Affectionally called “the national cave of Texas,” this state park is a fantastic way to cool off on the hottest days of the year. The temps in Longhorn Cavern, an underground wonderland, are so much lower than they are above ground.

You can buy tickets for a guided walking tour of the cavern here. Kids are welcome as well and it’s a 1.1-mile roundtrip walk that takes about 90 minutes to complete. Note that most of the tours have a brief “lights out” demonstration if you have younger ones.

The website points out that, “unlike most Texas state parks, Longhorn Cavern State Park does not charge a daily entrance fee to enter the park grounds. Access to above-ground areas, including hiking trails, picnic area, and historic CCC buildings is free for all guests during regular business hours.”

Hours:
Weekdays from 9 a.m–5 p.m.
Weekends/Holidays from 9 a.m.–6 p.m.

Location:
6211 Park Road 4 South
Burnet, TX 78611

Image via the Longhorn Cavern State Park Facebook page. 

In her previous life, Kristy was an uninspired realtor who was feeling a little bit bored with her day to day. So on January 1, 2010, she made a New Year’s resolution to write about one thing to do each day in her beloved city of Austin, Texas. And thus, 365 Things Austin was born.