Kid-friendly ways to spend your time in Austin.
While Austin is known for its music and downtown scene, it is kid-friendly city. Read through these ideas to find out what the city offers for children and young adults.
Take your young ones to Kiddie Acres, an amusement park that's open everyday, year round. The rides include a carousel, ferris wheel and a train. There's also an eighteen-hole miniature golf course. Doors open at noon. Wednesday is discount day, and Sunday is Grandparent's Day, meaning rides and golf tickets are sold at group rates, $1/ticket. Kiddie Acres also offers a U.S. Military Discount if you show an I.D. There's also carnival style fare, like popcorn, nachos, cotton candy, and pizza. Kiddie Acres is at 4800 W. Howard Lane.
The Austin Children's Museum is another great place for kids up to about eight years old. Permanent exhibits are suited for kids of different ages. For example, Splish, which teaches kids about fish, is recommended for 2-5 year olds. Austin Kiddie Limits, where kids can get onstage and do karaoke to one of twelve Texas artists, is probably more suited for older kids. In Exploration Station, children do hands-on activities that involve creative thinking. Babies will love the Rising Star Ranch. Intended for children under two, it has tons of places to crawl, flower beds to see, and there's even a textured floor to be explored. The museum also has rotating exhibits. Tickets are $5.50/person, $3.50 for children under two. Children under twelve months get in free. It is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. Sunday's hours are from noon to 5 p.m. On Wednesday nights from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m., patron's admission is by donation. The Austin Children's Museum is located at 201 Colorado Street in downtown. If you park in the AMLI garage on Lavaca Street, the rate for museum visitors is reduced to $4 during weekdays. On weekends, parking is free during the day.
Kids of all ages will enjoy Peter Pan Miniature Golf course. A fifteen-foot statue made in the fairytale character's image greets customers. Choose to play 18 holes for $5 or 36 holes for $7. There are two courses, all with some sort of obstacle to overcome. It's packed on weekend nights, so if you don't want to wait, go in the afternoon. Find Peter Pan Miniature Golf course at 1207 Barton Springs Road, just outside of downtown.
Take your kids to the Congress Street bridge on summer nights at dusk. There's an enormous bat colony that lives under the bridge and they take flight when the sun starts setting. It's a great, free activity that you can enjoy before heading to dinner. Parking is free at the Austin American Statesman.
Weather permitting, your family can rent canoes to float on Town Lake. On weekdays, Zilker Park Boat Rentals is open at 11 a.m., weekends at 9 a.m. Prices run $10/hour. You can find Zilker Park Boat Rentals within Zilker Park, which is between MoPac and Lamar Street. Call for specific directions and to ensure they are open; when Austin experiences heavy rainfall, the trails and lakes can be closed to the public for safety reasons. Visit their web site for a coupon that can be used during non-peak hours.
Also nestled within Zilker Park is the Barton Springs Pool, a natural swimming hole that stays a chilly 68 degrees year round. Adults and kids love to swim and snorkel in the water. It's 1000 x 125 feet, so there's plenty of room to play. A hilly, grassy surrounding is the perfect place to sit and rest, if you can get them out of the water! Tickets are cheap: $3 for adults, $1 for kids, but they only accept cash. You'll pay to park, too. The physical address is 2100 Barton Springs Road, but once you enter the park, you can follow the signs to get to the pool.
Families can see over 400 animals at the Austin Zoo. Lions, tigers, bears, primates, deer, wolves, and cougars are just a few of the types of creatures you can expect to see. There's also a petting zoo where children can interact with tame animals. You can even buy feed to give these animals a treat. There is also a train ride that explores 1.5 miles of the Austin hills. Tickets to ride the train are $2.25. The Austin Zoo suggests visitors wear comfortable clothes and shoes, but not sandals or heels. The Austin Zoo is open from 10-6 p.m. daily, except on Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day. Adult tickets are $6, students pay $5, children ages 2-12 and senior tickets are $4, and kids under 2 get in free. The zoo is located at 10807 Rawhide Trail, off of Highway 290.
Twenty miles outside of Austin, your family can explore the Inner Space Cavern. A Texas Highway Department construction crew, found the hidden cavern in 1963. Children and adults will be amazed at the beauty of this geologic wonder. Younger ones will enjoy panning for gems. There's also a fossil display, picnic grounds, and a play area. Choose between two guided tours, one trail is 3/4 of a mile, the other is 1.2 miles. Tickets for the shorter tour are $12.95/adult, $6.95/child. The longer trail costs $18.50/adults, $10.50/kids. Children 3 and under get in free. Their Web site has coupons that are only good for the shorter trail. The Inner Space Cavern in Georgetown is on the frontage road off of Exit 259 on I-35. From Austin, head north. You can't miss it.
At Playland Skate Center, kids and adults can lace up roller skates or roller blades and cruise the 27,500 foot floor. Music and light shows make the experience even more fun. The ticket price and hours of operation are as follows. Tuesday: $5 from 4-6 p.m., Friday: $5 from 4-6 p.m., $6 from 7-11 p.m., Saturday: $5.50 from 3-11 p.m., Sunday: $5.50 from 2-5 p.m. Playland Skate Center is at 8822 McCann Drive.
Blazer Tag combines hide-and-go-seek with technology. Adults and kids can suit up in vest and carry virtual phaser and are usually assigned to one of two teams (if there are less than 14 players, each player is on their own). They use the phaser, which emits a visible light beam, to "tag" opponents, and avoid being "tagged" yourself. At the end of each game, players receive a scorecard that shows how many successful hits they received, as well as what team won. The action takes place in a gigantic indoor maze that has various ramps and bridges, so wear comfortable shoes. The music, fog, and lighting will get everyone into the game. Games usually last 15 minutes, but on Monday's, games are 25 minutes long. There are workers supervising during each game. Games are $7 each. Groups of ten or more only pay $5.25/game, but must pay together. Blazer Tag is at 1701 W. Ben White.
Anyone from ages 12-18 can spend Friday night literally climbing the walls. Austin Rock Gym teaches kids how to climb using provided ropes, shoes and gear, and it also serves a pizza dinner, all for $19.95. Parents can drop kids off starting at 5 p.m. Pick up is at 9 p.m. The gym advises kids to wear comfortable clothes and bring extra money in case they want extra snacks or drinks. Austin Rock Gym is located at 4401 Freidrich Lane, Suite 300. Parents can call for information, but no reservation is needed.
Finally, here are a few local, kid-friendly places to eat: Hut's Hamburgers, Mangia Pizza, Shady Grove, Chuy's, Thundercloud Subs, and Stubb's BBQ. And if they're good, take them to Amy's Ice Cream for dessert.
