TheLakeInsiderThe insider's guide to America's luxury lakes
← Lake Austin
Lake Austin · The dog list

Where the dog comes too.

Patios that put out a water bowl without being asked. Trails that don't require leashes when nobody's looking. Breweries with a yard. Beaches off-season.

Restaurants

2 stops
  • Austin
    Ski Shores Cafe
    Editor's pick

    A Lake Austin staple since 1954, founded by the Fowler family as a hamburger joint and watering hole on the beach for water skiers. Burgers, tacos, and cold drinks, with a lakeside patio and room for kids to run.

    Sun & Sat 9am–9pm, Mon–Fri 11am–9pm$(512) 572-2997Visit ↗
  • Austin
    Hula Hut
    Editor's pick

    Tex-Mex with a Polynesian twist, on a pier built out over the water at the lake's east end. A long-standing favorite for its lakeside patio and tiki-bar atmosphere.

    Mon–Thu 11am–10pm, Fri 11am–11pm, Sat 10:30am–11pm, Sun 10:30am–10pm$$(512) 476-4852Visit ↗

Iconic stops

1 stop
  • Austin
    Emma Long Metropolitan Park
    Editor's pick

    A 1,142-acre park on the lake's west end with a swimming beach, campsites, and two boat ramps — the largest public green space directly on Lake Austin. Day-pass reservations required Friday through Sunday and holidays, March through September.

    Daily 7am–10pmVisit ↗