What Do People Do For Fun in Austin?

Everyone has their own way of having fun.  We here at Austin Texas Homes have attempted to gather a list of different types of fun things to do in Austin, so you can choose your favorite types:

Family Fun

Austin Children's Museum

A fun, educational stop for the whole family.  Regular science and cultural exhibits on the level of small children through tweens.  Admission is low-priced, and is free on Wednesday nights from 5-8.

Zilker Park

Has a lot to offer for free or cheap for families.  Pool, sculpture garden, mini-train, sculpture garden, soccer fields, and more.

Austin Symphony Orchestra Website for Children

A website from Dell and the Austin Symphony Orchestra to help kids learn about music and musical instruments.

Austin's Park and Pizza

A one-admission-price fun zone with bumper boats, video games, two mini-golf courses, batting cages, kiddie rides, laser tag, rock-climbing wall, go-karts and a buffet.

Austin Zoo

The Austin Zoo is a sanctuary for rescued animals.  Wear sturdy shoes to walk on the steep gravel paths, and bring your own water (no water fountains.)

Deep Eddy

The oldest swimming pool in Texas, Deep Eddy was once a resort.  The bathhouse is being restored to its former glory, but in the meantime, you can take your kids to see a movie in the pool on Splash Nights during the summers in Austin.

Inner Space Caverns

One day, while building Interstate 35 north of Austin, Texas Department of Transportation drillers found this cave when their drill bit fell into it.  Now, you can explore the unseen beauty that lies beneath us all.  Carved out by years of water erosion, and decorated with many beautiful limestone deposits, Inner Space Caverns is a fascinating tour.  Lots of walking, so wear comfortable shoes.

Bob Bullock Texas History Museum and IMAX Theater

This fairly new museum tells the "story of Texas," and features an IMAX theater with 2-D and 3-D capabilities.

www.austinboredkids.com

This website contains many first-person reviews of Austin-area family attractions.  You can check here if you want to know whether a new spot is worth the visit.

Boggy Creek Farm

Farm-fresh fruits and vegetables, cheese, eggs, ice cream, and even tofu are featured at the market days at Boggy Creek Farm.  Teach your children where food comes from, and learn what produce is available seasonally in Austin.

Alamo Drafthouse

At these four Austin-area theaters, when children's movies are shown, kids are allowed to come in and eat while watching a movie.  Call ahead to verify that kids can come to a certain showing; this establishment normally serves alcohol.

Austin Nature & Science Center

This educational center features many biological specimens (butterflies, rocks, fossils, shells) and exhibits, such as the "Dino pit," where kids can unearth concrete "dinosaur skeletons" from a sand pit.  It also has a few animals that have been rescued and cannot be returned to the wild.

The Dino Park

This park features many huge models of dinosaurs, a playground, and picnic areas.

Main Event

With bowling, laser tag, glow golf, video games, pool tables, and rock climbing, there is something for everyone at this family fun center.

Radijazz

Radijazz is an "indoor playnasium" with a "lavascape," (pit filled with foam cubes, volcano playscape, and riverscape area, with lots of padded foam boats, ducks, and bridges to climb on.  Everything is nice and padded (even the pillars that support the roof) to make it safe for energetic little ones.  Radijazz is for children age 7 and younger, but older kids can participate if they are accompanying a younger sibling that is 7 or younger.  See their web page for pricing and hours.

Texas Memorial Museum

This museum on the University of Texas campus has a lot of good natural history and science exhibits, many of which would interest children.  There are rocks and minerals, insects, dinosaurs, many dioramas of Texas wildlife.  You'll have to pay to park on campus, so plan on it.  It will be much easier to find parking when classes are not in session.

Zilker Park

This large park near the center of Austin has a lot to offer:  a train, Barton Springs pool, the Umlauf Sculpture garden, playscapes, soccer fields, and even a theater.

Ladybird Johnson Wildflower Center

If you and your kids like flowers, the Wildflower Center has many nature trails and garden exhibits.

ice Bats

Did you know that we have hockey teams, even in Texas?  You and your kids can go see an Ice Bats game, and enjoy the frosty hockey experience, even in the midst of our 100-degree heat.

Round Rock Express

This is the Round Rock baseball team.  Be a fan and cheer for our team.

Hill Country Flyer

All aboard the Hill Country Flyer steam locomotive from Cedar Park to Burnet, Texas!  Teach your kids the true meaning of "choo-choo" when they hear that powerful steam engine.

Nighttime Fun

Sixth Street

Sixth Street is Austin's row of bars and night clubs.  Most nights, especially on weekends, Sixth Street is very busy with patrons who come to hang out with friends, meet people, and hear live music.

Alamo Drafthouse

At night, this dinner movie theater is a great place to hang out with friends, see a movie, and have a beer.  No small children are allowed in at night.

Warehouse District

The Warehouse District is near 6th Street, and consists of many clubs, restaurants, bars, and other entertainment spots.

Graham Central Station

Graham Central Station is a night spot that features multiple, separate club types:  dance, western, karoke, live music, and one similar to "Hogs and Heifers," with girls dancing on the bar. 

Speakeasy

A three-level bar with a "roaring 20's vibe" and a great view of downtown.

Threadgill's

Threadgill's has great southern cooking and live music at night.  Janis Joplin and Jimmie Dale Gilmore used to play there.

La Zona Rosa

A former Mexican restaurant, now a live music venue that can hold up to 900 patrons.  See website for upcoming events.

