With kids · Austin · United States
Austin with kids
Family-tested sights, a calm base and the practical details that make travelling with children easier.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Margaretwmiller, CC BY-SA 3.0
Quick answer
Austin suits families who like outdoors and animals: the bat flight, Barton Springs and Deep Eddy pools, Zilker Park's miniature train and kayaking on the lake, plus the Bullock Museum and the Thinkery children's museum. Top picks: Congress Avenue Bridge bats, Barton Springs Pool and Zilker Park. Families usually base themselves in Zilker and Barton Hills.
Key facts
- Family picks
- 7
- Best area for families
- Zilker and Barton Hills
- Rainy-day options
- 1
- Busiest months
- March and October
Best things to do with kids
Experience · Downtown
1.Congress Avenue Bridge bats
Up to 1.5 million Mexican free-tailed bats live under the Ann W. Richards Congress Avenue Bridge from about March to October, forming the largest urban bat colony in North America. Around sunset they stream out to feed in a long dark ribbon over Lady Bird Lake.
Arrive about 30 minutes before sunset; August, when the young join the flight, is usually the biggest show. Bat-watching boat tours give a close view from the water.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- Iconic
- Free
- Nature
- Kids
- After dark
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Nature · Zilker and Barton Hills
2.Barton Springs Pool
A 275-metre-long natural pool fed by underground springs that keep the water around 20°C all year, with a grassy slope for sunbathing. It is home to the endangered Barton Springs salamander and is a central part of Austin summer life.
Swim early in the morning on a summer weekday before the crowds and the heat.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Iconic
- Outdoors
- Nature
- Kids
Park · Zilker and Barton Hills
3.Zilker Park
Austin's main green space covers about 140 hectares south of the river, with lawns, Barton Springs Pool, the Zilker Botanical Garden, canoe rentals and the Zilker Zephyr miniature train. It hosts the Austin City Limits Music Festival in October and the Trail of Lights in December.
Combine it with Barton Springs and the Umlauf Sculpture Garden just across Barton Springs Road.
- Time needed
- 2–4 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Outdoors
- Kids
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Museum · Hyde Park and the University
4.Bullock Texas State History Museum
Three floors trace Texas history from Indigenous peoples and Spanish missions to the Republic of Texas, oil and space, including the hull of La Belle, a 17th-century French ship recovered from Matagorda Bay. It also has an IMAX theatre.
It is a few minutes' walk from the Capitol and the Blanton, so pair the three.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- History
- Rainy day
- Kids
Garden · Southwest Austin
5.Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center
The University of Texas botanical garden, founded by the former First Lady, showcases native Texas plants in meadows, gardens and an observation tower. In spring, bluebonnets and other wildflowers carpet the grounds.
Late March to April is peak bluebonnet season and the best time to visit.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Nature
- Kids
- Outdoors
- Photo spot
Nature · Southeast Austin
6.McKinney Falls State Park
Within city limits, Onion Creek drops over limestone ledges in two falls, with swimming in the pools when water quality allows, hiking and biking trails and the ruins of an early homestead.
Check the park's swimming status and day-pass availability before going on a weekend.
- Time needed
- Half a day
- Cost
- Low cost
- Book ahead
- Day passes can sell out on busy weekends; reserve online through Texas Parks and Wildlife.
- Nature
- Outdoors
- Kids
- Active
Park · Clarksville and Old West Austin
7.Deep Eddy Pool
The oldest swimming pool in Texas, a 1930s spring-fed pool with a shallow section for children and lap lanes, beside the hike-and-bike trail west of downtown.
Combine a swim with a walk or bike ride on the lake trail.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Kids
- Outdoors
- Off the beaten path
Rainy-day ideas
- Bullock Texas State History Museum — It is a few minutes' walk from the Capitol and the Blanton, so pair the three.
Where families should stay
$$$ · Best for families, quiet stays and couples
Zilker and Barton Hills
Zilker is the green, outdoorsy side of Austin, around Zilker Park, Barton Springs Pool and the Barton Creek Greenbelt trails. It hosts the Austin City Limits Music Festival and the Trail of Lights, and South Lamar Boulevard nearby has restaurants and the Broken Spoke dance hall.
- Good
- Swimming and trails on the doorstep; Residential and calm; Short ride to downtown
- Watch out
- Few hotels; mostly rentals; Very crowded during ACL weekends
- Nearby
- Zilker Park, Barton Springs Pool, Zilker Botanical Garden, Umlauf Sculpture Garden
Family travel tips
- Plan outdoor activities for the morning and evening in summer; midday heat is draining for children.
- The Thinkery, a hands-on children's museum in the Mueller neighbourhood, is good for under-10s.
- Watch the bats from the grassy area by the lake on the south side of the bridge for space to sit.
- Deep Eddy Pool's shallow end is gentler for small children than Barton Springs.
- Avoid Sixth Street at night with children; it is a bar strip.
Day trips for families
- San Antonio (About 1.5 hours by car) — Texas's most-visited city has the Alamo, the River Walk and four other Spanish colonial missions that together form a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
- Gruene and New Braunfels (About 1 hour by car) — Gruene Hall, built in 1878, claims to be the oldest continually operating dance hall in Texas.
- Hamilton Pool Preserve (About 50 minutes by car) — A natural pool beneath a collapsed limestone grotto, with a waterfall dropping over the overhang.
- Enchanted Rock State Natural Area (About 2 hours by car) — A massive pink granite dome rising about 130 metres above the Hill Country, with a summit trail that takes about an hour round trip and wide views.
When to go with children
The best months overall are March–April and October–November. March and October are the busiest, so book the big sights early. Weather by month.
Questions travellers ask
+Is Austin good for kids?
Austin suits families who like outdoors and animals: the bat flight, Barton Springs and Deep Eddy pools, Zilker Park's miniature train and kayaking on the lake, plus the Bullock Museum and the Thinkery children's museum.
+What can kids do in Austin?
Congress Avenue Bridge bats, Barton Springs Pool, Zilker Park, Bullock Texas State History Museum and Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.
+Where should families stay in Austin?
Zilker and Barton Hills: Parkland, Barton Springs and the greenbelt southwest of downtown.