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Kids and adults on similar bikes with baskets on a crushed granite trail. The bikes are part of Austin’s B-cycle rental program.
Biking is fun for everyone.
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25 best things to do with kids in Austin

The definitive guide to family-friendly fun this spring

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Biking is fun for everyone.
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Austin might have an international reputation for first-rate events and an acclaimed music scene—think SXSW or ACL—but it’s also an excellent city for families. Temperate weather, a plethora of outdoor activities, and a thriving arts community mean that you can always find something to do.

As you might expect from a growing metropolitan area, Austin boasts top-notch parks, zoos, and the always-necessary children’s museum. But dig a little deeper, and you’ll find more unique attractions: The younger crowd will have a blast checking out one of the country’s best toy museums, learning about the difference between stalagmites and stalactites in an underground cavern, and watching 1.5 million bats fly from a downtown bridge.

Behold, here are 30 kid-friendly activities in Austin that will please locals and visitors alike. Know of something we missed? Leave a comment below; this map will be continually updated.

Traveling to other cities with your kiddos? Don’t miss Curbed’s maps of the best family activities in Washington, D.C., Boston, Detroit, Atlanta, Chicago, Miami, Los Angeles, Seattle, San Francisco, New Orleans, Philadelphia, and New York City.

Map points are ordered north to south.

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Eater maps are curated by editors and aim to reflect a diversity of neighborhoods, cuisines, and prices. Learn more about our editorial process.

Inner Space Cavern

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This natural underground cavern was discovered by construction workers building the I-35 freeway. Choose from one of the guided tours (we like the one-hour version) and learn the difference between stalagmites and stalactites while you explore the cavern’s Ice Age animal fossils.

A post shared by Jamie Mahood (@jamiemahood) on

Jourdan-Bachman Pioneer Farms

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Pioneer Farms is a longtime establishment that makes learning about Central Texas fun (really!). That’s because it’s immersive, offers participatory events, and, most important, has a petting zoo. If you don’t make an event there, you can still enjoy its themed historic areas on self-guided walking tours; they include everything from an 1841 Tonkawa encampment to an 1899 rural village.

Chaparral Ice

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Risen from the ashes of the ice rink of a now-defunct mall, Chapparal Ice has reinvented itself as a refreshing recreation space with times for free skating as well as ice skating and recreational competitive hockey programs. Plus curling!

Children and an adult teacher on ice in an ice rink. All of the children are wearing ice skates.
Young skaters participate in a beginning ice skating class.
Courtesy of the Chaparral Ice Facebook Page

Dart Bowl

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The 56-year-old Dart Bowl—which is located not at, but near, its original location—is a longtime favorite for nostalgics, serious bowlers, and amateurs of all ages. (Its cafe’s enchiladas are particularly legendary). Retro appeal aside, it’s a serious but fun bowling alley, recently remodeled with 32 lanes that have recently been updated with automatic bumpers and scorers. It has a video arcade, kids leagues, and a party room popular for kids’ birthdays.

Mount Bonnell

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Head to the 5.1-acre Covert Park at Mount Bonnell for beautiful views at the highest point in the city. Even kids can make the 102-stair climb up to the peak, and the trail to the top is only about a third of a mile.

An aerial view of Mount Bonnell. There is a large body of water surrounded by houses and trees.
The view from the top of Mount Bonnell.
Shutterstock

Laguna Gloria and Mayfield Park and Nature Preserve

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Located in a lakeside villa built in 1916, Laguna Gloria is a museum that includes the fantastically fun Betty and Edward Marcus Sculpture Park on its enchanting grounds, as well as the lovely peacocks that wander the area along with adjacent Mayfield Park—kid pleasers on both fronts. This is a don’t miss.

Patterson Park

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Patterson Park is an outdoor oasis for kids, complete with basketball courts, a mini skate ramp, volleyball courts, picnic tables, multiple playgrounds, and top-notch trees to climb. Its Flamingo Mitote Its  mosaic sculpture, created by artist Stephanie Distefano and community members and maintained by the Chula League, also makes for one gorgeous pool-equipment shed.

