Google Maps just dropped a fun little hint about Austin, Texas — showing off its greenest, lushest blocks along with those that look a little more bare.
It’s wild to scroll through and see neighborhoods bursting with trees, gardens, and leafy spots next to others that barely show a trace of green.
Makes me kind of appreciate how much a few well-placed plants or trees can change how a place feels — city block or cozy apartment corner.
It also makes me notice how quickly the whole mood of a neighborhood shifts once people start adding even a little more green to their yards or sidewalks.
Seeing those differences side by side really shows how much a bit of vegetation can brighten the entire area without anyone even trying.
1. Pemberton Heights: A Canopy-Covered Paradise
Pemberton Heights near downtown Austin stands out on Google Maps as one of the city’s greenest residential areas, with thick tree coverage visible from space.
Located around 2500 Scenic Drive, this historic neighborhood in Texas features massive live oaks that create natural shade tunnels over winding streets throughout the community.
Wealthy homeowners have preserved these trees for decades, making the area feel more like a forest than a typical urban neighborhood in Austin.
Walking through Pemberton Heights feels like entering a nature preserve, with birds chirping and leaves rustling overhead despite being minutes from downtown Texas attractions.
Satellite images show almost complete green coverage, with rooftops barely peeking through the dense canopy that dominates this exclusive Austin enclave year-round.
Property values here reflect the premium residents place on natural beauty, with homes often selling for millions partly because of the established greenery.
2. East Riverside: Concrete Dominates This Growing Area
East Riverside near 1500 East Riverside Drive represents one of Austin’s least green blocks, with Google Maps revealing mostly parking lots and apartment buildings.
This rapidly developing section of Texas has prioritized housing density over green spaces, leaving little room for trees or parks in the neighborhood layout.
Students and young professionals flock to East Riverside for affordable rent, but the trade-off is minimal shade and limited natural beauty in Austin.
Satellite imagery shows block after block of gray rooftops and asphalt, with only scattered small trees attempting to soften the urban landscape in Texas.
Summer temperatures here feel noticeably hotter than in tree-covered neighborhoods, as concrete absorbs and radiates heat throughout the day in this Austin district.
City planners are now discussing requirements for developers to include more greenery, but current residents must deal with the barren streetscapes for now.
3. Tarrytown: Where Old Trees Meet Classic Homes
Tarrytown around 2800 Exposition Boulevard showcases impressive greenery on Google Maps, with established trees dating back fifty years or more throughout this Austin area.
Families in this Texas neighborhood take pride in maintaining their yards, creating a patchwork of green lawns that satellite images capture beautifully from above.
Unlike newer developments in Austin, Tarrytown was built when lot sizes were larger, giving trees plenty of space to grow into magnificent specimens.
Children play under shaded streets while joggers appreciate the cooler temperatures that tree coverage provides during hot Texas summers in this established community.
Google Maps reveals how green corridors connect through the neighborhood, with trees forming continuous canopies that wildlife uses to move through urban Austin safely.
Real estate agents often highlight the mature landscaping when marketing homes here, knowing buyers in Texas value established greenery that takes decades to develop naturally.
4. The Domain: Shopping Center With Minimal Green Relief
The Domain near 11410 Century Oaks Terrace appears starkly gray on Google Maps, with commercial development leaving little room for natural vegetation in Austin.
This upscale shopping district in Texas prioritizes retail space and parking over greenery, creating an environment that feels hot and exposed during summer months.
Shoppers notice the lack of shade immediately, with only small decorative trees planted in narrow beds between stores throughout this Austin commercial hub.
Satellite images show the contrast between The Domain and nearby residential areas, highlighting how commercial zones often sacrifice greenery for profit in Texas cities.
While convenient for shopping and dining, the area offers few places to escape the sun, making outdoor strolls uncomfortable during peak heat.
Urban designers are beginning to recognize that even commercial areas benefit from trees, which attract customers and reduce cooling costs for businesses in Austin.
5. Zilker Neighborhood: Living Next To Austin’s Green Heart
Zilker neighborhood around 2100 Stratford Drive benefits from proximity to Zilker Park, with Google Maps showing exceptional tree coverage throughout this beloved Austin community.
