19 Best Things to do in San Antonio with Kids

San Antonio is well known for its wide range of activities. Even better, it is the perfect destination for family-friendly fun!

Whether your child is a toddler or a teenager, San Antonio offers locals and visitors a variety of activities that will leave you wanting to come back!

From amusement parks to museums to wildlife ranch. San Antonio is the perfect destination for families to enjoy a day out!

Check out the top things to do in San Antonio with kids!

Top 19 Things to Do in San Antonio with Kids

1. The NEW Civic Park Pools at Heimsfair

210 S Alamo St, San Antonio, TX 78205

Are you looking to do cheap family activities in San Antonio to combat the summer heat? Check out the NEW Civic Park Pools at Heimsfair!

Established in 2023, this great family spot is perfect for families to take their kids to play in fun splash areas, and pools making it ideal for combating the heat to cool off and enjoying the relaxing outdoors!

  • Pro tip: Start your day early and find some shade; there are no lifeguards, so keep a close eye on your children.
  • Type of Attraction: Swimming pool
  • Time to Spend: 1-2 hours

 

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Established in 1995, DoSeum is a children’s museum with hands-on exhibits for children to have fun and learn topics such as science, technology, and art. Making it the perfect activity for kids to learn through play! As a child growing up, I enjoyed playing in the little town exhibit!

  • Pro tip: Cashless transactions are highly encouraged, and re-entry is allowed as long as the date matches the day of your visit. Just show your receipt or check-in identifier.
  • Type of Attraction: Children’s museum
  • Time to Spend: 2-3 hours

 

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3. The Splash Park and Playground at Hemisfair Park

434 S Alamo St, San Antonio, TX 78205

Established in 2008, The Splash Park and Playground at Hemisfair Park is a family-friendly outdoor space with activities such as splash areas for kids to splash around and cool off, playgrounds to jump around and play, and picnic zones to relax and enjoy a meal at the park!

 

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Looking for a place to visit in San Antonio with family? Then look no further and check out the San Antonio Zoo!

Established in 1914, the zoo is an exciting outing to take the whole family to view various animals from lions to hippos to exotic fish, and themed exhibits to be immersed in the world of animals as well as the opportunity to experience interactive wildlife!

The San Antonio Zoo is the perfect activity for families! My family’s favorite exhibit is the Friedrich Aquarium!

  • Pro tip: Purchase tickets in advance, and do not bring outside food or drink. The exceptions are baby food, formula, and bottled water. Ice coolers are not permitted on zoo grounds.
  • Type of Attraction: Zoo
  • Time to Spend: 2-3 hours

Established in 2021, SEA LIFE San Antonio is an underwater adventure for families and kids to partake in with vibrant marine life displays and interactive exhibits for kids to engage in such as the touch pools and learn more about marine life!

The best part of the SEA LIFE is the amazing underwater ocean tunnel where you have the chance to get an up-close personal view of over 500 different creatures!

SEA LIFE San Antonio is a must-visit to check out making it the perfect kid-friendly activity in San Antonio!

My family’s favorite exhibit is the Ocean Tunnel!

  • Pro-tip: Purchase tickets in advance.
  • Type of Attraction: Aquarium
  • Time to Spend: 1 – 1 ½ hour

Established in 2010, Morgan’s Wonderland is the world’s first theme park designed for individuals with special needs, making it an inclusive amusement park with accessible rides and attractions designed for kids of all abilities to have fun!

Founded by Gordon V. Hartman and his wife Maggie, it is their mission to provide children with special needs a theme park to have fun all while being fully accessible! My family’s favorite ride is the Jette’s Wonder Bikes!

  • Pro-tip: Visitors can pack a lunch and enjoy it at the Picnic Place.
  • Type of Attraction: Theme park
  • Time to Spend: A full day

Established in 1925, Kiddie Park is a nostalgic kid-friendly amusement that is a part of the San Antonio Zoo that has classic amusement park rides, and games, and best of all it allows families to reminisce on the nostalgic park and create new memories with their kiddos!

As a kid growing up, my favorite ride was the carousel ride!

  • Pro-tip: Plan ahead for parking as parking can easily get crowded and is small.
  • Type of Attraction: Amusement park
  • Time to Spend: 1-2 hours

 

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Established in 1988, SeaWorld San Antonio is a thrilling marine-themes amusement park for the whole family to enjoy and have fun with activities to partake in such as viewing shows, having the opportunity to have animal encounters, and kid-friendly attractions such as riding rollercoasters.

