Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center

Austin


Anyone with an interest in Texas' flora and fauna should make the 20-minute drive to the wonderful gardens of the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, southwest of downtown Austin. The center, founded in 1982 with the assistance of Texas' beloved former first lady, has a display garden featuring every type of wildflower and plant that grows in Texas, separated by geographical region, with an emphasis on Hill Country flora. Spring is the best time to visit, but there's something in bloom all year.

The Wildflower Center hosts a variety of events during National Wildlflower Week in May.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Austin attractions

1. Mary Moore Searight Metropolitan Park

4.31 MILES

Home to a disc golf course, tennis courts, a playground and hiking trails, this South Austin fave is just over a mile west of I-35 (exit Slaughter Lane).

2. Cathedral of Junk

6.5 MILES

An ongoing (and climbable!) backyard sculpture that turns one man's trash into everyone's treasure. Visitation is by appointment, by phone. Owner Vince…

3. SouthPop

7.94 MILES

Pop into this South Austin gallery for rotating exhibits that spotlight Austin's live music and entertainment scenes, from the 1960s to the present. One…

4. Zilker Park

8.03 MILES

This 350-acre park is a slice of green heaven, lined with hiking and biking trails. The park also provides access to the famed Barton Springs natural…

5. Greetings from Austin Mural

8.23 MILES

Well of course you're going to pull over and take a photo in front of this wall-sized postcard. It's awesome. The eye-catching mural adorns the southside…

6. Dazed and Confused Mural

8.33 MILES

Alright, alright, alright. Fans of Matthew McConaughey and Dazed and Confused can pay their respects to Wooderson – the unrepentant admirer of high school…

7. UMLAUF Sculpture Garden & Museum

8.36 MILES

If the weather's just too perfect to be inside a climate-controlled building, stroll the open-air UMLAUF Sculpture Garden & Museum, located in the south…

8. Zilker Botanical Garden

8.36 MILES

These lush gardens cover 31 acres on the south bank of the Colorado River, with displays including natural grottoes, a Japanese garden and a fragrant herb…