Location: Austin, Texas, USA
Texas may be notorious for its sweltering summers, but the Lone Star State also has some of the most magical swimming holes. If you happen to be near Austin, take a break from keeping the city weird and head to Barton Springs Pool for a dip-- it's fed by 3 pools of natural, underground springs that have been dammed up to create a massive 3-acre swimming pool. Perhaps the best part is that you don't have to worry about jumping into ice cold water- Barton Springs is always the perfect temperature (usually around 70 degrees), thanks to the natural springs that feed it. That means year-round swimming!
Barton Springs has been keeping Texans from overheating since before Texas was even a thing. In the 1730s, the springs were revered by the Tonkawa tribe, who used the pools for sacred rituals. Spanish explorers to the area built temporary missions around it, and in the 1830s, the land was purchased by "Uncle" Billy Barton, who saw the area's potential as an attraction. He also named the three pools after his daughters- Parthenia, Eliza and Zenobia (those definitely sound like mermaid names...just sayin'). In the '20s, the city of Austin obtained the property and built the dams to create the one huge pool we see today. It only costs $3 for adults ($2 for kids), and a portion of that money goes to a fund to help research and protect the Barton Springs Salamander, so you can cool off for a cause!
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