The Colorado River flows from West Texas through the Texas hill country and Austin on its way to the Gulf of Mexico. Lake Travis, located in the hill country West of Austin, is one the “Highland Lakes” formed by a series of dams along the Colorado. In 1941, the construction of Marshall Ford Dam, now called Mansfield Dam, created a relatively remote (at the time) vacation and recreation site for residents of Austin.  For decades, a trip to Lake Travis for a day of boating required a long drive along two lane roads. Not so today.  Lakeway (which started out as a week end lake-side resort community for Houstonians), Bee Cave and the other communities on the South side of the lake are only a half hour’s commute to downtown Austin. They are wonderful bedroom communities with exemplary schools and services. But with all of its marinas, waterfront restaurants, shops, spas and resorts, the South side of Lake Travis still retains its resort area lifestyle.

Lake Travis is a great place for recreation, providing a haven for fishing and water sports enthusiasts. There are several species of bass, catfish, crappie and other fish in the lake.  Divers come from all over the world to experience Lake Travis, as it is consistently rated as the clearest lake in Texas by the Lower Colorado River Authority.

Towns in the scenic Texas Hill country surrounding Lake Travis provide many additional recreational opportunities including golf courses, tennis complexes, shopping malls, and swim centers.

The North side of Lake Travis, anchored by the towns of Lago Vista and Jonestown, are a bit farther from downtown Austin and the commute there is generally a bit longer.  Consequently, the North side is less fully developed and has a bit more of a rural feel.  But prices for comparable properties are lower, there is less traffic and even more deer.  Some buyers who are unfamiliar with the area start out looking on the South side of the lake and end up buying on the North side, and vice versa.  It all depends on your work and family situation and your specific lifestyle goals.

The city of Lakeway has a marina, modern swim center, skateboard park, beautiful parks, an extensive trail system, four golf courses, a tennis facility and work out centers. Lakeway recently broke ground on a community library and there is a large medical center being built on Hwy 620.

The Lake Travis school district, which serves the cities of Lakeway, Spicewood, Bee Cave, Briarcliff, the Village of the Hills and unincorporated parts of Travis County is one of the few Texas school districts rated Exemplary for 2011  It  has one 4A high school, two middle schools, and five elementary schools.