Hotel Viata

St. Edward’s Wild Basin Creative Research Center is an innovative field research station located just 10 miles from campus, within Wild Basin Wilderness Preserve. This preserve protects 227 acres of beautiful Texas Hill Country and is valuable habitat for multiple rare and vulnerable species, including the endangered Golden-cheeked warbler. Whether you’re a hiker looking for trails to explore, a family vacationing in Austin, or a teacher planning a field trip, Wild Basin has much to offer.

Over 300 animals wait to be oohed and awwed at. With a mission based in education, conservation and rescue, you can learn about exotic, domestic and native Texan animals close-up.

The Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center is part of The University of Texas at Austin and welcomes more than 245,000 guests to its 284 acres of gardens, trails, and exhibitions each year, fulfilling its mission to inspire the conservation of native plants. Designated the State Botanic Garden and Arboretum by the Texas legislature in 2017, the Wildflower Center’s investments in science, education and conservation include a native seed bank, one of the most comprehensive databases of North American native plants, and a research program in collaboration with the University. Founded in 1982, the Center is the embodiment of Lady Bird Johnson’s environmental legacy. As she noted, “Our Center works for more than the lovely blossoms in our open spaces. We are concerned for all of North America’s native plants, from the smallest sprout to the tallest tree.”

Over 60-tons of junk, found objects and random items is sculpted, welded and piled into a towering cathedral-meets-treehouse-meets-sculpture.

Saddle up for some outdoor adventure in Hill Country. Just a few miles outside of Austin, you can roam the rolling hills, shady trees and fields of wildflowers on a guided tour. Fishing, skeet shooting and ATVs are another option on this classic Texas ranch.

Hotel Viata is not far from all the activity in and around Austin - shopping on South Congress, enjoying Lady Bird Lake or the multiple golf courses in the area. However, you don't have to leave the property to enjoy a luxurious treatment at Spa Viata, delicious meal at Laurel Restaurant, outdoor saltwater pool, pool bar and light fare poolside from Café Viata, a 24-hour-fitness center, nearby walking trails, nearby shopping at boutiques or malls and much more. On-site Laurel Restaurant is a great option for upscale dining for breakfast, lunch, and dinner with a focus on coastal Italian dining. Join us for daily Happy Hour from 3pm-5pm with food and drink specials at the Laurel Restaurant bar. Experience tranquility among the trees when you visit Spa Viata. Offering carefully crafted skin, body, and massage treatments with high-performance skincare in a peaceful setting, Spa Viata invites you to take a page out of Italy’s book for self-indulgence to breathe in relaxation. Reserve our Magnolia room for a private team builder with TVs, comfortable seating, and courtyard views. Your group may rent the room and adjacent veranda for a cocktail event or competitive teambuilding event. Catering is available on-site for your convenience. For off-site adventures, please contact our events partners, Red Velvet Events at (512) 380-9688 and www.redvelvetevents.com, INNOVATX at (512) 689-4310 and www.innovatx.com, or Austin Detours at (512) 962-8636 and www.austindetours.com for ideas. They create distinctly Austin-inspired activities and escorted tours such as a Hill Country craft town shopping tour, winery, brewery, or distillery tours, downtown food trailer & pub crawls, bicycle tours, Capital Building and museum tours, live music, downtown scavenger hunts, fishing excursions, sailing on Lake Travis, bat viewing cruises, and skeet shooting. For group or single golf times, please consider our partner, Texas Golf Trails at www.texasgolftrails.com, for outings on our local courses. Jim Hopping is our contact at jim@texasgolftrails.com. He may arrange the transportation to the course and box lunches, if needed! Or for a high-tech driving range experience with swanky drinks & games, see TopGolf at (512) 831-5987 and www.topgolf.com/us/austin/ .

This peaceful greenspace in the heart of downtown Austin is the perfect place to get some exercise and take in the sights. Heritage live oaks, Koi-filled ponds, streams and pathways wind through a Rose Garden, Taniguchi Japanese Garden and Harman Prehistoric Garden (complete with a life-size raptor monument).