Things to do in Texas with kids
49 attractions • Updated May 2026
Looking for things to do in Texas with kids? You are spoiled for choice. From Fort Worth Stockyards National Historic District to family days out in Arlington and the best theme parks in Texas, Texas packs more family days out into one trip than almost any other state. We have pulled together 49 of the best places to visit in Texas, each with addresses, opening times and what to expect with kids in tow. Filter by category or browse by city below.
Published May 2026. Editorial oversight by James Morgan. AI-assisted, human-edited. Our editorial standards
Working out when you can actually go? Our Texas school holiday calendar lists first day, last day and every break for the state's biggest districts.
Family attractions in Texas
49 of 49 attractions
Historic Sites
Fort Worth Stockyards National Historic District
Fort Worth, Texas
Watch real longhorns clatter down the street in the world's only twice-daily cattle drive.
Zoos Wildlife
Houston Zoo
Houston, Texas
Every ticket here funds real conservation work, so a day spotting big mammals, reptiles, and birds doubles as support for endangered species worldwide.
Science Museums
Space Center Houston
Houston, Texas
Tour real NASA Mission Control and touch space history at Houston's Johnson Space Center.
Historic Sites
The Alamo
San Antonio, Texas
Stand at the San Antonio mission that became the heart of the Texas Revolution.
Theme Parks
SeaWorld San Antonio
San Antonio, Texas
Orcas, roller coasters, and in-water dolphin swims meet at this San Antonio marine park.
Theme Parks
Six Flags Fiesta Texas
San Antonio, Texas
Home to the largest DC Universe land at any US amusement park, plus its own water park next door.
Theme Parks
Six Flags Over Texas
Arlington, Texas
A pioneering Arlington theme park stacking high-speed coasters next to gentle family rides.
Nature Outdoor
San Antonio River Walk
San Antonio, Texas
Stroll a riverside maze of walkways, restaurants, and bridges a level below the Texas streets.
Museums
Houston Museum of Natural Science
Houston, Texas
Walk through a living rainforest of free-flying butterflies, then catch a planetarium show and giant-screen film all under one roof in Hermann Park.
Nature Outdoor
Natural Bridge Caverns
San Antonio, Texas
Tour dramatic underground chambers, then take on zip rails and a maze above ground.
Science Museums
Perot Museum of Nature and Science
Dallas, Texas
Five themed halls of nature and science, from dinosaurs to sports, in downtown Dallas.
Zoos Wildlife
Fort Worth Zoo
Fort Worth, Texas
Texas's oldest zoo packs 7,000 animals into habitats from African Savanna to a Great Barrier Reef.
Historic Sites
AT&T Stadium Tours
Arlington, Texas
Step onto the field, into the Cowboys' locker room, and face to face with a hologram of Jerry Jones at this colossal stadium.
Zoos Wildlife
Dallas Zoo
Dallas, Texas
North Texas's hub for wildlife encounters, from powerful predators to tiny pollinators, paired with active conservation work.
Aquariums
Moody Gardens
Galveston, Texas
Walk through a rainforest pyramid and an aquarium pyramid at one Galveston Island destination.
Zoos Wildlife
San Antonio Zoo
San Antonio, Texas
Gorillas are back after 35 years at Congo Falls, a two-acre immersive habitat.
Theme Parks
Galveston Island Historic Pleasure Pier
Galveston, Texas
Ride roller coasters and a Ferris wheel that hang right out over the Gulf of Mexico.
Zoos Wildlife
The Dallas World Aquarium
Dallas, Texas
Walk from a rainforest canopy to a Maya world inside this downtown Dallas aquarium.
Water Parks
Great Wolf Lodge Grapevine
Grapevine, Texas
Splash in an 80,000-square-foot indoor water park kept at 84 degrees no matter the weather.
Water Parks
Kalahari Resorts & Conventions Round Rock
Round Rock, Texas
Cannonball into a 350,000-square-foot indoor water park that's open in any season.
Beaches
Padre Island National Seashore
Corpus Christi, Texas
Sixty-six miles of wild Gulf coastline and one of the country's last intact coastal prairies.
Water Parks
Schlitterbahn Waterpark New Braunfels
New Braunfels, Texas
Texas hill country waterpark sprawling across four sections with 45 rivers, rides, and chutes.
Museums
Mayborn Museum Complex
Waco, Texas
Roam 143,000 square feet of natural history and a recreated 1890s Texas village.
Theme Parks
Morgan's Wonderland
San Antonio, Texas
A fully accessible San Antonio theme park where kids of all abilities play side by side.
Museums
National Videogame Museum
Frisco, Texas
Play your way through gaming history, from vintage arcade cabinets to a recreated 1980s bedroom.
History Museums
USS Lexington Museum
Corpus Christi, Texas
Board 'The Blue Ghost,' a real WWII aircraft carrier moored in Corpus Christi Bay.
History Museums
Bullock Texas State History Museum
Austin, Texas
The official state history museum brings the Story of Texas to life across galleries, an IMAX, and the Texas Spirit Theater.
