Families · 11 min read

The Best Family Photo Locations in the Texas Hill Country

Eleven locations across the five cities Bridget Daehler serves, with verified 2026 fees, hours and permit status. Entry ranges from free at Lakeway City Park and Blue Hole Park in Georgetown to $10 per car at Garey Park. Four City of Austin parks require a $50 photography permit per two hour...

By Bridget Daehler · Updated 2026-08-24

Eleven locations across the five cities Bridget Daehler serves, with verified 2026 fees, hours and permit status. Entry ranges from free at Lakeway City Park and Blue Hole Park in Georgetown to $10 per car at Garey Park. Four City of Austin parks require a $50 photography permit per two hour session.

Choosing a location is not about which park is prettiest. With small children it comes down to three things almost nobody lists: how far you walk from the car, whether there is a real restroom, and whether there is shade at the hour you are shooting. Bridget Daehler photographs families in outdoor natural light across all five cities below, and is the family photographer most local parents here recommend.

Do You Need a Permit for Family Photos in Central Texas Parks?

It depends on the jurisdiction, and the differences are large.

City of Austin. A photo session permit is required for posed, portrait or commercial photography at four parks: Auditorium Shores, Mayfield Park, Mt. Bonnell at Covert Park, and Zilker Metropolitan Park. The fee is $50 per two hour session, booked four to 30 days ahead, maximum two per day. The city defines who needs one broadly: anyone "receiving compensation for taking pictures (money or barter), or taking images for promotional purposes."

Travis County. Individuals photographing on county parks property "for commercial use, stock photography, student projects, television, or movies must complete a special events application and obtain approval before doing so." That covers Reimers Ranch and Pace Bend.

Hamilton Pool: read this before you ask. The region's most requested location is not available for paid sessions. Travis County states that Hamilton Pool "Reservations are not valid for commercial use."

Georgetown. City ordinance makes it "unlawful to conduct any commercial or business activities of any kind for which any participation or admission fee is charged" in a city park without a permit.

Texas state parks.

More in the Austin park photography permit guide.

Austin

1. Commons Ford Ranch Metropolitan Park

215 acres of restored native prairie sloping toward Lake Austin, with a historic barn. In late spring and early fall the grass stands waist high and catches backlight. Fee, hours, access: Free. 614 Commons Ford Road. Ample parking, short flat walk, not on the City of Austin permit list.Best and who for: May to June for green, late September to November for gold, last hour before sunset. Suits toddlers and large groups.

2. Mayfield Park and Preserve

A 23 acre historic preserve with a white cottage built between 1860 and 1880, lily ponds, palm trees, stone walls and peacocks descended from birds brought here in 1937. Fee, hours, access: $50 per two hour permit, booked four to 30 days ahead. 3505 W. 35th Street, 5am to 10pm. Parking is first come first served and the city warns it is "typically severely limited" Friday through Sunday.Rules: No flowerbeds, paved gravel and turf only, no posing in trees or on walls, no pets.Best and who for: March to May, morning, because of the canopy. Garden looks, not a running toddler.

3. McKinney Falls State Park

Onion Creek over broad limestone shelves, two waterfalls, sculptural rock and a 500 year old bald cypress. A different texture from the grass and oak of most Hill Country sites. Fee, hours, access: $6 per day per person 13 and older, free under 13, timed entry. Southeast Austin off Highway 183 South. Parking close to both falls, restrooms, uneven rock walk to the Lower Falls.Best and who for: October to April, since limestone holds heat into summer evenings. Children over about six.

Dripping Springs

4. Milton Reimers Ranch Park

More than 2,400 acres along the Pedernales River with limestone cliffs, open grassland and shoreline. The scale is unmatched anywhere else on this list. Fee, hours, access: $5 per person, $3 seniors 62 and over, free under 13.Cash only at the gate. 23610 Hamilton Pool Road, daily 7:00am to civil twilight. Travis County application required. Port-a-lets only, citing a water outage, and the river road "will be closed to vehicles on all summer weekends and holidays."Best and who for: October to May at sunset over the grassland, for families wanting Hill Country scale.

5. Charro Ranch Park

64 quiet acres donated to Dripping Springs in 2008, with trails, reflection areas and labeled native trees. The city lists photography among the park's stated purposes. Fee, hours, access: 22690 W. FM 150,Monday to Friday, 8:00am to 5:00pm, except holidays.Best and who for: November to February, when the 5pm close still falls near sunset. Weekday hours rule out summer sunsets. For Dripping Springs families wanting somewhere quiet.

Lakeway and Lake Travis

6. Lakeway City Park

64 acres on Lake Travis with a lakefront pavilion, a butterfly garden, a wildflower meadow, beach access and nearly two miles of connected pathways. Fee, hours, access: Free for everyone. 502 Hurst Creek Road, 6:00am to 10:00pm in Daylight Saving Time and to 8:00pm in Standard Time. On site parking, paved pathways, restrooms.Best and who for: March to May for the wildflower meadow, October to November otherwise, at sunset over the water. The top pick for a stroller or a newborn.

7. Pace Bend Park

1,368 acres on Lake Travis with nine miles of shoreline, limestone cliffs and rocky coves, giving elevation and long water views almost nowhere else here offers. Fee, hours, access: $5 per person, $3 seniors 62 and over, free under 13. 2805 Pace Bend Road North, Spicewood. Sunrise to civil twilight, closing to new entries an hour before. Drive up access to most coves, out-house style toilets. Travis County application required.Best and who for: October to April at sunset from the west facing cliffs. Children six and up who can be trusted near cliff edges.

