Traveling is one of the things I want to share the most with my children. I exploration of a new place, the discovery of a new culture, the understanding that someone who may not look or act like you may share a whole host of things similar and be closer than it seems are all things that are important to me and I want them to be important to them.
So needless to say, finding different places to explore is important. Hopefully, once the kids are a little older, we will do more international traveling – when they can sit still on an airplane for long periods of time. Until then, we will explore the United States. As it is there are so many unique places to find and so much history to discover.
Having been raised in Texas, we went to Austin quite a bit, mainly because my brother and his family live in Austin. Then, my husband and I went to school down by Austin. No, we didn’t go to that huge burnt orange school down there where the students “hook ‘em”. Instead, we went to the small school just north of there in Georgetown that is the oldest establishment of higher learning in the state – Southwestern University. No, I don’t mean Texas State. No, I don’t mean Georgetown University. I know. It’s a small school.
With all of this comes a fair deal of knowledge of the area. Austin is known as the live music capital of the world. With this, however, comes very few places that are kid-friendly to listen to the live music – most are bars or during festivals. Even without this, there are plenty of sites to see, things to do, and weird things to enjoy!
Where to Stay
There are many interesting neighborhoods in Austin, each with their own culture and personality. One of the nice things about Austin is that you can choose a location but, with a bit of patience for the traffic and a car, make it to most parts of the city and outlying suburbs with a fair amount of ease thanks to the highway and tollroad systems.
Regardless of where you stay, check the calendar for music festivals and University of Texas events. During these weekends you will see price increases on hotel rooms as well as they will book up faster. Keeping these events in mind will help you avoid a headache. If traveling in the fall, I highly recommend going on a weekend with the UT football team has an away game. This will greatly help avoid large crowds and street closures.
My favorite places to stay are in north, northwest, and west Austin. In these areas you will have the opportunity to view amazing hill country landscape, easy access to places like the Arboretum and Lake Travis, and the highway system makes it easy to get around the area.
With that being said, hotels in east and south Austin have the potential to be within walking distance of fantastic food establishments and boutiques as well as fun places like The Thinkery. If you’re looking for something a little more funky and “weird,” check out the hotels in these areas.
What to Do
There are so many interesting things to do and see in Austin. A little ways north in Georgetown in the Inner Space Caverns. A little west is Lake Travis or the Arboretum. A little east is The Thinkery and Mueller park. You could even take a day trip down south to Schlitterbahn water park or stay in Austin and swim in one of their swimming holes like Barton Springs or Deep Eddy.
If you are looking for water fun, be sure to check out one of the swimming holes that are famous in Austin – Barton Springs or Deep Eddy. Barton Springs is located within Zilker Park, a 358 acre park within Austin that is federally protected. The pool is fed from underground springs and is surrounded by gorgeous scenery, making it different from a typical city pool.
Traveling to Austin between April and October? Going to the Ann Richards Congress Avenue bridge at dusk is an absolute must then. Though they are there all year round, these are the best months to view the bats flying out at night. The bridge houses between 750,000 and 1.5 million bats – the largest urban bat colony in North America! Be sure to get there early to get a spot as this is a popular sight to take in. The bats are harmless and will ignore the viewers, so don’t worry about anything danger.
One of Little Mister and Little Miss’s favorite places to go in Austin is The Thinkery in Mueller. This fun children’s museum has several different areas where kids can play, discover, and learn. Children can move freely through the rooms and areas, participating in a small market and farm, exploring a light lab, painting on a wall, and climbing through a giant treehouse. Be prepared to spend at least half a day if not longer here, just letting your kids run and have fun. Pack a lunch to have a picnic at the lake across the way. Your kids will surely be ready for nap time after fun at The Thinkery!
What to Eat
There is a huge variety of food establishments in the area, many that are kid-friendly, but there are a few worth noting…
While in Texas, do as Texans do and make sure that you partake in some famous barbecue and some tasty Tex-Mex cuisine. One of the most famous barbecue joints in Austin is Franklin Barbecue. They only serve lunch and the line can start long before they open at 11 AM, so be sure to arrive early because once they run out, they’re out. If not there, check out Stiles Switch BBQ.
Looking to have some tasty Tex-Mex, be sure to check out Matt’s El Rancho. They’re known for the Bob Armstrong dip and Mexican martini, but many of their menu items are popular and you can’t go wrong with whatever you choose to order.
Take it from me, at least one morning be sure to have breakfast at Kerby Lane. Their pancakes are delicious and huge and worth it. Another day, take a trip up to Georgetown for the Monument Cafe for either their delicious breakfast or their King Ranch Casserole (featured on Dine-Ins, Diners, and Dives on Food Network).
If you’re looking for a larger variety of food, because let’s be honest, with kids, many times every kid wants something different. There are several food truck parks throughout Austin that will provide several different options and a little fun for eating.
When to Go
Texas is hot. That’s a given. Texas in the summer can be absolutely brutal with temperatures reaching far over 100 in July and August. Especially with kids, if you plan to do many activities outside, the summer temperatures are important to take into consideration when booking travel during the summer months.
The other big thing to take into account is football season. Some consider football to be king in the state of Texas. Some when it comes to games, cities like Austin become packed with tailgaters. Some streets may close, hotels will raise rates and book up quickly, and the atmosphere will become energized, including some increased drinking. This atmosphere may or may not appeal to you, so you may want to at least keep this in mind.
Best for Kids
There are so many places that are fun for kids to go. From The Thinkery to the Inner Space Caverns, the swimming holes and the great food, Austin can be a great place for kids to have fun. Many of these places can be worth spending a whole day enjoying them and the little parks and spots around them.
Plan to spend a day at Zilker Park and enjoy Barton Springs while you are there. Spend a day up north by Georgetown exploring the Inner Space Caverns and then taking in the fun places on the Georgetown square. Mueller Park and The Thinkery can be at least a morning adventure. End one of your days with the excitement of the bat bridge.
However you plan to arrange your trip, take time at each of the places you go to see. You won’t regret spending time at each of these places.
Austin can make for a fun weekend trip or a longer trip if you have the time. However you choose to visit Austin, there is plenty to do and see. Each of the parts of Austin has something different to offer, so the only thing you really need to figure out is what kind of neighborhood you’d like to stay in because Austin’s motto is “Keep Austin Weird.”