Bend, TX
Colorado Bend State Park
70-foot Gorman Falls waterfall with spring-fed swimming holes. Paid entry. Best from about age 4. Easily a full day. Dogs welcome.
- Hiking
- Ages 4+
- ~5h
- Paid
Adventures for Preschoolers in Texas
We pulled these 50 preschooler adventures out of our full catalog of kid-friendly spots in Texas. Every listing has the ages it suits, what it costs, how long to budget, parking notes, and what to pack.
50 adventures found
Canyon, TX
Palo Duro Canyon State Park
Second-largest US canyon with the iconic Lighthouse Trail hike. Paid entry. Best from about age 4. A half-day trip. Moderate effort.
- Hiking
- Ages 4+
- ~4h
- Paid
Dripping Springs, TX
Hamilton Pool Preserve
A collapsed grotto with a 50-foot waterfall into a jade pool. Reservation required, and swimming is often closed after rain.
- Swimming
- Ages 5+
- ~2h
- Paid
Fredericksburg, TX
Enchanted Rock State Natural Area
Iconic granite dome summit scramble with 360-degree Hill Country views. Paid entry. Best from about age 4. A half-day trip.
- Hiking
- Ages 4+
- ~3h
- Paid
Arlington, TX
Viridian Sailing Center
A community sailing center on a small sheltered lake in Arlington where boats stay in sight of the dock. Annual passes and camps.
- Sailing
- Ages 5+
- ~4h
- Paid
Austin, TX
Austin Bouldering Project
Indoor bouldering gym in south Austin with colour-graded routes, padded floors and day passes with rental shoes for first-time kids.
- Rock Climbing
- Ages 5+
- ~2h
- Paid
Austin, TX
Austin Yacht Club
Lake Travis summer sailing camps on Picos, Sunfish and Flying Juniors, with a published non-member rate. Paid. Ages 8 to 16.
- Sailing
- Ages 5+
- ~8h
- Paid
Austin, TX
Barton Creek Greenbelt
12 miles of creek trails with swimming holes and bouldering in Austin. Free. Best from about age 5. A half-day trip. Dogs welcome.
- Hiking
- Ages 5+
- ~3h
- Free
Austin, TX
Blanton Museum of Art
UT Austin art museum whose Ellsworth Kelly stone chapel floods the floor with shifting colored light that kids instantly respond to.
- Museum
- Ages 4+
- ~2h
- Paid
Austin, TX
Bullock Texas State History Museum
Three floors of Texas history in downtown Austin anchored by a real 1686 shipwreck hull, plus an IMAX theater and weekend family days.
- Museum
- Ages 4+
- ~3h
- Paid
Austin, TX
Lady Bird Lake
Kayaking and paddleboarding on calm water through downtown Austin. Paid entry. Best from about age 4. About two hours. Easy going.
- Kayaking
- Ages 4+
- ~2h
- Paid
Austin, TX
Mount Bonnell
102-step climb to panoramic views over Lake Austin. Free. Best from about age 4. About an hour. Dogs welcome. Moderate effort.
- Hiking
- Ages 4+
- ~1h
- Free
Austin, TX
Wild Basin Wilderness Preserve
Peaceful woodland trails with a waterfall and nature programs. Paid entry. Best from about age 4. About an hour. Moderate effort.
- Hiking
- Ages 4+
- ~1h
- Paid
Bend, TX
Colorado Bend State Park Camping
Rustic no-hookup river camping down six miles of gravel road, with Gorman Falls and guided wild cave tours for older kids
- Camping
- Ages 5+
- Overnight
- Paid
Big Bend National Park, TX
Big Bend National Park
Spectacular desert mountains and canyons along the Rio Grande. Paid entry. Best from about age 5. Easily a full day. A tough one.
- Hiking
- Ages 5+
- ~8h
- Paid
Burnet, TX
Longhorn Cavern State Park
Kid-friendly guided cave tour near Burnet TX - walk a mile through cathedral-sized underground rooms formed by an ancient river, great for ages 4+
- Nature
- Ages 4+
- ~2h
- Paid
Burnet, TX
Reveille Peak Ranch
Granite bouldering and mountain biking near Burnet. Paid entry. Best from about age 5. Easily a full day. Moderate effort.
