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Bats Under the Congress Avenue Bridge
Rating Details »
Category: Local Flavor [Edit]
Neighborhood: Downtown100 South Congress Avenue
Austin, TX 78701
(512) 416-5700
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
89 reviews for Bats Under the Congress Avenue Bridge
Here is a quick guide to watching the bats:
1. Get in a boat, watching them from below with the dusky sky in the background is fantastic.
2. Bring a camera.
3. Bring a chair.
4. Another spot to watch is from the bridge, but it's not as good as below the bridge or in the water.
5. Try watching from the balcony of theTGIF across the way. Bats and margaritas in Austin, you can't beat the combination.
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Ha ha, very funny you guys. Yeah yeah, I know, the joke is on me. Thanks a lot everyone. Whoever started the rumor that they give free beer to anyone who shows up just before sunset in a bat costume and yells, "I'm loaded with queso and guano, look at me, I'm Austin's batman" over and over from the top of the bridge is totally full of sh**. I did that and nobody gave me any beer. Actually I ended up getting punched by some lady in a yellow dress who told me I looked like John Candy in Spaceballs.
The bats were cool though.
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When I heard that this was one of "the" things to do in Austin, I thought, "Okay, whatever, bats, sure." A couple days after moving to Austin, I finally made it over to the bridge to check these little guys out. And I have to say, they exceeded my expectations. There's nothing like seeing a sky literally splotched black with itty-bitty bats.
So, even if you're sort of doubtful as to how cool this could possibly be, check it out! You probably won't be disappointed, and hey, it's right downtown!
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Whether you live in Austin or are planning a visit, the bats under the Congress Avenue bridge are a must see. 1.5 million of anything is cool, make them Mexican free-tail bats that can eat their weight in mosquitoes every night and its amazing. Bats are mammals and nurse their young, they migrate back to Mexico from November to March each year so plan accordingly (when they migrate they fly up to 60 mph)
Do not worry about a boat tour
Do not worry about getting bitten or better yet getting one caught in your hair
Do not take a Segway tour (dork)
Do not bitch that there is no parking- where there is parking there are fees
Do not be late, it happens at sunset
You will walk away grateful to the little bloodsuckers when you consider how much one mosquito weighs and the fact that they can eat up to 30 thousand pounds each night. Mother Nature is one strange woman.
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This is just one of the many things that makes Austin so great. Where else can you see over a million of bats fly through the middle of a city? The way I recommend seeing them is from the park below the bridge, where it's easier to see them against the sunset sky. Then after a few minutes, head up onto the bridge and watch them fly off into the horizon. It's amazing how far they can fly in so little time, and to see them in their miles-long "tube formation" is as spooky as it is beautiful. But whatever you do, don't make the same mistake I did and wear fig-scented cologne. Bats apparently really, really like figs.
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BATS ARE MY SECOND FAVORITE ANIMAL AND ABOUT 2 MILLION OF THEM FLY FROM UNDER THIS BRIDGE TO THE OUTSIDE WORD.
EVERY. DAMN. NIGHT.
Yes. I saw the bats twice in ten days. Yes. It was awesome. And yes, I peed myself with giddy, childlike excitement when those suckers flew on out.
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Have you ever thought about being nibbled and caressed by countless lovers? All of them fawning over you, nuzzling against you, as though you are the most desirable, delectable thing on the planet? That was me: for 20 minutes, I was the center of the universe - for about 1.3 million mosquitoes who live under the Congress Street bridge. It went something like this:
1. What is there to do in Austin? We just moved here!
2. Hey is that smoke coming out from under the bridge?! Wait, are those... birds?
3. Wow, Austin has a lot of bats! Like the most bats in the whole world! Or something.
4. Let's go see them! When is sunset ?
And then...
5. Oh how exciting, I can't believe we're standing under the bridge! The bats are about to come out. A real Austin experience!
