Austin Attractions

Congress Avenue Bridge

One of the more unusual tourist attractions in Austin, or in fact anywhere, is the nightly flight of millions of Mexican free-tailed bats when they emerge from their roosts under the Congress Avenue Bridge. The bat colony takes up residence under the bridge in mid-March each year and returns to Mexico in early November. During their sojourn in Austin visitors are amazed by their mass evening emergence from their roost, which generally takes place at dusk. The Congress Avenue Bridge is 10 blocks south of the State Capitol building, spanning Town Lake. A Bat Observation Center is located on the southeast side. During bat season hundreds of people gather on and around the bridge each evening to witness the spectacle.

Address: Congress Bridge; Website: www.batcon.org/home/index.asp?idPage=122; Telephone: (512) 416 5700 (Bat Hot Line); Opening time: Dusk daily. Bat season is mid-March to beginning of November, but the best months are July and August