Whether you’re visiting Austin for your kids’ Spring Break or you live here and want to stay close to home, there is so much fun to be had in and around Austin. Whatever your speed, there is something to do, from museums to hiking to arcades.
If you need some Spring Break inspiration, here are 70 ideas for what you can do in the Austin area!
(For more Spring Break ideas, check out these free things to do in Austin and Spring Break camps.)
In This Post
Museums
1. Bullock Museum
Learn about Texas history, with videos, artifacts and fun interactive exhibits. For Spring Break 2025, you can also see a big model train display from Tin Plate Trackers of Austin and Austin Model Railway Society.
2. Blanton Museum of Art
Gorgeous art museum. Don’t miss the Austin building with rainbow windows, family art kits at check-in and interactive art-making space.
3. Museum of Illusions
Optical illusions with fun photo ops.
4. Museum of Ice Cream
All-you-can-eat ice cream with the cutest photo ops and play area (with sprinkle pool!) at the end.
5. Thinkery
Austin’s children’s museum, with STEAM rooms, outdoor playground, pretend play, and water play.
6. Austin Nature and Science Center
FREE fun kids space. Dino dig, rescued animals, and trading post.
7. Texas Science and Natural History Museum
Dinosaur skeletons and lots of fossils, Texas animals, and more at this revamped museum.
8. Laguna Gloria
Outdoor sculpture museum by the lake.
9. Texas Military Forces Museum
Free museum at Camp Mabry, with lots of artifacts and vehicles.
Arcades, Laser Tag and Rides
10. Pinballz
Lots of arcade games, laser tag, go karts, and more.
11. Cidercade
Free play arcade near downtown (with great patio view).
12. Blazer Tag
Biggest laser tag arena in Texas, plus arcade.
13. Tom Foolery’s
The adventure park inside Kalahari Resorts in Round Rock. You don’t have to stay at Kalahari to enjoy Tom Foolery’s.
14. Austin’s
Lots to do — arcade, bowling, go karts, mini golf, batting cages, rides and more.
15. Arcade UFO
Japanese-style game center.
16. Dart ’em Up
Foam dart battles and arcade.
17. Main Event
Arcade, billiards, mini golf, and bowling.
18. Dave and Buster’s
Tons of games and prizes.
Playgrounds
19. Alliance Children’s Garden
All-ages playground in Butler Park with skyline view.
20. Walnut Creek Metro Park
Big and little kids playgrounds, plus a fairy house fort. Bike trail.
21. Play for All in Round Rock
Awesome playground with lots of play areas and a tiny town for bikes and scooters.
22. Circle C Ranch Metro Park
Big and little kids playgrounds, with dig area and lots of climbing.
23. Pease Park
Natural wood playground plus sports equipment to rent, creek play and troll sculpture.
Fair warning: the treehouse net is closed for repairs
24. Balcones District Park
Big and little kids playgrounds with ladybug and grasshopper rockers. Easy hike nearby plus bike trail.
25. Roy G. Guerrero Metro Park
Fenced-in playground for all abilities and ages.
26. Southeast Metro Park
Playground with giant mosasaur playscape and other features.
27. Skyline Park
Playground in Easton Park with mini Pennybacker Bridge and big and little kids playgrounds. Lots of climbing.
28. La Verde Park in Kyle
The bobcat playscape is the highlight of this fun Kyle park.
29. Lakeline Park in Cedar Park
Ziplines, a fun spinning orb, big and little kid playgrounds, plus lakeside trails for biking.
30. Brushy Creek Lake Park
Huge playscape with tall slides, warped wall and lots of climbing. Shaded little kids playground. Lakeside trail.
Swimming
31. Splash Shack
Indoor water park for ages 10 and under.
32. Deep Eddy Pool
Spring-fed (cold!) public pool open year-round. Zero-depth entry.
33. Kalahari Water Park
Indoor and outdoor water park with slides for all ages, lazy river, and wave pool.
34. Barton Springs
Classic Austin vibes at this cold spring-fed pool.
