Limitless Fun and Recreation for Your Texas Resort Vacation

Nature Trail
Whether you enjoy the famed Texas wildflowers or the unique wildlife of the area, a half-mile, self-guided walking tour offers a chance to explore and unwind. The Nature Trail is located behind the Spa building. Maps are available at the Fitness Center reception desk of our Austin Texas Resort.

Miniature Golf Course
Enjoy the new 18-hole of Miniature Golf course located outside the Spa Building. Golf clubs available at the fitness desk.

Team Building and Group Tours
Looking to try something unique and fun? Here is a sample of our most popular events. For more information contact a conference coordinator at 800.336.6157.

Team Building
   Barton Creek Resort & Spa is the perfect place for a company or group retreat, and our Outdoor Ropes Course is ideal for team building. The Ropes Course is located next to the Nature Trail, behind the Spa building. Available for groups only, maximum of 50 people.
Our, partner, Team Craft, has a variety of established team building activities either indoors or outdoors ready for groups. They specialize in helping companies succeed through team development. Groups large and small can gain from these fun-filled and beneficial activities. The ropes course is available for groups only. Reservations are required and may be made by calling the Conference Services Department at 512-329-4031.

Mini Kart Racing
After a short shuttle ride guests will enter a one of kind Outdoor Raceway found in Austin. Upon arrival the group will be greeted by the Official Race Track Coordinator. Guests will be asked to sign a waiver, escorted into the Official Pits and then proceed to forming their teams (can be randomly done or pre-selection prior to arrival) a short briefing on safety and regulations and track directions and rules given by Race Official. Then off they go….

Speed happens, strategies develop, and the clock ticks when individual members create challenging teams to compete for the top positions. Members will form their groups and be given practice laps before starting the race. Drivers are responsible for orchestrating their own pit changes, strategy and communication (Hand held white boards will be provided to teams). The team that completes with the best individual time can be awarded prizes and trophies.

The event pricing includes the use of track for 1 hour, pre-racing briefing, helmets, safety gear, and safety coaching. A race steward will guide the group through the entire experience.

Speed Boating
Guests are welcome aboard private speed boats and cruise Lake Travis at TOP speeds to several destinations where they must play a hand of poker before racing to the next spot. Each team must complete the designed route and return to the start point within a specific timeframe. The winning team is determined by the number of poker hands played and returned to the finish line.

Includes 2 hours of service aboard speed boats, safety equipment & instructions, scheduled stops for poker, logistical design of game and Boat Captains

Ranch Outing
This is not your typical ranch outing! Your guest will enjoy an afternoon of fun activities and great food as they participate in a choice of 3 activities that you won’t find any where else!

Guests would select from 3 of the following activities:

BB Gun Golf - where teams compete against each other in 9 or 18 holes of golf complete with BB guns. Scored like golf …the competition gets intense as they go from “hole” to “hole”!! Course is located in and around the ranch – utilizing the 200 year old oak trees to the “water holes” around the San Gabriel Ranch. The only thing missing are the golf carts!!

Think you can Rope a Steer? Each Team has just 15 minutes to strategize their approach, throw a lasso and then try their luck at roping a calf. Scoring is done by amount of time used and whether a team can actually lasso a calf.

Team Fly Casting – using the natural pond on the ranch, teams will have to land casts into a number of floating objects.

Team Saddling and Race – using a “real” horse, teams must saddle, bridle and get one team member to complete an obstacle course.

Team Horse Racing – each team receives 2 “mechanical horses ” which they decorate in their team colors – racing is done on a race track which handles 6 horses per heat.

Group & Spouse Tours
Canoe the San Marcos River
   Whether you are experienced or, this is your first time in a canoe, everyone will enjoy a guided trip down the San Marcos River. A Certified guide and instructor with the University of Texas will create a 2.5 or 3 hour ride where the beginners as well as the intermediate paddlers will experience an afternoon of fun and excitement.
   After a short ride (approx. 45 minutes), guests will arrive at the City Park where based on the interest and different skill levels of each guest the guide will review the proper handling and launching of the canoes. Built into the route are a series of points that can be designated stops along the river so guests can stop for a break, for lunch, or take a quick swim before continuing down the river.

