free bat watching is that it is affordable. Short people may not be able to view the entire bridge due to crowding. Also, you may want a little more space than the bridge typically offers due to Coronavirus concerns. Unlike standing on the bridge, the bat viewing area is a little less crowded. A bat tour that puts you on the water looking up at bats is the best way to see them. The following are the best bat watching tours in Austin.
Bat Watching Tours by Capital Cruises
With the largest electric paddle wheel boat in the country, Capital Cruises is the largest cruise company in the world. An evening Bat Watching excursion, which is now famous, offers fascinating views of Congress Bridge Bats flying out from under the bridge in contrast to the evening skyline. When bat season begins, the tour fills up almost every night. There is a charge of $1300 for adults, $1000 for seniors, and $800 for kids under 12 years of age. The boat departs approximately 30 minutes before sunset, and tickets should be purchased online in advance during peak summer months because they sell out nearly every night, even on weekdays. Tickets can be purchased through this link if you would like to learn more about Capital Cruises.
Capital Cruises Bat Watching Tours
Tours with Lone Star Riverboats for bat watching
The Lone Star Riverboats depart from Lady Bird Lake as well as Capital Cruises, and offer bat watching tours. There is a tendency for both companies to hand over bookings to the other when one boat is booked for a private event. Tours vary a bit, but the same great bat watching is available from a comfortable seat underneath the bridge. A ticket costs $13 for an adult, $11 for a senior, $8 for a child under 12, and free for a child under 2. It is a great tour for seeing downtown and seeing the Austin bats. Tickets can be purchased through this link for Lone Star Riverboats.
From a boat, you can watch bats
Visiting bats by paddle kayak with Live Love Paddle Kayak Tours
The best way to view the bats is to kayak on Lady Bird Lake with Live Love Paddle's bat watching tour. As you walk along the Colorado river in Austin beneath you, the temperature drops nearly 10 degrees due to the cool river water. As well as the bats, the view of downtown at sunset can make for some amazing photographs. There is a cost of $45 per person for the tour, which begins at 1602 East Riverside Drive. For first-timers who want to share the load, tandem boats are available. Kids are welcome to take bat-watching tours because the minimum weight is 30 lbs and the maximum weight is 275 lbs. A little trek gets you to the best spot, so tours start a little earlier than boats. Learn more about and purchase tickets for Live Love Paddle here.
The experience of watching bats from a kayak with the Live Love Paddle
Locate a parking spot
Hotel guests staying downtown may be able to view Congress Bridge Bats on foot. Catching an Uber is affordable. Taking a scooter also adds a sense of adventure. On the Southwest corner of South 1st street and Lady Bird Lake there is some free parking. Nevertheless, that area often fills up with bat watching tour guests and locals using the Lady Bird Hike and Bike Trail. In the Hyatt parking garage across the street, you can pay to park. Besides the Austin American Statesmen, Palmer Events Center also offers paid parking.
Austin Digital Marketing Agency
Address: 401 Congress Ave. #1540, Austin, TX 78701
Phone: (512) 729-3033
Website: https://www.socialcali.com/austin-digital-marketing-agency