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Top Places for Indoor Family Fun in Austin

Discover family-friendly activities to stay cool -- from interactive museums to indoor playgrounds

Parents and kids will equally enjoy playing games. (photo courtesy of Cidercade)
Parents and kids will equally enjoy playing games. (photo courtesy of Cidercade)

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.

Close-up on Skates being worn
Close-up on Skates being worn (Photo by Boi Orbison @neonrainbows)

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.


Bullock Texas State History Museum
So much to explore at the Bullock Museum. (photo courtesy of the Bullock State History Museum)

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.


Guests at the Van Gogh and Monet exhibit
Guests at the Van Gogh and Monet exhibit (Photo by Timothy Norris)

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.

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Parents and kids will equally enjoy playing games. (photo courtesy of Cidercade)
Have some fun indoors playing games. (photo courtesy of Cidercade)

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.


Interior of one of many rooms available at the Museum of Ice Cream  (Photo courtesy of Museum of Ice Cream)
Interior of one of many rooms available at the Museum of Ice Cream (Photo courtesy of Museum of Ice Cream)

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.


Young kiddos will have a blast playing around in this mini town. (Photo courtesy of Pikopy's Town)
Young kiddos will have a blast playing around in this mini town. (Photo courtesy of Pikopy’s Town)

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.


Kid climbing at the gym (Photo courtesy of ABP)
Kid climbing at the gym (Photo courtesy of ABP)

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.


Interior of the cave (Photo courtesy of Inner Space Cavern)
(Photo courtesy of Inner Space Cavern)

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!


Interior of Central Library (Photo courtesy of Austin Public Library)
Austin Central Library. (Photo courtesy of Austin Public Library)

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.


Instructor and student painting at Create Art Studio
Instructor and student painting at Create Art Studio (Photo courtesy of Create Art Studio)

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.