Please note that this article was written before the pandemic.

We’re always ready for a day at the beach! Anywhere the kids can dig in the sand, swim, picnic and relax is good for the whole family. We’d heard about a small beach area at Lake Pflugerville, but had not previously ventured out. So we decided it was time to pack up the sand buckets and shovels and go check it out.

Lake Pflugerville is about a 20-30 min. drive northeast of Austin. It was built to provide the citizens of Pflugerville with drinking water, but this 180-acre reservoir has become a popular family playground. The lake is open for fishing, swimming, jogging, canoes, kayaks and wind surfing. The Park at Lake Pflugerville includes a 3-mile trail, playground, boat launch, and beach area.

When we arrived at the park, we were happy to find a small pebble beach and roped-off swimming area, a fun climbing structure, small playground and a picnic pavilion & bathroom. There were a handful of families on the beach, some with kayaks & SUPs, some with beach tents & umbrellas, and some, like us, with just towels and lots of buckets for digging and playing.

While the beach is made up of tiny pebbles instead of soft sand, the kids were happy just to dig and look for cool rocks. The pebbles don’t feel great on your feet, however, so water shoes would be a good idea!

While the surroundings of Lake Pflugerville are not exactly the most picturesque (views are mostly of the bordering neighborhood), it was a really, really easy and FREE outing with the kids. They played and swam for a long time, having a blast. It was a great change of pace from just visiting the local swimming pool.We’ll definitely be back soon, and maybe next time we’ll kayak. You can rent watercraft from PflugFun, which is right there at the park.

For more info about Lake Pflugerville Park, including a map, facility rentals, fishing rules, etc. please visit Pflugerville Parks & Rec website.

Have fun!