- Rock Climbing
- Ages 5+
- ~5h
- Paid
Cedar Creek, TX
McKinney Roughs Nature Park
1,100 acres with horseback riding and river trails along the Colorado. Paid entry. Best from about age 4. A half-day trip.
- Hiking
- Ages 4+
- ~3h
- Paid
Dallas, TX
Cedar Ridge Preserve
600 acres of rugged trails and scenic overlooks in Dallas. Free. Best from about age 4. About two hours. Dogs welcome. Moderate effort.
- Hiking
- Ages 4+
- ~2h
- Free
Dallas, TX
Trinity Forest Adventure Park
Aerial adventure park with zip lines and ropes courses in the treetops. Paid entry. Best from about age 4. A half-day trip.
- Aerial Adventure
- Ages 4+
- ~3h
- Paid
Decatur, TX
LBJ National Grasslands
20,000 acres of prairie with mountain biking and primitive camping. Free. Best from about age 4. A half-day trip. Dogs welcome.
- Hiking
- Ages 4+
- ~3h
- Free
Fort Davis, TX
Davis Mountains State Park
Cool mountain camping with skyline trail and historic pueblo lodge. Paid entry. Best from about age 4. A half-day trip. Moderate effort.
- Camping
- Ages 4+
- ~4h
- Paid
Fort Worth, TX
Gateway Park
Beginner-friendly mountain bike trails along the Trinity River. Free. Best from about age 5. About two hours. Dogs welcome.
- Mountain Biking
- Ages 5+
- ~2h
- Free
Fort Worth, TX
Kimbell Art Museum
Free permanent collection in a famous Louis Kahn building in Fort Worth, small enough for a one-hour gallery visit with young kids.
- Museum
- Ages 4+
- ~1h
- Free
Fort Worth, TX
National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame
Fort Worth museum of the women of the American West with a bucking bronc ride simulator, rodeo gear, saddles and Wild West costumes.
- Museum
- Ages 4+
- ~2h
- Paid
Fort Worth, TX
Tandy Hills Natural Area
Native prairie wildflowers and skyline views in Fort Worth. Free. Best from about age 4. About an hour. Dogs welcome. Moderate effort.
- Hiking
- Ages 4+
- ~1h
- Free
Frisco, TX
Frisco Rail District Murals
Colorful street murals along historic Main Street perfect for edgy senior portraits. Free. Best from about age 4. About an hour.
- Photography
- Ages 4+
- ~1h
- Free
Frisco, TX
National Videogame Museum
Frisco museum of video game history with a free-play 1980s arcade, playable consoles, and decade-by-decade living rooms.
- Indoor Play
- Ages 5+
- ~2h
- Paid
Georgetown, TX
Good Water Trail
26-mile lakeside trail with canyon overlooks and Hill Country terrain. Free. Best from about age 5. A half-day trip. Dogs welcome.
- Hiking
- Ages 5+
- ~3h
- Free
Glen Rose, TX
Rough Creek Lodge
Luxury family ranch resort with outdoor activities near Glen Rose. Paid entry. Best from about age 5. Plan to stay overnight.
- Camping
- Ages 5+
- Overnight
- Paid
Houston, TX
The Health Museum
Houston museum of the human body with a walk-through giant heart, a climb-in brain and a simulated operating room kids can try out.
- Science
- Ages 4+
- ~2h
- Paid
Johnson City, TX
Pedernales Falls State Park
Dramatic tilted limestone falls and river swimming in the Hill Country. Paid entry. Best from about age 4. A half-day trip.
- Hiking
- Ages 4+
- ~3h
- Paid
Karnack, TX
Caddo Lake State Park
Kayaking through a moss-draped cypress swamp on Texas' only natural lake. Paid entry. Best from about age 4. A half-day trip.
