Wondering where to go and what to do on Lake Travis? We’ve rounded up some ideas for you.

First, it’s a great idea to get an overview of all the parks on Lake Travis. The Lower Colorado River Authority and Travis County Parks operate 15 parks on the lake. Several offer campgrounds, beaches, picnic areas, boat ramps and great spots for fishing. (Entrance and/or launch fees are charged at some parks). You can click here to visit the Texas Parks & Wildlife website for a wonderful chart & map overview of all the parks and their facilities.

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Here are a few of our picks for some fun at the lake:

Windy Point Park – Just a short drive from Austin, this is a great spot for swimming and scuba diving, too. Privately-owned, this area has large shade trees on a natural grass lawn, which overlooks the wide open waterfront on Lake Travis. You can hang out for the day, rent sailboats, or even camp overnight. Click here for rates & more info.

Bob Wentz Park – One of our Do512 content manager’s favorite spots is Bob Wentz Park, a day-use park run by Travis County Parks. It’s a short drive from Austin (about 30 min.), just passed the ever-famous clothing-optional Hippie Hollow. You can picnic, swim, windsurf, sail, kayak, etc. Fees are only $10 per car. Click here for more info about this spot.

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Bob Wentz Park

Pace Bend Park — Pace Bend includes over 9 miles of shoreline along Lake Travis, and is one of the most popular areas in the Highland Lakes region with a wide range of activities. The west side of the park features high, limestone cliffs and rocky coves. Pace Bend is a great spot for camping and was once a very popular place to get your cliff jumping fix. Now that the lake is full, we imagine this will be a summer thrill not to be missed. We haven’t checked out the cliff, commonly known as Paleface, for our for ourselves since the lake has been full. Our manager has braved the cliffs several times, but it’s been a few years. Do your own research and be careful!!

There are over 400 primitive campsites and 20 improved campsites with water, electrical hook-ups and showers – call 512.854.7275 to make a reservation (not required, but recommended) for these. Many of the campsites have picnic tables, fire rings and barbecue grills. Click here to learn more about Pace Bend.

Volente Beach Water Park — This is a fun spot for a day trip with the kids. It’s smaller and much more low-key than other water parks in the area, but there’s plenty of fun with slides, a sandy beach, as well as a pirate boat and wading area for the kids. Watercraft rentals are also available. Day tickets are about $22 for adults and $17 for kids, but there are also many other ticketing options available. Click here for all the details.

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Volente Beach Water Park

Lake Travis Zipline Adventures – Soar above Lake Travis! Riders take on ziplines that range from 250 to 2,800 feet long. Along the way, they’re accompanied by a professionally trained guide.  While waiting between each zip, you will enjoy amazing views of Lake Travis and the Texas Hill Country. Click here to read about our experience, and click here to check out prices and special deals from Lake Travis Zipline Adventures.

The Oasis — The largest outdoor restaurant in Texas, The Oasis is also known as the spot to view amazing sunsets. Located on a cliff 450 feet above Austin’s Lake Travis, this restaurant has multiple dining decks overlooking the Lake and also offers live music, too. Click here for menus and more info.

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The Oasis – Photo credit: Shanon Hamilton

This is certainly just a small sample of fun that awaits on Lake Travis. For much more info, including where to rent boats, where to stay, and where to eat, you can visit LakeTravis.com.

Tell us, where are your favorite spots on Lake Travis? Please share in the comments below. We’d love to hear what your family likes to do on the lake!

* Featured image credit: FB/Lake Travis via Dena Masters Lowndes