Bats Under the Congress Avenue Bridge

Put out the Bat Signal!
Did you know that Texas has the largest bat population in the country?! This is an amazing site to see some bats.
They’re only here a few months out of the year, so look it up before you make too much of an effort to see these bats. If you’re there at the right time, the population of bats flying out is staggering.
If you walk across the bridge at sunset, the sky is darkened with so many bats flying out from under the bridge, and going to eat their dinner of mosquitoes, bugs, and crickets. There are literally millions of these bats that all come out over the span of a few hours. Be sure to watch them from the bridge, and not below. They like to poop as soon as they wake up, and you might get hit if you’re sitting down below the bridge.
It’s difficult to get a good photo of the bats, since there’s low light, and they move so quickly. It’s something that’s good to just watch, and not instagram.
I enjoy how the bats make this high pitched squeal when they’re heading out to round up the bugs. Squeeeeeeeeee! Squeeeeeeeeee! Squeeeeeeee!
There’s an annual festival to honor the bats coming out from the bridge too.

One of the coolest things you will ever see. Stand on the bridge on the northwest side near a light stanchion. Wait until after sundown and then look straight down at the river. You will suddenly see hundreds of silvery figures streaking around. Some will veer off and you will start to see distinct shapes of the bats. And for the few rare moments the traffic dies down you can hear the flapping of wings. If you are daring take the path under the bridge and look up!

As a first time visitor I felt this was a must see. Parking can be found southeast of the bridge at the Austin American Statesman office. I read it’s free up until autumn, and this being a Nov Thurs night, I paid $ 1.25 for the minimum of 4 hours of parking through their online phone app (you’ll need a smartphone).
Sunset was scheduled for around 5:50pm so I showed up about 20 minutes before. Soon after, more and more people started to arrive, but not too many where it was jammed packed.
We waited… and waited… and waited. I think the bats finally started flying in circles under the bridge around 6:30pm, well after the sun had set. One of the bats flew right near my face so that was pretty interesting but for the most part it was so dark you couldn’t really see much.
During that time though, the views of the downtown skyline were beautiful… the lights reflect off the water and makes for a pleasant experience.
As others have noted, beware of the «Bat Man.» He is what seems to be a deaf guy dressed up with a bat hat and bat shirt and walks around handing out buttons asking for a donation. Luckily, he never handed me one. For those who did not give him money and handed the buttons back, I saw him flip them off and mouth «f*** you». Not a very pleasant experience. If he approaches you, just don’t make eye contact or refuse to take one of the buttons unless you want to donate or be cussed at.

I came here last week (November 6 to be exact) as my friends and I were in town and heard a lot of good things about this attraction. I read that prime bat season is usually in the summer so we already knew it was off season when we went.
As suggested by others, we went at sunset to prepare for the bat emergence. We decided to stand under the bridge on a section of grass that was already crowded with almost 20 people when we arrived. There was a huge crowd of people on the bridge itself but I liked that we were underneath as we were able to hear the bats waking up. The bats emerged about 30 minutes after sunset. By then it was pretty much pitch black and it was hard to see the bats flying in the air. There is a boat out on the lake that shined a red light at the bridge in hopes to be able to visualize the bats more closely– that kinda helped a little bit. Unfortunately we didn’t get to see the full bat effect I was hoping for but still a cool experience. The coolest thing I saw was a baby bat that fell onto the grass. It was so small and cute– someone decided to take a picture of it with the flash on and scared it away (I’m sure also blinded it at the same time). Luckily it was unharmed and flew back up into the sky on its own.
I will be back again but probably not til the summertime when its officially bat season. The only other thing I would do differently is bring a chair or blanket to sit on while waiting out on the grass… and maybe some food and beverages to sip on as well.

I’m sure there are times when you can see the bats… But I have no clue when that is because the night I was here nothing happened. They circled under the bridge for 30 minutes or so and didnt come out. That that point it was past 8pm and dark, so you can’t see anything.
Maybe other ppl have better luck, but be prepared to wait a while and not see much.

Amazing! There is another bridge one main street parallel to the Congress Avenue Bridge, 2 hours of free parking. Park and walk over (20 minute walk) to view the bats wake and fly. The site is amazing, when the sun is almost done setting, the sound of the bats stirring from their sleep lightly hums the air.
We waited until 6:50 PM and the bats began to fly out. Hundreds of thousands! It was quite a miraculous site. They fly within 2 feet of the bridge, for over 20 minutes.
Hard to miss this bridge since people will begin standing before the sunsets :).

