The Austin metro area is packed with opportunities for interesting family field trips, memorable adventures, and many places to explore the natural beauty of Central Texas. If you’re looking for motivation to get out and about, here are 50 Ideas for Fun Things to Do with Kids.
Exciting Adventures:
1. Rent swan pedal boats from Capital Cruises to make your way around Lady Bird Lake in style.
2. Speed around the track at Circuit of the Americas on a fast-karting adventure.
3. Rent a boat and cruise around Lake Travis.
4. Soar to new heights as you take flight and experience indoor skydiving at iFLY Austin.
5. Zip-line with the kids over McKinney Roughs Nature Park with Zip Lost Pines or Lake Travis Zipline Adventures
6. Book a grotto tour with Westcave Outdoor Discovery Center to see a stunning 40-foot waterfall.
7. Try for a hole-in-one at Peter Pan Mini Golf.
8. Head to San Marcos for a glass-bottom boat tour in Spring Lake
9. Schedule a horseback riding excursion with Texas Trail Rides.
10. Get to climbing at an indoor facility like CRUX Climbing Center or Austin Bouldering Project.
11. Walk through playful installations at The Museum of Ice Cream, Wonderspaces, or the Museum of Illusions.
12. Take a haunted walking tour around Austin with Ghost City Tours
13. Have a playground play day at the Alliance Children’s Garden.
14. Cruise into a drive-thru safari park and feed animals from your car.
15. Head underground to take a cavern tour at one of the area’s amazing caves.
Fun Family Field Trips
16. Learn about life in the 1800s as you walk around historic Pioneer Farms.
17. Drive over to the Science Mill in Johnson City to explore 50+ interactive exhibits including a Banana Piano and MindBall, an exhibit powered by brainwaves.
18. Take the kids to the Thinkery for hands-on fun.
19. Enjoy the big outdoor petting zoo at Sweet Eats Fruit Farm.
20. Take a walking tour of Austin’s Black Cultural District with Six Square.
21. Visit the turtle pond on the University of Texas campus.
22. Stroll the grounds of Laguna Gloria to see a variety of large sculptures and works of art.
23. Hop aboard a historic train car with Austin Steam Train for a Hill Country Flyer adventure.
24. Reserve your tickets to visit a wide variety of rescued animals at the Austin Zoo.
25. Learn about Texas history while you browse exhibits inside the Bullock Museum.
26. View tanks, jeeps, helicopters, and more at the Texas Military Forces Museum.
27. Check out the outdoor art collection at Umlauf Sculpture Garden & Museum.
28. Take a self-guided tour of Austin’s Awesome Street Art.
29. Visit the Mexic-Arte Museum to browse a collection of traditional and contemporary Mexican, Latino, and Latin American art.
30. Visit the Austin Nature & Science Center and stop into the Naturalist’s Workshop where kids can touch and explore rocks, bones, plants, furs, and insects with magnifying glasses.
31. Reserve tickets to visit the Blanton Museum‘s collection of more than 19,000 works of art.
32. Tour the Neill-Cochran House Museum, one of the oldest homes in the City of Austin.
33. Load the kids in the car for a movie night out at one of the area’s Drive-In Movie Theaters.
34. Explore the J. Lorraine Ghost Town in Manor, TX to walk through an 1800’s western-style town.
35. Take a short drive to the Dinosaur Park in Cedar Creek, TX to walk among giant dino replicas.
Chill Out in Nature:
36. Book a day pass to McKinney Falls State Park and take a family hike.
37. Climb the steps at Mount Bonnell for a picturesque view.
38. Make a reservation to hike around the beautiful Hamilton Pool Preserve.
39. Take a drive down to San Antonio’s Phil Hardberger Park to visit the land bridge — the largest wildlife crossing in the U.S.
40. Go for a walk on the Boardwalk Trail along Lady Bird Lake.
41. Visit the peacocks at Mayfield Preserve.
42. Look for giant koi fish in the Zilker Botanical Garden‘s Japanese Garden.
43. Hike around one of Austin’s gorgeous greenbelt trails — Barton Creek Greenbelt and Bull Creek Greenbelt.
44. Gather your rod and bait, then sit back and reel ’em in at a Kid-Friendly Fishing Spot Around Austin.
45. Dip your toes in the sand at Secret Beach.
46. Pack a picnic and head to one of these Best Places for a Family Picnic.
47. Visit one of the area’s Wondrous Waterfalls.
48. Drive out to a perfect spot for Stargazing to view a gorgeous night sky.
49. Get cozy in a tent for a family camp-out in one of the Best Camping Spots Around Austin.
50. Book an overnight getaway at one of the Weird and wonderful Places to Stay in Texas, such as a teepee, tree house, or Airstream.
MORE TO EXPLORE:
- 20 Fun Things to Do in Downtown Austin with Kids
- Where to Bike with the Kids in Austin
- Best Hikes Around Austin
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