2018 Top 20 Places to Take Kids In and Around Austin
Austin's favorite places to take kids for 2018
There are literally hundreds of wonderful places to take your kids in Austin! Each year, we survey Austin parents to find out where they love to take their kids. 2015's results are below. And make sure to sign up for our fantastic FREE weekly newsletter with dozens of ideas each week for local stuff to do with kids, many of them free.
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Austin Zoo
The mission of Austin Zoo is to assist animals in need through rescue, rehabilitation and education. Austin Zoo is a rescue zoo providing permanent homes to unwanted, abandoned, neglected and abused animals.
Austin Aquarium
This Aquarium has so many fish and animals! Sharks, Stingrays, Giant Pacific Octopus, Lorikeets, Macaws, Reptiles, and Amphibians. Plus, new mammals like kinkajous and Lemurs. The best part is you can pet and feed them all. If you come in to visit you might even spot a Mermaid or Princess!
Science Mill
Discover the fun of science at the Science Mill in Johnson City! This family destination offers an exciting, interactive learning environment for all ages. Through cutting-edge exhibits, games and programs, the non-profit science museum expands understanding and appreciation of science in everyday life. Housed in an historic 1880s mill, the Science Mill features more than 50 hands-on, world-class exhibits, a 3D theater and an on-site café. Visit sciencemill.org for information on hours, special events, birthday parties, field trips and camps.
Main Event
When you want to let your fun out with family and friends, Main Event is the best - and easiest - place to HEAD FOR FUN. With state-of-the-art bowling, multi-level laser tag, over 100 games topped with handcrafted food and a full bar under one roof, Main Event is THE destination for FUN.
Wonder World Park
A one-of-a-kind Theme Park, known as the 1st show cave in Texas. Visitors have enjoyed touring the Balcones Fault Line Cave for over 105 years, and now, the park has many other attractions for family fun and entertainment.
The Robinson Family Farm
With a host of new activities and special events planned, this year's Pumpkin Patch will be bigger and better than ever. Come spend the day making memories searching through our corn maze, taking a hay ride, and picking out that perfect fall pumpkin for your family.
The Thinkery
The Thinkery is an evolution of the Austin Children’s Museum. It’s Austin’s sparkling new home for “why” and “how.” A place where science and families play side by side. Where people connect with ideas by doing, making and experiencing.
Altitude Trampoline Park
Altitude Trampoline Park Austin is the eighteenth location of the Altitude family offering high-energy and exciting entertainment activities such as a foam pit, rock climbing wall, gymnastics tumble tracks, a kid zone, basketball dunking lanes, dodge ball and group fitness. The park is approximately 23,000 square feet of interconnected wall-to-wall trampoline attractions!
Austin Children's Theater
ACT provides an extracurricular learning experience in Austin, TX for children who are interested in the arts. ACT offers the opportunity to create, explore and produce all aspects of art.
Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center
The Center’s gardens display the native plants of the Central Texas Hill Country, South and West Texas, while the Plant Conservation Program protects the ecological heritage of Texas by conserving its rare and endangered flora.
Schlitterbahn Waterpark
Family-owned and operated, Schlitterbahn Waterparks has been a leader in family water entertainment since 1979.
Pinballz Arcade
Come play over 100 pinball machines, over 60 video arcade games and much more at Pinballz Arcade!
Austin Parks
The Austin Parks Foundation (APF) is a non-profit organization devoted to building public/private partnerships to develop and maintain parks, trails, and open space in Austin and Travis County.
Zilker Theatre Productions
Zilker Theatre Productions delights families every summer with free musical theatre in Ausin's Zilker park.
Pollyanna Theatre Company
A full four play season presented in-house and an annual tour into area schools. Pollyanna also maintains an ongoing collaboration with Ballet Austin and The Umlauf Sculpture Garden that takes Multi-Arts Education to Central Texas schools.
Austin Nature & Science Center
The ANSC provides hands-on educational exhibits and recreational activities that increase awareness and appreciation of the natural environment. Located on the western edge of Zilker Park, they are dedicated to the exploration of the natural world.
Austin Bat Cave
The Austin Bat Cave offers many different avenues for students of all ages to grow as writers. The drop-in after school tutoring hours provide time for help with homework and a more laid-back environment for mentoring. The in-school tutoring focuses on absorbing grammar and increasing fluency through creative writing; students in this program generate and revise their own work as well as acting as their own editorial board to put together an anthology for the year called, “Hand and Wing”.
Blazer Tag
Our arcade has over 60 high-intensity games, from classics like Pac Man and Galaga, to new favorites like Time Crisis 4, Guitar Hero, DDR, Big Bass Wheel, Deal or No Deal, Terminator, & Galactix! Plus, guests can collect tickets from the interactive redemption games & redeem them for cool prizes.
Dave & Buster's
At Dave & Buster's you can play hundreds of the hottest new arcade games in our Million Dollar Midway and win tickets for epic prizes. Try our mouth-watering, chef-crafted creations in our American restaurant.