50 Fun Things To Do With Kids in Austin (2026)

Looking for fun things to do with kids in Austin? This parent-tested list has 50 ideas for toddlers, big kids, teens, visitors, and locals, from playgrounds, museums, and swimming holes to food trucks, easy hikes, and classic Austin attractions.

We’ve done these activities with our own kids, and I’ve linked to detailed AFFK guides when you need parking tips, age recommendations, prices, or what to expect. Updated July 2026.

Start Here: Choose an Austin Activity

Free day: See free things to do with kids in Austin.
Hot or rainy day: Try these indoor places to play in Austin.
Outdoor day: Pick from the best Austin playgrounds or family-friendly Austin hikes.
Meal plus playtime: Use the restaurants with playgrounds in Austin guide.
Older kids: Start with these things to do with teens in Austin.

Kids playing on turf hills and tunnels at Alliance Children’s Garden in Austin

50 Fun Things To Do In Austin With Kids

1. Alliance Children’s Garden is our favorite local playground. If you come during the summer months, you can splash at the Liz Carpenter Fountain here as well.

2. Meanwhile Brewing is one of our favorite breweries with a playground. It has a shady beer garden, soccer field, playground, award-winning food trucks, and great beer. For more places with the same setup, see my guide to family-friendly Austin food truck parks.

3. Explore the hands-on exhibits at Thinkery, then cross the street to Mueller Lake Park. My family day in Mueller guide covers the playground, ducks, parking, and nearby food.

4. Hike Mayfield Park and visit the peacocks. Or try another local hike.

5. Play at Brentwood Neighborhood Park, then grab a coffee and bite to eat at the kid-friendly Brentwood Social House. They have a cool pirate ship playscape outside and even a kid-friendly indoor room for cold/rainy days.

6. Climb inside the green house at Katherine Fleischer Park.

Child peeking through the green playhouse at Katherine Fleischer Park — Katherine Fleischer Park

7. Enjoy live music on the patio at Central Market North Lamar while the kids play on the large park playground.

8. Visit the salamanders at Barton Springs (and jump off the diving board while you’re there)!

9. Hike out to a waterfall.

10. Swing on a rope swing.

50 Fun Things To Do In Austin With Kids

11. Bring a picnic to Zilker, play on the playground, and ride the Zilker Eagle mini train when it’s operating. The train is temporarily closed for mechanical repairs as of July 2026, so check its current status before you go.

12. Visit the Zilker Botanical Garden.

13. Stand under the waterfall inside the cave at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center (and visit Fortlandia if it’s open).

Waterfall and limestone cave at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center — Wildflower Center

14. Find a tree to climb (or at least hang out under).

15. See the Austin skyline or watch the sunset from Mount Bonnell.

16. Climb into the treehouse observation pod at Pease Park, then cool off in the splash pad.

Treehouse observation pod at Pease Park in Austin

17. Grab a pint at the kid-friendly Austin Beerworks.

18. Visit with the goats at Jester King Brewery.

19. Check out the Bullock Museum for some local history.

20. Slide into the sprinkles pool at the Austin Museum of Ice Cream.

50 Fun Things To Do In Austin With Kids

21. Even if you don’t live here, you must see the new Central Public Library!

22. Wander South Congress with kids, then take a family photo at the I Love You So Much mural.

23. Lady Bird Lake (or Town Lake if you’re a local) is a must-do in some capacity. You can SUP, kayak, canoe, drive a retro boat, or even pedal a swan.

Family riding in a pink retro boat on Lady Bird Lake with downtown Austin behind them — Retro boat on Town Lake

24. Watch the bats emerge from the Congress Avenue Bridge at dusk, or use my Austin bat cruise with kids guide to plan a view from the water.

25. Take a tour of the Capitol.

26. Walk along the Ann & Roy Butler Hike & Bike Trail.

27. Dig for dinosaur bones and explore indoor and outdoor exhibits at the Austin Nature & Science Center.

28. Hike the Barton Creek Greenbelt with kids; start with an easier trailhead such as Gus Fruh, Spyglass, or Twin Falls and check water conditions before you go.