6. Hey it says something crazy on this informational plaque: bats can eat their body weight in insects!
7. Ouch what's that?
8. Oh look, there's a mommy and baby bat! They left early. Just 5 more minutes maybe...
9. Ow! Do you see something on my legs?
10. My whole leg is red? But...?
11. Just like 3 more minutes, right?
12. I know I shouldn't scratch it. Stop telling me.
13. My other leg? And my forehead is red now too?!?
14. Screw the bats!
15. Wait - Quick, take a picture of me by the bridge!
16. OUCH!
17. Nevermind - RUN! Run to the car! Haul ass!!!
Three days of Benadryl and a few tubes of anti-itch lotion later, the memory of being devoured only slightly overshadowed the coolness of seeing that swarm of bats from the safety of the car. The mosquitoes aren't huge, but they're goddamn ninjas; I never saw a one. Being pretty allergic to bug bites, I still had welts and bruises a week later. I only return encased in OFF! - the pure stuff.
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If you are visiting Austin, this should be on your short-list of things to do while in town. If you live in Austin, not only should you go with your family and friends, but you are obligated to take all of your guests. You simply cannot find anything like this anywhere else.
I don't care who you are, how old you are, or what you like to do...Once the bats start flying, everybody will stop and stare in amazement. This is just one of those things.
A few tips:
Bring Off or some other form of bug repellant. The mosquitos are known to bite near the bridge and the bats hopefully won't fly close enough to assist you with the problem.
Go early and wait as it can get crowded on the bridge. If you choose to sit on the banks of the river, take a blanket.
Bring water and snacks.
Have fun! You are in Austin!!!
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Minus 2 stars for the parking.....there's a free lot at the Statesman but it was full, so we parked in the next lot over which is apparently off limits but had no pylons, nothing blocking it. The "attendant" was pitching a bitch fit and screaming at people and dropping the F-bomb around my mom. Not effin cool, dood.
Minus 3 stars for the stench. Enough ammonia to bring anyone out of a 6 month coma.
Minus 4 stars for having to defy death while walking precariously close to the curb behind the masses of people, all jostling each other, while cars whizz by so close you can make eye contact with death.
PLUS a hundred stars for a really cool Austintatious experience! The mom loved it, the nephew loved it....it's fun for all. Just a tip: they mostly fly out on the south side of the river along the treeline. But standing in the middle of the bridge allows you to see them flying up over the river to points unknown, like a mosquito-eatin cloud floating over the city. Yay Nature!
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Whether you live here or are just visiting, make time to see the bats. This is nature at its finest. Every night at sundown, 1.5 million bats exit from under the Congress Bridge. It is so cool.
They all come out in this perfect tube/line like they're waiting their turn and stay that way when they fly away. It's awesome to see them all winding around way off in the distance like schools of fish in the sky.
They definitely don't swarm out, though, and it takes anywhere from 30-45 minutes for them to all exit the bridge.
- There is free parking at the Statesman lot, just follow the signs
- Bring a blanket or chairs to sit on on the grassy knoll. Texas grass is not comfortable. Ever.
- Some have suggested wearing bug spray but neither I nor my boyfriend experienced any mosquito/bug problems. No one down here has any idea what real bug problems are like. (I got over 100 mosquito bites JUST on my back at a summer camp in IL when I was little- true story. They even made an award just for me.)
- Get there on time but a little early so you can get a spot. It was pretty crowded. They don't come out until later in the evening, but obviously sundown changes all the time. To resolve this problem,
- Call the Bat Hotline (yeah, no joke) 512-416-5700, ext 3636 to find out when it is expected that they will exit that night.
- Yes, it smells. But no, it isn't horrible. If you have ever smelled a farm or trash before, this is not a big deal. What do you expect from 1.5 million pooping mammals all congregated in one place? Grow up.
- Don't bother paying for a tour, you get the best views right next to the bridge anyway. Watch the bats exit from below on the grassy knoll and up on the bridge. Both views are worth seeing.
