Evening Bat Watching Kayak Tour

Recommended by 98% of travelers

Badge of Excellence

Austin, USA

Popular pick

Booked 5+ times last week!

2 hours 30 minutes to 3 hours (approx.)
Mobile ticket
Offered in: English

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Overview

One of the best ways to see Austin’s famous bat colony is from the water, and this guided kayaking experience makes it easy. Avoid the hassle of sourcing equipment or figuring out where to go, with kayaks, paddles, and life jackets included. Led by a guide, the trip takes you directly to the best spots for watching the bat colony departure—with no research or planning required.

Hassle-free kayaking tour with equipment rental included
Stay hydrated: Bottled water is provided
A guide reveals insider tips on the best vantage points
Enjoy photo opportunities you’d miss when watching from the mainland

What's Included

kayaks, paddles, life-jackets, bottle of water, use of lockers

Gratuities

Meeting and Pickup

Meeting point

Live Love Paddle
1610 E Riverside Dr, Austin, TX 78741, USA
Our store is located in the AMLI South Shore Complex.

End point

This activity ends back at the meeting point.

Arranged start time

Confirm time with the local provider in advance of your experience.

02/15/2026 - 11/04/2026
Monday : 5:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Thursday : 5:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Friday : 5:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Saturday : 5:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Sunday : 5:00 PM - 8:00 PM

Itinerary

Congress Avenue Bridge Bat Watching

1 hour 20 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Austin

1 hour • Admission Ticket Free

Additional Info

Confirmation will be received at time of booking
Wheelchair accessible
Stroller accessible
Service animals allowed
Near public transportation
Surfaces are wheelchair accessible

Not recommended for travelers with back problems
No heart problems or other serious medical conditions
Travelers should have a moderate physical fitness level
Total tour time includes paddle instructions and gear distribution.
This tour/activity will have a maximum of 24 travelers

Supplied by

Cancellation Policy

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.

Traveler Photos

Gallery picture 1 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 2 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 3 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 4 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 5 (from a traveler's review)

Reviews

4.9

based on 55 reviews

Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor

We perform checks on reviews

Great experience

Monica_B, Mar 2026

Josh was a great guide so knowledgeable about the city and the bats! I loved seeing the Austin city lights from the lake.

Response from Host, Mar 2026

Thank you for the review. The night sky on the paddle back is one of my favorite parts of the kayak tour! Although the bats are pretty special too. Thanks!

Amazing Bat tour!

Natalie_R, Feb 2026

So much fun! We went on the first tour of the season and saw so many bats! Our tour guide was super knowledgeable and friendly, I would totally recommend to anyone visiting/living in Austin. Two recommendations- if staffing allowed/size of the group- it would be helpful to have one guide in the front of the group and one in the back of the group. We were in the front and had to wait for other people to join us to discuss what we were watching or get to the bat heavy area. There were some people that have never kayaked before (totally fine) but it slowed down the group in general to getting to our location. Additionally, we had to wait until everyone got back to get our stuff out of the lockers/office- with some less experienced people it made for a little bit of a wait. Overall, amazing trip and amazing sites, even for the first day of the season!

Perfect for a Troop when all you want to do is kayak and watch bats!

Ashley_F, Oct 2025

We took a Scout Troop (7 teenage girls and 3 leaders) on this adventure and we all had a great time. The guides (John and Dave) are fantastic and we loved that our kayaking group got to paddle the farthest--I believe it was 3 miles round trip. The only issue we had was what happened when ALL kayaking tours try to paddle away from the bat viewing/bridge at the same time. That created a complete traffic jam. We don't fault the vendor for this--seriously the other groups should be more courteous as some literally dart across the river as everyone else is going down stream. That's just something to prepare for. We didn't go anywhere fast, and our group got completely separated until we were the only ones left on the water. But, we loved that we were able to paddle farther away from the bridge after watching the bats fly out--becoming the only ones left on the water. This vendor is simple and fun--no fancy kayak or bright lights on the backs of the kayak--all of that was just distracting. These kayaks don't have that and we loved it. From our perspective, this vendor does it best. No pomp, just good ol' kayaking, and that's exactly what our Troop wanted. Bonus: The downtown lights are pretty cool as you kayak by!

Great Experience

Kevin_H, Sep 2025

We visited Austin to drop-off our son at UT. Whilst there we booked the Bat Kayak tour based on the trip Advisor reviews - it did not disappoint. Parking & check-in was easy, and our guide John was great filling to tour with fun facts. Paddling on the lake was easy & relaxing. All in all, it was a great experience

Response from Host, Sep 2025

Thank you so much for the review. We hope you are back to visit your son often!

Amazing Bat watching

Amy_M, Apr 2025

Beautiful evening on Lady Bird. It was our first time kayaking but John was a great guide. John knew so much about Austin and especially the bats. Seeing millions of bats fly out from the bridge from under them was amazing. This is a must do.