Top 20 Places to Take Kids In and Around Austin
Every May and June, thousands of local parents, grandparents, and caregivers weigh in on their favorite local places to take kids. This is our page for showcasing the 2024 winners in the Austin area. (See all of the original nominees here.)
Of course, there are literally hundreds of wonderful places to take your kids in our area, not just this year's winners! Browse through our site to find all the lists and ideas you need. Check out our daily calendar as well as our everything that's free link. 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.
2024's Top 20 ranking + category winners! Scroll down for more about each venue, with links!
| 1. Austin Zoo 2. Austin Aquarium 3. Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center 4. Thinkery 5. My Local Library 6. Science Mill Expand 7. Altitude Trampoline Park 8. Austin Nature & Science Center 9. Schlitterbahn Waterpark 10. The Georgetown Palace Theatre 11. Sweet Berry Farm 12. Texas Science & Natural History Museum 13. Pinballz Arcade 14. Rock’N River Water Park 15. Dinosaur Park 16. H-E-B Center at Cedar Park 17. SeaWorld 18. Austin's Park n' Pizza 19. Urban Air Adventure Park 20. YMCA |
Arts Education: Creative Action Sports Education: Goldfish Swim School STEM Education:Thinkery |
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1. Austin Zoo
The mission of Austin Zoo is to help animals in need through rescue, conservation and education. Embark on an adventure in a Hill Country setting where children and adults can enjoy an up-close experience with our rescued animals. You will be able to see lions and tigers and bears, oh my! Austin Zoo has a robust Education Department, offering Virtual Education Programs, Saturday Camps, Summer Camps, Homeschool Day, Homeschool Nature Series and much more! Celebrate a birthday with us, plan a field trip or inquire about a scout program. Come and see us!
2. Austin Aquarium
The Austin Aquarium has not just fish but animals of all species! Stingrays, Giant Pacific Octopus, Parakeets, Macaws, Reptiles, and mammals. Plus, new animals like Penguins 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!
3. 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.
4. Thinkery
Thinkery pursues joyful learning through play-based STEAM exploration to inspire and equip ALL children to cultivate a lifelong love of learning so that they thrive.
Thinkery is where Austin’s children and their families come to enjoy play-based, inquiry-rich, hands-on learning experiences. Thinkery offers 40,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor activities designed to let children and families learn through play. Through a variety of hands-on, interactive STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, and math) exhibits and programs, Thinkery encourages physical, emotional and cognitive development for young learners and fosters joyful curiosity for all ages. Our target ages are newborns through eleven years old, but our interactive experiences are designed to engage learners of all ages!
5. My Local Library
Of course, the libraries in the Austin area are not really ONE place, but MANY places... but it's important to emphasize how valuable libraries are for family learning and fun. The libraries in our area are wonderful about posting their events to the KidsOutAndAbout calendar so you always can get ideas for free things to do with your kids that celebrate education and imagination. KidsOutAndAbout.com takes this opportunity to salute the wonderful children's librarians who serve our community with such dedication. They're proud that locals voted them #3 in best places to take kids this year!
6. Science Mill
Discover the fun of science at the Science Mill in Johnson City! This family destination offers a fun, interactive learning environment for all ages. Through cutting-edge exhibits and educational programs, the museum expands understanding and appreciation of science in everyday life. Housed in an historic 1880s mill, the Science Mill features more than 50 interactive, world-class outdoor and indoor exhibits. Visit http://sciencemill.org to learn more and plan your visit.
7. 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!
8. 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.
9. Schlitterbahn Waterpark
Schlitterbahn New Braunfels is on every summer bucket list for things to do near San Antonio or across the great state of Texas. The World's Best Waterpark provides a staggering variety of river rides, pools, waterslides, and adventures from mild to wild. With four distinct sections, any single area of Schlitterbahn is as large as most regional waterparks. Every section contains a swim-up bar, not-so lazy river, a children’s area, and unique signature attractions.
10. The Georgetown Palace Theatre
The Georgetown Palace Theatre, Inc. is a non-profit organization dedicated to enhancing the quality of life in Georgetown and Williamson County by providing a venue for quality and affordable entertainment and educational opportunities in the performing arts.