SeaWorld San Antonio is an unforgettable experience for the entire family! As a kid growing up, I enjoyed the raft ride, Rio Loco!

  • Pro tip: Check the calendar as the park operation days and times can change seasonally; purchase tickets in advance; no outside food, drinks, or coolers are allowed; the exception is a bottle of water/refillable water bottles. Seaworld San Antonio is cashless. There is a card kiosk if you do not have a card.
  • Type of Attraction: Theme park
  • Time to Spend: A full day

Established in 2012, Aquatica is a water park adjacent to SeaWorld for families and kids alike to enjoy a day to cool off from the heat and do activities such as riding water slides, swimming in wave pools, and playing in splash areas.

Making it the perfect family water fun to enjoy! As a kid growing up, I loved riding the water slides!

  • Pro-tip: Purchase tickets in advance and arrive early to find good parking. Wear flip-flops or water shoes and suitable clothing for swimming, and wear sunscreen.
  • Type of Attraction: Water park
  • Time to Spend: 2 hours/ time varies

Established in 1994, Magik Theatre is a family-friendly theater offering visitors kid-focused plays and interactive performances that spark young imaginations and active the art of plays for kids to enjoy!

This children’s theater experience is the perfect indoor kid activity in San Antonio! As a kid growing up, my favorite play was Aladdin!

  • Type of Attraction: Children’s theater
  • Time to Spend: 1-2 hours

11. Splash Pad at the Pearl District

312 Pearl Pkwy, San Antonio, TX 78215

The Splash Pad at the Pearl District is an outdoor water play area, where families can unwind and relax while kids have the opportunity to play in interactive water features to cool off from the heat with no expense!

If you’re in San Antonio during the summer and have no place in mind to take the kids to cool off, the Splash Pad at the Pearl District is the place to go!

  • Pro-tip: Have your kids wear proper swimwear, sunscreen, and towels to dry off.
  • Type of Attraction: Park
  • Time to Spend: 30-60 minutes

12. Six Flags Fiesta Texas

San Antonio, TX 78257

Established in 1992, Six Flags Fiesta Texas in San Antonio is a thrilled-pack amusement park packed with fun rides such as roller coasters, such as the Iron Rattler and The Joker, and kid-friendly rides such as Daffy’s Bus Stop, and family entertainment.

Six Flags Fiesta Texas is the perfect destination for kids of all ages and even adults to enjoy and have fun! My favorite ride is the Poltergeist rollercoaster!

  • Pro-tip: Purchase tickets in advance; purchasing fast passes is recommended for weekends when the park is most packed; bring sunscreen to apply, a water bottle, and a mini fan to help cool off. If you plan to go on a water ride, it is recommended that you bring some dry clothes.
  • Type of Attraction: Amusement park
  • Time to Spend: Full day

13. Hurricane Harbor San Antonio

17000 W I-10, San Antonio, TX 78256

Established in 1992, Hurricane Harbor San Antonio is a water park adjacent to Six Flags Fiesta Texas, where families can enjoy a day of thrilling water slides, swim in wave pools, and gentle splash areas for younger kids to play and jump around.

This water park is a thrilling and fun experience for the whole family to enjoy! My favorite ride is the Bahama Blaster slide!

  • Pro-tip: Always watch for your young children and never leave them unattended. For water safety, non-swimmers need to be accompanied by an adult who can swim. Avoid wearing jewelry or glasses in the pools to prevent losing them. Diving is not allowed at any time due to safety precautions. Lastly, wear appropriate swimwear attire and have toddlers/infants wear swim diapers.
  • Type of Attraction: Water park
  • Time to Spend: Varies

Established in 1972, The Twig Book Shop is a long-standing bookstore in San Antonio that is a quaint spot for kids to find a wide range of children’s books to pick from, from classic children’s books to the latest children’s books.

The Twig Book Shop allows children to foster a love of reading in a cozy environment! My favorite children’s book growing up was The Very Hungry Caterpillar!

Established in 1984, the Natural Bridge Wildlife Ranch in San Antonio is a drive-through safari where families can view and feed animals up close in their natural habitats on the 500-acre wildlife park and view 40 different species of animals at your own pace in your vehicle.

This experience is truly unique and unlike any other experience in viewing wildlife! Growing up, I loved coming to the Natural Bridge Wildlife Ranch, seeing the wildlife up close and feeding them! It is a memory I will never forget!