Canopy Tours
   Join us at Cypress Valley Canopy Tours for a thrilling eco-adventure, where you zip through the canopy of old growth cypress trees, some up to 100 feet tall. A new world unfolds as you ride on steel zip lines from platform to platform high in the treetops.
   Cypress Valley Tours offers adventure, nature, fun, and relaxation. Come soar through the trees, harnessed in technical climbing and zip line gear, for an exciting look at the Texas Hill Country nature from a completely new perspective. Our guides will escort you on an adventure where you will have your adrenaline rush from a bird’s eye view.
   After a short shuttle ride into the Hill Country, your group will arrive at a cypress oasis! Once on site, teams will assemble and receive instructions, rules and safety tips for the activity. Group will participate in a unique Hill Country experience of gliding through a course that will consist of platforms, zip-lines, and sky bridges high above this unique cypress-lined canyon over creeks and ponds. A great afternoon in a unique corner of the Hill Country – shaded picnic area and a drop-in zip-line over a lake is available for the teams as well.

Fredericksburg, Texas
   Fredericksburg is a unique hamlet. Settled in 1847 by German immigrants, the town has retained of its historic fabric. You will experience the town’s reputation for “gemethlichkeit”, a warmth and friendliness intertwined in the 150 years of the town’s history. Many of the restored 19th century buildings now house interesting shops that delight visitors. Guests will enjoy the hour and a half ride through this culturally and historically rich area of the lone star state.
   Our first discovery is the Fredericksburg Herb Farm. Four acres of nearly perfect soil and plenty of sunshine are enough to make any herb fancier’ s heart sing. Add to this an 1880’s farmhouse-turned-apothecary stocked with fresh and dried herbs as well as beauty potions concocted on-site. An aromatic candle shop, offerings of homemade vinegars and herbal condiments, and a her-bedecked Bed-&- Breakfast result in an herbal paradise. This enterprise is a collection of eight gardens blessed with lean and limy soil which herbs crave. Here, visitors wander in search of fresh ideas.

  Lunch can be on your own or at one of twenty restaurants located on Main Street. A walking map will assist guests with finding their way around town. For non-shoppers there are two important museums located on Main Street, which you may choose to visit on your own. The Pioneer Museum Complex, built in 1849 tells of the history of the settlement of Fredericksburg.

Garden Tour of Austin
   The Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center was founded in 1982 by Lady Bird Johnson and the late Helen Hayes. It’s dedicated to protecting and preserving North America's native plants and natural landscapes. Its mission is one to educate people about the environmental necessity, economic value, and natural beauty of native plants - guides all that we do. Every day, the Wildflower Center's horticulture, restoration, conservation, and environmental education programs bring life to Mrs. Johnson's vision in our gardens and natural areas, and with projects across North America.
   Your tour will include the history and mission of the Wildflower Center, Lady Bird Johnson’s legacy, the roles native plants play in our lives, architecture, rainwater collection, and natural history of the Central Texas Hill Country.
   Then you will proceed to The Umlauf Sculpture Garden Museum located near Zilker Park. Enjoy over 130 sculptures by renowned Austin sculptor Charles Umlauf, which are displayed in both permanent and changing exhibits. Works may be viewed inside the museum and in the xeriscape garden.
   The last stop of the day is the Zilker Botanical Center also located at Zilker Park. The Botanical Gardens are located on 31 acres of varied topography on the south bank of the Colorado River. Displays include a butterfly garden, cactus and succulent garden, herb garden and oriental garden.

Austin’s Wine Tour
   You and your guests will enjoy an afternoon of Texas wine tasting. From the best known “Estate” cellars to the newest small, family-owned “boutique” wineries, we'll take you off the beaten path and show you a part of Texas Hill Country few people ever see. You'll gain a new appreciation for wine and wine making. Beautiful vineyard settings, wonderful tasting rooms with locally selected art will give your guests an afternoon of relaxation and fun – located just minutes from Barton Creek Resort. Each winery on the tour has their own style and influences of wines. Both stops on this tour are award winning vineyards. Spicewood Vineyards located in Spicewood and the Texas Hills Vineyard, located in the hills of Pedernales River Valley just outside of Johnson City will give you and your guests a real taste of award winning Texas Hill Country Wines.

