James R. Eskew, M.D., FACS

Book lovers unite and enjoy the Texas Book Festival, where they connect authors and readers through experiences that celebrate the culture of literacy, ideas, and imagination. The annual festival weekend features a variety of author presentations and panels, book signings, cooking demonstrations, programs, and activities for kids of all ages, food trucks, and exhibiting vendors from across the state and country.

Take a dip into the Barton Springs pool, which measures three acres in size, and is fed from underground springs with an average temperature of 68-70 degrees, ideal for year-round swimming. Over the years, people from all walks of life, from legislators to free-spirited have been drawn to this fantastic pool where even Robert Redford learned to swim at five years old. Today, Barton Springs still attracts a diverse crowd of people and has seen record-setting numbers of visitors nearing 800,000 in recent years.

Take a walk on the wild side at the Austin Zoo, where you can get up close and personal with over 350 animals representing Texas native wildlife. As you walk through the zoo, check out all the new things you can learn about all the different mammals, birds, primates, reptiles, amphibians, and domestic animals.