Some people think the moon landing was actually something done at a movie studio. They think it was a conspiracy theory. They think it was faked. Those folks are crazy.
Bats under the Congress Street Bridge? Now, there is your scam, right there. I and about 400 others waited for hours to see bats emerge from their supposed lair on the underside of the bridge. Some folks seemed to be experts exclaiming, ‘Oh, you should start to see bats flying in about 15 minutes’. They lied. I think they were actors paid to further this fakery.
People stood on the bridge and people stood on the banks under the bridge. We waited and waited. Anytime anything flew near the bridge, there was a gasp of collective confusion as we all tried to figure out whether we saw a bat or a bird. It was always a bird. Always.
Meanwhile, large vessels, small boats, kayaks, canoes, and paddle boards filled the waters beneath the bridge like it was one big party. Some directed their flashlight beams toward the bridge to look for bats. Nothing. Sure, we could all hear bats screeching but some sneaky Austintonians — is that what they’re called? — could have mounted speakers in obscure places. How would we know?
I came back the next night and, once again, no bats. There were another 400 people standing about but no bats. So, how many stars does a bat-​less attraction get? I have no clue. Did I have a good time anyway? Yeah. Will I come back and do this all again? Yeah, I probably will. Curiosity killed the bat… or something like that.

This is an Austin must do! I found out about this on Unilocal,had it bookmarked and then a couple of my friends at home mentioned it. I was only in ATX a few nights, so I cut out of a Unilocal event early to make it to the bridge by sundown. You know I’m excited to see something if I leave free food and drinks for it.
I’d already walked across the bridge earlier that day and scoped out my spot. Apparently I had a rare idea and was one of the few people in that spot under the bridge. If you’re coming from downtown, on Congress, head to the rights and side of the bridge. There’s a sidewalk and you’ll see a walking trail… that’s the spot. There were a few people there and they were local, so it’s actually the secret spot. However, there were hundreds of people lined up along the bridge.
The bats… There were thousands of them! I’d almost bet there were a million at least. Before this experience, I wasn’t a bat fan at all, but after experiencing that with my own two eyes, how can I not be now?! I’m not going to attempt to tell you about their migration, because I haven’t researched what some of the locals told me. I would recommend that you research the time and season that you plan to be in ATX, just to make sure that they will be there, before heading to the bridge to see for yourself.

Seeing the Austin Bats is a nice outing for those who are visiting, new to Austin, or kids. It’s fascinating to watch the bats’ erratic patterns and be blown away by the sheer number of these flying mammals.
I would recommend you do your research before going as the bats will NOT emerge from the bridge several months in winter, and some summer nights they simply don’t come out at all. They generally emerge around sundown. The times I have been, it’s nearly too dark to even see the bats, so don’t get your hopes up too high. And bats stink, so be prepared for a bit of a smell.
The best place to wait is on top of congress bridge. Gather on the same side of the bridge as everyone else. Sitting on the riverbank will be substantially smellier. We have always had to wait seemingly forever for them to emerge, so you might want to bring snacks, blankets or chairs (even if you are on the bridge). The most convenient parking is the Austin American Statesman office, 305 South Congress Avenue which is $ 6 (July 2015); no longer free, sadly.
Interestingly, when the bats first began to nest under the bridge, Austin residents were far from thrilled, as they were afraid the bats would bring disease. Fortunately, today, not only have the bats become adored symbols of Austin, but they also keep insect populations low downtown.
Whether you do or don’t get a great view of the bats, it’s still a fun communal experience with all the tourists and residents alike.

As an online bat lover and never seeing one in person this was a true treat. I went here two nights in a row and my god, what an experience to be had. The bats are incredibly chatty and you can hear them all day under the bridge. They have such and odd smell about them. It was almost sweet, but still smelled like wet fur. it was weird, couldn’t tell if i liked it or not.
The whole bridge is lined with people right before dusk, but the bats put on quite a show so you can be sure you will see them. There are over a million of them haha. The second day we got a kayak, THIS I RECOMMEND. You will have a much more immersive experience. You can see more bats against the dimming sky. Just dont stay to close to the bridge, the bats havent gone to the bathroom all day so you are in the danger zone. But its not that bad i swear. its kind of funny actually.
OH! and you can thank those little bats for the lack of bugs. The are super hungry and they feed all night. No bugs all day. ah the circle of life.

I guess this is a must in Austin. You have multiple options to check out the bats. Walk on the bridge for free, do Segway tours for like 80 bucks each, paddle boat, or go on this cool thing that is a surfboard with a legit bike on top. So cool. Well I chose the Lone Star boat tour which was ten bucks and I got to be in the water while it happened. Happens once a day at 730 and you get to be on a tiny boat. You can start boarding at 645 but the line already formed. Best seats in town are front row but the boat is so small so it doesn’t matter. Bats fly everywhere. So come sunset we just linger by the bridge and you see one fly out. Two fly out and then bam the whole crew comes. Legit I got peed on so many times and some even got peed in the eye. Hahahaha. Funny. It’s cool to see once and experience the boat but go ahead and do for free.

Got to see this at least once!!! I’ve been a bunch as I bring visiting friends and family here whenever I can. Make sure you don’t try to come here between November and March. The bats are in Mexico at that time. Come at dusk and expect it to last maybe 15 – 20 minutes. The bats come out and swarm under the bridge. Then they fly off in ribbons and fly to the the east. It’s a definite sight to behold. Coming at dawn you will see them returning home. Just a cool experience. Don’t miss it!!!

This is Free and Super Cool! There are just so many bats its unreal! We observed from atop the bridge then walked down to the grassy area under the bridge to watch the bats who were still lingering. If you are watching from under the bridge sometimes you will get soiled on. They also have some really cool boat tours we would like to try out next time.

