Hiking in Austin: Exploring Nature Near the Arboretum

Hiking in Austin is easy, even near dining and entertainment!

You don’t have to be far from civilization to enjoy hiking in Austin. There are tons of trails and more Hill Country experiences just minutes from the Arboretum.

Bull Creek Greenbelt Trail

From the Arboretum, head South on Capitol of Texas Highway/Loop 360. Turn left on Lakewood Drive. There are miles of trails to explore for hiking in Austin and you can wade in the creek. You can also take your mountain bike out for a spin! Catch tadpoles or just enjoy feeling miles away from it all without driving far into the Texas Hill Country.

Lake Austin Loop 360 Boat Launch

This boat launch is nestled underneath the Pennybacker Bridge on Loop 360. The 3 acre park is mostly designed for lake access, but has a grassy area for fishing and picnicking. There is a boat ramp, benches, and barbecue grills as well. 

Pennybacker Bridge Overlook Trail

Not much for hiking in Austin? Enjoy a fantastic view without much of a climb at the Pennybacker Bridge Overlook Trail. Head south from the Arboretum on Capitol of Texas Highway, then pull off and park to the side of the road just before the bridge. Follow the signs in the parking area to the trail, then take as many pictures of the spectacular view as you can! Sneakers or other sturdy shoes are recommended because the trail is rocky. 

Spicewood Farms Horse Stable

Let the horses do the hiking in Austin for you at Spicewood Farms! You can lease a horse to ride around the grounds, or take lessons to become an expert horse wrangler. Ride a horse and smell the sweet country air just 7 minutes from the Arboretum!

Ready to make the move to the Arboretum so you can enjoy hiking in Austin anytime? Apartment Specialists South can help! Give us a call today at 512-912-8001 to find your dream apartment with a spectacular view! 

Arboretum Austin: Best Kids Activities

The Arboretum Austin is a great place for kids. 

There are tons of kids activities in the Arboretum. Best of all, you can park and walk to most of these, meaning no getting kids in and out of carseats multiple times! Here’s the lowdown on the best kids activities at the Arboretum Austin.

Feeding Ducks at the Pond

Grab a cheap loaf of bread and your kiddos and you’ve got a good hour of fun at the Arboretum pond! There are ducks, geese and even turtles to delight your little ones. The steps to the pond are behind Amy’s Ice Cream. The stairs are a bit steep, so you watch your smallest kiddos carefully.

Climbing on the Cow Sculptures

After you’re all out of bread, head back up to enjoy the cows. Sculptor Harold F. Clayton created five marble cows in the middle of a large shady picnic area in the Arboretum Austin that are perfect for kids to climb on.

Amy’s Ice Cream

Now that you’ve seen the bovines, it’s time for a sweet, cold treat at Amy’s Ice Cream at the Arboretum Austin! Kids will love watching the employees (who wear crazy hats), scoop ice cream with style and mix in their favorite toppings. 

Barnes and Noble

Barnes and Noble has lots of fun, free events, like storytime, game nights, and more! Or just let your kiddo explore the kids area and find their next favorite book. 

REI Classes 

Located across the highway from the Arboretum Austin, REI’s free and low-cost classes are worth getting back in your car for. Become an outdoors expert with classes on backpacking, camping, building a fire and more! 

Imagine living close enough to the Arboretum Austin that you can visit everyday! Austin Apartment Specialists can make it happen! Give us a call at 512-241-1150 to find a family friendly apartment anywhere in Austin! 

Austin Staycation: The Domain

photo courtesy of @lonestarcourt on Instagram

An Austin staycation allows you to explore your hometown like a tourist!

Book your Austin staycation at the Domain and have a unique experience without buying plane tickets or dealing with road traffic! There are three great hotels in the Domain to choose from. 

Aloft

This place is especially fantastic if your Austin staycation will include your 4-legged friend. Aloft is dog friendly! Plus, you can walk to everything in the Domain from your hotel room. Rooms are compact, colorful and have free WiFi, flat screen televisions, coffeemakers and high ceilings and designer toiletries. Amenities include an outdoor heated splash pool, a gym, a bar with a pool table, and a 24 hour snack bar. They also offer special rates for Texas residents, so that staycation just got a little cheaper!

Archer Hotel

photo courtesy of @archerhotelaustin on Instagram

Looking for a luxurious getaway? The Archer is a boutique hotel that’s unapologetically Texan. Just 171 guest rooms and suites are in this 8 story hotel. Rooms have bottled water and handmade salted caramels for you to enjoy upon arrival. The linens are 100% cotton and the bed has a plush Eurotop mattress. Plus there is a Nespresso Coffee maker for gourmet coffee when you awake. Best of all, room service is from Second Bar + Kitchen! 

Lone Star Court

photo courtesy of @lonestarcourt on Instagram

Lone Star Court is unlike any hotel you’ve stayed in before. Inspired by the motels that would greet weary road travelers in the heydays of road trips in the 1940’s through 1960’s, the rooms are decorated in true retro-style. However all the modern amenities are there! Plus, you get a complimentary continental breakfast. Feeling lonely? Lone Star Court has communal seating areas where you can gather around the fire with a cocktail and make new friends. There’s also live music every Thursday through Sunday! 

Ready to move past the “staycation” phase and make the Domain your new home? Give Apartment Specialists a call at 512-241-1150 to find your dream apartment in Austin or beyond!

No reason to go overboard on your staycation; check out our recommendations for the Best Healthy Choices at the Domain!

Best Healthy Choices at the Domain

We’re exploring the best healthy choices at the Domain. 

Start off with a nutritious lunch, then get your workout on, and cap the day off with a relaxing spa visit. The Domain makes it easy to stay healthy!

