McKinney Falls State Park
Fodor's choice
This 744-acre state park is 13 miles southeast of downtown Austin. Per the name, the park has two waterfalls (visitors should exercise extreme caution near the water, as people have drowned here). You can hike or bike nearly 9 miles of trails, including the Onion Creek Hike and Bike Trail (2.8 miles), with its paved, hard surface that's good for strollers and road bikes. The Rock Shelter Trail (only for hikers) leads to where early visitors camped. Other popular activities in the park are fishing, picnicking, camping, and wildlife-viewing (including bird-watching and sightings of white-tailed deer, raccoons, squirrels, and armadillos).
