Summer Adventures with Kids in Texas

Austin, TX

Barton Springs Pool

Iconic 3-acre spring-fed pool in Zilker Park at 68 degrees year-round. Paid entry. Best from about age 3. A half-day trip.

Swimming
Ages 3+
~3h
Paid

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

Burnet, TX

Inks Lake State Park

Spring-fed lake swimming and cliff jumping at Devil's Waterhole. Paid entry. Best from about age 3. A half-day trip. Dogs welcome.

Swimming
Ages 3+
~4h
Paid

Concan, TX

Garner State Park

Legendary Frio River swimming and summer dances in the Hill Country. Paid entry. Best from about age 3. Easily a full day.

Swimming
Ages 3+
~5h
Paid

Corpus Christi, TX

Padre Island National Seashore

70 miles of wild beach with sea turtle releases and shell hunting. Paid entry. Best from about age 3. Easily a full day.

Camping
Ages 3+
~5h
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

Glen Rose, TX

Fossil Rim Wildlife Center

Drive-through safari park near Glen Rose TX where kids hand-feed giraffes from the car - 1,800 acres of zebras, cheetahs, rhinos and 50+ species

Nature
Ages 2+
~3h
Paid

Little Elm, TX

Little Elm Beach

Sandy lake beach on Lewisville Lake with roped swim area and free life jacket loans. Free. Best from about age 3. A half-day trip.

Swimming
Ages 3+
~4h
Free

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 Aquarium

Hands-on north Austin aquarium where kids feed stingrays, touch sea stars in shallow pools and walk into a bird aviary with nectar cups.

Aquarium
Ages 2+
~2h
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

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

Bull Creek Greenbelt

Shallow limestone creek pools perfect for toddler wading. Free. Best from about age 3. About two hours. Dogs welcome. Easy going.

Swimming
Ages 3+
~2h
Free

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

Emma Long Metropolitan Park

Sandy Lake Austin swimming beach and lakeside camping inside Austin city limits - entry $5-$10 per vehicle, campsites reservable online

Swimming
Ages 3+
~4h
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

Thinkery

Austin children's museum built for hands-on play, with water tables, a light and shadow lab, a maker studio and a baby-only zone.

Science
Ages 1+
~3h
Paid

Balmorhea, TX

Balmorhea State Park

Crystal-clear 1.75-acre spring-fed pool with snorkeling in West Texas. Paid entry. Best from about age 3. A half-day trip.

Swimming
Ages 3+
~3h
Paid

Bastrop, TX

Bastrop State Park

Lost Pines hiking with swimming pool and Junior Rangers. Paid entry. Best from about age 3. A half-day trip. Dogs welcome.

Hiking
Ages 3+
~4h
Paid

Bastrop, TX

Bastrop State Park Cabins

Historic 1930s CCC stone cabins among the Lost Pines east of Austin, among the hardest reservations in the Texas park system

Lodging
Ages 1+
Overnight
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

Blanco, TX

Blanco State Park

Small-town river swimming and tubing perfect for young children. Paid entry. Works from toddler age. A half-day trip. Stroller-friendly.

Swimming
Ages 2+
~3h
Paid

Blanco, TX

Blanco State Park Camping

Compact CCC-era campground under pecan trees on the Blanco River, one of the gentlest first camping trips in the Hill Country

Camping
Ages 1+
Overnight
Paid

Burnet, TX

Inks Lake State Park Camping and Cabins

Waterfront campsites and small cabins on a constant-level lake with pink granite shoreline and the Devils Waterhole swimming cove

Camping
Ages 2+
Overnight
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

Caddo, TX

Possum Kingdom State Park

Clear blue lake swimming and canyon trail hiking. Paid entry. Best from about age 3. A half-day trip. Dogs welcome. Moderate effort.

Swimming
Ages 3+
~4h
Paid

Cedar Hill, TX

Cedar Hill State Park

Family-friendly state park on Joe Pool Lake just 20 minutes from Dallas - swimming, hiking, camping, and mountain biking for all ages

Hiking
Ages 3+
~4h
Paid

Comfort, TX

Guadalupe River at Horseshoe Falls

Natural horseshoe waterfall on the Guadalupe River near Comfort. Free. Best from about age 3. About two hours. Dogs welcome.

