4 Sky-Related Things to Do in Austin

Look up and take your imagination to the sky! 

There is something so perfect about a spring day in Austin that makes us crave being outside every chance we can get. From outdoor festivals to lazy days at the park, there is so much to keep us focused on the beauty around us… and above us!

And in April, specifically, there are many events around the Austin area that will take your view and shift it up. It may be a bird, it may be a plane or it could be a balloon or kite. Want to find a destination this month that will have you looking skyward? Here are our top picks!

Fly Kites at Zilker

To kickstart the month, the 95th annual ABC Zilker Kite Fest will be happening on April 1 at Zilker Metropolitan Park. Originally founded in 1929 by The Exchange Club of Austin, the Kite Fest is one of Austin’s most iconic family-friendly traditions that has us coming back year after year to fly kites, listen to live music and even enter the kite flying contest and showcase. This event, originally set to foster creativity in children, is now a nonprofit supporting the Moss Pieratt Foundation and Communities in Schools. The whole family will have their eyes firmly planted in the sky!

Watch Balloons at the Bay

Hot air balloons are absolutely beautiful and are always a treat when you can spot one on the horizon. But, this year, you don’t have to rely on the serendipitous moment of seeing a hot air balloon. On this Easter weekend, head to the Horseshoe Bay Resort in Marble Falls for the 9th annual Balloon Festival. This amazing family-friendly festival includes an egg drop, live music, skydivers, helicopter rides, balloon glows, food and more. This is definitely an experience that will have everyone in the family looking up with awe and wonder!

Go Birding in Balcones

Whether you’ve never birded before or you are an old pro, you do not want to miss the Balcones Songbird Festival held from April 21 to 23! During their migration season, songbirds make a quick stop in the Texas Hill Country to rest, eat and maybe even mate before they continue their journeys, and we Texans get to be a part of it! The festival is held on Balcones Canyonlands National Wildlife Refuge, which stretches 24,000 acres and provides a safe space for two endangered songbirds: the black-capped vireo and the golden-cheeked warbler. This is an incredible opportunity to learn more about these species, see their habitats and find peace in the Wildlife Refuge. Bird watching, the Texas Hill Country and an outdoor festival are spring perfection.

Admire the Aircrafts

While these aircrafts may not currently be in the air, Austinites will still get the chance this April to check out the Texas Military Forces Museum at Camp Mabry. The museum displays many aircrafts such as helicopters, jet fighters and observation aircrafts, and visitors also have the chance to view other military vehicles and weapons including dozens of tanks, armored personnel carriers, self-propelled guns, trucks, jeeps and towed artillery pieces. The museum highlights Texas’ militia and volunteer forces from 1823 to 1903. Better yet, admission is always free! If you’re looking for some action, the museum will host an airshow in April as well — more information about the event will be updated on their website.

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Going out and taking in the beautiful Austin sky doesn’t have to be a formal event. On any day, you can take to the parks, trails or even your neighborhood to enjoy the perfect Texas blue sky that singers often serenade us about. Whether you want to actively fly a kite or you just want to lay on your back and watch the clouds roll by, look up and take your imagination to the sky!

About the Author

Coach Kati Epps is the founder of MyBody GX with a background in chemistry from Colorado State University, an ACE-certified personal trainer, a health coach and a nutrition specialist.