Things to Do 1–2 Hours from Austin with Kids
22 kid-friendly adventures about 1 to 2 hours from Austin, nearest first.
- Under 1 hour (47)
- 1-2 hours (22)
- 2-3 hours (16)
- 3-4 hours (43)
About these times. Each estimate is a straight-line measurement from downtown Austin, padded by 17% for winding roads and divided by a 55 mph average — so “about 1 to 2 hours” means roughly that, not a routed time. Traffic, where in Austin you start, and the last few miles of park road can all move it by half an hour. Check a map before you load the car.
about 1 hr drive
Guadalupe River State Park
Spring Branch, TX
SwimmingCypress-lined Guadalupe River swimming with guided paddles and hikes. Paid entry. Best from about …
about 1 hr drive
Guadalupe River State Park Camping
Spring Branch, TX
CampingFour miles of cypress-lined Guadalupe River frontage with drive-up and walk-in campsites, forty-five …
about 1 hr 15 min drive
Palmetto State Park
Gonzales, TX
HikingTropical palmetto forest and warm springs along the San Marcos River. Paid entry. Best from about …
about 1 hr 30 min drive
Enchanted Rock State Natural Area
Fredericksburg, TX
HikingIconic granite dome summit scramble with 360-degree Hill Country views. Paid entry. Best from about …
about 1 hr 30 min drive
Enchanted Rock Walk-In Camping
Fredericksburg, TX
CampingWalk-in tent sites and primitive backcountry camping at the granite dome, and the reliable way in …
about 1 hr 30 min drive
Lady Bird Johnson Municipal Park Camping
Fredericksburg, TX
CampingCity-run RV and tent camping ten minutes from Main Street, the practical base for Enchanted Rock and …
about 1 hr 30 min drive
Enchanted Springs Ranch
Boerne, TX
NatureOld West ranch with pony rides and rescued exotic animals. Paid entry. Works from toddler age. About …
about 1 hr 30 min drive
Colorado Bend State Park
Bend, TX
Hiking70-foot Gorman Falls waterfall with spring-fed swimming holes. Paid entry. Best from about age 4. …
about 1 hr 30 min drive
Colorado Bend State Park Camping
Bend, TX
CampingRustic no-hookup river camping down six miles of gravel road, with Gorman Falls and guided wild cave …
about 1 hr 30 min drive
Guadalupe River at Horseshoe Falls
Comfort, TX
SwimmingNatural horseshoe waterfall on the Guadalupe River near Comfort. Free. Best from about age 3. About …
about 1 hr 30 min drive
Lake Somerville State Park & Trailway
Somerville, TX
CampingTwo-unit park connected by 21-mile trail with lake swimming. Paid entry. Works from toddler age. A …
about 1 hr 30 min drive
Briscoe Western Art Museum
San Antonio, TX
MuseumCompact Western art museum on the San Antonio River Walk with a stagecoach, saddles, historic …
about 1 hr 30 min drive
Eisenhower Park
San Antonio, TX
HikingObservation tower and six miles of trails with playground. Free. Best from about age 3. About two …
about 1 hr 30 min drive
Friedrich Wilderness Park
San Antonio, TX
HikingFree 600-acre Hill Country hiking on the edge of San Antonio. Free. Best from about age 4. About two …
about 1 hr 30 min drive
Government Canyon State Natural Area
San Antonio, TX
Hiking40 miles of trails with dinosaur tracks in the limestone. Paid entry. Best from about age 5. A …
about 1 hr 30 min drive
Natural Bridge Caverns
San Antonio, TX
NatureLargest Texas cavern with ropes course and outdoor maze above ground. Paid entry. Best from about …
about 1 hr 30 min drive
Phil Hardberger Park
San Antonio, TX
HikingLand bridge and world-class nature playscape in San Antonio. Free. Works from toddler age. About two …
about 1 hr 30 min drive
SEA LIFE San Antonio Aquarium
San Antonio, TX
AquariumSmall River Walk aquarium in San Antonio with a walk-through ray and shark tunnel plus supervised …
about 1 hr 30 min drive
San Antonio Museum of Art
San Antonio, TX
MuseumArt museum in a castle-like former brewery on San Antonio's Museum Reach, holding mummies, Roman …
about 1 hr 30 min drive
The DoSeum
San Antonio, TX
Indoor-PlaySan Antonio children's museum with a multi-story climber, a robot lab, a mock vet clinic and a …
about 1 hr 30 min drive
Witte Museum
San Antonio, TX
MuseumSan Antonio natural history museum with a dinosaur gallery and dig pit, Texas wildlife dioramas and …
about 1 hr 30 min drive
Mother Neff State Park
Moody, TX
HikingFirst Texas state park with limestone sinkhole pool and historic CCC buildings. Paid entry. Best …