18 THINGS TO DO IN AUSTIN WITH KIDS

Austin Texas is an amazing city that is brimming with fun times, nice cuisine, and fantastic music. But there are certainly some requirements you’ll have in place if you’re visiting Austin with children and looking for family-friendly activities in Austin. Age-appropriate excursions that end earlier in the day are ideal, as are activities that may keep your children’s interest for a prolonged period. Here are 18 outrageously entertaining activities to do with kids in Austin!

A family trip to Austin is recommended almost every year. Family holidays are undoubtedly more popular during the summer, but if you can manage a trip in the fall or winter, those times are excellent times to visit Austin. Why? Both the price and the crowd are lower! ln

Things to Do in Austin With Kids

There is a strong emphasis on interactive play among Austin’s family-friendly activities. Simply put, Austinites enjoy being involved and learning through experience. As a result, there are many interesting and enjoyable things for families to see and do together in the city.

Through hands-on experience and experimentation, you can learn about local history, science, toys, and nature. As an alternative, you can simply enjoy yourself while playing games and embracing Austin’s well-known eccentric side under the Texas sun (or without it). View our list to see which of Austin’s top family-friendly locations is a suitable fit for you and your children.

#1. Peter Pan Mini-Golf

We’ve all certainly played on a few fairly pathetic mini-golf courses, but South Austin’s Peter Pan Mini-Golf hasn’t lost its appeal since it first opened in 1948. You and your kids can complete two courses with plenty of famous obstacles for a few dollars, including the Giant Tyrannosaurus Rex, the Whale, the Old Mill, the Turtle, and, of course, good ol’ Pan. Peter Pan is BYOB (but no glass, please), which is a great perk for responsible parents and guardians. Party and picnic arrangements are also available.

#2. Thinkery

Thinkery is the ideal location for families to use enjoyable, scientific, and hands-on experiments to learn a variety of “whys” and “hows.”

The creative structure comprises numerous activities that could take days to complete: Discovering the connection between water and sound in the Currents exhibit, peering through microscopes, learning at the Animation Station in the Innovators’ Workshop, using the object launcher in the Spark Shop to practice aerodynamics concepts, drawing with light or freezing shadows in the Light Lab, or curling up with a variety of picture and story books in the comfortable Story Nook

Don’t forget to check out the outside space, which includes a modern playground and a stream that’s furnished with buckets and sieves for watery fun.

#3. Museum of Ice Cream

Ice cream lovers, of whom ATX has a large population, welcomed The Museum of Ice Cream (MOIC), which debuted at The Domain in 2021 and has since served as a rewarding location for kids who have performed well all week. The enormous pink structure is, as one might guess, entirely devoted to sweets and their history, with 12 multi-sensory installations. You may ride the animal cookie carousel, jump in their well-known sprinkle pool, and, of course, stop for unlimited ice cream breaks throughout the trip. If you don’t want to pay for tickets, you can still visit the cafe and shop at MOIC whenever you like for free. Seasonal offers at MOIC include “Pinkmas” in the winter.

#4. Dinosaur Park

Although it’s 12 miles east of Austin, in Bastrop, the nearby Dinosaur Park is a must-visit if your kids have an interest in Paleontology. In contrast to a standard dinosaur museum, this park has life-size statues of the animals from the time they controlled the Earth along a mile-long trail, as well as a Dino Dig where visitors can find some life-size “fossils.”

It’s the perfect location for a picnic or birthday party on a sunny afternoon. The grounds also provide a great introduction to the area’s fauna if the time of year is correct; while you walk the route, you may see lizards, wild bunnies, huge stick insects, and roadrunners.

#5. The Contemporary Austin at Laguna Gloria

The Contemporary Austin at Laguna Gloria is where well-known artists discover the most important and recent works of contemporary art.

They’ll have amazing photo ops with their outdoor installations. Capture the splendor of the city while showcasing some of the top performers in America!

For the kids, there is always something special in store. Every single day, admission is free for guests under the age of 18. Every second Saturday of the month, veterans and locals are admitted for free.

You may find all the forthcoming possibilities you need on their events calendar, including interactive creative activities when you go there.

