Family-Friendly Activities

Cool off and unwind at our elevated Proper pool and lounger-lined sundeck, with all-day snacks and drinks available from our restaurant La Piscina and cozy private cabanas perfect for lazing the afternoon away.

Step outside and hit the trail at Lady Bird Lake, one of the city’s most popular spots for getting active. The beloved “Hike & Bike” trail, a circular loop extending 10 miles around the Colorado River, weaves through the heart of central Austin and offers plenty of entry points for both short and longer distances. 

Experience a range of marine and wildlife with a day at Austin’s Aquarium, home to thousands of aquatic animals, reptiles, and more alongside educational and interactive activities suitable for all ages. 

Get outside in one of Austin’s most loved green spaces. The sprawling, 350-acre Zilker Park is home to Barton Springs Pool, events, and outdoor concerts, plus plenty of space to picnic, fly kites, toss a frisbee, or let your pup run free. 

Plan a Hill Country outing to the Austin Zoo, a nonprofit that focuses on rescued exotic animals and wildlife. While you’re there, take a spin on the zoo’s kid-friendly train or make a day of it at one of their weekend camps. 

Take a day trip to charming Johnson City for a visit to the Science Mill, an exploratory center dedicated to sparking a love for science, with innovative exhibits including a virtual reality Jurassic Flight experience, a fossil dig, and a room dedicated to the natural wonder of fractals. 

Fuel your imagination at the Thinkery, a learning-rich children’s museum centered around curiosity-led play, with a range of both indoor and outdoor exhibitions; guided tours; and the option to explore at your own pace.

Plan an afternoon of putt-putt at the whimsical Peter Pan mini golf, an Austin fixture at the intersection of Barton Springs and South Lamar that’s been family-owned since 1948. 

Get hands-on with nature at the historic Austin Nature & Science Center, located on the western edge of Zilker Park and curated in conversation with the surrounding habitats of butterflies, bird life, local geology, honey bees, forestry, and more. 

Take an unlikely tour of Austin on the amphibious and group-friendly Duck Adventures, a sightseeing exploration of the city via water-bound Hydra Terra vehicle. The daily tours begin at the Austin Visitor Center and weave through Sixth Street, the Capitol Building, the Bob Bullock History Museum, and the Governor’s Mansion, ending at Lake Austin. 

Find your sugar high at the circus-themed Big Top Candy Shop, a South Congress Avenue sweets shop packed with nostalgic confections, throwback candies, and an old fashioned soda fountain serving up homemade milkshakes, malts, and egg creams. 

It’s a kid’s paradise in the center of downtown at Butler Park’s Alliance Children’s Garden, a multipurpose public green space with climbing walls, built-in playgrounds, a sand pit, splash pad, a life-sized chess board, and more. 

Named for former First Lady Lady Bird Johnson and her love for the state’s beautiful botany, the Wildlife Center is a botanical garden and arboretum home to over 900 species of native Texas plants, as well as host to a lineup of ongoing educational programs and outdoor events.