Texas Memorial Museum

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Formed in the 1930s as Austin’s first science museum, the Texas Memorial Museum focuses on the state’s natural history. Hardcore dinosaur lovers can savor more than 5 million specimens, including huge dinosaur skeletons and fossilized animals, gems and minerals, and wildlife specimens.

Pease District Park

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Pease Park, which runs alongs Shoal Creek just west of Lamar Boulevard, starting not far from downtown, is a big, beloved, and long-lived public park in Austin, great for a run or a stroll. It also has a playground, tons of picnic tables under a canopy of giant trees, volleyball courts, and an off-leash dog-walking area.

Texas Capitol

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It may be easy to ignore the Texas State Capitol for fear that it’s boring, but that would be a mistake. One of the prettiest capitol buildings in the country—decked out in distinctive pink granite—also boasts free guided tours, 22 acres of green lawns perfect for rolling, and a rotunda that has fun acoustics.

The exterior of the Texas State Capitol Building. The facade is pink granite. In the distance is a building with a dome structure on top.
The pink granite of the Texas State Capitol building makes for a pretty picture.
Shutterstock

Austin Nature & Science Center

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Nature is a hands-on experience at this curiosity shop of scientific and natural artifacts located in west Zilker Park, which has an old-school, natural history museum vibe. Unlike in most museums, though, kids are encouraged to touch stuff, rather than being prohibited from it. Major bonus: It’s free.

Republic Square

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Recently transformed from a dusty lot to a downtown oasis, Republic Square now boasts a lovely green lawn, lots of shade trees, and a nifty bird sculpture the little ones will enjoy climbing and sitting on. It’s a great place to visit in combination with the Central Library, and there are food trucks and a farmers market on weekends.

Zilker Metropolitan Park

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Sitting on Lady Bird Lake, with views of the city skyline, Zilker Park is packed with activities. Kayak around Lady Bird Lake, admire the waterfalls in the Botanical Garden, ride bikes, fly a kite, take the pups for a frolic, have a picnic on the grassy lawn, or all of the above.

Texas Toy Museum

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A fine place to ogle vintage toys, action figures, retro toys, classic toys, or console video games of childhoods past or present. Though seemingly targeting fanboys/girls, the museum is in fact focused on childhood education and also has a lot of hands-on activities, like vintage video games.

Austin is the seasonal home for the largest population of Mexican free-tailed bats in North America. They winter in Yucatan, Mexico (and sometimes further inland), then fly north each spring to nestle under the Congress Avenue bridge until late fall. Almost every night at sunset—but especially in April-May and late July/early August, they emerge from under the bridge to form a huge, mammalian cloud, heading east to scout for that night’s insect dinner. It is truly an amazing sight, and crowds line up on the east side of the bridge and on a designated watching area just southeast of it, to watch it.

The Long Center for the Performing Arts

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Live entertainment might seem like more of an adult activity, but Austin’s Long Center boasts diverse programming that appeals to all ages. Head to the family section of the events calendar and get ready to expose your little ones to the arts.

Epic Fun

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Locally owned Epic Fun is the new kid in town when it comes to family-oriented indoor recreation. The fun does indeed look epic, with things to do that appeal to all age groups (including adults). Laser tag, climbing walls, a ropes course, mini bowling, arcade games, and bumper cars are a few of the attractions, and there’s a real cafe with adult options including beer and wine. You can also book events there, from kids’ birthday parties to corporate events (see: ropes course).

Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center

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The Wildflower Center is a wonderful place to visit any time of year, but the season when its namesake flowers are abloom is pretty special. Founded in 1982 by Lady Bird Johnson and Helen Hayes with the mission of conserving native plants, creating sustainable landscapes, and conserve resources, it features nine acres of gardens, a 16-acre arboretum, a large and impressive rainwater collection system, 800 species of native plants, and landscapes that, as its website notes, “support a vast web of life, and have recorded more than 143 species of birds, 15 species of mammals, and 1,800 species of insects.”

