Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center

Beautiful gardens and state-of-the art green architecture
Noteworthy for: Whether you're interested in learning about native plants or just taking a peaceful walk, the center is a snapshot of the real Texas, not the myth.

Word to the wise: The Center can get crowded during seasonal events, so check the website before you visit.
These secluded gardens are a riot of color, from the lavender-blue of bluebonnets to the orange shades of milkweed and lantana. In addition to fields of wildflowers, the center maintains several demonstration gardens representing the different landscapes and climates in Texas. The Naturalistic Homeowner Inspiration Garden features plants that can tolerate Central Texas' unpredictable climate, where both long-term droughts and flash floods are common. The West Texas Mountain Collection showcases desert plants like agave and Mexican feather grass.

Though spring is the best time to visit, there's something blooming year-round on the center's 279 acres. For anyone interested in green building, many of the site's limestone structures are part of a sophisticated rainwater collection system. The 17,000 square feet of roof surfaces can collect 10,200 gallons of water from one inch of rain. The water is transported to one of five cisterns or via aqueduct to the irrigation system.