Austin’s 1.5 million Mexican free-tailed bats are a sight to see. The small creatures fly out from underneath the Ann W. Richards Congress Avenue Bridge nightly during the summer, impressing the hundreds of Austinites and tourists who gather on and below the bridge to take in the flight. It’s one of Austin’s best attractions.
But let’s say you’re looking for more. You need more bats. You need more spectacle! Let me introduce you to Bracken Cave.
Bracken Cave Preserve is just a quick drive away in San Antonio and is home to a whopping 15 million Mexican free-tailed bats. Fifteen million! The cave is home to the world’s largest bat colony. Our bridge is home to the largest urban bat colony in the world. How cool!
Watching them leave the cave in search of food is breathtaking. As the sun sets, the bats flit out of the cave one by one until you’re not sure what you’re looking at — is it actually bats or a small, dark tornado?
The bats swirl up and up and out of the cave. It is beautiful and stunning and so much fun. And the best news? You can visit Bracken Cave Preserve during the summer! Trust me when I say this is an activity for everyone. Kids and adults will marvel and the people in your life who don’t really care about bats will become their most fervent fans.
Here’s how to visit:
Find a Date To Attend
Bat Conservation International has a calendar for bat flights through September. Nighttime flights run 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. and morning flights run 5:30 a.m. to 8 a.m. When picking a date to visit, keep in mind that the cave is roughly 70 miles away.
Buy Tickets Online
Tickets are $32.55 per person and every person must have a ticket to attend. You can purchase tickets online. If you want to schedule a group visit or private event for your organization, you can email: bracken@batcon.org.
Register ASAP
Bracken Cave is really popular, which means you need to buy your tickets as soon as you can. If a date you want to attend is sold out, you can join a waitlist in case someone drops out.
