Austin with children
Jul 8th, 2007, 08:06 PM
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2007
Posts: 5
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Austin with children
I will be in the Austin/Georgetown area in July with three young boys (ages 10, 4, and 2) and I would appreciate any suggestions on activities you think they could enjoy together. We are planning a day trip to Sea World in San Antonio, but other than that, I do not want to spend a lot of time in the car (i.e., more than an hour each way). I would especially like to explore some of the beautiful state parks this area is known for, but I am not sure which ones are best suited for young children.
Jul 9th, 2007, 04:27 AM
#3
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 2,566
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
They will LOVE Inner Space Cavern just north of Austin in Georgetown! The cavern has excellent guided tours.
Also, Enchanted Rock State Park near Llano would be a good day trip. There are very tame deer there that will sometimes eat from your hand, and lots of easy hikes.
Also, Enchanted Rock State Park near Llano would be a good day trip. There are very tame deer there that will sometimes eat from your hand, and lots of easy hikes.
Jul 9th, 2007, 04:36 AM
#4
Join Date: Jun 2005
Posts: 4,039
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Years ago, when we used to visit Grandma with the kids, she'd take them to the Children's Museum. It would be perfect for the 4-year-old and 2-year-old, and I imagine the 10-year-old could find something fun to do there as well. A check of their website shows they have discounted, free and extended hours so you might want to look at it: http://www.austinkids.org/
Jul 9th, 2007, 05:08 AM
#6
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 2,254
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Hi Mom_C 
Welcome to Austin/Georgetown!
Pedernales Falls State Park would be a great excursion for you and the boys. Lots of exploring, climbing (even for the young'un), and maybe even a little rock throwing into the water! It may be more than your hour drive, but I think it would be worth it:
http://tinyurl.com/cexqq
The Austin Zoo may be small, but it makes a fun couple hours. Animals are always great for kids:
http://www.austinzoo.org
How about miniature golf, monkey bounce, or water wars? This is a fairly new amusement area, not far from where you'll be:
http://www.puttnfunn.com
Have fun!
Welcome to Austin/Georgetown!
Pedernales Falls State Park would be a great excursion for you and the boys. Lots of exploring, climbing (even for the young'un), and maybe even a little rock throwing into the water! It may be more than your hour drive, but I think it would be worth it:
http://tinyurl.com/cexqq
The Austin Zoo may be small, but it makes a fun couple hours. Animals are always great for kids:
http://www.austinzoo.org
How about miniature golf, monkey bounce, or water wars? This is a fairly new amusement area, not far from where you'll be:
http://www.puttnfunn.com
Have fun!
Jul 9th, 2007, 01:30 PM
#7
Join Date: May 2004
Posts: 1,418
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Along with Barton Springs pool, there's a train the rides around Zilker Park...and a nice shaded playground in that area. The pool closes when there's too much rain because of the run-off.
Inner Space is fun. It might be too much walking for the 2 and 4 yr old. I just took my 4 year old in June and had to carry him part of the way.
Deep Eddy is another pool in Austin - I've heard it's better suited for younger kids - you might check it out.
Sea World also has a waterpark attached - admission is for both, so plan to bring your swimsuits.
Inner Space is fun. It might be too much walking for the 2 and 4 yr old. I just took my 4 year old in June and had to carry him part of the way.
Deep Eddy is another pool in Austin - I've heard it's better suited for younger kids - you might check it out.
Sea World also has a waterpark attached - admission is for both, so plan to bring your swimsuits.
Jul 10th, 2007, 08:44 PM
#9
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2007
Posts: 5
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Thanks for all the great suggestions and useful links. Hopefully we won't get "rained out" from the outdoor activities. My kids love childrens' museums too though, so I'm excited to hear Austin has a nice one. I'll let you know how the trip goes.
Jul 13th, 2007, 09:22 AM
#10
Join Date: Jan 2006
Posts: 3,261
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Barton Springs pool is currently closed and there are several sections of the Hike and Bike Trail that are flooded. It's easy to detour around the flooded areas but probably not advisable if you'll have a stroller.
Jul 13th, 2007, 11:39 AM
#11
Join Date: Dec 2003
Posts: 965
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Here are a couple of other ideas in the Round Rock area which is between Georgetown and Austin.
Round Rock Express baseball- Minor league baseball at a very nice family friendly field. They also have a rock climbing wall and playground area for your older child. Tickets vary from $7-10, very reasonable for a sporting event.
Another place in the same area of Round Rock is called the Rockin River. It is in Old Settlers Park adjacent to the Express Field and it is a fairly new water park which I have heard is great for the kids.
Round Rock Express baseball- Minor league baseball at a very nice family friendly field. They also have a rock climbing wall and playground area for your older child. Tickets vary from $7-10, very reasonable for a sporting event.