- Don't freak out about the bats leaving. They won't attack you, they don't even care about you.
- Be respectful of nature. Don't leave your garbage lying in the grass. There are garbage cans provided on site.
- IT'S FREE.
This page has some good info about the bats:
http://austin.about.co...
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Unique scene on the Colorado river as the largest urban bats colony demonstrates their nightly feast from under the Congress bridge.
Easy parking at The Statesmen. A family friendly event.
Things to bring:
- blanket to sit on
- bug repellent
- snacks
- learning attitude
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When it was suggested I go see the bats, I had no idea what I was in for. Two friends had gone and insisted I go. So off I went.
A bunch of us met in front of the hotel I was staying in and walked to Congress Avenue Bridge. We sat on the lawn, just waiting around for the sun to set. After a little while, we saw some bats. Not that many. I thought that was it. Little did I know.
The bats kept circling through under the bridge and coming up toward the water, flying over and near the brush and trees. And it didn't seem like it would ever stop! We eventually walked up to the bridge to see from above. it was insane. It felt very much like a National Geographic moment. They collected into dark clouds and hovered over the water.
As it turns out, it's estimated that there are about 1.5 million bats that come out nightly to feed. It the largest urban bat population. They eat about 10 to 15 thousand pounds of insects nightly. Wow!
I'd given the experience 5 stars but it does smell just a bit under the bridge. It's still totally worth it. You will probably not see anything else like it.
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We were in Austin in mid-May and heard something about bats and a bridge. So we figured, we have nothing else to do, let's check it out! I had no idea there was a Bat Phone (so cool) so we grabbed some sandwiches and waited around with the Girl Scouts sitting around. After eating we walked up and onto the bridge, along with dozens of others, and wondered, are we really standing up here waiting for some bats?
Finally the bats began to leave. And it was surprisingly really cool. They kept coming and coming flying into the air, so many there were black smudges in the sky. It must've taken 10-15 minutes for them all to leave, it's hard to believe there are so many under that one plain-looking bridge.
The only negative/weird thing: there are tour boats that go under the bridge and wait in the river. That's fine. But there was this one, it was filled with people dressed as pirates, and was totally blasting pirate music. It was really really bizarro. It made me realize that my own personal hell would be being on that boat.
Other than that, call the Bat Phone and head down to the bridge!
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I can't believe that I've lived here for four years and that tonight was the first time that I got a really good view of the bats. I've figured out how to see them best. I've tried to see them at both the Four Seasons Bar and the Shoreline Grill. Neither place offered the view I saw tonight on a grassy area near the Statesman. It's easy. You park in the Statesman parking lot (for free) and walk a few feet to the grassy area and wait for a bat spectacle.
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I'm trying to figure out how anyone can give the bats anything but five stars. Sure it's not like the cave you saw them on during your exotic vacation with your lover somewhere between the beautiful 2 hour hike and a night of passionate lovemaking in a hammock while drinking rum drinks with local fruit juices made by that sweet bartender Pedro.
It's the largest urban bat colony. You walk or hop on a bike and head for sunset on a bridge in the middle of the city. There are more bats as the season goes along, as the bats have given birth to their pups and have added the numbers to the colony.
It's cool...amazing...kinda fun and it's a great way to see nature in action.
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This is a fun thing to do. Anyone visiting Austin or living here should definitely go to this.
The bats fly out from under the bridge at sundown. It lasts about half an hour and they come out in what seem to be groups. Most of them come out at the very beginning in a big long group that you can watch fly away for miles.
- It's a pretty amazing thing to watch; something you'll probably never see anywhere else.
- Watch them from both under and on top of the bridge. Bring a blanket if you're going to stay under the bridge.
- If you have kids, try not to get there too early. Lots of people crowd the area really early. You'll want to get there somewhat earlier than sunset at least to grab a parking spot at the Statesman, but don't come 2 hours in advance of sundown. Also - most kids that I saw there don't seem to be that amused.
