10 Best Family Vacations in Texas
Do you want to plan one of the best family vacations in Texas? Looking for the best Texas vacations for kids?
Awesome, you are in the right spot!
Texas is a place my family visits several times a year. I grew up in Oklahoma and my sister lives in Austin. So we have done plenty of kid-friendly Texas vacations. I am excited to share with you the best family vacations Texas has to offer!
In this post, we are going to hit some of the fun family vacation spots in Texas and list some of the Texas attractions you will love. We will also include the best Texas resorts for families. These family destinations in Texas make for the best kid vacations in Texas!
My family has enjoyed quick family trips in Texas at all of these locations.
Let’s explore the best family Texas Vacations!
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1. Dallas/Fort Worth
Dallas was my go-to Texas family vacation for years. I grew up in Oklahoma so we would take a quick trip to Dallas for some fun. My own kids have been to Dallas/Ft Worth area several times and have had great experiences. It is one of the best family getaways in Texas.
Things to Do in Dallas and Ft. Worth with Kids
One thing we love doing in Dallas is Visiting Six Flags over Texas. My kids love amusement parks.
We also made a special trip to Grapevine Mall to visit the Legoland Discovery Center and Sealife Aquarium. If you have a mix of older kids and younger this area is great because the younger kids can play and the older kids can shop!
A city pass is awesome because it gives you access to a lot of the major museums and even the Dallas Zoo.
Not too far away is Ft. Worth. If you are planning a Texas family vacation be sure to hit the Ft. Worth Stockyards! Your kids will love all the activities and cattle.
Accommodations
If you are looking for a fun family Texas Vacation picking the right accommodation is important. Dallas will not disappoint. There is a Great Wolf Lodge which has an indoor water park and lots of fun games and activities.
The Gaylord Texas is also another amazing place to stay on a Texas family vacation. There is an amazing outdoor pool with a lazy river and slides. The Gaylord has amazing Christmas activities and lots of things to do with kids indoors during the holidays as well.
These are some of the best Texas resorts for families!
2. Waco Texas
Things to Do in Waco Texas with Kids
My family loves food. We enjoy food tours and trying all sorts of yummy treats everywhere we travel. Waco has some of the best food in Texas! Waco is the home of Magnolia Market. It is so fun to visit. My husband and kids love running around on the green space and eating at a food truck while I sneak away and shop at the Market. (This is a great birthday trip for mom) We all love heading over to the Silos Bakery Co. to get a yummy treat. Magnolia Table is another great place to eat lunch or dinner. Honestly, Chip and Joanna Gaines put Waco on the map and it wouldn’t be right to not admire some of their handy work. You can actually go on a Fixer Upper home tour and see one of the houses they remodeled! How cool is that!Accommodations
If you are fans of Fixer Upper you can stay in a VRBO from season 3!3. Austin Texas
We visit Austin at least once a year sometimes more! My sister lives south of Austin near Buda. Austin is one of the best places for a Texas family vacation.
Things to Do in Austin with Kids
One of my family’s favorite things to do in Austin with kids is visit the Texas State History Museum. We love how interactive it is!
We also love to visit Zilker Park. The Nature and Science is free and fun for kids to explore! During the summer you can swim at Barton Creek Natural Springs.
We love the Muller District. There is a nice children’s museum and park. Muller Lake has turtles swimming all around!
If you are looking for an outdoor adventure Austin will not disappoint. You can hike Mount Bonnell or kayak on Lady Bird Lake. You will not want to miss the bat bridge at dusk.
Austin also has really fun Murals around downtown. My kids loved going and taking pictures in front of them.
You have to eat some breakfast tacos and barbeque in Austin to wrap up your family vacation in Texas.
Accommodations
The Omni located near Barton Springs has a gorgeous view and amazing swimming pools!
If you want to give your family a fun adventure there is a Jellystone Camp Ground about an hour away from Austin. There are water slides and fun activities. You could also rent a boat and enjoy Canyon Lake.
4. New Braunfels
New Braunfels is a fun town. If you want to plan one of the best Texas family vacations then this is the perfect spot. New Braunfels is located in Hill Country between San Antonio and Austin.
Things to Do in New Braunfels with Kids
This German town has one of the best water parks Schlitterbahn. The Schlitterbahn rides will not disappoint your kids.
New Braunfels is also a popular place for tubing on the Comal River.
There are lots of fun places to eat in the area. The Gruene Historic District is a great area to explore. You can try some local German restaurants!