Another place in the same area of Round Rock is called the Rockin River. It is in Old Settlers Park adjacent to the Express Field and it is a fairly new water park which I have heard is great for the kids.
Aug 8th, 2007, 11:58 AM
#13
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2007
Posts: 5
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Even with the rainy weather, we had a wonderful trip...thanks for all the great advice. This is what we ended up doing:
Day 1 (half-day): After resting from a morning of travel, we headed out to the Children's Museum downtown around 5 p.m. We took a break for dinner and then headed back to play until the museum closed (at 8 pm). We would not normally stay out this late with the kids, but we decided to see the bats under Congress bridge since it is within walking distance of the museum. The bats did not come out until 8:45 pm, but fortunately, we brought a blanket, so the kids just spread out and played for awhile until it got dark and the bats came out.
Day 2: Day trip to Sea World. The kids loved the waterpark area but were only mildly excited about the shows. I think they were the most excited about the toy sword souvenirs they got to bring home.
Day 3: After 2 jam-packed days, we decided day 3 needed to be a day of rest (in Georgetown). Our only excursion was the Inner Space Caverns which the kids really enjoyed. The tour was shortened due to flooding, but ended up being the perfect length for us (~45 minutes long). We spent the afternoon at a city pool.
Day 4: Another more relaxing day in Georgetown. Many thanks to "ilovetulips" for telling us about the Rockin River water park at Old Settlers' Park. What a great place for the kids (and quite a bargain since it is a community park)...they especially loved the lazy river. We headed back to downtown Austin in the evening for a nice dinner at Z's Tejas. After dinner we hiked up Mt. Bonnell.
Day 5: We spent the morning at Zilker Park (playing at the playground and riding the train). We also dipped our toes in Barton Springs. After lunch at the park, we packed up and headed home.
We had a great time and I can't wait to come back and try the other suggestions out. Thanks again!
Day 1 (half-day): After resting from a morning of travel, we headed out to the Children's Museum downtown around 5 p.m. We took a break for dinner and then headed back to play until the museum closed (at 8 pm). We would not normally stay out this late with the kids, but we decided to see the bats under Congress bridge since it is within walking distance of the museum. The bats did not come out until 8:45 pm, but fortunately, we brought a blanket, so the kids just spread out and played for awhile until it got dark and the bats came out.
Day 2: Day trip to Sea World. The kids loved the waterpark area but were only mildly excited about the shows. I think they were the most excited about the toy sword souvenirs they got to bring home.
Day 3: After 2 jam-packed days, we decided day 3 needed to be a day of rest (in Georgetown). Our only excursion was the Inner Space Caverns which the kids really enjoyed. The tour was shortened due to flooding, but ended up being the perfect length for us (~45 minutes long). We spent the afternoon at a city pool.
Day 4: Another more relaxing day in Georgetown. Many thanks to "ilovetulips" for telling us about the Rockin River water park at Old Settlers' Park. What a great place for the kids (and quite a bargain since it is a community park)...they especially loved the lazy river. We headed back to downtown Austin in the evening for a nice dinner at Z's Tejas. After dinner we hiked up Mt. Bonnell.
Day 5: We spent the morning at Zilker Park (playing at the playground and riding the train). We also dipped our toes in Barton Springs. After lunch at the park, we packed up and headed home.
We had a great time and I can't wait to come back and try the other suggestions out. Thanks again!
Aug 9th, 2007, 07:51 AM
#14
Join Date: Dec 2003
Posts: 965
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Mom_C, I am so glad that your family had a good time in the Austin area. After living here for 7 years I must say we have so many things to do whether you have kids or not. One quick question, what did you think of the Children's Musuem? My son is 15 months old and I have thought about taking him but I am not sure if he is too young.
Aug 9th, 2007, 02:55 PM
#16
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2007
Posts: 5
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
ilovetulips--
The Austin Children's Museum has a small fenced in area specifically for toddlers, so you could definitely bring your 15 month old. There is also a choo-choo train section upstairs that he would love (since there is an electric train circling the area). There are a lot of older children running around though, so you might have to carry him around parts of the museum. I found that at that age, my children were just thrilled to watch the bigger kids in action.
The Austin Children's Museum has a small fenced in area specifically for toddlers, so you could definitely bring your 15 month old. There is also a choo-choo train section upstairs that he would love (since there is an electric train circling the area). There are a lot of older children running around though, so you might have to carry him around parts of the museum. I found that at that age, my children were just thrilled to watch the bigger kids in action.
Thread
Original Poster
Forum
Replies
Last Post
MiamiBeachMomma
United States
24
Feb 28th, 2016 11:45 AM
