Lake Travis - Westlake Edition | May 2025

Business

BY BRITTANY ANDERSON

APK served drinks and snacks from its 1980s concession trailer before constructing a covered pavilion.

Pedal kayaks are available to rent for all ages, as long as users meet the height requirements.

The business oers paddleboards and single, double or pedal kayak rentals by the hour, plus a new ice house with beer, wine and snacks.

PHOTOS COURTESY AUSTIN PADDLEBOARD & KAYAK

Austin Paddleboard & Kayak oers water recreation

Austin Paddleboard & Kayak oers one of the largest inventories of recreational water equipment on Lake Travis, owner Zach Steen said. Meet the team Steen opened Austin Pedal Kayak in May 2020, rebranding to Austin Paddleboard & Kayak in 2023. Steen said the last ve years have been a “labor of love” to transform the property with his business partner who has spent over 30 years in Lake Travis as a dock builder. “Every hole dug, every piece of wood put up on the buildings, every single old vintage water ski I’ve collected o the Facebook marketplace— that’s development done with our own hands,” Steen said. What they oer APK has 20 paddleboards and over 40 single, double or pedal kayaks available to rent by the hour. The business operates seasonally, typically between March and October, but also has pop-up dates during o-season, Steen said. “We are a rental spot for people that might want something dierent than the downtown experi- ence,” Steen said. “... I think it’s a unique combina- tion that you can’t really nd in Austin. Denitely the kind of spot where you can get on the water and also enjoy the leisure side of being on the lake.” Steen and his business partner also recently

nished constructing Graveyard Point Icehouse, a 1,200-square-foot covered pavilion on the property serving beer, wine, snacks, sodas, ice cream and hot dogs. “It’s nothing fancy, nothing frilly,” Steen said. “Just kind of an old school spot to enjoy the simple things.” What’s special about it? APK is located on Lake Travis’ Hurst Creek Arm, which Steen said is one of the largest no wake zones on the lake, meaning the waterway has an enforced speed limit to prevent waves in the water. “This space and area on the lake caters perfectly to being able to go out and explore comfortably without the madness of the main [lake] body,” Steen said. The business also oers a variety of other experiences, including live music on the weekends, early morning shing, sunset paddles and full moon paddles once a month. Steen said he is also exploring other family-friendly activities such as game nights or trivia nights. “I denitely kind of try and take from my experi- ences as a kid, like going to camp and doing things with my family,” Steen said. Despite low lake levels—as of May 15, Lake Travis was only 41.9% full—Steen said there are still opportunities for water activities. “I always tell people, lake levels are low, but the vibes are still high out here,” Steen said.

APK hosts live music events on the weekends.

Paddleboards and kayaks are offered for rent at the business.

CHIPMUNK TRL.

1499 Graveyard Point Road, Lakeway www.apklt.com

LAKE TRAVIS WESTLAKE EDITION