Glass Bottom Boat Ride= The Meadows Center, Texas

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Texas Hill Country is full of so many wonderful surprises!

When I started planning my trip to Texas, I wanted to find a few family friendly activities. I knew our schedule was going to be full, but I thought that this would be a great experience for the kids. We love to check out Museums,Historical sites, Nature Centers, etc.

This place looked like fun, I had to check it out! I also love that this is a program ran by Texas State University.

It was a warm September day when my family and I decided to check out this attraction. When we arrived we checked in, of course used the restroom ( a must when you have kids!), grabbed some cold water from the vending machine and headed over to the waiting area.

What to expect-

The short walk over to the boat ramp was nice. Lots of big trees and greenery all around you. The boat ride was a nice treat. It gave us some down time to relax and enjoy.

The young lady that led the tour was very informative. She answered all of our questions, and made sure to point out some of the important parts of the lake. We were able to see many different species of fish, turtles and even a few birds. The boat was comfortable and we loved being able to have an “underwater” view of the lake from our boat. This is a great chance to enjoy some family time or maybe relax with your partner or friends.

You are probably wandering where this water comes from right?

Well, there are over 200 natural springs that feed this lake. If you were to drain this lake, it would only take 18-24 hours for it to refill. These Springs also feed into the San Marcos river. We actually went tubing down the San Marcos River the following day. The kids thought it was pretty Cool to know where the water in the river was coming from!

Take some time to enjoy the property…..

Take a look around-

You can definitely spend a few hours here. The boat tour was around 30 mins, we walked around the property for another 30 minutes and spent approx. 30 mins inside at the Discovery Hall.

Activities- Things to do

There are several activities throughout the year, check their website for Calendar.

Explore Spring Lake by boat, then explore the Spring Lake Natural Area, after that take a look at the Discovery Hall and make sure to go up top to the observation deck.

Spring Lake Nature Area is a 251-acre park that sits just above Spring Lake, the headwaters of the San Marcos River. It offers many miles of natural surface trails and is open to the public for hiking, biking, birding, photography, and is a perfect companion to a visit to The Meadows Center.

Spring lake diving– At the headwaters of the San Marcos River, more than 200 artesian springs bubble up to form Spring Lake. Here human history stretches back more than 12,000 years to the last ice age and natural history even further. Spring Lake is a jewel for divers.

Spring Lake at The Meadows Center for Water and the Environment is home to:

crystal-clear waters that remain a constant 72 degrees year-round
one of the world’s largest aquifer-driven spring systems
eight threatened and endangered species
a state antiquities landmark
the longest continuously inhabited site in North America
ongoing biological and archaeological research and many collaborative projects
Likely the densest population of turtles in the United States..and more

Their diving program partners with select scuba divers to protect and preserve Spring Lake’s abundant natural, historical, and cultural resources. The center trains citizen scientist divers and, in return, they volunteer their time to one of the most unique habitat restoration projects in the Country.

Paddleboard & Kayak tours- The Meadows Center and REI have partnered up and offer some amazing classes.

Glassbottom boat tour– 2 tours are offered: 30 mins and 45 mins

Time to cool off-

After the tour and nature walk, we were ready to check out the Discovery Hall. I wanted to learn more about the history and also the wildlife that inhabits this Spring fed lake.

Discovery Hall: Wander through this educational area to check out the 1,000-gallon aquarium, interactive exhibits and archaeological findings. Things to touch and also observe.

The Meadows Center-

It is open every day from 10:30a.m. to 3:30p.m., except for some holiday closures. The 30-minute tour is $9.75 per adult. While the 45-minute tour is $13.25 and takes you to additional springs. Kayak and stand-up paddleboard tours are also offered on Spring Lake. They even have a few glass-bottom kayaks!

Tip- You can occasional find deals on Groupon

Some History-

FUN FACT-

The Meadows Center for Water and the Environment was formerly known as Aquarena Springs, a famous resort hotel and theme park. The resort hotel was built in 1929 and the theme park opened its doors in 1951.

The theme park featured underwater performers like aquamaids, Glurpo the Underwater Clown and Ralph the Swimming Pig, a Swiss Skyride, a Texana western village, a pirate cove, an alligator pit, a 200-foot-tall observation tower, an underwater submarine theater and glass-bottom boat rides.

The Texas State University purchased the park property in 1994 and closed the park two years later in 1996. Today, the only thing that remains of the park are the glass-bottom boats, as well as the original building that once served as a hotel, it now is the home of the Discovery Hall and business office.

I was so curious, I wondered what it must of looked like? I decided to google it! Here are a few links, if you would like to check them out.

http://www.aquarenaandralph.com/

https://www.austinchronicle.com/news/2008-11-14/702485/

http://aquarenasprings.tripod.com