Barton Springs Pool prices at the gate
Daily gate prices
Set by the City of Austin, per person, per day. Residency is the whole game here: an Austin resident adult pays $5, everyone else pays $9.
| Ticket | Austin resident | Non-resident |
|---|---|---|
| Infant (under 1) | Free | Free |
| Child (1–11) | $2 | $4 |
| Junior (12–17) | $3 | $5 |
| Adult (18–62) | $5 | $9 |
| Senior (62+) | $2 | $5 |
| Honorably discharged veteran | Free | Free |
So the worst case is $9: a non-resident adult on a summer day. A visiting family of two adults and two kids pays $26. If a site tells you it can sell you entry for more than that, it is reselling nothing — the city’s official pool page is the only authority on these prices.
Season passes
| Season pass | Austin resident | Non-resident |
|---|---|---|
| Adult | $190 | $280 |
| Junior (12–17) | $125 | $155 |
| Child & senior | $65 | $95 |
| Family of four | $370 | $515 |
The math only works if you live here. At $5 a swim, the $190 resident adult pass breaks even at 38 visits — I swim laps before work, so mine pays off by early summer. A visitor would need 32 swims to justify the $280 non-resident pass, which is not a vacation, it’s a residency.
When entry is free
Admission is only charged from Austin ISD Spring Break through the end of October. From November until Spring Break the gate is open and free — and since the spring water holds 68–70°F year-round, a January swim is barely colder than a July one. Details on timing your visit, including the Thursday cleaning closure, are at best time to visit.
There is also the free side: “Barking Springs,” directly below the pool’s dam. No fee, no lifeguards, no closing time, dogs welcome. Whether the $5 buys you anything worth having is the subject of free side vs the pool.
Paying at the gate
The ticket kiosks at both entrances are card-only. The cashier windows take cash. The ATXSwims app sells entry from your phone. That covers every case, but the kiosk-versus-cashier detail catches people out often enough that I wrote it up separately at do you need cash.
Parking
Parking on William Barton Dr is free on weekdays. On weekends and holidays from March 1 to Labor Day it is $3 per hour per vehicle — a three-hour Saturday swim costs more in parking than a resident pays at the gate. CapMetro Route 30 stops at the pool, and it is a walk from the lot to the gate either way. Directions, the lot layout and the bus are covered at getting there.
What you can actually book online
The experiences around the springs and Lady Bird Lake are a different story: they sell out, especially the dusk bat kayak departures on summer weekends. These are the six I feature, from around $28 per person, all with free cancellation to 24 hours.
Most bookedAustin: Sunset Bat Watching Kayak Tour
Top ratedAustin: Electric Bike City Sightseeing Tour
Best valueAustin: Single or Double Kayak Rental
City tourAustin: Best of Austin Driving Tour with Local Guide
PaddleboardAustin: Lady Bird Lake Stand-Up Paddleboard Rental
BYOB cruiseLake Austin Boat Cruise: 1.5-Hour Scenic Tour
If your dates are fixed, book the bat kayak before anything else — pool entry never sells out, dusk kayak slots do.
Frequently asked questions
How much is Barton Springs Pool for adults?
$5 for Austin residents, $9 for everyone else, ages 18–62 — and only from Austin ISD Spring Break through the end of October. Outside that window entry is free. Seniors 62+ pay $2 or $5, and honorably discharged veterans swim free year-round.
Do I need to book Barton Springs Pool tickets in advance?
You can’t, and you don’t need to. There are no advance sales and no timed entry: you pay at the kiosk, the cashier window or in the ATXSwims app when you arrive. The things worth booking ahead are the tours around the pool, which do sell out on summer weekends.
Is parking at Barton Springs free?
On weekdays, yes. On weekends and holidays from March 1 to Labor Day the William Barton Dr lot charges $3 per hour per vehicle. CapMetro Route 30 stops at the pool if you’d rather skip the lot entirely.
Are there discounts for kids and seniors?
Built in, yes: children 1–11 pay $2 resident / $4 non-resident, juniors 12–17 pay $3 / $5, seniors 62+ pay $2 / $5, and infants under 1 are free. There are no promo codes or online coupons for pool entry, because there is no online sale to discount.