- I don't know what Austin people are talking about when they complain about mosquitoes. I'm from central Illinois and if you ask me, that's where they ALL live. Austin doesn't even know what a real mosquito population looks like. Nonetheless, if you don't like getting bit, remember that there are bugs out and you'll just be standing/sitting in basically one spot for awhile.
- The smell really isn't that bad. If you've ever smelled trash before in your life and have lived through it you will be fine. It doesn't smell like trash, but as far as pungency goes it is less than a trash can.
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This was really neat to see. Parking in the lot was really easy and free. There was a little park under the bridge to sit. Bring blankets or chairs and a camera! It's really unlike anything I've ever seen. The way the bats fly in undulating lines is SO COOL! I gave it only 4 stars because the trees got in the way of seeing some of the bats over the river. Therefore, I recommend seeing them from on the Congress Bridge, not under!
visiting austin, i saw that on the list of things to do. i was like..."really??" but i'm glad i went to check it out cuz it was worth it.
this is pretty cool. didn't think there would be that many people lined up to watch the bats at sunset. they begin to move from under the bridge. tons and tons of bats.
people bat-watching reminded me of the 4th of july. pretty impressive that it's like that EVERYDAY.
you can either line up along the bridge or go down to the picnic area. you can't miss the bats -- they are everywhere!!!
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This is the most unique sight ever for an urban area. And it's FREE! Take the bus rather than try to park. Then go sit on the hillside on your blanket, cover with bug dope, and watch this fantastic spectacle of nature at dusk. Afterward, walk down the street to the Continental Club or another venue and hear some fantastic sounds (ie., Dale Watson or James McMurtry) in the city known as the live music capitol. Also close by in the park along the river is the Stevie Ray Vaughn bronze statue ... it can attract some characters but if you treat them w/ respect no problem, right? A trio of malt-drinkers at the statue took a family photo in front of the statue for us, and in kind, we took their's and then took our photo w/ them. Turns out one was from Sconnie! Not someone we'd likely have over for dinner on a regular basis, but nonetheless friendly folks.
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When I arrived in Austin at sun down, All the bats were out and flying to catch something to eat. Millions of them. It was a very cool experience! When ever people are in Austin take time to go see the BATS.
This was so cool. You can hear them squeaking (that's what it sounds like) under the ridges of the bridge during the day. If you want to go under the bridge to check them out at night bring a flashlight. There are so many and they fly right by you.
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This is the coolest thing you can do in Austin. And it's free! I always watch from the grassy area below the bridge, but I'm sure the overpass view is cool, too.
This is my bat advice so that you can get the full bat experience:
1. GET THERE AT THE APPROPRIATE TIME.
Nothing makes me more sad than the tourists that have been waiting there since 6:30 p.m. with their whining, bored small kids. They have a freaking BAT HOTLINE you can call to figure out when sunset is (i.e. when the bats come out), for goodness sake! Call it. (512-416-5700, ext 3636).
In July 2008, I went around 8:25 pm and the bats were out within 10 minutes, just to give you an idea of when you should start heading over. Also, this is not the stupid east coast. You don't have to camp out to watch anything worth watching here. It's Texas. There's plenty of room for everyone.
2. WEAR BUG SPRAY: Do you remember what the bats eat? Mosquitoes. If you're waiting for the bats, that means that they're not out eating the mosquitoes yet. That means the mosquitoes are eating you and getting you all West Nile-d up.
3. BRING A BLANKET. There is something wrong with Texas grass. It's all poky and prickly. You don't need to put up with that crap.
4. THE BATS STINK. Sorry, they do. Their poop (guano?) collects under the bridge and smells like a zoo that someone dumped ammonia over. Try not to sit downwind.
5. THE BATS WILL NOT HURT YOU. THEY SERIOUSLY DON'T CARE ABOUT YOU AT ALL. YOU BORE THEM. These bats don't even suck blood. They won't even fly near you. So please stop screeching when they come out, it hurts my ears.
