Your family will have a ton of amazing things to do in Austin. A vacation to the Texas state capital will treat your children to a kid-friendly trip filled with adventures like swimming, hiking, enjoying live music, experiencing the heart-pounding rush of racing, and wondering through history. Check out our favorite things to do in Austin!
Related: 10 Things to Do in Yosemite National Park
Things to Do in Austin on Family Vacations
Historic Tours
State Capitol – Whether you enjoy one of the many tour options or just stroll by this beautiful building, you won’t regret it. Tripadvisor hails a visit to the government building as the number one thing to do in Austin. If you are budget conscious, there is a free walking tour that has earned the high praise of past guests.
LBJ Presidential Library– This specialty museum is usually associated with the word “impressive.” Your family doesn’t have to be politically savvy to enjoy things like listening to conversations between Lyndon B. Johnson and Jaqueline Kennedy. For those families with special needs, the library is handicap accessible, too!
Kid-Approved Fun
Pinballz Arcade – Seemingly endless rows of pinball machines will delight true gamers. Over 100 pinball games makeup part of this huge arcade dedicated to family entertainment. After your kids have had their pinball fix, they can enjoy air hockey, skeeball, basketball, and driving games.
Escape Rooms – Sure they are trendy, but for good reason! Escape rooms challenge you and your family to work together to solve puzzles while having fun in a new way. If your kids love challenges and games – they will love this experience. The Escape Game in Austin is downtown and will have you working on team-building skills without even realizing it.
Outdoor Austin Activities
The Austin Zoo – This rescue-oriented zoo in Southwest Austin is different than your typical zoo. It’s smaller in size but offers a more personal experience. Your family can feed some of the animals including the llamas, deer, goats, and sheep. The animals are happier creatures, and the relaxed environment will give your family a new appreciation for wildlife.
Swim at Hamilton Pool Preserve in Travis County Parks – Think of it as nature’s swimming pool. Thanks to a collapsed underground river, a grotto that looks like a scene from a movie was brought to life. You can picnic or just swim in the stunning scenery your kids will never forget.
Zilker Park – If you need something to entertain younger children, enjoy an old time train ride through the park. Preschoolers and elementary kids will love the playscape and pool. Don’t be surprised if a visit to the park becomes a traditional stop for your family. Playing is free, but bring some cash for the train ride.
There is nothing like teaching kids about history firsthand, and Texas is a great place to have that educational family trip. Beyond the rich culture and gorgeous government buildings, there is plenty of fun things to do in Austin. The real challenge will be try to decide which family-friendly activity to do during your Lone Star State vacation.
My fiance and I are going to Austin to visit his cousin and his cousin’s family in about a week… He told me it’s purely a culinary tour. I have absolutely NO PROBLEM with that… But perhaps we will squeeze in a little ZOO time as well! ;)
Austin is such a fun city! My sister lives there and we take my daughter all the time. Plenty of kid friendly activities
Wonderful list! I’ve been wanting to visit Austin for ages. I’m going to hold onto this post for reference.
I’ve never been to austin but I would love to visit sometime! Ill have to bookmark this for when I visit
I haven’t made it to Austin yet but if I do get a chance to visit there, I would love to go to the Austin Zoo to feed the deer. I went to a place to feed the deer years ago and I loved it.
I’ve never heard of an Escape Room. I’d love to try one, that sounds very cool!
This looks like a great place to take the Family!
Thanks for the great places to visit. I know my girls would love to visit the zoo and the pool.
Austin is such a huge place, I can see why there’s a lot to see there. Thanks for sharing these vacation spots.
That’s the itinerary right there! Thanks for all these wonderful activities!
It sounds like there are so many amazing things to do in Austin! The zoo totally catches my interest. Maybe I’ll get to visit one day.