A family weekend on Lake Travis, hour by hour
May 27, 2026 | 7 min read
Families end up here for a simple reason. Everyone from a four year old to a grandparent can find something to do within a few minutes of the house. This is how a good three day weekend usually goes.
Friday: arrive and stay put
Check in is in the afternoon, so plan a grocery run on the way in and nothing else. Unpack, let the kids find the pond and the courts, and cook the first dinner at the house.
Evenings are the best part of the property. Light the firepit, let the older kids play pickleball under the lights, and get everyone to bed early because Saturday starts on the water.
Saturday: water all day
Get on the lake early while it is glassy. Two or three hours is usually the sweet spot with young kids: a swim stop, a tube ride and back before the midday heat.
Lunch at the house, then a quiet hour indoors. Late afternoon, head to Krause Springs or a shaded cove. Finish with barbecue in Spicewood, which is the single easiest dinner with a big group.
Sunday: one adventure, then slow
Pick one thing. Pace Bend Park for cliff jumping with teenagers, Muleshoe Bend for an easy trail with little kids, or a winery lawn with a food truck if the adults need a turn.
Come back, fish the pond, swim, and let the last evening go long. Checkout is in the morning and nobody wants to rush that final night.
What makes it easier
Book a home with a game room or covered outdoor space for the midday heat. Bring more towels and sunscreen than you plan to use. Reserve Hamilton Pool weeks ahead if it is on the list, and keep one afternoon completely unplanned.
If you are traveling with several families, booking two homes in the same gated community keeps everyone together without anyone sharing a bathroom.
Plan your stay at The Reserve
Gated lakeside homes on Lake Travis in Spicewood, Texas, with lake and marina access, pickleball, a fishing pond and firepits.