Travis County prohibits public consumption of alcohol in county parks and on the Highland Lakes shoreline by ordinance, while broader open container rules in vehicles follow Texas Penal Code Section 49.031 statewide.
Travis County Code adopted park and lake ordinances banning glass containers and limiting alcohol consumption in designated areas of Lake Travis, Pace Bend, Hippie Hollow, and other parks, especially during peak weekends and holidays. Texas Penal Code Section 49.031 prohibits open alcohol containers in the passenger area of vehicles on public roadways. Austin city code separately bans public drinking in central business district sidewalks and certain entertainment zones. TCSO and Travis County Park Rangers enforce park rules, and TABC handles licensed-premises violations.
Drinking in restricted park zones or possessing open containers in a moving vehicle is a Class C misdemeanor with fines up to $500, plus park ejection and possible glass-ban citations during temporary holiday orders.
See how Austin's public alcohol use rules stack up against other locations.
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