Mad Greens

photo courtesy of @madgreenseatbetter on Instagram

Mad Greens serves, salads, wraps, pasta and grain bowls with the freshest ingredients available. Easy to grab when you’re in a hurry too! It’s clear why Mad Greens is one of the best healthy choices at the Domain!

Flower Child

photo courtesy of @eatflowerchild on Instagram

Flower Child focuses on scratch-made dishes that use super fresh local ingredients. They have healthy choices at the Domain for every diet and food allergy or sensitivity. Plus everything is absolutely delicious! 

Flywheel

photo courtesy of @flywheelsports on Instagram

Flywheel’s stadium cycling classes are led by instructors that inspire you to push yourself to the limit. Get an incredible workout no matter what your level. Bonuses include fresh fruit, a hydration station, and complimentary towels. 

FX Fit

photo courtesy of @gym.stduios on Instagram

FX Fit brings their workout to gyms at luxury apartments so you have healthy choices at the Domain. You don’t have to be a resident to enjoy their classes that include Zumba, Yoga, Circuit training and more!

Viva Day Spa

photo courtesy of @vivadayspa on Instagram

After an intense workout, treat yourself to a massage or facial at Viva Day Spa! They have a steam room, mani/pedis and just about everything you need to pamper yourself. Go on, you’re worth it!

Massage Sway

photo courtesy @massagesway on Instagram

Massage Sway is another choice to pamper yourself. They offer massage, hot stone therapy, couples massage, HydraFacial MD, Microdermabrasion, and more! So whether you want to work out the knots or make your skin glow, Massage Sway can take care of you! 

Want to make the Domain your permanently healthy choice in North Austin? Apartment Specialists South Austin can help! Give us a call at 512-200-7535 to find the perfect apartment in the Domain or anywhere in Austin! 

Take a Walk at Mueller Austin

Ditch the car and take a walk at Mueller Austin! Mueller has lots to explore and it’s easy to see it all from a pedestrian’s perspective. 

On Sunday from 10am to 2pm and Wednesday evenings from 5pm to 8pm, visit the historic Browning Hanger on the edge of Mueller for the Mueller Farmers’ Market. Featuring locally grown produce, meats, cheeses, baked goods, specialty foods and handmade products, you can also enjoy live music, chef demonstrations, petting zoos and other special activities! 

There’s no better way to beat the Texas Summer heat than catching a movie. Mueller has an outpost of that uniquely Austin institution, Alamo Drafthouse. Catch first run films and revivals and enjoy delicious grub and tasty beer, wine and cocktails. Alamo Drafthouse Mueller also has The Barrel O’ Fun, where you can order food and drinks, enjoy live comedy, activities or hold a private party! 

Mueller Trailer Eats has a variety of cuisines to choose from, so there’s no need for everyone in your party to agree! Mmmpanadas is locally owned and uses the freshest ingredients to create empanadas in a variety of flavors. Gravy ATX spotlights dishes featuring their favorite ingredient, GRAVY! Good thing you’re walking today, you’ll need to work off their scrumptious smothered hash browns, gravy and biscuits and breakfast sandwiches. On the other end of the spectrum, Conscious Cravings creates meatless, vegan wraps using a proprietary blend of herbs and spices and homemade dressings and sauces. They also have fresh fruit smoothies and salads.

All that walking have your sweet tooth craving some sugar? Lick Honest Ice Creams makes incredible ice creams you can feel good about eating. They use all natural ingredients, no artificial preservatives, and even make their own waffle cones! 

Ready to leave that car in park and take a walk at Mueller Austin permanently? Turn that healthy day into a long-term choice! Apartment Specialists South Austin can help! Give us a call at 512-200-7535 to find your next apartment in Mueller or anywhere in the ATX! 

A Healthy Day in Mueller

Start your healthy day in Mueller off right with a workout. No matter how you prefer to sweat it out, there’s something for everyone.

Love to dance? barre3 Mueller combines ballet barre, pilates and yoga to build lean muscles and a strong core.

At VBodies Pilates and Fitness Studio, classes are kept small (less than 6 people) and the studio is intimate so the instructors can individually help each person. You’ll build your core strength, lengthen your muscles, and have more energy for everyday activities.

Orangetheory Fitness, challenges you to complete an interval-training based 60 minute workout that burns 500 to 1,000 calories. The training is designed to maintain a target zone that stimulates metabolism and increases energy. You compete against yourself and others in the room under the guidance of an instructor to get the best workout possible.

Now that you’ve made your body a temple, you’ll want to keep it that way by carefully choosing what you put in it. Luckily, Mueller has a lot of options for healthy dining too.

Noon Mediterranean allows you to build your own healthy bowl. Choose your base (pita, spinach, rice, kale, quinoa or barley), your protein (steak, chicken, falafel, turkey meatballs, spicy lamb meatball or Halloumi), then add tons of toppings including carrots, pickled onions, spiced chickpeas and more. Top everything off with your choice of sauce and you’ve got a filling meal that won’t undo all that hard work at the gym!

Acai Hut serves up the superfood Acai, which tastes like a cross between a blackberry and a piece of dark chocolate, but is one of nature’s most complete and nutrient-dense foods. Their bowls use Acai as a base to which you can add granola, more fruit, almond milk, or more! They also have smoothies if you prefer to drink your superfoods.

Now that you’ve got your health in check, it's time to make the move to a new home you love. If you want to move to a new apartment, Apartment Specialists can help! Give us a call at 512-241-1150 to find your dream home in Mueller, one of the hottest neighborhoods for retail in Austin, or anywhere in the ATX!