McKinney Falls State Park

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McKinney Falls is so close to central Austin, but people tend to forget about it. Even if the creek is dry during drought years, the pool at the end of the hiking trails most often offer a refreshing plunge. And it’s perfect for the mild, sunny days between summers, with hikes of varying length and difficulty.

Dinosaur Park

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This outdoor museum boasts life-size dinosaur replicas, like a 2-foot-long Compsognathus and an 85-foot-long Brachiosaurus. A tree-lined path takes you on an educational trek, and the kiddos will also like participating in a fossil dig and playing at the playground.

A large statue of a dinosaur stands in a clearing surrounded by trees. Courtesy of the Dinosaur Park Facebook Page

Inner Space Cavern

This natural underground cavern was discovered by construction workers building the I-35 freeway. Choose from one of the guided tours (we like the one-hour version) and learn the difference between stalagmites and stalactites while you explore the cavern’s Ice Age animal fossils.

A post shared by Jamie Mahood (@jamiemahood) on

Jourdan-Bachman Pioneer Farms

Pioneer Farms is a longtime establishment that makes learning about Central Texas fun (really!). That’s because it’s immersive, offers participatory events, and, most important, has a petting zoo. If you don’t make an event there, you can still enjoy its themed historic areas on self-guided walking tours; they include everything from an 1841 Tonkawa encampment to an 1899 rural village.

Chaparral Ice

Risen from the ashes of the ice rink of a now-defunct mall, Chapparal Ice has reinvented itself as a refreshing recreation space with times for free skating as well as ice skating and recreational competitive hockey programs. Plus curling!

Children and an adult teacher on ice in an ice rink. All of the children are wearing ice skates.
Young skaters participate in a beginning ice skating class.
Courtesy of the Chaparral Ice Facebook Page

Dart Bowl

The 56-year-old Dart Bowl—which is located not at, but near, its original location—is a longtime favorite for nostalgics, serious bowlers, and amateurs of all ages. (Its cafe’s enchiladas are particularly legendary). Retro appeal aside, it’s a serious but fun bowling alley, recently remodeled with 32 lanes that have recently been updated with automatic bumpers and scorers. It has a video arcade, kids leagues, and a party room popular for kids’ birthdays.

Mount Bonnell

Head to the 5.1-acre Covert Park at Mount Bonnell for beautiful views at the highest point in the city. Even kids can make the 102-stair climb up to the peak, and the trail to the top is only about a third of a mile.

An aerial view of Mount Bonnell. There is a large body of water surrounded by houses and trees.
The view from the top of Mount Bonnell.
Shutterstock

Laguna Gloria and Mayfield Park and Nature Preserve

Located in a lakeside villa built in 1916, Laguna Gloria is a museum that includes the fantastically fun Betty and Edward Marcus Sculpture Park on its enchanting grounds, as well as the lovely peacocks that wander the area along with adjacent Mayfield Park—kid pleasers on both fronts. This is a don’t miss.

Patterson Park

Patterson Park is an outdoor oasis for kids, complete with basketball courts, a mini skate ramp, volleyball courts, picnic tables, multiple playgrounds, and top-notch trees to climb. Its Flamingo Mitote Its  mosaic sculpture, created by artist Stephanie Distefano and community members and maintained by the Chula League, also makes for one gorgeous pool-equipment shed.

Texas Memorial Museum

Formed in the 1930s as Austin’s first science museum, the Texas Memorial Museum focuses on the state’s natural history. Hardcore dinosaur lovers can savor more than 5 million specimens, including huge dinosaur skeletons and fossilized animals, gems and minerals, and wildlife specimens.

Pease District Park

Pease Park, which runs alongs Shoal Creek just west of Lamar Boulevard, starting not far from downtown, is a big, beloved, and long-lived public park in Austin, great for a run or a stroll. It also has a playground, tons of picnic tables under a canopy of giant trees, volleyball courts, and an off-leash dog-walking area.

