Austin with Kids: A Family-Friendly Itinerary
Austin is an awesome destination that works well for a family trip without feeling like the whole trip revolves around kid attractions. You can splash in a spring-fed pool, explore colorful neighborhoods, eat your way through tacos and Texas barbecue, listen to live music, and still find plenty to keep young kids entertained.
We’ve visited Austin several times, first as a couple and later with our kids, including trips with a 6-week-old baby and a 1.5-year-old toddler. We’ve explored the city during quick weekend trips and longer stays, getting around both on foot and by car.
This Austin family itinerary pulls together places we’ve visited ourselves, along with a few spots still on our list for a future trip. Use it as a starting point to pick and choose the Austin experiences that make the most sense for your family.
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Our trip details
- Length of stay: 1-3 nights
- Accommodation: Hampton Inn Austin/Airport Area South & Omni Austin Downtown
- Type of trips: couples trip, weekend getaway, trip with 6-week-old baby, trip with 1.5-year-old toddler
- Months visited: April, March & September
- How we got in/out: fly in, fly out; drive in, drive out
- How we got around: walking and rental/personal car
Family-Friendly Itinerary Ideas for Austin, TX
- Hope Outdoor Gallery – art park, cool creative space dedicated to community street art
- Murals – don’t miss checking at least some of the fun street murals all over town
- State Capitol – largest state capitol in the US, impressive architecture, free tours available
- University of Texas at Austin – esteemed public university, one of the largest in the US, see the Littlefield Home, Dorothy L. Gebauer Building, UT Tower, and Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center
- The Driskill – historic hotel with a beautiful stained glass lobby
- Walk along Sixth Street – the most iconic street in Austin where it became known as the “capital of live music,” restaurants, bars and live music flank the street, more rowdy and crowded at night
- Lady Bird Lake – a reservoir formed along the Colorado River used for flood control and recreation, rent stand-up paddle boards, kayaks, pedal boats and more, walk along the boardwalk or take a river cruise
- Mount Bonnell – hike up for beautiful views of the city and beyond
- Austin Nature & Science Center – hands on facility geared toward kids, free entry, reservations now required
- Zilker Park – 350-acre city park with hiking and biking trails, sports fields, playgrounds, Barton Springs Pool, botanical garden, boat rentals and more
- With young kids, don’t miss the Zilker Train and playground
- Barton Springs Pool – a man-made public pool that’s naturally filled with underground spring water, located in Zilker Park
- Walk South Congress Street – a vibrant neighborhood with creative eats, boutique shops, the famous “I love you so much!” mural, and more
- Mt Playmore – a huge indoor playground for kids
- Inner Space Cavern – one of the best-preserved caves in TX, about a 30 minute drive outside of downtown
- Dinosaur Park – outdoor interactive dinosaur museum and play park, about a 30 minute drive outside of downtown
- Hamilton Pool – unique natural pool with waterfall, reservations required, about a 45 minute drive outside of downtown
- Longhorn Cavern State Park – explore this unique cavern which was formerly used by Native Americans, soldiers and even as a speakeasy, a little over an hour outside of downtown
- Turkey Bend Recreation Area – over 1,000 acres of outdoor recreation, a beautiful spot for admiring bluebonnets if in season (about end of March to April depending on the year), about an hour drive outside of downtown
Food Ideas for Austin, TX
- Foods/drinks to try: barbeque, brisket, tex-mex, queso, breakfast tacos, pecan pie, sweet tea
- Kerbey Lane Cafe – Tex Mex and Southern classic comfort food, popular for breakfast
- Magnolia Cafe – great American and Tex Mex breakfast spot
- La Barbeque – classic TX barbeque and small market shop, expect to wait in a long line
- Franklin’s BBQ – the most famous barbeque in Austin, expect to wait multiple hours, they only serve until the meat is gone, so lots of people line up hours before they even open
- Veracruz All Natural – authentic Mexican food, try their migas taco, female-owned, now with 5 locations
- Torchy’s Tacos (at the Trailer Park) – delicious creative tacos in a mini food truck park
- Hoover’s Cooking – southern soul food, try the fried chicken
- Ramen Tatsu-ya – authentic Japanese ramen shop
- Rainey Street – various restaurants and bars in historic homes, can get rowdy at night
- Black’s BBQ – oldest BBQ jointed owned by the same family in Texas, original location in Lockhart (about a 30 minute drive outside of downtown) opened in 1932, no frills, additional new location in Austin
- Banger’s Sausage House & Beer Garden – fun, casual environment great with groups
- Sway – modern Thai food in a trendy setting
- Valentina’s Tex Mex BBQ – barbeque + tex mex, does it get any better?, known for their smoked brisket tacos
- Salt Lick BBQ – featured on Man vs. Food, open fire pit cooking, expansive beautiful property, about a 30 minute drive outside of downtown
Top Tips for Austin, TX
- Don’t leave without trying some BBQ!
- Think outside the box of a typical restaurant and don’t miss all the great food trucks and trailers, many provide picnic tables to eat outside.
- “Keep Austin Weird” is the city’s slogan, and it certainly lives up to this.
- Be sure to catch some live music, even if only on the street.
- Summer is generally not the best time to visit because of the extreme heat.
- Bike-sharing or bike rentals are a great way to get around and see more.
- Despite the sometimes rowdy nightlife, Austin is full of families and is a great place to visit with kids.
Is Austin Worth Visiting with Kids?
Austin makes an easy family city break because you don’t have to choose between things the adults want to do and places created specifically for kids. Spend the morning exploring South Congress or downtown, stop for tacos or barbecue, then give the kids room to run around Zilker Park or cool off at Barton Springs.
We’ve enjoyed Austin at very different stages of life, including as a couple and with a baby and toddler, and I’d happily return with our kids again. There are still plenty of places on this list we haven’t made it to yet.
Use these Austin itinerary ideas as a starting point rather than a checklist. Pick a few priorities, leave room for good food and wandering, and build a trip that works for the ages and interests of your own family.
Keep Planning Your Family Trip
Head to my Family Trip Planning hub for more help putting together a realistic itinerary, choosing where to stay, and organizing the logistics of traveling with kids.
Getting ready to go? My family travel packing guide breaks down how I pack and organize luggage for our family of 5.
Or, if you’re looking for another fun U.S. city getaway, check out my family-friendly Nashville itinerary next.
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