Check The Long Center’s for the Performing Arts' calendar and you’re sure to find something you’ll enjoy. This live entertainment venue aims to be a community gathering place, emphasizing local art and talent while creating a fun and welcoming place for residents to come together.

Both outdoor and indoor concerts are held at The Long Center for the Performing Arts, either inside the spacious, round venue or outside on the attached City Terrace. The programming is diverse, and you’ll often find many different types of performances ranging from Shakespeare in the Park to touring rock groups and even comedy shows throughout the week. Theater buffs will enjoy seeing musical theater performances, while fans of ballet will likely want to check out a night with Ballet Austin.

The Long Center for the Performing Arts
701 W. Riverside Drive
Austin, TX 78704
(512) 457-5100
www.thelongcenter.org

CC-BY-2.0/Flickr Kryziz Bonny

Shipe Park only claims two acres of Austin's Hyde Park, but it packs a lot of opportunities for outdoor recreation into that relatively small outdoor space. One of the biggest draws—or, more accurately two of the biggest draws—is its set of pools. Between the shady swimming pool and slowly ebbing wading pool, there's an appropriate spot to dive in no matter the age of your kids, or if you don't bring any kids along at all.

You'll want to cool off in the pools after spending time enjoying Shipe Park's other features, like the pair of basketball courts or tennis courts. It also boasts a multi-purpose field and a picnic area where you can set up camp after a day of running around. You can also bring your youngsters to the playground, surrounded by towering trees, and let them explore the playground in the shade.

Shipe Park
4400 Avenue G
Austin, TX 78751
www.austinparks.org/our-parks.html?parkid=329
www.yelp.com/biz/shipe-park-austin

CC-BY-2.0/Flickr Lee Edwin Coursey

If you’re looking for something fun and active to do this weekend, check out the bowling alley at The Union Underground. This fun bowling alley billiard hall is located on the bottom level of the Texas Union building at The University of Texas at Austin, which makes it a lively spot for people of all ages. (You don't have to be a university student to play here!)

Reserve one of the 12 bowling lanes to get a bit competitive with some friends from The Marquis at Canyon Ridge, and be sure to stop by on the weekends for the glow-in-the-dark Glow Bowl! If bowling isn’t really your thing, enjoy a game of pool on one of the many pool tables in the spacious billiards hall. Order a pizza from the front desk to enjoy with your game and you’re sure to have a great time.

The Union Underground is open 10 a.m. to 3 a.m. Mondays through Saturdays and noon to 3 a.m. Sundays.

The Union Underground
2247 Guadalupe St
Austin, TX 78705
(512) 475-6599
www.utexas.edu/universityunions/texas-union/scene/underground

CC-BY-2.0/Flickr markus spiske