Texas Capitol

It may be easy to ignore the Texas State Capitol for fear that it’s boring, but that would be a mistake. One of the prettiest capitol buildings in the country—decked out in distinctive pink granite—also boasts free guided tours, 22 acres of green lawns perfect for rolling, and a rotunda that has fun acoustics.

The exterior of the Texas State Capitol Building. The facade is pink granite. In the distance is a building with a dome structure on top.
The pink granite of the Texas State Capitol building makes for a pretty picture.
Shutterstock

Austin Nature & Science Center

Nature is a hands-on experience at this curiosity shop of scientific and natural artifacts located in west Zilker Park, which has an old-school, natural history museum vibe. Unlike in most museums, though, kids are encouraged to touch stuff, rather than being prohibited from it. Major bonus: It’s free.

Republic Square

Recently transformed from a dusty lot to a downtown oasis, Republic Square now boasts a lovely green lawn, lots of shade trees, and a nifty bird sculpture the little ones will enjoy climbing and sitting on. It’s a great place to visit in combination with the Central Library, and there are food trucks and a farmers market on weekends.

Zilker Metropolitan Park

Sitting on Lady Bird Lake, with views of the city skyline, Zilker Park is packed with activities. Kayak around Lady Bird Lake, admire the waterfalls in the Botanical Garden, ride bikes, fly a kite, take the pups for a frolic, have a picnic on the grassy lawn, or all of the above.

Texas Toy Museum

A fine place to ogle vintage toys, action figures, retro toys, classic toys, or console video games of childhoods past or present. Though seemingly targeting fanboys/girls, the museum is in fact focused on childhood education and also has a lot of hands-on activities, like vintage video games.

Bats!

Austin is the seasonal home for the largest population of Mexican free-tailed bats in North America. They winter in Yucatan, Mexico (and sometimes further inland), then fly north each spring to nestle under the Congress Avenue bridge until late fall. Almost every night at sunset—but especially in April-May and late July/early August, they emerge from under the bridge to form a huge, mammalian cloud, heading east to scout for that night’s insect dinner. It is truly an amazing sight, and crowds line up on the east side of the bridge and on a designated watching area just southeast of it, to watch it.

The Long Center for the Performing Arts

Live entertainment might seem like more of an adult activity, but Austin’s Long Center boasts diverse programming that appeals to all ages. Head to the family section of the events calendar and get ready to expose your little ones to the arts.

Epic Fun

Locally owned Epic Fun is the new kid in town when it comes to family-oriented indoor recreation. The fun does indeed look epic, with things to do that appeal to all age groups (including adults). Laser tag, climbing walls, a ropes course, mini bowling, arcade games, and bumper cars are a few of the attractions, and there’s a real cafe with adult options including beer and wine. You can also book events there, from kids’ birthday parties to corporate events (see: ropes course).

Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center

The Wildflower Center is a wonderful place to visit any time of year, but the season when its namesake flowers are abloom is pretty special. Founded in 1982 by Lady Bird Johnson and Helen Hayes with the mission of conserving native plants, creating sustainable landscapes, and conserve resources, it features nine acres of gardens, a 16-acre arboretum, a large and impressive rainwater collection system, 800 species of native plants, and landscapes that, as its website notes, “support a vast web of life, and have recorded more than 143 species of birds, 15 species of mammals, and 1,800 species of insects.”

McKinney Falls State Park

McKinney Falls is so close to central Austin, but people tend to forget about it. Even if the creek is dry during drought years, the pool at the end of the hiking trails most often offer a refreshing plunge. And it’s perfect for the mild, sunny days between summers, with hikes of varying length and difficulty.

Dinosaur Park

This outdoor museum boasts life-size dinosaur replicas, like a 2-foot-long Compsognathus and an 85-foot-long Brachiosaurus. A tree-lined path takes you on an educational trek, and the kiddos will also like participating in a fossil dig and playing at the playground.

A large statue of a dinosaur stands in a clearing surrounded by trees. Courtesy of the Dinosaur Park Facebook Page