Texas' Deepest Inland Lake Boasts Scenic Limestone Cliffs And Family-Friendly Parks For Swimming

Texas is a great vacation destination for a whole heap of reasons. It boasts some extraordinary landscapes, like Big Bend National Park with its hidden-gem hot springs, or the ravines and rock formations of Palo Duro Canyon State Park. Its world-famous barbecue cuisine is mind-blowingly good, and its wines are surprisingly brilliant and often underrated. It offers Dark Sky preserves, amazing coastlines, vibrant, bustling cities, and spine-chilling tourist attractions like Saratoga's Bragg Road. But one of the best things about Texas that often flies a little under the radar is its fantastic freshwater swimming spots. And Lake Travis, Texas' deepest inland lake, is a fabulous reservoir surrounded by picturesque limestone cliffs that's one of the cleanest lakes for swimming in the Texas Highland Lakes chain. 

Lake Travis is about 20 miles northwest of Austin and is the second reservoir lake in the chain of Highland Lakes fed by the Colorado River. Getting to the lake is easy, just 40 minutes by car from downtown Austin, and there are plenty of parking spots around the lakeshore. And its location is just one of the reasons why it's a fantastic spot for a family-friendly weekend getaway.

Lake Travis is 63 miles long with 271 miles of shoreline, so it has plenty of great swimming spots. Which one you choose depends on what kind of experience you want. There are 12 public swim spots, some of which are highly accessible, and some of which are a little more remote. For families, your best option might be Mansfield Dam Park. Here, a boat-free cove lets your little ones swim safely, while an underwater dive park offers adventure for adults. There are also shaded picnic areas and a kids' playground. Pace Bend Park is another great option. It's Lake Travis' largest park, with a bunch of shallow coves for swimming. Other family-friendly swimming spots include Gloster Bend Recreation Area, Arkansas Bend Park, Bob Wentz Park at Windy Point, and Grelle Recreation Area.

Several spots are also generally considered adults-only. Tom Hughes Park, for example, is 15 acres on top of a cliff, where the swimming spots can only be accessed via steep trails and tend to be rocky and rugged. Most people come here to watch the sunset, rather than for a family-friendly day out. Hippie Hollow Park is another spot that is very much just for adults, as it's Texas' sole legal clothing-optional public park, where most visitors sunbathe and swim in the nude. The water is also quite deep here, making it for strong swimmers only.

Lake Travis is considered one of the best places in Texas for cliff jumping, and although it is not technically permitted anywhere, it is not explicitly banned either. The limestone cliffs of Pace Bend Park are the most famous spot, while the outcrops that emerge when the water levels are low near Mansfield Dam are another popular destination for adrenaline-seekers.

Of course, Lake Travis isn't just a destination for keen swimmers. It is a great place for watersports, whether that's boating, wakeboarding, jet skiing, or flyboarding. Volente Beach Water Park on the eastern edge of the lake is a fantastic spot to spend the day with the kids, and Lake Travis Zip Line Adventures offers a more thrilling experience, as you fly through the sky over canyons and inlets on the fastest and longest zip line in Texas!

Lake Travis is also a great location for fishing, and it is noted for having solid numbers of largemouth bass, as well as white bass and various species of catfish. Anglers have had decent returns from boats, piers, and the shore, and fishing at night is popular during the winter.

Nine campgrounds are scattered around the lake, some of which are located at its best swimming spots. Pace Bend Park, for example, is one of the best campsites on Lake Travis, set on the peninsula surrounded by limestone cliffs, with pitches for RVs, tents, and primitive camping. Arkansas Bend Park is quieter and ideal for families with younger kids, while Muleshoe Bend Recreation Area is popular with more active visitors, thanks to its excellent network of mountain bike trails.