San Antonio, Texas
   Begin your tour today with a short stroll along the Riverwalk in downtown San Antonio. The first stop is the IMAX Theatre in Rivercenter Mall where guests will watch the featured film of “Alamo…The Price of Freedom, ” a 45-minute docudrama that tells the story of the 189 defenders, Texan and Tejano, who chose to die for freedom in the Alamo. The IMAX screen is six-stories tall, ten times larger than a conventional movie screen. The huge screen, paired with six-track stereo sound, will give viewers an exceptional sense of participation in the on-screen activity.
After the feature film, you will visit the famous Alamo, established in 1718 and originally known as Mission San Antonio de Valero. Guests will see remains of original structures, including the chapel, which is now a shrine to the fallen Alamo heroes. The famous chapel façade still captures the American imagination. Within the beautifully landscaped grounds of The Alamo is the Long Barracks Museum, once the mission’s “convento”, which chronicles the colorful history of the Cradle of Texas Liberty and San Antonio. The Alamo Library is also located in the enclosed area. This is a significant research library for The Alamo’s history, as well as that of San Antonio and Texas.
   Before heading back to the resort, guests will be given a chance to explore the local specialty shops and restaurants while enjoying the local artists and musicians along the Riverwalk.

Eco Venture Tour in Austin
   Join us for an “unusual” tour of the Austin ecological areas! Limited to just 24 participants – you will be guided by one of the original EcoGuides! Austin, with its unusual topography and history, offers participants a real taste of Austin. Depending on the time of year, we strive to create a tour that embraces many interests – bird watching, the flora and fauna of the Hill Country as well as guided walking tours along the Colorado River. Visit a natural Grotto, the No Name Cave or the Wildlife Basin – all within minutes of your hotel.
   Professional guides guarantee a real Eco experience and a lot of fun as well!

Off the Beaten Track
   The history of the Ransom Center officially began in 1957, when the University of Texas Vice President and Provost Harry Huntt Ransom founded the Humanities Research Center at The University of Texas at Austin. Today its major emphasis is on the study of culture of the United States, Great Britain and France. The Center’s collections contain some 30 million leaves of manuscripts, over one million rare books, five million photographs, photographic equipment and 100,000 works of art. Highlights include the Gutenberg Bible (circa 1455) the world’s first photograph (circa 1826), important paintings by Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera. The Center is used extensively for research by scholars from around the world and offers ever-changing exhibitions and events.
   The French Legation Museum is located high on the hill overlooking the State Capital Building and is the only foreign legation in the country built outside of Washington, D.C. The home is a beautiful example of Greek revival styling and is painted in bright and varied colors. Built by charge d’affaires Alphonse Dubois de Saligny, the home seems completely out of place in downtown Austin. Behind the house stands a separate kitchen, the only authentic free-standing French Creole kitchen in the United States and is filled with the most spectacular collection of furnishings to be found anywhere.
Elizabet Ney is one of Austin’s most colorful characters. Her home was used as her studio and is now open as a museum. The first floor contains two large rooms filled with her works of prominent Texans. Her bedroom, which was seldom used, as she preferred to sleep outside in a hammock, is located on the second floor. Her husband Dr. Montgomery used a tower, reachable by a small winding staircase, as a study. The unusual design of the home resembles a small castle, but is filled with Texas touches.

Fashion Shopping in Austin
Your guests will begin their shopping experience in Austin when they board our customized motor coach at Barton Creek Resort & Spa. They will visit some of the exciting new stores that have emerged in Austin in the last five years. From “The Garden Room” to “Crofts Originals” to “Kick Pleat” to “Trio” – each shop offers an array of clothing, shoes and accessories. From traditional to eclectic.
   After approximately two hours of shopping, we will arrive at one of the top rated restaurants in Austin to enjoy a private lunch which will consist of a “Chef Tasting Menu”, offering an array of specialties bound to excite everyone’s palate.
   After lunch, we will board our motor coach and arrive at the boutique of the hottest jewelry designers in the fashion world right now. Every Hollywood star who is anyone is wearing the designs of Anthony Nak! Designers will be on hand to meet with you and present their private collection and share their stories of Hollywood and the world of jewelry design. While at the boutique, guests will enjoy desserts and coffee. Guests will have any opportunity to try on the Nak collections as well as purchase their designs if desired. Guests will see what the “A” list stars will be wearing for the upcoming year – stars such as Sandra Bullock, Susan Sarandon, Jennifer Lopez to Meryl Streep. Even First Lady Bush!

