West Lake Hills Neighborhood Guide
Welcome to tranquil West Lake Hills
West Lake Hills is a small, suburban neighborhood in the Texas hill country. It has abundant trees, woodlands, green space, hills, and hiking and bike trails, and is near Lake Austin and a wildlife preserve. Many families and young professionals live in West Lake Hills.
About West Lake Hills
This affluent neighborhood is regarded for its upscale residences nestled in the hills, often with views of the lake and the downtown skyline. The area is heavily wooded and feels very private and remote, yet it’s very central, with Westlake Drive just a 15-minute drive to downtown. A key feature of the area is Lake Austin, where many residents spend their weekends and free time cooling off doing water activities. If the luxury homes and beautiful setting don’t attract you, then maybe the well-regarded, award-winning schools will. Students living in Westlake attend schools under one of the best school districts in the state, Eanes ISD.
Things to Do in West Lake Hills
Austin Country Club
Founded in 1899, Austin Country Club is one of the oldest golf clubs in the state of Texas. It is located on the shores of Lake Austin with the backdrop of the iconic Pennybacker bridge. ACC is a private, full service, family oriented, social club with recreational amenities. ACC hosts Dell Match Play annually, which gives ticket holders the opportunity to explore the beautiful grounds and picturesque setting of the club.
Village at Westlake
A shopping center containing national chain stores, local shops, and restaurants. Grab groceries at the HEB, smoothies at Juiceland, and feast on some TexMex at Lupe Tortilla. Just be prepared for mobs of teenagers if you go during lunchtime on a school day!
Wild Basin Wilderness Preserve
This nature preserve offers hiking, bird-watching, and the opportunity to learn about the native plants and wildlife. The waterfall is simply gorgeous!
The Civil Goat Coffee Co.
A specialty coffee roaster and café, off Bee Caves Road on Cuernavaca. Not only do people come for the delicious small batch coffee, but also to visit the special mascot: Butters the pygmy goat. He can be found on the back porch of the café.
Texas Honey Ham Company
Texas Honey Ham started off as a Ham shop selling Honey Ham for the holidays, but quickly realized customers wanted their ham year-round and turned it into a sandwich and breakfast shop. Almost two decades later it is still a much-loved establishment in the Westlake Community. Be sure to pop in for their famous Choice Slice Honey Ham Sandwich.
Sway
Sway is an award-winning modern Thai restaurant located in the heart of Westlake. Sway’s modern Thai menu combines tradition with innovation. Its rooftop bar has beautiful views of downtown Austin. Great for a night out or just to enjoy some cocktails and the view.
Neighborhood Vintner
New to the Westlake area, Neighborhood Vintner is a stylish place for sipping wine with ceiling-high shelves and marble countertops. Featuring 20 rotating wines by the glass and cheese and charcuterie boards from local favorite Antonelli’s Cheese Shop. The retail shop offers over 1,000 wines by bottle for retail.
Maudi’s Milagro
Located in Davenport Village, Maudi’s has been a Tex-Mex staple in Austin for decades. A popular meeting spot and restaurant destination in the Westlake Drive area. Be sure to try their fajitas and classic margaritas! They also serve all day breakfast!
Breed and Co.
Being a part of Ace Hardware, the largest retail cooperative outside of the grocery sector, you can feel good about supporting local while still enjoying the selection of a large establishment. Come here for all your home goods, plants, and hardware needs.
Hat Creek Burger Company
Good food with a great play area for the kids to run around in. Make pizza night a Hat Creek night!
The Grove
Wonderful patio setting to enjoy a nice meal under the oak tree. Definitely a great lunch spot!
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Are West Lake Hills Schools Good?
The Eanes Westlake Innovative School District (Eanes ISD) is among the top in the nation. Eanes ISD is a smaller school district with only 6 elementary schools, 2 middle schools and 1 high school home to 7,800 students.
Quick Stats for Class of 2021-2022
Average ACT Score: 29.2 (State: 20)
Average SAT Score: 1314 (State: 1019)
Attendance Rate: 99.3%
College Acceptance Rate: 99%
The Westlake Chaps match their academics success on the field as well boasting top teams in the state for numerous sports and extracurricular clubs. Fun fact - Westlake is the only high school to produce two Superbowl MVP quarterbacks - Drew Brees and Nick Foles.
Children living in West Lake Hills will attend the following schools:
Elementary - Eanes Elementary School
Middle - Hill Country Middle School
High School - Westlake High School
The public schools in West Lake Hills are rated A+ by Niche.
Commute Times
West Lake Hills to the Airport - 21 min. by car (Google Maps link)
West Lake Hills to Downtown 13 min. by car (Google Maps link)
Boundaries
East to West: TX-360 Loop to Ridgewood Road
North to South: Wild Basin Ledge to Westbank Drive
Nearby Neighborhoods
Blog Mentions
Ready to learn more?
Have a no-obligation consult with Heather Burke, a local REALTOR® living and specializing in the West Lake Hills neighborhood!
The West Lake Hills Lifestyle
West Lake Hills, as locals define it, is actually part of both, the city of West Lake Hills and the city of Austin, TX. In our map view, the orange shaded area is the West Lake Hills city portion and the yellow area is within the Austin city portion. Unless you live there, you probably don’t consider them any different from one another…it’s all just West Lake Hills. The differences show themselves when it comes to slightly different property tax rates (though, both are zoned to the Eanes ISD school district and since school taxes are the majority of one’s property tax bill it’s not a huge differentiator), which elections you can and cannot vote in, different city commissions, and police and fire departments.
The area is coveted for its tranquility and convenient location. The area is heavily wooded with plenty of green space and offers good views of the hill country. The neighborhood takes pride in its natural beauty and residents work actively to preserve the neighborhood's environment.
Why You’ll Love Living in West Lake Hills
The neighborhood offers many opportunities to enjoy the outdoors and the natural scenery. Along with its local hike and bike trails, the neighborhood is adjacent to the Wild Basin Wilderness Park and close to Mayfield Park and Nature Preserve. Additionally, Barton Creek and Zilker Park are not far away.
Homes in West Lake Hills
Homes in this area include 1970s and 1980s ranches, sprawling estates, and new construction. There are many smaller subdivisions commonly referred to under the umbrella of Westlake Hills, including Rollingwood, Davenport Ranch, Treemont, Lost Creek, Bee Cave Woods, Westwood, Woodhaven, and more. People settle here for the schools, privacy, and proximity to downtown.