ABOUT THE PLACE

Watching the bats fly off of the Congress Street Bridge in person is really amazing. Seeing video on TV just does not do it justice. Most people gather on the grass below the bridge in front of the Austin American Statesman building, but the view from down there is nothing compared with the view from off of the bridge! Actually, the view from the grass is pretty lame and not very interesting, but watching the bats fly down the river from on top of the bridge is amazing!

You should arrive at the bridge about an 30 minutes before sunset to be sure to get a parking spot in the Statesman lot, and to secure a good viewing spot on the bridge. It sometimes takes a while for the bats to get going, but when they do you will be treated to a 10 minute display like nothing you've ever seen before. The millions of bats come flying out from under the bridge and form a pattern in the sky that looks like living smoke. It is really something to see!