35. Bartholomew Pool
Year-round Austin pool complex with a kiddie pool, deeper pools and shade structures.
36. Springwoods Pool
Year-round pool facility with zero-depth entry.
37. Big Stacy Pool
Year-round pool facility with free admission!
Indoor Play
38. Indigo Play
Big indoor playscape with a global theme, plus smaller kid play areas and a sensory room.
39. Pikopye’s Town
The cutest play town with space for parents to chat or work.
40. Catch Air
Space-themed indoor play. Giant interconnected playscape plus a toddler area.
41. Altitude Trampoline Park
Tons of trampolines and foam block pits. Round Rock location also has playscape.
42. Play Street Museum
Pretend play towns plus crafts.
43. Urban Air
Tons of active indoor fun. Trampolines, playscapes, ropes courses, obstacle courses and more.
44. Inflatable Wonderland
Bounce houses, arcade games and an indoor playscape. Included in Pogo Pass. Get half off with code AUSTINWITHKIDS
45. Mt. Playmore
Arcade plus giant indoor playspace.
Animals
46. Austin Zoo
Rescue zoo with big and small animals, plus a train ride.
47. Sweet Eats Fruit Farm
Baby Animal Days at Sweet Eats. Plus bounce pads, apple cannons, slides, face painting on weekends, bike track and more.
48. Exotic Resort Zoo
Drive-thru safari in Johnson City with buffalo, llamas, deer, camels and more.
49. Animal World & Snake Farm Zoo
Tons of snakes, but also lots of other animals like fennec fox, capybara, big cats, lemurs and more. New Braunfels.
50. Indian Springs Ranch
Book a private tour of these exotic animals in South Austin.
51. Rodeo Austin
Rodeo time is March 14-29, 2025. Farm animals plus a petting zoo, not to mention live music and a huge carnival.
52. Goat Shenanigans
Check out the schedule for playing with baby goats. Events during Spring Break take place at The Hive in South Austin and Suds Monkey out toward Dripping Springs.
Nature and Hikes
53. Wildflower Center
Gorgeous space with native Texas wildlife and a children’s area.
54. Mayfield Preserve
Free hike and gardens with peacocks.
55. Mount Bonnell
Well-known view of Austin and the Colorado River. Stair climb and a bit of hiking.
56. Zilker Botanical Garden
Gardens right in the middle of Austin, with Dino Days on the weekends in the spring and a kids area.
57. Hike and Bike Trail
The hike and bike trial around Lady Bird Lake with skyline views and a boardwalk.
58. River Place Nature Trail
Little Fern Trail is great for little kids (and shaded) with little waterfalls.
59. McKinney Falls State Park
State park within Austin city limits. Upper and lower falls.
60. Pedernales Falls State Park
Out past Dripping Springs near Johnson City. Fun limestone formations to explore and scramble around.
61. St. Edward’s Greenbelt
Hike with a creek and waterfalls.
62. Barton Creek Greenbelt
Hike in the middle of Austin with lots of entry points (we like the Spyglass entry, and get Tacodeli after).
63. Upper Bull Creek Greenbelt
Fun hike and rock scrambling near water.
Other Adventures
64. Dinosaur Park
Sculpture park near Bastrop with dozens of life-size dinosaur statues plus a dino dig and playgrounds.
65. Zilker Eagle
Mini train in the middle of Austin, in Zilker Park.
66. Inner Space Cavern
Cave in Georgetown with guided tours, plus a playground, zipline and gem mining.
67. Glass Bottom Boat Tour at Meadows Center
Glass bottom boat tours in San Marcos to learn about the underwater ecosystem.
68. Kayak on Lady Bird Lake
Several options for renting kayaks or paddleboards on Lady Bird Lake. Rowing Dock, Texas Rowing Center, Zilker Park Boat Rentals, to name a few.
69. Sherwood Forest Faire
Renaissance festival 35 miles east of Austin, running on the weekends (plus Friday March 21, 2025).
70. Peter Pan Mini-Golf
Classic Austin activity in the middle of town, with funky sculptures.