Salado, Texas
   The history of Salado dates back to 1819. Originally an Overland Stage and Pony Express stop on the Chisholm Trail, Salado welcomed visitors such as General Robert E. Lee, General George Custer, and Sam Houston. The Stagecoach Inn was built to support the stage route which connected with the “ Butterfield Stage Line across the state and now Interstate 35”. Because of the rich and special curative powers believed to be found in Salado Creek, it became a favorite camping spot for the Tonkawa Indians.
   A walking tour of the Main Street of Salado tempts the senses with refreshing enterprises designed to invigorate even the most seasoned traveler. In addition to unusual gift, book, antique and home décor shops, there is something for everyone in Salado.

Bob Bullock State History Museum & LBJ Presidential Library Tour
   Guests will be guided through the History Museum allowing them to experience The Star of Destiny Theatre which focuses on Texas stories of perseverance. Historic events such as the Galveston Hurricane of 1900 come to life with sets, special lighting, and amazing sound effects. Seats shake as visitors witness a gusher exploding from an East Texas oil derrick and the takeoff of Saturn V as seen from Mission Control at the Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center in Houston. Other surprising effects, such as wind and smoke, help make The Star of Destiny a memorable learning experience. Highlights and must sees in the Museum are the various exhibits among (3) three floors. On the first floor, Encounters on Land, the first meetings between Native Americans and explorers from Europe. On the second floor is the story of how Texas became an independent nation in Building the Lone Star Identity. And, on the third floor, Creating Opportunity explores the important role of ranching in Texas; how Texans have adapted to the diverse conditions of the land to prosper on it; and how oil changed Texas.
   Finish up the tour with a trip to the LBJ Presidential Library to see first hand the permanent exhibit of “America from 1908 – 1973” Lyndon B. Johnson’s lifetime that includes Gifts of State, White House Exhibit and a scaled model of his OVAL Office and the First Lady’s Gallery.

White Water Activities in The Hill Country
   According to one of the most veteran paddlers in the Southwest, one doesn ’t need to be an outdoors expert to find whitewater fun and adventure in the Lone Star State!
   The Austin area offers a number of options for water enthusiasts: San Marcos River, Upper and Lower Guadalupe River, Upper Colorado River and of course, Town Lake, located right in the heart of the city of Austin.
   Based on your group needs, we will customize a canoeing, rafting or kayaking experience. Our suggestions include:

Kayak Polo which is a highly competitive water sport perfect for groups and includes everything from instructors, kayaks, referees, goal posts and lots of team fun!

Rafting – we offer Hyside rafts with 3 hour trips down the Lower or Upper Guadalupe River complete with instructors and guides, lunch, and the beautiful clean water of the Guadalupe! The Lower Guadalupe is rated Class I & II, based on the time of the year for the trip.

Kayaking is available on the Lower Guadalupe as well as the San Marcos River and offers guests a great experience in a kayak as well. One or two passenger kayaks are available as well as experienced instructors.

Upper Colorado River – offers guests an opportunity to view over 14 miles of uninterrupted shoreline, 4 water falls and incredible views of the Hill Country. This trip can be with either rafts, kayaks or canoes. Any way you travel, its quite a trip – this stretch of river is home to nesting eagles and other wildlife. Trip includes pontoon transportation up the river from the landing, lunch, guides and instructors.

Austin City Tour
   The tour begins with narrated historical highlights of Zilker Park Botanical Garden, Congress Avenue and 6th Street before arriving at the State Capitol, which was completed in 1888, currently the third building to serve as the Capitol.
   We will also drive by The Governor’s Mansion. This is one of the oldest buildings in the complex, completed in 1856 and one of the oldest in the city. Then your guests will proceed to the LBJ Presidential Library to see first hand the permanent exhibit of “America from 1908 – 1973” Lyndon B. Johnson’s lifetime that includes Gifts of State, White House Exhibit and a scaled model of his OVAL Office and the First Lady’s Gallery.

Click here to learn about other Recreational Activities at our Austin Resort.

Escape to Barton Creek Resort & Spa for the ultimate relaxing getaway – nestled on 4,000 acres of rolling hills. Experience the grace of our award-winning Texas resort, where luxury is unparalleled and the service unmatched. Book your reservations online today for preferred rates.