Swimming
Ages 3+
~2h
Free

Concan, TX

Garner State Park Camping and Cabins

Cypress-shaded campsites, screened shelters and CCC cabins along the Frio River at the most in-demand family park in Texas

Camping
Ages 2+
Overnight
Paid

Daingerfield, TX

Daingerfield State Park

Stunning fall foliage and family lake swimming at a hidden East Texas gem - camping, fishing, paddleboats, and easy trails through hardwood forests

Camping
Ages 2+
~3h
Paid

Dallas, TX

Dallas Museum of Art

Free-admission art museum in the Dallas Arts District with a hands-on kids studio, Egyptian artifacts and ancient American gold galleries.

Museum
Ages 3+
~2h
Free

Dallas, TX

Dallas World Aquarium

Descend through an indoor rainforest of sloths, toucans and monkeys to a shark tunnel and manatees in downtown Dallas. Great rainy-day pick.

Aquarium
Ages 1+
~2h
Paid

Dallas, TX

Frontiers of Flight Museum

Hangar museum at Dallas Love Field with thirty-plus aircraft, the Apollo 7 capsule, flight simulators and cockpits kids can climb into.

Museum
Ages 3+
~2h
Paid

Dallas, TX

Perot Museum of Nature and Science

Five floors of hands-on science in downtown Dallas with dinosaur skeletons, an earthquake simulator, and a toddler discovery floor.

Science
Ages 2+
~3h
Paid

Denison, TX

Eisenhower State Park

Blufftop trails and lake swimming on Lake Texoma. Paid entry. Best from about age 3. A half-day trip. Dogs welcome. Moderate effort.

Camping
Ages 3+
~4h
Paid

Eustace, TX

Purtis Creek State Park

Stocked catch-and-release lake where kids always catch fish. Paid entry. Best from about age 3. A half-day trip. Dogs welcome.

Fishing
Ages 3+
~4h
Paid

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

Fort Worth Museum of Science and History

Fort Worth science museum with a toddler wing, a dinosaur dig pit, water play, a dome theater and Noble Planetarium star shows.

Science
Ages 1+
~4h
Paid

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

Trinity Trails

Over 100 miles of paved family-friendly trails along the Trinity River in Fort Worth - free biking, walking, and nature right in the city

Biking
Ages 2+
~2h
Free

Fredericksburg, TX

Enchanted Rock Walk-In Camping

Walk-in tent sites and primitive backcountry camping at the granite dome, and the reliable way in when the day-use gate closes

Camping
Ages 6+
Overnight
Paid

Fredericksburg, TX

Lady Bird Johnson Municipal Park Camping

City-run RV and tent camping ten minutes from Main Street, the practical base for Enchanted Rock and the Fredericksburg peach stands

Camping
Ages 2+
Overnight
Paid

Frisco, TX

Limestone Quarry Park

Former quarry with exposed limestone walls and prairie wildflowers. Free. Works from toddler age. About an hour. Dogs welcome.

Nature
Ages 2+
~1h
Free

Frisco, TX

Museum of the American Railroad

Frisco rail museum with full-size steam locomotives, a Pullman sleeper and vintage passenger cars that kids can walk right through.

Museum
Ages 2+
~2h
Paid

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

Galveston, TX

Galveston Island State Park

Beach camping and bay-side kayaking at Galveston Island State Park - coastal wetlands, birding trails, and family-friendly camping steps from the Gulf

Camping
Ages 2+
~4h
Paid

Galveston, TX

Moody Gardens

Three glass pyramids in Galveston holding an aquarium with penguins, an indoor rainforest with sloths, and a 3D theater.

Aquarium
Ages 2+
~5h
Paid

Galveston, TX

Sea Star Base Galveston

A nonprofit maritime base on Offatts Bayou with a 39-boat fleet, week-long summer camps and a Saturday learn-to-sail track.

