Top Places for Indoor Family Fun in Austin
Discover family-friendly activities to stay cool -- from interactive museums to indoor playgrounds

As summer temperatures rise, families have numerous indoor activities to choose from where you can stay cool and have loads of fun together in Austin. From interactive museums to indoor playgrounds, there’s something for everyone to enjoy together in the heart of Texas.

Playland Skate Center
8822 McCann Dr.
Austin’s largest roller rink has been an iconic fixture in north Austin since 1973. The neon lights and giant disco roller skate rotating in the middle of the rink set nostalgic vibes, and you’ll feel like a kid as you go round and round while the tunes are blasted throughout the 27,000-square-foot facility. Swifties, listen up—there’s a Taylor Swift-themed skate party set for July 28.

Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum
1800 Congress Ave.
My kids refer to this as the “giant star museum” and have both been going since they were toddlers. The Texas History Museum, located between the Capitol building and the UT campus, has plenty to keep even young kids entertained, from interactive exhibits to short films and unique artifacts. The museum offers activity guides for all grade levels. On the first Sunday of every month, enjoy free exhibition admission with H-E-B Free First Sundays.

Beyond Van Gogh and Beyond Monet
305 S Congress Ave.
Cool off and step into the masterpieces of Van Gogh and Monet at these immersive art experiences. Located at the Austin American Statesman building on Congress Ave., the exhibitions bring paintings to life using virtual reality and still images. Even children and teens are going to enjoy this type of art museum.

Cidercade
600 E Riverside Dr.
Unlimited arcade games and good food? Score! Cidercade on Riverside is family-friendly before 9 p.m. and one price at the door gets you access to more than 150 retro and new arcade games all day. The arcade specializes in Cider with 24 on tap, fresh artisan thin-crust pizza, and some of the best wings in Austin.

Museum of Ice Cream
11506 Century Oaks Terrace, #128
What better way to stay cool than with unlimited ice cream while walking through 14 interactive ice cream-themed installations? Located at the Domain, the Museum of Ice Cream creates experiences meant to inspire imagination and human connection while celebrating our love of ice cream. There are lots of fun photo ops and plenty of scoops of the good stuff along the way. Enjoy savings on tickets when you reserve an early time slot.
Pikopeye’s Town
2919 Menchaca Rd, Ste 205
1607 Ranch Rd 620, Ste 100
This unique indoor playground has two Austin locations for kids to enjoy and if you’ve got little ones, it’s a great spot to keep them entertained for hours. Custom playhouses that resemble familiar businesses make up a little town, complete with costumes and props to keep kids busy. There’s a separate lounge space and seating area for adults to relax or get a little work done.

Austin Bouldering Project
979 Springdale Rd #150
Westgate, 4477 S Lamar Blvd Suite 600
Set out on a climbing adventure while enjoying the A/C. The climbing gym has several locations around Austin and offers programs for kids of all ages. There’s a separate padded area for little ones and walls specially designed for kids. Youth programs teach kids skills like problem-solving and calculated risk-taking while tapping into a kid’s natural desire to climb.

Inner Space Cavern
4200 S I-35 Frontage Rd
The cave in Georgetown just off I35 was preserved for over 10,000 years before being discovered by a Texas Highway Department team in the 1960s. Tour the cave to see beautiful formations and large rooms while learning the discovery story. The biggest draw: it remains a constant 72 degrees in the cave year round!

Central Library
710 W Cesar Chavez St
The beautiful and inviting six-story building on Cesar Chavez downtown has walls of glass windows and lake views. It also has an expansive children’s book collection, an indoor reading area, and a screened-in children’s porch. Check the calendar for events and storytime for kids.

Create Art Studio
2438 W Anderson Ln. Suite A-2
Let your kid explore their creative side at this art studio located on West Anderson in North Austin. There’s a variety of art materials and activities available for kids to choose from. Open table sessions on the weekends allow kids to spend up to several hours in the studio working on various creative art projects.