#6. See The Congress Bridge Bats

In Austin, Texas, there is the largest urban bat colony in the entire world. Every evening at dusk, 1.5 million Mexican free-tailed bats fly out to feed.

Children enjoy watching this (because bats are awesome!) Additionally, it’s a great family activity in Austin because it’s also a lot of fun for adults. Keep in mind that this only occurs during the summer, from late March to early October.

Veracruz All Natural has a walk-up window at The Line Hotel, which is close to the Congress Avenue bridge. It’s a lot of fun to buy some tacos there and eat them for dinner while you wait for the bats to emerge from their cave and watch the sunset.

#7. Go To The Bob Bullock Museum

Although it is a museum, it is a lot of fun! Texas history is told at the Bob Bullock Museum, which is located in the heart of Austin and close to the University of Texas. They have a WWII airplane, a scaled-down Alamo, and a variety of other historical relics.

Additionally, there is an IMAX theater, which is a kid-favorite activity in Austin. Don’t forget to browse the gift shop for some Austin-themed trinkets!

#8. Crux Climbing Center’s Kids Rock Climbing

In Austin, there is a kid-friendly rock climbing wall at Crux Climbing Center.

It is far away from the other exercise equipment and extremely secure. There is a separate room that is solely for children.

You can visit Crux with your kids and spend a few hours playing if you purchase a day pass. Secret: On a wet day in Austin, do this with the kids!

#9. Bumper Cars At Epic Fun

Southwest Austin is home to the multi-attraction amusement park known as Epic Fun. Kids adore the bumper cars, ropes course, arcade games, laser tag, bowling, and other activities.

You may spend the entire day at Epic Fun because there is a restaurant there that serves typical kid-friendly fare.

#10. Take a dip in Zilker Park

There are many enjoyable activities available in the 351-acre urban park located south of the Colorado River from downtown Austin. Beautiful picnic areas, play areas, volleyball courts, botanical gardens, outdoor theaters, and a nature center are all nearby. The 20-minute trip to the park that the miniature train Zilker Zephyr offers is especially enjoyable for children. The Barton Springs Pool, however, is the main draw. The water in this 3-acre body of water, which was created by natural springs, is always about 20°C warm. In the summer, Austin residents frequently go there to unwind and cool down.

#11. Get hands-on at Austin Nature and Science Center

This Zilker Park museum emphasizes learning about the natural world through hands-on experiences. Children are encouraged to interact with the displays and hold them while learning to appreciate their surroundings more. A dinosaur pit where children may practice finding fossils, a butterfly garden, a nature walk, and even a miniature zoo are among the indoor and outdoor exhibits available. The best part is that admission is free, while there may be a modest charge for some special seminars.

#12. Play with history at the Austin Toy Museum

Retro toys, games, and action figures are the focus of the Austin Toy Museum on Congress Avenue. For parents, it offers a nostalgic trip as well as an intriguing look at changes in children’s learning and entertainment over time. The finest feature is that many of the exhibits can be handled and interacted with, making it feel more like a large toy box than a museum, which is great for kids of all ages. Adult admission is $9, and youth admission is $4.

#13: Bullock Texas State History Museum

The Bullock Texas State History Museum is the first, and it’s one of the best Austin attractions for kids. If you’re going through Texas on a road schooling excursion, this is the place to go to learn about the history and creation of the state of Texas.

Starting in the 1500s, the exhibitions progressed until the present. They are well thought out, and many of them are interactive, so learning about this intriguing state is fun here.

#14. Austin Zoo

The Austin Zoo is a great destination to spend your next zoo day if you’re looking for a fun way to spend the day with your family. This non-profit rescue zoo’s goal is to help animals in need. Animals who have been saved from a variety of less-than-ideal situations live here, and zoo staff members attempt to educate visitors so they can help prevent some similar situations in the future.

Although this zoo is smaller than others, we enjoyed that. It made traveling with young children simpler, especially on a sweltering summer day in Austin. When looking for entertaining things to do in Austin, the zoo is usually a wonderful choice.

