In the Lone Star State’s buzzy capital city, you can stand on a downtown bridge and watch the world’s largest urban bat colony emerge at dusk like ribbons of undulating black velvet as the mammals fly out from below for their evening dinner reservation with the local bug population. Their exodus occurs in the apropos burnt orange (University of Texas-hued) skies, while human spectators applaud in ritualistic glee. Below, at the same time, intrepid bat lovers gaze up from canoes or kayaks, poised on the dammed-up Colorado River (known as Lake Lady Bird) that bisects the city. From that perspective, the bats appear as a nightly, star-studded ballet. Either way one experiences the adventure, it won’t be forgotten. Some 50,000 visitors flock to Austin annually just to partake of this phenomenon.
For an alternative connection with nature, swim with an indigenous, endangered species in Austin’s best-loved pool. While most people don’t visit Barton Springs Pool, a historic, eighth-of-a-mile-long, natural swimming hole near downtown, to gape at an endangered species (and this one isn’t the loveliest — he’s an albino lungless salamander), the popular gathering space maintains a year-round temperature of 68 degrees. Ideal for cooling off during the region’s unbearable summer days, Barton Springs, sometimes referred to as Austin’s living room attracts a coterie of serious swimmers, sunbathers, nature lovers and gadabouts in all seasons.
Continue reading your story on the app
Continue reading your story in the magazine
Business Boom
Connect with clients and colleagues in dynamic Belgrade.
Holidays at Sea
Plan ahead for seasonal and special-occasion sailings.
Wherever Awards 2020
Whereverfamily.com, the trusted travel source for the modern family, announces the winners of the Wherever Awards.
Wines on the Wing 2020
Raise a glass to the winners of GT ’s 17th annual Wines on the Wing airline wine competition.
The Trazees 2020
Celebrate the best in travel, as voted by our millennial readers.
Greatest Show on Earth
Global Traveler applauds the winners of the 17th annual GT Tested Reader Survey awards.
Shifting Gears
Detroit pivots to next-generation mobility and other new industries.
Celebrate Good Times
Global Traveler recaps the winners of the 2020 Leisure Lifestyle Awards.
Best of the Best
Global Traveler introduces the 2020 Airline of the Year and Hotel of the Year.
Happiness Awaits
Take the family to friendly, easy-going Aruba.
A TALE OF TWO 1,500HP 6.0L POWER STROKES
THESE 5-SECOND FORDS ARE BUCKING ALL CONVENTION IN DIESEL DRAG RACING
Rebuilt O-line now a team strength
The Dolphins spent an awful lot of resources this past offseason, both in draft picks and free agency capital, on their offensive line.
Promising start for rookie O-linemen
The question of when Austin Jackson would be ready to get into the starting lineup at left tackle for the Dolphins got its official answer in the Week 1 game against the New England Patriots.
The 10 Most Beautiful Homes IN ST.LOUIS 2020
How do you define a beautiful home? Is it in the architecture or the setting? In the mix of building materials or the assemblage of stylistic influences? It wasn’t until our search for beautiful homes ended this past summer that writer Amy Burger and I recognized how our instincts drew us to properties with incredible landscaping and gardens, to places where homeowners place a premium on outdoor spaces and details: window boxes in bloom, statement-making walkways, a passion for the front porch, which, this year above all others, proved its hero status as the place to connect with neighbors and nature alike. –VERONICA THEODORO
GW LESSON LICKS OF THE BLUES GIANTS GROOVE MASTER
A brief, insightful tribute to GARY CLARK JR.’s multifaceted lead and rhythm-playing approaches and ways in which the guitarist tastefully combines elements of blues, rock, funk and soul
Q&A - Elise Ballard
A CONVERSATION WITH THE EPIPHANY EXPERT
TESLA PICKS TEXAS SITE FOR SECOND US VEHICLE ASSEMBLY PLANT
Electric car maker Tesla Inc. has picked the Austin, Texas, area as the site for its largest auto assembly plant employing at least 5,000 workers.
Natural Talent
IN UNBELIEVABLE, 23-YEAR-OLD KAITLYN DEVER GIVES THE PERFORMANCE OF A LIFETIME. AND SHE’S ONLY GETTING STARTED.
UNDRAFTED FREE AGENTS
UNDRAFTED FREE AGENTS
Hustle and Heart
Monica Peraza O’Quigley loves the challenge of creating new companies. With her latest, the Etho, she’s zeroing in on her goal to empower women worldwide.