Accommodations
The Resort at Schlitterbahn is one of the best Texas resorts for families. It is super fun. You have direct access to the water park!
5. San Antonio
Things to Do in San Antonio with Kids
The famous Riverwalk is the highlight of any San Antonio trip. Your kids will love going on a Riverwalk boat ride. There is also a SeaLife Aquarium, Legoland Discovery Center, and Ripley’s believe it or not. A city pass is a great option to do a lot of the fun things in San Antonio. My kids loved going to the Alamo! We also ventured up to the top of the Towers of America! We got a great view of the city. If you have time SeaWorld San Antonio and Six Flags Fiesta Texas are also located in San Antonio. You could easily plan a 3-day San Antonio itinerary!Accommodations
San Antonio is home to one of the coolest JW Marriotts. There is a waterpark at the resort that is perfect for kids. It is one of the best Texas resorts for families. Also, Staying right on the riverwalk is a great option. Westin on the Riverwalk is a good choice. This will put you close to all of the attractions and restaurants.6. Houston
Things to Do in Houston with Kids
Houston we have a problem…Not really the Houston Space Center is really cool! We took the kids and they loved it. We have a few girls that love to shop so we knew the Galleria would be a fun outing. The Kemah Boardwalk is also another really fun area to bring the kids. There are 13 amusement park rides. You can get a day pass and ride as many times as you would like. In this same area you can book a speed boat tour around the lake. Houston has a downtown Aquarium and Zoo as well. Houston is one of the best family getaways in TexasAccommodations
I think the clear best Texas resort for families is the Marriott Marquis Houston which has a pool in the shape of Texas.7. Galveston
Things to Do in Galveston with Kids
The beach might be one of the best options if you are looking to relax and enjoy the area. You can build a sand castle or go on a Jet Boat Thrill Ride. Galveston also has some fun dolphin-watching tours you can check out. The Galveston Schlitterbahn is a great stop on your Texas family vacay as well. We went to Galveston for a few days before our cruise. We went to Schlitterbahn. It was super crowded!Accommodations
The Tremont House or the Grand Galvez Resort are the perfect options for some of the best Texas family resorts. The Tremont has nice family suites. The Grand Galves Resort has an amazing pool perfect for kids!8. Cruise Out of Texas
Cruises out of Texas are awesome! Cruises are the best family trips in Texas. Most cruises out of Texas will be 5 days or longer. Many of the cruise ship itineraries will go down to Mexico.
We went on a family reunion cruise out of Texas. If this is your dream Texas family vacation. I highly recommend booking either a Disney Cruise or a Royal Caribbean cruise.
We went with the Royal Caribbean Oasis Class– Allure of the Seas. It was awesome. My family loves going on cruises. There are so many fun things to do for families! Our cruise itinerary included stops in Honduras, Costa Maya, and Cozumel.
Planning a cruise is a great option for an all-inclusive family vacation in Texas!
9. South Padre Island
Things to Do in South Padre Island
We had such a fun time playing in the ocean. There are lots of activities in South Padre Island. I loved going on a catamaran ride. A dolphin-watching tour is also another great option. Parasailing over the ocean was my kid dream and South Padre Island has this activity. The beaches get a little crowded but it is still a really fun place to visit!Accommodations
The Courtyard Marriott is a nice option with a big pool and beachfront property. Margaritaville is another fabulous option.10. Corpus Christi
Things to Do in Corpus Christi with Kids
Corpus Christi has an amazing aquarium that kids will love. There is also the USS Lexington which is the oldest aircraft carrier now a museum. My kids loved Pearl Harbor, the USS Midway, and the USS Intrepid in New York. Kids will love the USS Lexington! Corpus Christi is in a bay where kayaks are available. There is a special family glow-in-the-dark night kayaking experience you might want to try. Lake Corpus Christi is another fun way to spend the weekend in Corpus Christi. You can ski, jet ski, swim, and boat at the lake. Going to the Lake is one of the best Texas family vacations!Accommodations
There are a lot of great accommodation options on VRBO.Best Family Vacations in Texas
Wow, there are so many vacation spots in Texas for families! There are so many fun things to do in Texas! I love all of these family vacations in Texas!
Hopefully, this post gave you enough information to plan a Texas family trip. If you decide to go on one of these weekend family getaways in Texas I know you will have a blast! One more thing, no matter which location you choice make sure to stop at a Buc-ee’s!
Have so much fun planning an amazing family vacation in Texas!
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