A Family-Friendly Springtime Activity

Activity: The Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center
10 Words or Less: Outdoor nature center dedicated to local varieties of plants/flowers.
Where: 4801 La Crosse Avenue
Cost: $10 for adults, $4 for kids age 5-17, free for kids under 5
Rating: 
The weather this week has been ridiculously nice. Each day I’ve tried to get outside and cross off something on my list. (With mixed success. Yesterday I didn’t feel great so I stayed on the couch wearing my Slanket and watched Law & Order all day. No regrets!)

On Tuesday, I visited a place I haven’t been to in years: the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.

I know what you’re thinking: Laura, why would you go to a wildflower center in January, a month when there aren’t any flowers? Well, I thought that the LBJ Wildflower Center was free in January. Turns out– nope! It’s been advertised as free on several different third-party websites, but that’s not the case. You’ve been warned.

The LBJ Wildflower Center is dedicated to promoting and protecting native species of plants in Central Texas. The complex is huge and includes several gardens, play areas for kids, a learning center, an art gallery, nature trails, a cafe, and a store. It’s quite impressive.

In winter, the gardens are well-maintained by volunteers but they’re much less colorful than in the spring/summer. I walked around the entire area and, as expected, did not see a single wildflower. I did see one butterfly, though, which was more exciting than it should have been.

The highlight of the LBJ Wildflower Center is probably the tower in the center. You can climb three stories to get a birds-eye view of the surrounding area. In the spring, it’s really pretty and multicolored. In January, it’s mostly just green and brown.

If I had to describe the LBJ Wildflower Center in one word, it would be “wholesome. ” It’s not exciting in the least, but it’s a nice way to spend an afternoon outside, especially if you live down south. I’d recommend it for little kids– when I was there, 98% of the other visitors were moms with young children. Go in the springtime and enjoy all the colorful wildflower goodness.

Helpful Tips:

• The LBJ Wildflower Center is closed on Mondays.
• The hibiscus tea in the café is really good. If you’re into tea, give it a try!
• Don’t try to leave the parking lot the way you came in. Head to the far right and you’ll see the exit next to the school bus parking.

LBJ Wildflower Center Website

The post A Family-Friendly Springtime Activity appeared first on Austinite Tips.