Lone Star Spring

Texas’ size is exceeded only by its wide-ranging attractions

- Rebecca Wallwork

1 AUSTIN

Yes, there are bands to see and barbecue to eat, but to get into the swing of spring, head to the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center (wildflower.org) and surround yourself with hundreds of Texas plant species. You can wander colorful trails, take guided garden tours and nature drawing classes, or forage for native edibles like prickly pear and Texas persimmon. Tuesday Twilights With a Twist pair the gardens with music, cocktails and the sunset.

For the music Austin is famous for—indie and country—look for longtime favorites like The Little Longhorn Saloon (thelittlelonghornsaloon. com) and Hole in the Wall (holeinthewallaustin.com). Or, take the Austin Live Music Crawl (austindetours.com) to seek out lesser-known venues and catch a few shows with a local music guide.

If you need to get out of the sun, visit the Blanton Museum of Art (blantonmuseum.org), with works from ancient greek pottery to abstract expressionism.

But if you’re in the mood to bask in the heat—and get your heart racing—head to NLand Surf Park (nlandsurfpark. com) for a clinic or group surfing session on the 14- acre inland surf lagoon. A taproom overlooking the action provides tasty post-surf rewards.

Spring Events: The Pecan Street Spring Festival (May 4–5); The West Austin Studio Tour (May 11–12 & 18–19); The Hot Luck Festival (May 23–26) for food and live music.