Parks Gardens
Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden
Dallas, Texas
A 66-acre botanical showcase with 1.4 million plants a year, big-name art installations, and a hands-on STEM garden for kids.
Zoos Wildlife
Gator Country Adventure Park
Beaumont, Texas
Meet 450-plus rescued alligators and even wade with baby gators at this Texas sanctuary.
Nature Outdoor
Inner Space Cavern
Georgetown, Texas
Discovered by accident during highway drilling, this 10,000-year-old Texas cavern offers everything from a paved guided stroll to a crawl-and-climb wild cave trek.
Historic Sites
Reunion Tower GeO-Deck
Dallas, Texas
Take in Dallas from 470 feet up, by day or night, with AR-guided views.
Zoos Wildlife
Cameron Park Zoo
Waco, Texas
Animals thrive in lush natural habitats with waterfalls and lakes at this Waco zoo.
Childrens Museums
Children's Museum Houston
Houston, Texas
Invent, imagine, and experiment across hands-on galleries spanning science, culture, math, and the arts.
Zoos Wildlife
Fossil Rim Wildlife Center
Glen Rose, Texas
Drive your own car through open habitats where giraffes and rhinos roam up close.
Zoos Wildlife
Gladys Porter Zoo
Brownsville, Texas
See 377 animal species, including Komodo dragons, on a walkable three-quarter-mile loop.
Parks Gardens
Texas Discovery Gardens
Dallas, Texas
An organic Fair Park oasis where free-flying butterflies share trails with garden trains.
Aquariums
Texas State Aquarium
Corpus Christi, Texas
A Corpus Christi aquarium where Gulf conservation comes alive through a hands-on kids' discovery center.
Childrens Museums
Thinkery
Austin, Texas
An Austin STEAM playground where 40,000 square feet of hands-on exhibits spark curiosity.
Nature Outdoor
Wonder World Cave & Adventure Park
San Marcos, Texas
Descend into the only earthquake-formed show cave open to the public in the US.
Parks Gardens
Zilker Botanical Garden
Austin, Texas
A downtown Austin garden weaving Japanese, prehistoric, and rose plantings into one oasis.
Childrens Museums
The DoSeum
San Antonio, Texas
A San Antonio children's museum built entirely around learning through play.
Water Parks
Epic Waters Indoor Waterpark
Grand Prairie, Texas
Surf the FlowRider, brave the Lasso Loop, and drift North Texas's longest indoor lazy river, rain or shine.
Zoos Wildlife
Natural Bridge Wildlife Ranch
San Antonio, Texas
Drive your own car through 500 acres of open habitat and feed animals from the window.
Water Parks
Typhoon Texas Waterpark Austin
Pflugerville, Texas
Austin's summer waterpark balancing high-energy slides with a winding lazy river.
Water Parks
Typhoon Texas Waterpark Houston
Katy, Texas
Houston's waterpark mixing thrill slides, a lazy river, and a dedicated kids' zone.
Zoos Wildlife
El Paso Zoo and Botanical Gardens
El Paso, Texas
Ride a carousel of endangered animals, climb a three-story ropes course, and meet wildlife from three continents.
Zoos Wildlife
Austin Zoo
Austin, Texas
Every animal here is a rescue with a backstory, and your ticket helps care for them at this welfare-focused Hill Country zoo.
National State Parks
Dinosaur Valley State Park
Glen Rose, Texas
Walk in real dinosaur footprints preserved in the Paluxy Riverbed, then hike, paddle, and camp across the surrounding Texas park.
Historic Sites
Waco Mammoth National Monument
Waco, Texas
See Ice Age mammoth fossils resting where they fell at this one-of-a-kind Texas dig site.
Where to find family attractions in Texas
Tap a pin or scroll the list to see top picks across the state.
More about days out in Texas
Texas has 49 family attractions we would happily take our own kids to. AT&T Stadium Tours is the one most families start with. Step onto the field, into the Cowboys' locker room, and face to face with a hologram of Jerry Jones at this colossal stadium. Austin Zoo is the other name that comes up again and again. Every animal here is a rescue with a backstory, and your ticket helps care for them at this welfare-focused Hill Country zoo. Bullock Texas State History Museum rounds out the pick of the bunch. The official state history museum brings the Story of Texas to life across galleries, an IMAX, and the Texas Spirit Theater. Also worth your time: Fort Worth Stockyards National Historic District, Houston Zoo, Space Center Houston and The Alamo.
Published prices run from $3 at Zilker Botanical Garden up to $59.99 at SeaWorld San Antonio. 17 of the 49 listed here quote a starting price. The others vary by season or by what you add on, so check before you travel. Age guidance is worth reading first at Morgan's Wonderland (ages 2-12) and USS Lexington Museum (ages 12 and up ).
Beyond family attractions, families in Texas also head for zoos & wildlife (12), water parks (6), historic sites & landmarks (5) and theme parks (5). The family attractions on this page are spread across Arlington (2), Austin (4), Beaumont (1) and Brownsville (1), so it is easy to pair two into one trip.