29. Play upstairs in the children’s section of BookPeople.

30. Phil’s/Amy’s for burgers, ice cream, and a playground.

50 Fun Things To Do In Austin With Kids

31. Choose one of my two kid-friendly Bull Creek hikes.

32. Check out an Austin FC game.

33. Austin Bouldering Project has an entire kids section, perfect for a rainy day!

Child climbing the kids’ bouldering wall at Austin Bouldering Project

34. Play a round at Peter Pan Mini Golf (and realize why we say “Keep Austin Weird!”), then compare it with more kid-friendly mini golf courses around Austin.

35. Splash around at the upper or lower falls at McKinney Falls State Park.

36. Eat beside Lake Austin at Hula Hut or Mozart’s Coffee Roasters.

37. Eat on top of the roof at Whole Foods while the kids play on the playground.

38. Grab some famous Austin breakfast tacos from Veracruz while the kids play on the playground at Littlefield’s (bonus: snow cones from Sno Ride during warmer months are a fun treat).

Children playing with hula hoops on the turf play area at Littlefield’s in Austin — Littlefield’s

39. Pretend you’re in Honey I Shrunk The Kids while climbing through the tall grass at Waterloo Park.

40. Swim at the historic spring-fed Deep Eddy Pool; my Deep Eddy family guide covers parking, shade, food, and what to bring.

50 Fun Things To Do In Austin With Kids

41. Shop at a local farmers market.

42. Order the locals’ favorite pizza at Home Slice (kids get dough balls while you wait!) then see more Austin pizza places with playgrounds.

43. Play and hike at Walnut Creek Metropolitan Park, then eat at the family-friendly Santorini Café next door.

44. See Ocho, the giant metal octopus at Jessie Andrews Park.

Ocho the giant metal octopus at Jessie Andrews Park in Mueller — Jessie Andrews Park

45. Explore dinosaur fossils, Texas wildlife, and the giant pterosaur at the Texas Science & Natural History Museum.

46. Play classic and modern games at Pinballz, or choose Cidercade for unlimited arcade play. Cidercade currently charges $12 for ages 5 and up and becomes 18+ at 9 p.m.; verify pricing before you go.

47. Shop for toys locally at Terra Toys or Toy Joy.

48. Indulge your sweet tooth at Big Top Candy Shop.

49. Take the preschoolers and toddlers to the cutest place in all of Austin: Pikopye’s Town!

50. Finish big at Austin’s, with go-karts, laser tag, mini golf, rides, bowling, climbing, and indoor and outdoor attractions.

What are the best things to do with kids in Austin for first-time visitors?

Start with Alliance Children’s Garden, Barton Springs, Thinkery, Zilker Park, the Wildflower Center, Pease Park, the Austin Nature & Science Center, the Congress Avenue bats, Peter Pan Mini Golf, and McKinney Falls State Park. Together they cover Austin’s best mix of parks, water, museums, wildlife, and local character.

What can families do for free in Austin?

Some of the best free options are Alliance Children’s Garden, Mayfield Park, the Austin Central Library, the Capitol, the Austin Nature & Science Center, Waterloo Park, and many local hikes. See my complete free things to do with kids in Austin guide.

What can kids do indoors in Austin?

For hot, cold, or rainy days, start with Thinkery, the Bullock Museum, the Texas Science & Natural History Museum, Austin Bouldering Project, Pinballz, Cidercade, or Pikopye’s Town. My Austin indoor play guide has more options by activity type.

What Austin activities are best for toddlers?

Toddlers usually do best at Alliance Children’s Garden, Thinkery, Katherine Fleischer Park, the Wildflower Center, Pease Park, the Central Library, Littlefield’s, and Pikopye’s Town. See more things to do with babies, toddlers, and preschoolers in Austin.