Sailing
Ages 8+
~6h
Paid

Galveston, TX

Stewart Beach

Lifeguarded family beach with rentals and food on Galveston Island. Paid entry. Works from toddler age. A half-day trip.

Swimming
Ages 2+
~4h
Paid

Georgetown, TX

Garey Park

525-acre river park with trails and splash pad in Georgetown. Paid entry. Works from toddler age. A half-day trip. Stroller-friendly.

Hiking
Ages 2+
~3h
Paid

Georgetown, TX

Inner Space Cavern

Walk through an Ice Age cave 30 minutes from Austin. Paid entry. Best from about age 3. About two hours. Easy going.

Nature
Ages 3+
~2h
Paid

Georgetown, TX

San Gabriel Park

Award-winning playscape and river trail in Georgetown. Free. Works from toddler age. About two hours. Stroller-friendly.

Biking
Ages 2+
~2h
Free

Gonzales, TX

Palmetto State Park

Tropical palmetto forest and warm springs along the San Marcos River. Paid entry. Best from about age 3. About two hours.

Hiking
Ages 3+
~2h
Paid

Grapevine, TX

Grapevine Junior Sailing Club

A nonprofit club on Lake Grapevine running two-week RS Zest dinghy camps, booked through city parks and rec. Ages 8 to 15.

Sailing
Ages 8+
~7h
Paid

Grapevine, TX

Great Wolf Lodge Grapevine

Indoor water park hotel in Grapevine kept at 84 degrees year-round, with body slides, a wave pool, a lazy river, an arcade and a ropes course.

Swimming
Ages 1+
Overnight
Paid

Grapevine, TX

LEGOLAND Discovery Center Dallas Fort Worth

Indoor LEGO play center at Grapevine Mills with build zones, two rides, a 4D cinema, soft play and a MINILAND model of DFW landmarks.

Indoor Play
Ages 2+
~3h
Paid

Grapevine, TX

Meadowmere Park

Sandy beach swimming on Lake Grapevine with playground and camping. Paid entry. Works from toddler age. A half-day trip.

Swimming
Ages 2+
~3h
Paid

Grapevine, TX

SEA LIFE Grapevine Aquarium

Mall aquarium in Grapevine with eye-level tanks, touch pools and a walk-through shark and ray tunnel, sized right for little kids.

Aquarium
Ages 1+
~1h
Paid

Houston, TX

Children's Museum Houston

Top-ranked Houston children's museum with a kid-run city, a giant water play zone, an invention lab and a separate toddler area.

Indoor Play
Ages 1+
~4h
Paid

Houston, TX

Downtown Aquarium Houston

Downtown Houston aquarium with a shark tunnel, swamp alligators and white tigers, plus a small ride midway and Ferris wheel outside.

Aquarium
Ages 2+
~3h
Paid

Houston, TX

Houston Museum of Natural Science

Houston natural history museum with action-posed dinosaurs, a walk-in butterfly rainforest, real mummies and a domed planetarium.

Museum
Ages 2+
~4h
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 Trammel Crossing

Historic river crossing with natural wading pools away from the crowds. Paid entry. Best from about age 3. About two hours.

Swimming
Ages 3+
~2h
Paid

Johnson City, TX

Pedernales River Nature Park

Quiet Pedernales River swimming with limestone wading pools. Paid entry. Best from about age 3. About two hours. Dogs welcome.

Swimming
Ages 3+
~2h
Paid

Junction, TX

South Llano River State Park

Crystal-clear spring-fed river for family swimming and tubing near Junction TX - camping under pecan groves with excellent wildlife viewing

Camping
Ages 3+
~4h
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

Lumberton, TX

Village Creek State Park

Tannin-clear creek paddling through Big Thicket sandbars. Paid entry. Best from about age 3. A half-day trip. Dogs welcome.

Kayaking
Ages 3+
~4h
Paid

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

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

Pflugerville, TX

Lake Pflugerville Park

Free lake beach with swim area and 3-mile paved loop. Free. Works from toddler age. A half-day trip. Stroller-friendly. Dogs welcome.

