People and pets enjoy the nice weather one September morning at Common Ground Coffee & Bakery, located at Fresh AF Park in Cottonwood Shores. The park features pickleball, food trucks, and fun and games for all ages. Staff photos by Maci Cottingham
Whether you’re looking for family fun or a social spot to grab drinks in Cottonwood Shores, Fresh Air and Food Park, better known as Fresh AF Park, has you covered.
At the heart of the park sit four pro-grade pickleball courts, available to rent for just $10 an hour. You can book up to a week in advance to lock in your match.
For those who prefer to kick back, Fresh AF has not one but two bars on site, perfect for sipping cocktails with friends or catching a sunset.
Scattered throughout the property are local vendors offering something for every craving: smoky bites from Mythic Barbecue, caffeine fixes from Common Ground Coffee & Bakery, wood-fired pies from Castle Rock Pizza Co., charcuterie boards from Fresh Board and Bites, and even organic juice at Texana Wellness. A snow cone stand is also in the works to keep things cool in the Texas heat.
Fresh AF Park spokesperson Meghan Broyles said the only limitation to becoming a vendor at the park is your business cannot compete with current vendors, so as to offer a variety to patrons.
“We try to get something different each time, but we aren’t against what can be here,” Broyles said.
Families aren’t forgotten at Fresh Air and Food Park. Kids can burn off energy at the playground or toss beanbags in a game of cornhole while parents lounge on the patio with one eye on the little ones and the other eye on whatever games are on the park’s TVs.
Weekends are when Fresh AF Park really comes alive. From pickleball tournaments and market days to live music, themed nights, and game-day watch parties, there is always something pulling in a crowd.
Seasonal events like Fright Night, complete with costume contests and face painting, add an extra spark of excitement. And soon, families will be able to enjoy a petting zoo with 18 animals—sure to be a hit with the kids.
Fresh AF Park is all about balance and finding something for all ages.
“We try to keep a healthy mix of daytime events geared toward families and nighttime events more for adults and centralized towards the bar,” Broyles said.
The park, which officially opened in 2025 after a soft launch in July 2024, took about a year and a half to build. Its design is intentional: Vendors operate out of container-style food trucks, the bar is full-service, and the layout allows you to see something new everywhere you look. Dogs are welcome, too, as long as they’re on a leash.
Fresh AF Park also doubles as a private event venue and benefits from being just a short walk from The Retreat on the Hill, a glamping destination owned by the same group. Vacationers often wander over, adding to the mix of locals.
At its core, Fresh Air and Food Park is about community and filling a need for residents and visitors in this part of the Highland Lakes. Learn more at freshairpark.com or by calling 512-518-4158.
