Every tour on this site, compared
If you book one thing, book the bat kayak
The Sunset Bat Watching Kayak Tour (around $50, 2 hours, highly rated across hundreds of reviews) puts you on Lady Bird Lake at dusk while about 1.5 million Mexican free-tailed bats leave the Congress Avenue Bridge over your head. It runs April through September, meets at the Austin Rowing Club dock, and no paddling experience is required — the briefing covers it. On summer weekends it sells out, which is why I tell guests to book it before they book a restaurant. My full write-up is at the bat kayak tour review.
All six, with prices and ratings
Two guided land tours, two self-guided rentals, one guided kayak tour and one boat cruise. Prices run roughly $28 to $70 per person and every one cancels free up to 24 hours out.
Most bookedAustin: Sunset Bat Watching Kayak Tour
Top ratedAustin: Electric Bike City Sightseeing Tour
Best valueAustin: Single or Double Kayak Rental
City tourAustin: Best of Austin Driving Tour with Local Guide
PaddleboardAustin: Lady Bird Lake Stand-Up Paddleboard Rental
BYOB cruiseLake Austin Boat Cruise: 1.5-Hour Scenic Tour
Who each one suits
On the water: the kayak rental, from around $28, is the cheapest way onto Lady Bird Lake — two self-guided hours, single or double boat, paddle from the Congress Avenue Bridge toward Barton Creek at whatever pace you like. The paddleboard, at about $55, is the same idea standing up, and I’ll say plainly what one reviewer wished the listing had: it is a rental, not a guided tour. Both, plus the bat kayak, are compared properly on the kayak & paddleboard page.
On land: the e-bike tour, about $70 (2.5 hours, top-rated across well over a hundred reviews), is the only tour here that stops at Barton Springs Pool itself, and it includes hotel pickup. The driving tour, around $49 (2 hours, top-rated with hundreds of reviews), covers the Capitol interior from an air-conditioned Sprinter van — the one I suggest in August. Both live on the city tours page.
And the outlier: the BYOB cruise, around $49, runs on Lake Austin, a separate lake about 15 minutes northwest — Mount Bonnell, the Pennybacker Bridge, waterfront mansions. A licensed captain drives, you bring the drinks, and an 18% gratuity to the captain is mandatory, so budget closer to $60 all-in. Only a handful of early reviews so far, all glowing — a small sample, which I flag because the operator doesn’t.
The three most people choose, side by side
Most guests end up deciding between the cheap paddle, the bat tour and the e-bike. Here is that decision in one table.
| Austin: Single or Double Kayak Rental | Top pickAustin: Sunset Bat Watching Kayak Tour | Austin: Electric Bike City Sightseeing Tour | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | From ~$28 | Around $50 | About $70 |
| Duration | 2 h | 2 h | 2.5 h |
| Guide | Self-guided | Guided | Guided |
| Starts | Waller Creek Boathouse | Austin Rowing Club dock | Hotel pickup |
| Rating | Well rated | Highly rated | Top-rated |
| Best for | A cheap daytime paddle | Dusk & the bats | Seeing the whole city |
| View → | Book this → | View → |
The bats fly roughly April through September. Outside those months the bat kayak doesn’t make much sense — take the ~$28 rental in the morning and the driving tour in the afternoon instead.
Can’t make these dates?
Browse more available barton springs pool tickets and find one that fits your schedule — all with instant confirmation and free cancellation.
Still deciding? The complete Barton Springs guide explains how a pool day and a tour fit into the same afternoon.
Frequently asked questions
Can I buy Barton Springs Pool tickets on this site?
No, and not anywhere else online either — only the City of Austin’s own ATXSwims app sells entry. The gate charges $2–$9 depending on age and residency, and from November until Austin ISD Spring Break entry is free. The full numbers are at how much it costs to swim. What this site helps you book are the six tours and rentals above.
Which Austin tour should I book first?
In bat season, the sunset bat kayak (around $50) — it has hundreds of reviews and it is the one thing here that genuinely sells out on summer weekends. Second choice depends on the season: the e-bike tour (about $70) if you want to see the city, the kayak rental (from ~$28) if you just want the water. I’ve written up each one at the tour reviews hub.
Can I book on the day?
Sometimes. The rentals usually have same-day slots midweek, but the bat kayak fills its dusk departures ahead on summer weekends. Every listing here cancels free up to 24 hours out, so booking early costs nothing if plans change.
Do any of these tours include pool entry?
No. Pool entry is paid at the gate and no operator can sell it. The e-bike tour stops at the pool as a sightseeing stop; if you want to swim, come back with your $2–$9 and a towel.