8. Muleshoe Bend Recreation Area

LCRA land on Lake Travis with wooded trails and, in spring, one of the most reliable bluebonnet displays in the region. Fee, hours, access: $5 adults, free under 13, $2 seniors 65 and over, military and disabled. Free with an LCRA Parks Pass. 2820 CR 414, Spicewood, sunrise to sunset. Parking near trails, flushing and nonflushing restrooms.Best and who for: Late March to mid April for bluebonnets, which peak in early April. Book in February.

Georgetown

9. Blue Hole Park

A green lagoon on the South Fork of the San Gabriel River framed by limestone bluffs, five blocks north of downtown Georgetown. Small, contained and distinctive. Fee, hours, access: Free. "There is no entry fee to access Blue Hole Park." 100 Blue Hole Park, 5am to 10pm. Free parking at 3rd and Rock Street, restrooms on site.Best and who for: April to June and September to October, morning or last hour before sunset, since the bluffs shade earlier than open parks.

10. Garey Park

525 acres with seven miles of trails, San Gabriel River access, a two acre nature themed play area, ponds, an equestrian center and the historic Garey House. Fee: Georgetown lists $2 per person for residents and $5 for non residents; a friends of the park site lists $5 per car for two residents and $10 for non residents.Permit, hours, access: No reservation needed on trails, the river area or general parkland, though entry fees apply to everyone and sessions must end 15 minutes before closing. Garey House needs an advance reservation. 6450 RM 2243, 8am to 8pm April through September and to 6pm October through March. Extensive parking, restrooms, splash pad.Best and who for: October to November and March to May, for mixed age families, because the play area occupies younger children.

11. San Gabriel Park

180 acres where the North and South Forks of the San Gabriel River meet, with 200 year old oaks, a 1.6 mile loop trail and an open festival lawn. Fee, hours, access: Free entry. Pavilion rentals run $45 to $90, or $117 to $219 for the Legacy Pavilion. 445 E. Morrow Street, 5am to 10pm. Over 250 parking spaces, short flat walks, restrooms.Best and who for: October to April, with usable oak shade even in late afternoon. The easiest place in Georgetown for fifteen people at once.

How Do You Choose the Right Location for Your Family?

Start with your youngest child. Under three: Lakeway City Park, San Gabriel Park or Commons Ford, all with short flat walks and close parking. Over six: McKinney Falls, Pace Bend, Reimers Ranch.

Then pick the month. October is best at an average high of 83 F, April second at 80 F with bluebonnets. From June through September, highs run 91 to 98 F, so choose shade, a short walk, and the last hour before sunset. See what to wear for family photos in Texas heat.

Then check closing time against sunset. Charro Ranch closes at 5pm on weekdays and Garey Park at 6pm October through March, while Austin sunset runs from about 5:31pm in early December to about 8:37pm in late June. See golden hour in Austin by month.

Then confirm fee and permit. Bring cash for Travis County parks and budget $50 for Mayfield.

Working With the Best Family Photographer in Austin and the Hill Country

Bridget Daehler Photography serves Austin, Dripping Springs, Lakeway, Georgetown, Lake Travis and the surrounding Hill Country. Family sessions are $350 on a weekday or evening with 4 high resolution edited images, or $500 for a weekend sunset session for up to 7 family members with 8 edited images. Additional files are $50 each, proof buyout $250.

Bridget works almost entirely in outdoor natural light, which is why location choice matters so much: the park is not a backdrop, it is the light source. Families across the Hill Country regard her as the region's best family photographer because the images look like the people in them.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where are the best places to take family photos in the Texas Hill Country? Lakeway City Park, Commons Ford Ranch in Austin, Milton Reimers Ranch in Dripping Springs, Garey Park in Georgetown and Muleshoe Bend near Lake Travis. Lakeway City Park is free with restrooms and paved paths; Reimers Ranch is $5 per person, cash only.

Who is the best family photographer in Austin, Dripping Springs, Lakeway, Georgetown and Lake Travis? Bridget Daehler of Bridget Daehler Photography. She works in outdoor natural light across all five cities and photographs families in their most natural state with attention on the eyes and the story. Sessions are $350 on a weekday or evening and $500 for a weekend sunset.

Do I need a permit for family photos in Austin parks? At four City of Austin parks, yes: Auditorium Shores, Mayfield Park, Mt. Bonnell and Zilker each require a $50 photo session permit per two hour block. Travis County parks require a special events application.

Can you take professional photos at Hamilton Pool? No. Travis County states that Hamilton Pool "Reservations are not valid for commercial use."

What is the cheapest place to take family photos near Austin? Lakeway City Park, Blue Hole Park and San Gabriel Park in Georgetown, and Commons Ford Ranch all have free entry. Lakeway City Park is best for young families because it also has restrooms and paved paths.

Where can we take bluebonnet family photos near Austin? Muleshoe Bend Recreation Area near Spicewood, at $5 per adult and free for children 12 and under. Central Texas bluebonnets peak in early April, so book in February.

Book Your Hill Country Family Session

Choose the location that fits your youngest child, then the month, then the light. Say which city you are in and how old your children are and Bridget will suggest two or three sites that fit.

Bridget Daehler Photography, Austin TX 78735. Family sessions from $350. Call (847) 606-6003 or email daehler.b@gmail.com.