Tour Austin with a Splash!

The original Austin tour, Austin Duck Adventures offers an amphibious tour that includes tours of downtown Austin and beautiful Lake Austin in UNSINKABLE, US coast guard inspected, Hydra Terra vehicles. Austin Duck Adventures is Austin’s best tour with 75 minutes of sightseeing that includes Historic Sixth Street, the State Capitol Building, the Governor’s Mansion, and Lake Austin.

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If you have science-minded kids, put the Austin Nature & Science Center on your itinerary! One of the best kid-friendly activities in Austin, you’ll find a variety of science and nature-based exhibits here. You can even learn about native wildlife who call Austin and Texas home. Head to the Naturalist Workshop to touch animal furs, rocks, bones, plants, and insects, as well as inspect them with magnifying glasses to learn more! Then, kids will also love digging in the Dino Pit. Kids can play in this outdoor exhibit designed to teach them about some of Texas’s oldest residents. Outside, you can also wander around the pond walk to learn more about water systems and pond life. You may even see a turtle basking in the Austin sun! Finally, don’t miss the pollinator gardens for a chance to stroll among the blooming plants and to meet the local butterflies.

This is also one of the best free things to do in Austin with kids, as there is no paid admission for individuals and families visiting the exhibits (donations are happily accepted).

Take a dip in one of Austin’s spring-fed swimming holes, located in the heart of the city. Barton Springs Pool in Zilker Park maintains a refreshing temperature of 68–70 degrees year round, and has plenty of grassy areas to spread out. Barton Springs Pool is a recreational outdoor swimming pool that is filled entirely with water from nearby natural springs.

The Springs serves as home to the endangered Barton Springs Salamander, and is listed as a federally protected habitat. Depths of the pool range from 0’ to 18′ with surrounding grassy areas for patrons to lounge upon. Adjacent to the pool bathhouse is Splash!, an educational exhibit where patrons can learn about the history and biology of Barton Springs and the Edwards Aquifer which feeds it.