Anyways, if you are spending even a single night in Austin, please go see the bats. It's second only to sunset at the Grand Canyon in cool natural spectacles. And that's only because the Grand Canyon doesn't stink.
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this is for 4/22/07
After we checked out an early gig at Mother Egan's Irish Pub we headed out to see the famous Bats emerge from Congress bridge - we got there just in time to see the flight begin! Super cool. At 8pm on the nose, two solid streams of tiny bats flew out from beneath the bridge. It was amazing - but next time I'll watch from the bridge instead of the ground underneath the bats. It was eerie being swarmed!
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I love bats! I even adopted one and named it Guano. I think he (or she) is alive and well living it up in New Mexico.
Being a bat fan, I finally made my way down to the bridge last night to take a look at these cute little blood suckers. It was a nice, warm day and I took the view by the hotel on the north side of the bridge (next visit, I'll be on the bridge and hopefully, someday, under the bridge), which was not the best view. But it was still entertaining to see this little stream of bats come out from under the bridge.
I'm a little biased, as I've seen a really amazing bat excursion in Carlsbad, N.M. They fly over your head as they make their way out of the cave!
Sorry Austin bats. It's just not as cool as New Mexico. But we're glad you're around to eat all those pesky mosquitoes nonetheless! :D
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A very cool and unique experience. I visited Austin in August. My friend and I saw the bats under the bridge (they're kind of hard to make out in the dark), but unfortunately, they didn't fly out en mass. I saw tour boats going under the bat bridge. I'm not sure if that gives you a better view. If you're in town during bat season, seeing the bats is worthwhile. It might be prudent to call the bat hotline to make sure they are going to be there.
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Awesome experience.
However, be sure to be on the side closest to the Austin American-Statesman. I made the mistake of going on the other side near the hotel on the other side, and not as many bats came out on that side.
Very cool, I've never seen so many swarms. A must-see.
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Oh man, I love those little guys!!!
Every night from spring through summer, up to 1.5 MILLION bats fly out from under the Congress Ave bridge in downtown Austin. This is something that you have to see to believe. It looks like black smoke and goes on for miles as they all take off at around same time. Mexican free-tail bats.
The feeling as you stand there with the sights and sounds of the bats flying away overhead is unforgettable, as is the smell.
I have seen them many times, but I'll never forget the first time. Restaurants in the area often have signs that say things like "The Bats will Fly Tonight at 7:34PM" The time is constantly changing, but before I saw them for the first time, I used to joke and ask if they sent a waiter under the bridge with a broom to get them started at that exact time. :) Little did I know the sheer magnitude of it all. Yow.
I hear they do a lot of good too, eating up to 30,000lbs of insects per night. Caution...as the signs clearly warn...if you see a dead bat on the ground...don't touch it.
I hope this natural phenomenon continues so that future generations can enjoy it for years to come. So cool...it's quite a sight to be behold.
Something you definitely need to see at least once. Wild!!!
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Anyone who's ever been to Austin has heard about the bats. It's so unique, you can't miss it. It was hard to get a picture of the little critters but video works well!
Each evening around sunset the Congress Avenue bats emerge like a black cloud from the crevices of the bridge. Covering the countryside in search of food, it is estimated that the bats consume from 10,000 to 30,000 pounds of insects.
Giving birth in June or July, the bats and their babies hang around til October when they head back south. Watching the nightly forays for food is a favorite evening activity, especially in late summer. The smell is palpable and you can even hear them during the day under the bridge.
Class dismissed!
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The bats are kind of hit or miss. The first time I saw them, they came out in their full glory. The second time I took a friend who was fresh off a 17 hour plane ride, and the bitch ass bats did not come out until it was really dark out. I felt so bad. The third time my husband took our niece and nephew to go see them, and they waited two hours and the little bitches never came out. I mean, you obviously can't force them to come out, and since I lived in Austin and could see 'em whenever, it was fine by me. But when you take out of town guests and the bats don't perform, it's a bit sad.
