The places that don't make you apologize for the kids. Restaurants with crayons that aren't an afterthought, parks with shade and bathrooms, the ice-cream stop with the line on a hot Tuesday.
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.
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.
Texas barbecue in a converted 1940s lake lodge on Bull Creek just off Lake Austin — brisket, ribs, and sausage, and long known locally as the place to bring out-of-town guests.
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.