- Kayaking
- Ages 4+
- ~4h
- Paid
Kountze, TX
Big Thicket National Preserve
UNESCO Biosphere Reserve with nine converging ecosystems. Free. Best from about age 4. A half-day trip. Moderate effort.
- Hiking
- Ages 4+
- ~3h
- Free
McKinney, TX
Erwin Park
10 miles of DORBA-maintained mountain bike trails in McKinney TX with a beginner skills course, playground, and free primitive camping
- Mountain Biking
- Ages 4+
- ~3h
- Free
Mineral Wells, TX
Lake Mineral Wells State Park & Trailway
Natural rock climbing at Penitentiary Hollow plus lake swimming and trails. Paid entry. Best from about age 5. A half-day trip.
- Rock Climbing
- Ages 5+
- ~4h
- Paid
Mineral Wells, TX
Mineral Wells Fossil Park
Free fossil digging where kids keep 300-million-year-old marine specimens. Free. Best from about age 4. About two hours.
- Nature
- Ages 4+
- ~2h
- Free
New Braunfels, TX
Comal River Tubing
Gentle spring-fed tubing on the 2.5-mile Comal River in New Braunfels TX - tube rentals with shuttle service run about $15-25 per person
- Tubing
- Ages 4+
- ~2h
- Paid
Quitaque, TX
Caprock Canyons State Park & Trailway
Red rock canyons with free-roaming bison and a bat colony tunnel. Paid entry. Best from about age 4. A half-day trip. Moderate effort.
- Hiking
- Ages 4+
- ~4h
- Paid
San Angelo, TX
San Angelo State Park
50 miles of trails with Texas longhorn cattle on the reservoir. Paid entry. Best from about age 4. A half-day trip. Dogs welcome.
- Hiking
- Ages 4+
- ~3h
- Paid
San Antonio, TX
Briscoe Western Art Museum
Compact Western art museum on the San Antonio River Walk with a stagecoach, saddles, historic firearms and Native American artifacts.
- Museum
- Ages 5+
- ~1h
- Paid
San Antonio, TX
Friedrich Wilderness Park
Free 600-acre Hill Country hiking on the edge of San Antonio. Free. Best from about age 4. About two hours. Stroller-friendly.
- Hiking
- Ages 4+
- ~2h
- Free
San Antonio, TX
Government Canyon State Natural Area
40 miles of trails with dinosaur tracks in the limestone. Paid entry. Best from about age 5. A half-day trip. Moderate effort.
- Hiking
- Ages 5+
- ~3h
- Paid
San Antonio, TX
Natural Bridge Caverns
Largest Texas cavern with ropes course and outdoor maze above ground. Paid entry. Best from about age 4. A half-day trip.
- Nature
- Ages 4+
- ~3h
- Paid
San Antonio, TX
San Antonio Museum of Art
Art museum in a castle-like former brewery on San Antonio's Museum Reach, holding mummies, Roman glass and Latin American folk art.
- Museum
- Ages 4+
- ~2h
- Paid
San Marcos, TX
Rio Vista Park
Crystal-clear spring-fed river with natural falls for floating and swimming. Free. Best from about age 4. About two hours.
- Swimming
- Ages 4+
- ~2h
- Free
Spicewood, TX
Grelle Recreation Area
Uncrowded Lake Travis cove with wooded trails and swimming. Paid entry. Best from about age 4. A half-day trip. Dogs welcome.
- Hiking
- Ages 4+
- ~4h
- Paid
Vanderpool, TX
Lost Maples State Natural Area
Stunning fall foliage and limestone canyon trails along the Sabinal River. Paid entry. Best from about age 5. A half-day trip.
- Hiking
- Ages 5+
- ~4h
- Paid
Vanderpool, TX
Lost Maples State Natural Area Camping
Riverside campsites and hike-in primitive sites at the one Texas park with real fall color, and your guaranteed entry in November
- Camping
- Ages 4+
- Overnight
- Paid
Waco, TX
Cameron Park
Dramatic blufftop trails and hidden grottos above the Brazos River. Free. Best from about age 4. About two hours. Dogs welcome.
- Hiking
- Ages 4+
- ~2h
- Free