  • Pro-tip: Visitors explore the Wildlife Ranch through their vehicles and do not provide rental cars. Food is allowed for picnics; however, barbecuing is not allowed. To ensure the safety of all visitors, it is advised not to ride in the back of pickup trucks or have doors open while doing the tour.
  • Type of Attraction: Wildlife and safari park
  • Time to Spend: Can vary from visitor to visitor, around 1 – 1 ½ hour

16. Pearsall Park in San Antonio

4838 Old Pearsall Rd, San Antonio, TX 78242

Established in 2016, Pearsall Park in San Antonio is a family-friendly outdoor space with a splash pad for kids to cool off, a playground to run around, walking trails to enjoy a nice stroll, and fitness zones to incorporate some fun exercise with the family!

Pearsall Park is the ideal day for families to enjoy a day outdoors! My family’s favorite activity to do here is taking strolls at the walking trail!

  • Pro tip: Wear appropriate clothing suitable for your activity, such as swimwear for the splash pads and closed-toe shoes for walking the trail.
  • Type of Attraction: Park
  • Time to Spend: Varies

The Witte Museum was established in 1926. That is best known for its natural history exhibits such as viewing the amazing dinosaur skeletons to view, and science exploration areas that are engaging and make learning fun for kids!

If you’re looking to take your children to a place to engage and learn more about natural history, The Witte Museum is the perfect fun educational activity in San Antonio to do so!

My favorite exhibit is Spiders: From Fear to Fascination.

  • Pro-tip: To avoid crowds, attempt to visit the museum on days such as Monday, Wednesday, or Friday early in the day. The busiest day at the museum is Thursday afternoons around 3 PM due to free admission for Bexar County residents. Get tickets in advance.
  • Type of Attraction: Museum
  • Time to Spend: 2 hours

Found in 1960 and opened to the public in 1964, Natural Bridge Caverns is a fascinating and thrilling underground adventure for families to partake in and explore the amazing cave formations, gem mining, and canopy obstacles that are unlike any other experience!

Growing up, I often visited the Natural Bridge Caverns, and every time I was amazed by the natural beauty of it all!

Natural Bridge Caverns is a must-visit when searching for places to visit in San Antonio with family!

  • Pro-tip: Wear comfortable closed-toe shoes, do not touch the formations, and purchase tickets in advance.
  • Type of Attraction: Natural preserve
  • Time to Spend: 1-2 hours

LEGOLAND Discovery Center, established in 2019 is an indoor playground filled with LEGO-themed rides, immersive displays for young LEGO enthusiasts to enjoy, and best of all the opportunity for kids to engage in creative building zones for their imagination to run wild!

LEGOLAND Discovery Center is the perfect destination to take your kids who love LEGOS and it will be an experience they’ll never forget!

My family’s favorite activity here is the Virtual LEGO World!

  • Pro tip: It is encouraged to visit on weekday afternoons or evenings. The busiest times are school breaks and weekends. Outside food and drink are not permitted. It is recommended that children wear closed-toe shoes with socks; socks are required to play in the soft play area. All children 17 and younger must be accompanied by an adult and supervised at all times.
  • Type of Attraction: Family entertainment center
  • Time to Spend: 2-3 hours

Things to Do in San Antonio with Kids, as per Reddit

When looking at Reddit for the top things to do with kids in San Antonio.

The Splash Pad at Pearl District is highly recommended. It’s free and fun for kids to play around and cool off from the heat, and parents can relax.

Other recommendations for families to visit in San Antonio are the Natural Bridge Caverns, Wildlife Ranch Safari, Six Flags, SeaWorld, LEGO Discovery, DoSeum Museum, and Witte Museum.

One commentator considers San Antonio very kid-friendly and has many activities for families and kids to enjoy.

Things to do in SA with kids
byu/MellyBoBelly22 insanantonio

Things for young family to do
byu/keedman insanantonio

Conclusion

In summary, things to do in San Antonio with kids make the city a perfect family getaway.

Ranging from a thrilling adventure at Six Flags Fiesta Texas to being immersed in a cozy bookstore such as The Twig Book Shop to getting a close-up view of wildlife at Natural Bridge Wildlife Ranch.

Whether you are a local or a visitor to San Antonio, there is never a dull moment in this great city.

Families can be guaranteed a fun and memorable experience in San Antonio for the whole family to cherish!

Eva Rogers

Eva Rogers, a proud Texan and contributor for TexasTasty, infuses her writing with a deep passion for the Lone Star State. With roots in the vast plains of West Texas, Eva treasures the unique fusion of tradition and innovation that embodies the Texan spirit. Through her articles, she celebrates the diverse tapestry of Texas, exploring everything from its vibrant urban centers to its tranquil rural landscapes.