Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center — Attraction in Austin

Beautiful and largely Serene and peaceful spot even when there's not much in bloom. I have wanted to come here for some time and was in Austin overnight so I came out this morning. I enjoy most of my time here however I found it very frustrating that the map that they give you is inaccurate and confusing and at least one other local person told me she has gotten lost on the trails too because of the map inaccuracies. There's some for thing that's not on the map an entire children's play area not on the map and I ended up walking up and down the service road wandering around trying to figure out where the heck I was because the service road is not marked on the map anywhere. Then when I finally found the Arboretum Trail which encompasses half of the park it's closed because of some night time event that's going on that has nothing to do with my visit during the day and the fact that I paid full price entry and would like to see the other half of the park. So very disappointed by the incomplete information poor facility map and lack of full accessibility after paying full price. Pat had I known there was an evening time event going on I would have come by last night but when I glanced online at Google Maps it said it closed at 4:00 p.m. so I would have only had about 30 minutes of time so I opted to wait till this morning. Going ahead and giving four stars in the hopes that some of the issues will be rectified with an updated Center map and decrease pricing when you're going to have large portions of the facility close to the public for reasons I can't fathom. Will try again in the spring may have to update my rating or would that be down date?, if it's not any better by then. Which would be kind of sad because it serves a good...

My final stop of the day and oh how I wished it had been my first. I had this idea in my head of a small little garden and was completely amazed by what I found instead! 😍 The intentionality given to the design of this vast expanse was so perfect in every way. The mix of beauty, serenity, education, delight, peace was everywhere. The stone arches along the entrance path. The lily pond and waterfall before you entered the main courtyard where the resident owl nests. The delightfully whimsical butterfly seats and waterfall you can go sit behind in a decorated cave. The play areas for children including a shaded sand area with all the tools needed to entertain. The main garden with areas alongside that buzzed with dozens of chunky bumblebees, The architecture of the various buildings and gathering spaces meant to stand out but also blend with nature. The Texas Hill country walking paths with educational placards about all the trees and plants. The shaded seating areas along these paths providing respite from the sun as well as delightful seat swings and trees unlike any I have ever seen. The green roof observation tower. The cafe with outside seating surrounded by gardens and the delightful gift shop. The outdoor library that looked like a merry-go-round including private benches. All of it...each new discovery perfect in its own special way. I wanted to wander enchanted forever. Sit in a tree swing seat and rock gently in the lovely breeze. Read a book in the meadow while the gazillions of butterflies danced around me. If you ever visit Austin in spring while the plethora of wildflowers are blooming ..go here... wander.... wonder.... breathe deeply...enjoy immensely....

The Lady Bird Johnson WildFlower Center is a Texas gem featuring an abundance of learning experience from Flora to fauna. Nestled just south of Austin's premiere downtown area, the WildFlowern Center is easy to access on the weekends. We went early in the day in late July and the weather was beautiful. There is is plenty of shade too in the event the area gets hot. There is currently road construction on the 1 south, so anticipate a bit more time to gain access the the location. Once we arrived, parking was not an issue. We parked very close to the entrance and unloaded our stroller with ease. There are well cared for foot paths that are stroller friendly that lead to the park entrance. The day we went, admission was free as it is once a year on Lady Birds Birthday (July 28th). Normally adults are $10 a head. Certainly worth the price of admission. The center is very family friendly and an easy walk for the elderly. Inside you'll find several air conditioned buildings and even a cafe featuring sandwhiches, ice cream, soda and iced Tea. We did purchase a cookie and drinks. The cookie was old and stale but the prices were very reasonable. I recommend taking notes if the printed tour map given to you during the admission process. There's a ton of wonderful information and the map will also guide you through the center with relative ease. There are many small offshoot paths from the main path, so if you are the adventurous type, this should fit your fancy. I also recommend going in all of the buildings that are open. The architecture is incredible and inspiring. Make your way up the San Antonio tower for a view of the...