Crux Climbing Center is a locally-owned 22,000 square-foot indoor climbing gym in South Austin stocked with rope climbing, bouldering, and strength training areas, a flex space for yoga classes, a kids’ area, and a lounge space.

Over winter break, we took our family climbing at Crux, and it was such a fun way to get out and active with the whole crew. Read all about our experience below.

When we arrived at Crux Climbing Center, we were impressed by the size and vibe of the place. It’s huge, of course, but it’s also so bright and airy. Natural light fills the space, and the interior is so vibrant with walls adorned with very cool artwork by local street artists. The staff greeted us with a really warm welcome and set the tone for a very chill experience.

There’s a big variety of climbing shoes and gear available, even for kids. No need to worry about bringing any of your own equipment. We got fitted for shoes and got help putting on our harnesses, and then we were led on a tour of the facility since it was our first visit.

Our first stop on our orientation tour was the Rope Canyon, which consists of 30 foot walls, lots of ropes and six auto-belays. Our friendly staffer showed us how to use the belays and went over some easy climbing and safety rules. We also got a walk-through of the bouldering area (which makes up about 70% of the climbing area) where we found the Future Wall (which is about 2,000 square feet of bouldering surface) and the is the Bouldering Corral (which transitions to steep terrain where you can climb into the 2nd story of the Center). Routes are marked with colored holds, and favorite method of marking the routes, which is colored holds. The color of the holds also denotes the range of difficulty.

We peeked into the largest indoor bouldering cave in Austin, which features steep roof climbing for more advanced climbers. And then we ended up in the Panda-monium Room, designed for kids ages 12 and under. This room features a slide, fireman’s pole, and of course a climbing wall. It’s also available for birthday parties and special events. 

Our kids warmed up in the Panda-monium Room and definitely enjoyed all the cool kid features in that area. Half of our family preferred the Rope Canyon with belays while the other half preferred bouldering (which allows you to climb without the need for the harness). What we loved about Crux, is that we could choose between both types of climbing!

At one point, two of our boys decided to chill out and play a game of chess while our oldest took his time trying out some of the harder routes. The space is definitely designed with that community feeling in mind. There were some folks lounging upstairs in a little break space, while others helped each other work on problem-solving as they climbed together.

We spent several hours there, and each of us had a really fun time! There are options here for all levels of climbers and for all ages, too.

You can learn all about Crux Climbing Center by visiting their website where you can browse the FAQ, take a look at classes that are offered, learn about youth camps, parent’s night out, read all about their rates and discounts, too. And be sure to fill out their waiver online before you go to save some time.

Giveaway: We’d love to send a reader to check out Crux Climbing Center with his family! Enter below for the chance at winning a 4-pack of day passes! Good luck! By entering the giveaway, you’ll be added to our twice-weekly email list where you’ll get all the latest on family fun in Austin.

This giveaway is now closed. Thanks to all who entered!