11. Sweet Berry Farm
A pick your own Strawberry farm in the Spring and a Pumpkin patch in the Fall. Loads of family fun.
12. Texas Science & Natural History Museum
Texas Science & Natural History Museum on the campus of UT Austin engages, excites, and connects curious minds of all ages to the unique and irreplaceable natural history of the State of Texas. The museum tells the story of life in the natural world in Texas from the formation of our planet, through the age of the dinosaurs, into our current environment and showcases advanced research being done at The University that will make a positive impact on life in the future.
13. Pinballz Arcade
The Original Pinballz Arcade in Austin is the birthplace of Pinballz. Opened in 2010 after the owner’s personal collection started to get out of hand, the Burnet location has quenched Austin’s thirst for pinball machines and classic arcades ever since. The Original Pinballz Arcade features our largest selection of classic pinball machines, a terrific variety of modern games, and a wide variety of ticket and redemption/award gaming fun.
With tasty fare and soft drinks available from our Replay Cafe, and a customer-friendly BYOB policy, The Original Pinballz Arcade is the perfect choice for your next birthday celebration, company meet-up, or date night.
14. Rock’N River Water Park
Something Big Just Got Bigger! Come see the NEW expanded Rock’N River Water Park! The Rock’N River expansion is complete and the park is now more than double in size with exciting new attractions for the entire family!
15. Dinosaur Park
The Dinosaur Park features a unique outdoor museum setting. While most museums have dinosaur skeletons, our realistic life-size dinosaur replicas show skin and color variations to give a better understanding as to how they looked when alive. These statues range in size from the 2-foot long Compsognathus to the 123-foot Diplodocus, the longest dinosaur that ever lived. As you walk through a tree-lined nature trail the dinosaurs sit back from the trail, situated among plants, trees and rocks, making it easy to imagine real dinosaurs in a natural environment.
16. H-E-B Center at Cedar Park
H-E-B Center at Cedar Park is a multi-use, city-owned entertainment facility that holds 6,778 seats for hockey, 7,200 for basketball and up to 8,700 for concerts and other events.
19. Urban Air Adventure Park
Cedar Park and Bee CaveIf you’re looking for the best year-round indoor amusements in Austin, Urban Air Trampoline and Adventure park is the perfect place. With new adventures behind every corner, we are the ultimate indoor playground for your entire family. Take your kids’ birthday party to the next level or spend a day of fun with the family and you’ll see why we’re more than just a trampoline park.
20. YMCA
Play together and stay together at the Greater Austin YMCA, because the Y is your home for family fun. Better health, a caring community and a nurturing place for kids – you’ll find it all at the Y. Fitness and family events, swimming and summer caps, youth sports, dance, gymnastics and child care. The possibilities are endless at eight area locations. Visit www.AustinYMCA.org for details.
Winners in Special Categories
In the second part of our survey, we asked readers to select their favorites in several categories. Here were their choices.Top Arts Educator: Creative Action
Creative Action is an arts-education organization that uses the arts to inspire the next generation of artists, thought leaders, and change makers. They believe that the key to a better future for everyone lies in cultivating creativity, confidence, courage, and critical thinking in our young people—and equipping them to meet any challenge with innovative solutions.
Top Sports Educator: Goldfish Swim School
Swimming Lessons in Northwest HillsHelping Children of All Ages Learn the Joys of Swimming
Learning to swim can be a fun pastime, but it can also be an important and life-saving skill. At Goldfish Swim School - Northwest Hills, we believe every child should learn the joys of swimming and how to stay safe in the water. We offer holistic and engaging swimming lessons for kids ages 4 months to 12 years.
Top STEM Educator: Thinkery
Thinkery is Austin’s home for “why” and “how.” Thinkery offers 40,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor exhibits and programs hosted throughout the community to let children and families to learn through play. Thinkery is a STEAM* engine to power kids’ imagination, creativity, and love of learning! It’s a place where science and families play side by side and people connect with ideas by doing, making and experiencing. *(STEAM=Science, technology, engineering, arts, and math)