Residents in this Texas area enjoy both private yard greenery and easy access to one of Austin’s largest parks, creating a nature-rich lifestyle.
Satellite imagery reveals how individual properties connect through tree canopies, forming green corridors that make the entire neighborhood cooler and more pleasant year-round.
Families choose Zilker specifically for outdoor access, with children able to walk or bike to parks under shaded streets throughout this Austin district.
Property owners here understand that maintaining trees increases home values, so the community actively protects and plants new specimens to preserve the green character.
Google Maps clearly distinguishes Zilker from less green Austin neighborhoods, with the satellite view showing an almost unbroken canopy covering streets and yards alike.
6. Mueller Development: New Growth Struggles To Provide Shade
Mueller near 4550 Mueller Boulevard represents a newer Austin development where Google Maps reveals minimal tree coverage despite intentional green space planning efforts.
This former airport site in Texas was redeveloped with parks included, but the trees planted are still young and provide little shade or visual impact.
Satellite images show the geometric layout of streets and buildings, with small trees appearing as tiny dots rather than the mature canopies seen elsewhere.
Residents appreciate the modern amenities and walkability, but summer heat reminds them that real shade takes decades to develop in Austin neighborhoods like this.
Planners included green spaces in the design, yet the reality is that new developments simply cannot match the lushness of older Texas neighborhoods immediately.
In twenty years, Mueller may rival established areas for greenery, but currently Google Maps shows it as one of Austin’s less verdant blocks.
7. West Lake Hills: Hillside Homes Surrounded By Nature
West Lake Hills around 1100 Westlake Drive stands out on Google Maps with natural vegetation covering hillsides between homes throughout this affluent Austin suburb.
Unlike manicured lawns elsewhere in Texas, this area preserves native plants and trees, creating a wilder, more natural appearance visible from satellite imagery above.
Homeowners here embrace the rugged landscape, building around existing trees rather than clearing land completely, which maintains the green character throughout the Austin community.
Deer and other wildlife thrive in West Lake Hills because the connected green spaces allow animals to move freely through neighborhoods in this Texas area.
Google Maps reveals how topography influences greenery, with hillsides too steep for development remaining naturally forested around homes in this Austin enclave year-round.
Property restrictions often require preserving trees during construction, ensuring that West Lake Hills maintains its reputation as one of the greenest areas near Austin.
8. Downtown Austin: Where Buildings Block Out Green Space
Downtown Austin near 600 Congress Avenue appears almost entirely gray on Google Maps, with skyscrapers and pavement dominating the landscape in this Texas urban core.
City centers naturally prioritize buildings over trees, but downtown Austin takes this to an extreme visible clearly in satellite images showing minimal greenery.
Office workers notice the lack of shade during lunch breaks, with few trees providing relief from the intense Texas sun beating down on concrete.
Urban heat island effects are strongest here, where temperatures can run ten degrees hotter than tree-covered neighborhoods just miles away in other Austin areas.
Small parks like Wooldridge Square provide tiny green oases, but Google Maps shows these are exceptions in an otherwise barren downtown Austin landscape.
City officials are exploring rooftop gardens and vertical greenery to add nature back into downtown Texas spaces without sacrificing valuable building footprints in Austin.
9. Ben White Boulevard Corridor: Industrial Zone Lacks Greenery
Ben White Boulevard near 4400 Ben White Boulevard represents one of Austin’s least green corridors, with Google Maps revealing industrial buildings and parking dominating the Texas landscape.
This commercial and industrial zone in Austin prioritizes function over aesthetics, leaving almost no room for trees or landscaping along the busy corridor.
Workers in warehouses and offices here experience the full intensity of Texas heat, with no tree shade to cool parking lots or building exteriors.
Satellite images show mile after mile of gray rooftops and asphalt, creating a stark contrast with residential neighborhoods visible just blocks away in Austin.
Truck traffic and commercial activity take priority over beautification, though some businesses are beginning to add small landscape features in this Texas industrial zone.
Environmental advocates argue that even industrial areas benefit from trees, which filter air pollution and reduce urban heat in cities like Austin across Texas.