When you’re longing to put your toes in the sand, go for a swim, and let the kids splash & picnic, head over to Emma Long Metropolitan Park for a perfectly lovely play day. Read all about our experience, get the details about this Austin park…
Please take note that park patrons are required to obtain day passes for Emma Long Metropolitan Park for Fridays – Sundays and holidays via an online registration system or by phone. A limited number of passes will be available per day. No registration is required Monday through Thursday; however, if parks reach capacity on those days, signs will be posted noting no further entry.
Emma Long Metropolitan Park is a large municipal park on the shores of Lake Austin, and it’s a great place to spend a day with the family. It’s open seven days a week and includes a long stretch of lake lined with oak and juniper trees, offers boat access, plenty of room for swimming, a small sandy beach area for kids to play, lots of picnic tables and grills, bathrooms, and hiking trails, too.
We suggest arriving early to beat the afternoon heat and to avoid peek crowds. You’ll find plenty of families choose to bring picnics and food for grilling with plans to spend the whole day in the shade of the big trees.
We always have such a great time at Emma Long! Our kids love sitting on the long docks, watching the boats go by. The small beach area is a huge hit, where you can play in the sand and splash in the roped-off shallow waters. You can take floats or even kayaks, watch swans swim by, and have a really relaxing day out.
What to know if you go:
- Open 7 days a week, 365 days a year from 7 am – 10 pm.
- The park entrance fee is $5 on Monday – Thursday and $10 on Fridays – Sundays and holidays. NO CASH is accepted, so be sure to bring a credit card with you. Remember that advanced reservations are required on Fridays-Sundays and holidays.
- The park is dog-friendly, as long as the pups stay on their leash and are kept out of the swimming area.
- As with any park, look out for fire ants and burrs. Wearing flip-flops or water shoes is a great idea.
- If you choose to kayak, take note that the boats down the lake make for some bumpy waters. If you’re looking for a smooth, easy kayak spot for the kids, you might do better downtown at Lady Bird Lake.
- Emma Long is a popular spot for camping. Click here for info about camping fees and reservations.
- Pro tip: To maximize your distance from others, go in the early hours or skip the “beach” area, and take floats to spread out in other shallow waters along this Lake Austin gem.
Emma Long park is located at . For more information about the park, you can visit the City of Austin website or call 512-346-1831.
Austin History — Who Was Emma Long?
For years, this park was simply named City Park. In 1984, the Austin City Council renamed the park after Emma Long, a former Austin City Council Member. Long was the first woman to serve on the council of a large city in Texas. She also served as the first woman Mayor Pro Tem from 1967-1969.
Have a great time!