#15. ZACH Theatre

Zach Theatre is a prime example of Austin’s amazing arts scene, as was previously noted. This neighborhood theater organization performs a variety of theatrical shows every year. Children under 3 are not permitted in mainstage productions; however, they are permitted to attend “Family Series” performances because many are family-friendly.

We adore that this theater strives to open up the performing arts to everyone. They provide the aforementioned family-friendly productions, accessible plays, shows for people with sensory issues, and even a “Pay What You Can” week for people who might not otherwise be able to go to the theater.

#16. Peter Pan Mini Golf

Tinker Bell Since 1946, mini golf has been a well-liked family activity in Austin. Since then, the well-known T-Rex sculpture has been a part of the golf course and has spent all those years watching over Lamar and Barton Springs, developing into a kind of iconic icon. One of the best activities to do with kids in Austin is mini golf.

Visitors to this mini-golf course will also find a range of other entertaining and vibrant sculptures around every turn, in addition to the T-Rex. Beware of Tinkerbell, Captain Hook, a huge shoe, and other surprises! We discovered that admiring the entertaining works of art dispersed throughout the course was equally enjoyable as playing putt-putt.

#17. COTA Karting

Here’s your chance to view a Formula 1 track if you’ve ever wanted to. You may go karting at COTA Karting, the only one in the US, at speeds of up to 55 MPH. To drive and to ride as a passenger, children must be 14 and at least 58 inches tall. For people 48 and older and at least 12 years old, there is a Junior Kart. In addition to the go-karts, there is a zipline on the property that most kids may use.

#18. Mount Bonnell

When I travel with my children, I usually try to exhaust them during the day so they fall asleep as soon as we arrive at our destination. For this reason, I believe that taking the kids to Mount Bonnell is one of the top things to do in Austin. At Covert Park, which is the highest point in the city, you can not only see the entire city but there is also plenty of room for kids to run around and play. There are a lot of stairs to climb to get to the top, so don’t forget to carry snacks and drinks.

How to Get to Austin with Kids Affordably

There are numerous options to find cheap flights since 16 airlines serve Austin International Airport. You have a wide range of options, including low-cost carriers like Spirit (see tips here), Frontier, and Allegiant; mid-range carriers like JetBlue; and major carriers like American, Delta, and United. originating from a foreign country? British Airways, Air Canada, Aeromexico, and Lufthansa all serve Austin. If you’re not yet ready to fly, Austin even has an Amtrak station.

What is Austin, Texas, most known for?

Austin Texas is renowned for its zany energy, vibrant live music scene, enjoyable festivals, and reputation as a liberal city. Austin, Texas, which is in the center of the “Lone Star State,” serves as the state’s capital. It is among the most populous and one of the largest cities in Texas.

Is Austin cheaper than Dallas?

Dallas has a lower cost of living than the US average, making it comparatively affordable in comparison to other cities of its size. Conversely, Austin has a significantly higher cost of living than Dallas, surpassing it by more than 17%. Additionally, Austin is 30% more expensive than the US average.

What part of Austin is the most fun?

Downtown Austin has developed into the epicenter of cool and comfort, with residential towers, top-notch local eateries, and lively pubs all located there. 6th Street, Rainey Street, Seaholm District, and Warehouse District are a few of the area’s well-known entertainment districts.

How far apart are Austin and Dallas?

Between Austin and Dallas, the shortest flight distance is 184.34 miles (296.66 kilometers). According to the route planner, the shortest distance between Austin and Dallas is 198.52 miles (319.48 kilometers). It takes about 3 hours and 36 minutes to drive.

Conclusion

The center of Central Texas is Austin. The top 18 activities to do in Austin, Texas, with kids, are featured in this article, but there is much more to explore. For those seeking some adventure and downtime, the Austin region has a ton more family-friendly attractions to choose from.

The finest things to do with kids in Austin should be easy to organize thanks to this guide, we hope!

Since there are so many entertaining activities to do in Austin with kids, there is never a dull moment. There are many attractions in this city, and each has a certain appeal. The entire family will enjoy this tour, which is more than just a simple sightseeing excursion.

18 THINGS TO DO IN AUSTIN WITH KIDS