Iron Cactus

The downtown Austin Iron Cactus location is a popular hangout for Austinites.

Donn's Depot

A music venue on 5th Street.  Visit often enough, and you might catch one of us from Austin Texas Homes playing there. 

Emo's

A popular live music venue in Austin.

The Backyard

Another popular music venue.

Austin Music Hall

Another popular music venue.

Katz's

This New York-style deli is a popular hangout after the bars close, because of their sloagan, "Katz's never kloses."

Hut's

Because of its 6th Street location, this burger restaurant is a popular nighttime hangout for Austinites.

Austin City Limits

This PBS live music show is filmed in Austin.  It can be very difficult to get tickets, because they are given away free by radio stations.  See the Austin City Limits show FAQ for details.  If you can't get tickets to the show, you can still try to make it to the Austin City Limits Festival.

Outdoor Fun

Mt. Bonnell

This hill (we call something this size a "mountain," in Texas, because everything here is pretty flat) is a great place for a hike followed by a picnic with a view of Lake Austin.

Rock Climbing

This is a popular sport in Austin, and there are many places to climb.

Hiking

Austin has many trees and hills, and much of it is preserved by our ecologically-conscious friends, so enjoy a nice hike in one of the many local green spots.

Bicycling

Austin is well known as the home of Lance Armstrong.  Many Austinites follow Lance's example, and can be seen bicycling on Austin highways and streets.  Go to the link above to find good bicycling routes in Austin.

Boating

Austin has many bodies of water that you can boat on.  Which marina you choose depends on where you want to do boating.

Running

Check with the Austin Runners Club to keep up with the running events in Austin.

Hike and Bike Trail at Town Lake

Many Austinites jog or bicycle around Town Lake to get their exercise.

Walking in the Greenbelt

If you prefer, you can always take a walk in the same path that the runners and bicyclists use.  The Greenbelt is beautiful, and the trees keep you cool.

Parks 

If you need a list of the parks in Austin to find one near you, the City of Austin Parks and Recreation Department has it for you.

Cultural Fun

Blanton Art Museum

This museum features modern, postmodern, and neoclassical art.  Some sculpture reproductions, but mainly paintings, and at least one installation.

Austin Lyric Opera

Classic and new operas are presented by Austin's opera company.

Ballet Austin

After having been at the Bass Concert Hall for many years, the company is moving soon to the Joe R. and Teresa Lozano Long Center.  A nonprofit organization.

Shakespeare in the Park

A loaf of bread, a jug of wine, and The Bard.  Sit under the stars amongst other Austin literati and hear the verses of the writer that spawned a thousand new words. 

Theater

If you'd like to take in a play, the Austin area has many professional and amateur theaters.

Austin Museum of Art

This small museum features modern and postmodern art, art installations, and photographs of art installations in other places.  The "FamilyLab" is a place where children can have a hands-on experience at the museum, and make a small project to take home.

Bass Concert Hall

A venue for many famous artists over the years, check this site if you're looking for fine entertainment in Austin.

Inexpensive (Cheap) Fun

Mt. Bonnell

Mt. Bonnell is great for exercise, has a great view, makes a great romantic picnic spot, and... it's free!

Barton Springs Pool

Free during colder weather, when there are no lifeguards, but still very cheap during the summer.

UT Tower

Closed for many years after the Charles Whitman shooting incident, the tower's observation deck is now open again to the public.

Governor's Mansion

Visit the Governor of Texas' home free.

LBJ Library

A library with documents from Lyndon Baines Johnson's presidency, plus a museum of many interesting and beautiful artifacts of LBJ and Ladybird's lives.

Zilker Park

The playscapes, fields, Botanical Garden, and parking at Zilker are free.  The train is not.  The Umlauf Sculpture Garden charges a small fee for people over 6 years old, but the cost is more for tours or workshops.

Lake Travis

Try swimming or fishing in Lake Travis for fun.

Feeding Ducks at the Arboretum

Go to the Arboretum shopping center, and climb on the fun cow sculptures (made of stone.)  Then, take your stale bread down the small, stone path that goes down to the pond, so you can feed the ducks.

Tour the State Capitol

Don't forget to bring some unsalted nuts for the squirrels and stale bread for the pigeons on the grounds of the capitol building.  Go inside for a tour of the classically designed building, including paintings of past governors.  Here, you can also see the legislature room where Texas laws are made.

Bicycling

Zilker Botanical Gardens

Congress Avenue Bats

Right before dusk, go to the Congress Avenue bridge and wait.  They start coming out slowly at first, then begin flooding out.  It looks like a smoke trail going off into the distance.  The bats' squeaking is very high, but you can hear it.  Austin Texas Homes recommends that you stand above the bridge, not under it.

Austin Farmer's Market

From their website:  "There are plentiful prepared foods, farm products turned into jams, salsas and honey, and hand-made crafts. Chef's demos, children's activities, and live local musicians make supporting local growers fun!"  Check the link above for times, location, and parking details.

Unusual Fun

Renaissance Festival

A grand, merrie, event!  Many Austinites either attend or work at this fair.  Wear a costume for extra fun, or just wait until you get there, and you can either buy or rent one at the fair.  If you want a family renaissance experience, look into the School Days at the Renaissance Festival.

Eeyeore's Birthday Party

An Austin festival day with costumes, music and food.  The drum circles are a unique part of this event.

Spamarama

A silly, Hormel Spam-themed festival featuring a Spam cook-off, unique Spam sports, music (the "Spam Jam"), and other fun festival stuff.