Swimming
Ages 2+
~3h
Free

Pilot Point, TX

Ray Roberts Lake State Park

Sandy beach swimming, kids fishing pond, and lakeside camping at Ray Roberts Lake - a big North Texas family destination near Pilot Point

Camping
Ages 2+
~5h
Paid

Plano, TX

Crayola Experience Plano

Two floors of hands-on art stations in Plano where kids name their own crayon, melt wax into art and take home everything they make.

Indoor Play
Ages 2+
~3h
Paid

Rockport, TX

Rockport Yacht Club Learn to Sail

An eight-day June learn-to-sail program on Aransas Bay, small classes, with a published non-member rate. Paid. Ages 8 to 17.

Sailing
Ages 8+
~6h
Paid

Sabine Pass, TX

Sea Rim State Park

Gulf beach meets freshwater marsh with paddling trails and boardwalks. Paid entry. Best from about age 3. A half-day trip.

Kayaking
Ages 3+
~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

SEA LIFE San Antonio Aquarium

Small River Walk aquarium in San Antonio with a walk-through ray and shark tunnel plus supervised touch pools, about an hour end to end.

Aquarium
Ages 1+
~1h
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 Antonio, TX

The DoSeum

San Antonio children's museum with a multi-story climber, a robot lab, a mock vet clinic and a toddler-scale town with its own market.

Indoor Play
Ages 1+
~3h
Paid

San Antonio, TX

Witte Museum

San Antonio natural history museum with a dinosaur gallery and dig pit, Texas wildlife dioramas and a four-story body adventure.

Museum
Ages 2+
~4h
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

Spicewood, TX

Krause Springs

Spring-fed pools under ancient cypress trees with camping. Paid entry. Best from about age 3. A half-day trip. Easy going.

Swimming
Ages 3+
~3h
Paid

Spicewood, TX

Krause Springs Camping

Camp above a spring-fed swimming hole and rope swing on a family-owned Hill Country property, with the water to yourself at dawn

Camping
Ages 3+
Overnight
Paid

Spicewood, TX

Pace Bend Park

Rocky limestone coves and cliff jumping on Lake Travis. Paid entry. Best from about age 3. A half-day trip. Dogs welcome.

Swimming
Ages 3+
~4h
Paid

Spring Branch, TX

Guadalupe River State Park

Cypress-lined Guadalupe River swimming with guided paddles and hikes. Paid entry. Best from about age 3. A half-day trip.

Swimming
Ages 3+
~4h
Paid

Spring Branch, TX

Guadalupe River State Park Camping

Four miles of cypress-lined Guadalupe River frontage with drive-up and walk-in campsites, forty-five minutes north of San Antonio

Camping
Ages 2+
Overnight
Paid

Tatum, TX

Martin Creek Lake State Park

Year-round warm-water fishing with unique island campsites in East Texas - a hidden gem for family fishing trips and peaceful lake paddling

Fishing
Ages 3+
~4h
Paid

Tuscola, TX

Abilene State Park

Spring-fed swimming pool under pecan trees in West Texas. Paid entry. Works from toddler age. A half-day trip. Dogs welcome.

Swimming
Ages 2+
~3h
Paid

Tyler, TX

Tyler State Park

Spring-fed lake swimming with a sandy beach, paddleboat rentals, and 13 miles of piney-woods trails at CCC-era Tyler State Park in East Texas

Swimming
Ages 2+
~4h
Paid

Whitney, TX

Lake Whitney State Park

White limestone shoreline swimming and easy trails on Lake Whitney. Paid entry. Works from toddler age. A half-day trip.

Camping
Ages 2+
~4h
Paid

Wimberley, TX

Blue Hole Regional Park

Spring-fed swimming hole with a famous rope swing under bald cypress trees in Wimberley TX - summer swimming requires advance reservations

Swimming
Ages 3+
~3h
Paid

Wimberley, TX

Jacob's Well Natural Area

Crystal-clear artesian spring near Wimberley TX with three miles of free trails. Swimming is cancelled; the well overlook stays open.

Hiking
Ages 6+
~2h
Free