It's still something fun to see, and on a late summer evening the heat is pretty bearable. Also, I was running the trail for months before I realized that the smell under the Congress bridge was due to the bats. Better the bat smell than the people who walk and take up the whole damn trail, know what I'm saying?
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The bats...so very Austin.
I love going to watch the bats come out...the strange noises they make and that distinctive guano smell!! LOL
I bring a blanket, a picnic dinner and run around with the children.
I have no idea why someone said they paid $8...where do you pay? I have always parked and watched for free.
I check ahead to see if it's the right time of year to go...they don't live here year-round. If they are here, they come out.
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Great for kids of a certain age -- if they're under 3 they won't get a whole lot out of it. People tend to show up way too early and get seriously bored waiting, but the payoff is worth it. Definitely call the bat hotline (512-416-5700, ext 3636) for info on when the bats are expected to show up on the night you go. Don't waste time getting there early for a "good seat" -- when they show up, you'll see them regardless of where you are.
I agree with most of Kim P's points so I won't repeat them. What I will add, however, is that the bats themselves are tiny, and once it really starts to get dark they can be quite difficult to see except against the flash or the occasional camera or when the bat-tour boats pass by with their big red spotlights that enhance the contrast of the bats against the bridge. It can be a little frustrating peering into the darkness and only sorta making out what you want to see, but with some patience and the right expectations you can have a great time.
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A distinctive feature of Austin, for sure. But I'd be hesitant about taking out-of-towners to see the bats. I've been three times: Twice we didn't see any bats, and the third time they came out after dark (so we could barely see them).
You sure can hear and smell them when you're under the bridge, though.
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We walked down the jogging path on our last night in Austin to see the famous bats. They finally started pouring out right as the sun was setting. They fly in and out from under the bridge before finally flying up the river. It was kind of hard to see at times, since it was just turning dusk. As we were walking back, probably 20 minutes after they started, we could STILL see a steady stream of bats, flying upstream. It looked like a thin cloud of smoke, but you could definitely tell it was the bats.
Very, very hard to get a decent picture, but worth it nonetheless.
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We went on memorial day for our second trip to see the bats. We were surprised to get a free show by Derek Derek, a traveling entertainer. He was pretty fun to watch, and has good interaction with the crowd. The bats were cool too but not as plentiful as they were in August.
I was visiting Austin and staying at the Hyatt - right next to the bats - so I had to see them!!! I walked along the trail and congregated with so many others to witness this event.
We waited quite a while though, they came out more after sunset. A few at first, then more and more. It was scary but awesome. And luckily there was a boat shining a red light up at them (tour boat), you could really see just how many there were. It was quite fasinating and interesting with like 50 people watching as well.
It was surely a unique experience. Especially since I had just read about it, the amount ranging from 250,000 to over a million - almost creepy during the day knowing they were so many in there!
Oh and it's free - yeah!!!!
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I am sure there must be the best time of year to go, tonight wasn't! (May 12) After sitting there for nearly a hour and a half, I only saw 5 bats! Or it might have been the same one just flying in circles! Very anti-climatic!
I'll try again during the summer I guess?
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I lived in Austin for a year in 2002-2003 and always wanted to see the infamous bats who make their smelly upside down home under the Congress bridge. Back then, I never caught them at the right time.
Recently, both in April and just this week, I was back in Austin and saw the amazing bats not once, but twice!! They are weird yet majestic, loud yet graceful, stinky yet beautiful. It's a phenom of nature in the heart of one of America's most thriving and pure cities. Only a place like Austin with its quirky and progressive sensibilities could embrace 2 million creatures like these, and even turn them into a tourist site -- one that's absolutely free.
