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Nocturnal Wonderland: a time to dance all of your sorrows away (and just in time for finals, too). My friends and I decided to take part in the annual electronic dance music festival in Rockdale, Texas and instantly understood why so many people that were there had been going back for years. Many see it as a giant, two-night rave where young people convene to rage for hours on end. On its most basic level, that’s what it is; but there’s another level to Nocturnal Wonderland that you don’t see until you’re there.

Taking place outside of Austin at Apache Pass, you drive past cornfields and farms until you arrive at the hideaway. Then you see dozens of colored paper lanterns hanging from trees and lit up stages, much different from the bustling city of Austin. People show up in flashy costumes ranging from lacy lingerie and face masks to light-up body suits and neon décor, and no one will think twice about it. The crowd is mostly college kids and those in their 20s, all there to listen to rockin’ DJs, have a good time, and make a few new friends along the way. There aren’t many places you can go to escape everyday reality, dance for hours on end, and be in the good company of friends and strangers alike.

The festival, which was held only in California until recently, has been growing steadily with big name acts in the electronic music world. A few included Steve Aoki, Tiesto, Calvin Harris, Nero Live, and R3hab. Tiesto headlined Friday night, displaying fireworks during his set, and on Saturday, Steve Aoki entertained the audience by crowd-surfing on a blow-up raft. The DJ is notorious for interacting with concert-goers, spraying champagne on people and even throwing a large birthday cake in an eager fan’s face.

As the temperature starts to rise, so does the excitement of summer vacation and the anticipation to finally be back home with family and home cooked meals (no more Ramen noodles or Chef Boyardee). Although we’re not quite there yet, there are a lot of places in Austin that you should check out before saying good-bye to the good ol’ Forty Acres. So take a break from school and enjoy a refreshing swim with your friends.

One place I recommend is the Hamilton Pool Preserve: a natural pool that is  a favorite swimming spot for Austinites. I’ve heard so many great things about this place that I had to check it out for myself. It’s about 25 miles west of Highway 71 and it took me about 45 minutes to get there. I was amazed by the drive up there; it was very different from the Austin I have grown to know. All I saw were hills, trees, and huge mansions. 

Once you arrive, you will be asked to pay $10 for parking. Then you will walk down to your destination. It’s a quarter of a mile walk, but if you get tired there are benches placed around the trail so you can rest. I wore flip flops, but I recommend wearing closed toe shoes.
You will find people swimming, picnicking, taking pictures and enjoying the sun. It’s a longer walk, but you can also walk to the Pedernales River located on the other side of the trail. 

Hamilton Pool has a 50-foot waterfall that many people stand under.
The preserve closes at 6 P.M. and there are only 75 parking spots so get there early!