Austin - Bat Viewing at The Congress Avenue Bridge

One of the “must do” free fun in Austin things to do is to watch the bats fly out from under the Ann W. Richards Congress Avenue Bridge at dusk. A million or more Mexican free-tail bats fly out from under the bridge at about dusk from around the middle of March to November as they head out to forage for food. July and August are some of the best months to see the bats because that is when new born baby bats first begin to fly out with their mothers to look for food.

The best time to witness the bats is around sunset, but the nightly show can take place anywhere from 7:30 to 9:45 p.m. It can take as long as 45 minutes for all of the bats to exit the bridge for the night. Plan to arrive early in order to find parking and get your spot.