On both occasions of my grateful bat viewing experiences, the sun was setting (summertime between 8-9pm) and what appeared to be hundreds of people gathered along the bridge walkway to wait. Kayakers came up river, canoers and skullers rowed in, and folks like me waited with margarita in hand in the shadow of the Four Seasons (though you could just as easily sit next to the water off the jogging path). Then with no warning, they began. At first a few hundred. In seconds, thousands flying into the sky from both sides of the bridge - all of them heading northeast. It went on for close to 20 minutes, just a slowly darkening blue sky filled with a sea of blackish brown birds.
I'm amazed by these bats, and so very happy that Austin (as unique as their two million bridge-dwellers) hosts them with respect and reverence.
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The bats of Austin's Congress Ave Bridge ...
Since I started Yelp I have always wanted to review this phenomenon ...
In the late 90s, specifically in 1997 when I was a young geek and newbie to a company and phenomenon called "Tivoli software", which was just purchased by IBM, where I was one of the new Marine fighters of the software industry, where I was simply in awe with new technology, and where I was simply in awe with almost anything new in science and technology while also vis a vis exploring the other cities of the USA, being an expat International child, exploring the internals of a given country was cool, Austin and the Bats of the Congress Ave Bridge was my citadel.
Yes, the Bats of congress!
During one so-called "Boot Camp Class", our instructor (Jamie Thompson, super SE then, my idol) chalk-boarded the directions from the Arboretum to the Congress Bridge.
I was lucky to stay at that time at the Sheraton at 5th St, near 6th Street. It was my everyday drive back to my hotel. Some days during those Boot Camp days, the bats flapped by my high rise windows. It was creepy, it was new, it was weird, it was so, so-called an Austin phenomenon!
Why am I reviewing it now?
Because Austin before was, and Austin now ... is and was that American city that shook me out of my box. I did not realize that a small Southern city was eclectic both socially and naturally.
The Music Capital of America (live bands abound), jazz and African American immersion (oh gawd, I should have known!), a University town, the granddaughter of Silicon Valley (circa late 90s), a nerd-bird destination, and nature has even validated its eclectic essence via its festering bats.
Austin, Tivoli and the culmination of my happy career life was my past. I fought to bring it back today, for the last 10 years almost.
I realized that yesterday is best kept as the past. I returned to IBM and Tivoli two years ago, in dismay. It was like going back to a relationship that was not appropriate at a future time.
Austin, Tivoli and the Bats were for me circa 1997-2000, the best years of my career life, where we had Clayton, Greg Fisher, Russ, Jon, (the technical architects I aspired to be), the brothers that gave me attention which perplexed me, and some corporate icons that myself and others wished to be when we would grow up. Austin and the bats were as legendary as Steven Basile and Frank Moss of Tivoli were (our fearless and enlightened leaders).
Austin was the hits of Smash Mouth, Jewel and early hiphop ...
Austin and the Bats ... were a part of mine, and many other Tivolites nostalgic times.
Austin and the Bats, will not return, but will always be there for us to curl up in fetal position whenever the present lets us down.
Why is the Bats Under the Congress Avenue Bridge a five star?
Because it represents my culmination of high-tech ... it represented Tivoli, the Austin State building, the small blackhole city with jostling eclectic energy symbolized by the Capitol Building, what we called the our Tivoli TMR server.
Austin and the bats, you have captivated my heart as Rome and the Trevi Fountain had in my teenage years.
I miss the bats, the memories, the optimism of hightech youth!
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The bats..... what a weird tourist attraction...... only in Austin would this be an attraction. I have attempted to go see the bats on multiple occasions, but I have never gotten a full view. They seem to always leave when its too dark to see them fly out. It didn't matter, because it was still cool to sit there and hear them flying over your head.
A little warning, if you ever plan on going for a jog around Town Lake make sure to save some of you energy so that you can RUN past the bat colony...... one of the worst things you will ever smell
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My family and I had such a good time watching the bats. When they come out they travel in one stream and it's amazing to watch. We sat on the grassy area under the bridge. It was fun to run around by the lake while we waited. If you get a chance go see it.
