Austin Kids Fall Bucket List
It’s September 1st, so we’re getting excited for all things fall. Here’s an Austin kids fall bucket list to help inspire your adventures! Austin Kids Fall Bucket List:
Austin Kids Fall Bucket List
Pumpkin Patches & Fall Festivals
- Hit up a pumpkin patch! Here’s a list of all the local area pumpkin patches.
Fall Events
Here’s a list of all the fall events happening in Austin for 2022. Here’s where you can find all the free things to do this fall.
Museums and Exhibits
- Austin Museum Day is Sunday, September 18. This is the day where you can get into most Austin museums for FREE! For the complete list go here.
- Fortlandia is is an interactive collection of forts built by local architects, designers, and artists. It reopens on October 8 at Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, 4801 La Crosse Ave, Austin.
Parks, Hiking, Biking, and Camping
- Explore a new playground (try the new Alliance Children’s Garden, Pease Park, or Waterloo Park). Here’s where you can find all of our favorite local playgrounds.
- Take a hike! Some of our favorite kid-friendly trails are River Place Nature Trail, Walnut Creek, Great Hills Trail, and the Barton Creek Greenbelt. Or head out a little further and hike at our favorite place: Enchanted Rock!
- Camping is better in the fall, when you can enjoy the cooler temps at night. Buescher State Park isn’t that far from Austin and has some nice hiking and water activities. 100 Park Rd 1-C, Smithville.
- Volunteer! Pick up trash along our trails as a fun fall act of kindness. Sign up for your time slot at Generation Serve, The Trail Foundation, or just bring some gloves and trash bags and pick up trash on your next hike.
- Explore a hill country town on a day trip (like Belton, Wimberley, Fredericksburg).
- Float the Frio! Even if the calendar says fall is approaching doesn’t mean it’s cool here yet. There’s still plenty of warm days on the horizon. Head out for a weekend trip to Garner State Park (234 RR 1050, Concan, TX) or surrounding areas and float the Rio Frio! Try to snag a reservation to Lost Maples State Natural Area (37221 RM 187, Vanderpool, TX) on your drive back to Austin. It fills up every year in the fall, but there may be some availability left!
- Take your bikes over to the Brushy Creek Trail and visit all 6 playgrounds along the way!
Indoor Places to Play
- They might not have hot apple cider, but Cidercade is a fun place to sip some cider while the kids (and you!) play unlimited arcade games for only $10! 600 E Riverside Dr, Austin.
- H Mart is one of the best places to hang out with kids in town, and ramen is extra tasty on a crisp fall day! They also have an arcade, a toys store, a bakery, rolled ice cream, and more!
- For more ideas on where to play indoors in Austin, here’s where you can find the fun!
Outdoor Festivals and Events
- Farmers markets are best when the weather starts to cool down. Go here for a complete list of weekend farmers markets.
- Check out a local family friendly Oktoberfest!
- The Chalk Walk is October 7 & 8 at Dell Diamond in Round Rock. Come see the amazing chalk art! 3400 E Palm Valley Blvd, Round Rock.
- Meet your favorite authors and discover some new books at the Texas Book Festival on November 5 & 6. Park downtown near the Capitol.
Willy Wonka Day
- Celebrate Willy Wonka Day on October 1st (the day the factory opened up to the winners) by visiting a local candy shop like Big Top Candy Shop. 1706 S Congress Ave, Austin.
Day Trips
- Visit the life size dinosaurs, climb a mountain, and more! Fall is my favorite time of year for a day trip! Here’s where you can find all the fun places to explore that are close to Austin.
Eat and Drink Outside
- The best places to eat or drink at with kids are places with playgrounds! Here’s where you can find restaurants, coffee shops, and breweries with playgrounds for kids.
- Go on an Ice Cream Tour of Austin! Ice cream is yummy any time of year so try a new place this fall!
- If you’d like to combine a fun outing with a restaurant with a playground, here’s my list of Fun + Food Pairings.