Things to do in Austin: Paddle Boarding on Lady Bird Lake

Meet Johanna. She is hoping us build our apprenticeship program by giving us some input on her experience riding with us. Below she talks a bit about her life and one of her favorite places in Austin, Lady Bird Lake. If you’re making a day trip to ATX, Lady Bird Lake is convenient to Zilker Park, Barton Springs, Zilker Botanical Gardens, The Umlauf Gardens, and the Science and Nature Center. Of all the things to do in Austin, Maverick’s is still her favorite! Want to find out why?

“My name is Johanna. I was born and raised in in small town in Germany, called Schwerin. I moved to Dallas, TX for college where I met my husband. About six months ago we moved to Austin. I immediately fell in love with Austin. It’s a very young and up beat city. There is a lot of opportunity to do outdoor activities, which reminds me of my home town in Germany. I love being outdoors, meeting new people, and experiencing new foods.

“Ever wonder what to do on a very hot summer day in Austin? I, personally, love to get refreshed and cool down by the water. Lady bird lake is a beautiful fresh water river that goes right through the heart of downtown Austin. You can enjoy the scenery while canoeing or, my favorite activity, stand-up paddle boarding. While paddle boarding you can enjoy the view of the Austin skyline, beautiful mansions along the river side, and green the river landscape. If it gets too hot standing on your board, feel free to jump into the cool refreshing blue water. It is also a great place and activity to meet new people. Austin is filled with amazing interesting people, who love to hang out at Lady Bird lake. Want to grab a bite to eat afterwards? They have restaurants, cafes, and food trucks along the Barton Spring Street. My favorite place to go is the Açaí Hut food truck. They serve a delicious Açaí bowl. It’s like a cold healthy frozen slushy, which hits the right spot after a day in the sun.

“After 40 minutes of driving I’m finally outside the hectic city and off the Texas highway. I’m in the country. No traffic, no bumper-to-bumper, no mean crazy drivers. I made it. Out in the open where I can finally feel like I can breath. I roll down my car windows to take it all in. The country air smells healthy and refreshing. Instead of grey buildings on the side of the road, I see huge green pastures with cows and horses. The look peaceful. I love when the horses start running in a herd. It looks majestic. It connects with something within me. Once I get out the car and walk around in the pastures I feel peace within me. What made me mad fades away. I let go of my thoughts and concentrate on the here and now. I feel my lungs filling with fresh air. I hear the birds singing, the wind moving in the trees, and somewhere in the distance water running down a creek. I’m alone but I do not feel alone. I feel connected to the environment around me. To the left of me are some curious horses walking up to me. They smell me and move on, just doing their business. I love the outdoors. I love the country.”

Thanks for reading!