Get here early as lots of people start to show up. Bats currently coming out around 8.45 and the cool part is you have front row seat to over a million bats.
There are a couple people here to answer questions. It’s pretty cool how they set up shop and you can go look at photos and ask them anything. They are really knowledgable.
Bring a blanket and some drinks because you never know how long it will take them to come out. Awesome stop for tourists.
I gave this a four star because unless you are on the boat or there is some light the bats are hard to see and it gets really crowded.

Waiting for the bats to come out at dusk is a fun thing to do with friends and/​or family. I am not sure if I am wrong, but I think this is one of those things that qualify as «only in Austin.»
We came around 5:45 PM last April and the wait was long, but no one really complained since we were able to find a good spot to park ourselves and just relax. This was particularly welcome since one week of non-​stop touristing and exploring could lead to a cranky and tired party. We opted to follow the foot path under the bridge and found a little pier that looked a little dangerous, but I am a good swimmer and it was an empty space with great views of the bridge and the water. Apparently, it was not as unsafe as I thought it was since a crowd of mostly locals joined us as it got darker.
The bats came out when they were ready, and it was just nice to sit back and watch them. I am sure that if I am poetically inclined, there is something to be said about wildlife thriving in the midst of an urban jungle. But I am and will never be a poet, so I would leave that to those who are.
Make sure you come and see the bats. And also make sure you like your company. It is a relaxing way to end the day/​begin the night.

Awesome coolness
Only in Austin
Between 815– 9
Bats by the millions will appear and astound crowds of onlookers ! Cool attraction which u shouldn’t miss !

This was such a gnarly experience… Bats flying from what seemed to be straight outta hell, in hordes, by the thousands. I made sure to cover my head as I didn’t want to change my hair color.
Shortly after dark, the little buggers decide to ravenously feast on unsuspecting flying insects like a fat boy at a Vegas buffet. Wickedly eerie and mesmerizing at the same time. Just one of many awesome sights Austin has to offer.
Will definitely experience it again next time I’m there… And there will be a next time!!!

I am all about the natural wonders of this world. Everywhere I travel, I make a point to [in between eating and drinking] seek out some wildlife or greenery, any sort of ecological or geological marvels that make every corner of this world different and extraordinary.
And I’m sure this urban colony is a fantastic sight to see… but not when we were there.
Since I always do what the internet tells me to do, I posted up on the Congress Avenue Bridge over 30 minutes prior to sunset. And I waited.
After an hour’s time, when darkness had fallen, I tried to convince my companions that we should just go. Even when the bats flew out, we would be unable to see a thing. But nooooooo. They wanted to wait. And then the bats flew out, and we were unable to see a thing.
So I’d like to warn you:
This might be an amazing experience where you’ll see over a million bats stream out* into the evening sky… or you could just end up standing on a windy bridge for an hour for no reason, when you could be drinking beer/​eating brisket. Your call if you want to risk it.
_​_​_​_​_​_​_​_​_​_​_​_​_​_​_​
*

This week was my second time to visit the bridge. The last time I went, it was July, and I’d say it was a 4 star experience. This time was in April, and I’d say it was a 2 star experience so I’ll give it an even 3 stars.
The cons:
–We paid $ 20 to park and still walked 6 blocks to get to the bridge.
–The bridge is very crowded, and although the bats don’t come out until after sunset, if you don’t get there at least an hour before, you won’t have a good spot.
The pros:
–It’s neat to see a ton of bats once in your lifetime.
–It’s a unique, Austin experience.
If you must go see the bats, go with the right expectations: it’s neat, it’s not the coolest thing you’ve ever seen. Go between June and September. You can see them at other times of the year, but the numbers aren’t as impressive, and I do believe they actually migrate to Mexico in the dead of winter. Don’t wait all night in the cold for nothing! Either go an hour before sunset if you want a good spot or show up 5 minutes after sunset so you catch the action with no wait.

Far be it from me to call you guys liars, but I did not see any bats at sunset or 40 minutes after sunset! I’m sure there are plenty of these «bats» in the summer but until management improves the bat visibility and customer service, I’m going to leave only 3 stars and give them back once these so called bats get their business in order.
100% true story:
I was on my way to photograph the boardwalk and stopped by at sunset and saw a few families from out of town braving the rapidly cooling weather (it started out in the 60’s and dropped to the low 40’s). One of the families had two small children. I waited around and only heard a few sounds and figured I’d probably miss the bats anyway and went on to take pictures of the boardwalk.
As I returned some 40 minutes later, I saw the same family there so I asked them how the bats were and the little kid was almost in tears and said something in Spanish to her father and the father asked me if *I* knew when the bats were going to show up and that they never showed up. You see what you did Congress Bridge Bat Management? You made a small child cry! All the poor kid wanted to see was a few bats and she just smelled and heard a few.
In all seriousness though, I’m not sure how cozy it is in the bridge for the bats and this is a bigger bridge than the Houston’s Waugh Bridge bat colony but those suckers did not want to come out. The ones in Houston come out at sunset like clockwork, even in winter.