Are you looking for the best things to do in San Antoni with kids? You’re in the right place! San Antonio is a beautiful and historic city that is jam-packed with fun activities and places to explore!
Whether you’re looking for a history-focused vacation or an exciting adventure, you can find activities to suit you in San Antonio. The city was founded in 1718 by Spanish explorers. The city is full of historical sites and there are many opportunities to learn about Texas and enjoy the feeling of stepping back in time. You’ll also find many opportunities to get outside and stay active while you’re in the city.
50 Exciting Things To Do In San Antonio With Kids
The San Antonio River Walk
We’ll start with the obvious. The river walk is probably the most popular thing to do in the city. If you only spend a short time in San Antonio, definitely spend time strolling along the river. Being able to experience the river walk so often was a huge benefit to living in San Antonio.
If you are looking for a restaurant on the riverwalk, The Original Mexican Restaurant & Bar is where it’s at. It was the first restaurant along the river walk and was actually established by Germans. The riverboat ride was also something you will really enjoy! If you are traveling with older kids, you will definitley want to try the riverboat ride as it is one of the best things to do in San Antonio with teens!
Southtown
Southtown is a gorgeous part of the city filled with art and history. It’s also a great place to get authentic Mexican food.
Kiddie Park
The Kiddie Park is THE oldest amusement park in America! It’s by far one of the best things to do in San Antonio with toddlers!
Eisenhower Park
This is a great place for adults and children. The playground and rock climbing wall will entertain your children while you enjoy the walking trails and tower. The Eisenhower Tower gives you a spectacular, expansive view of the park.
Yanaguana Garden & Playground
THE BEST playground for kids I have ever seen. Heck, even for adults. Even if you never get to enjoy the park for yourself, you should definitely give it a peek, HERE. If you are traveling on a budget, this playground should be on your radar as it is one of the best things to do in San Antonio with toddlers.
San Pedro Springs Park
Located in Midtown, San Pedro Springs Park is one of our favorite places in San Antonio. You will enjoy walking around the water and watching the ducks swim among the lily pads. The best part about the park is that it’s just a few minutes from some of our other favorite places in town. If you are looking for free things to do in San Antonio, this is a great option!
After you enjoy the park you can also visit the Japanese Tea Garden, The DoSeum, The Witte Museum, and the San Antonio Botanical Gardens. All within walking distance!! If you are looking to spend the day walking around the city, midtown San Antonio is the place to be.
Burgers from In-n-Out
If you are from the South West, this won’t be a big deal for you, but for us losers who don’t live close to an In-n-Out… it can be a fun experience.
McAllister Park
McAllister was our go-to park while we were in San Antonio. There are walking trails in the park and it’s also a great place to get popsicles and ice cream in the summer.
The Alamo
Everyone knows about The Alamo, right? Just because it is a heavily trafficked tourist destination doesn’t mean it isn’t worth a visit. We enjoyed it and would definitely go back again.
Friedrich Wilderness Park
A beautiful area to walk and see the famous Blue Bonnets in San Antonio.
Splashtown San Antonio
Fantastic local water park.
You may also like 10 of The Best Things To Do In College Station
Mission San Francisco De La Espada Catholic Church
A gorgeous active Catholic parish with a fascinating history.
Spanish Governor’s Place
The Spanish Governor’s Place is a seriously intriguing place to explore and a must-see attraction in San Antonio.
Ripley’s Believe It or Not!
This San Antonio attraction has tons of odd exhibits as well as a wax museum. When it comes to family things to do in San Antonio, this is one of the best!
Day Trip to Corpus Christi
The closest beach to San Antonio is Corpus Christi. Just a two-hour drive away for the ultimate day beach trip. Explore Mustang Island State Park or Padre Island. If you have kids, they may enjoy the Texas State Aquarium or the USS Lexington depending on their ages.
Mission San Juan Capistrano
San Antonio isn’t short on historical sites. Founded in 1716, San Juan Capistrano is one of the most beautiful in the city.
Briscoe Western Art Museum
The museum focuses on the wild west and Native American artifacts. There is also a lush outdoor sculpture garden.
Government Canyon State Natural Area
The Canyon State Natural Area is a great place to go to spend time out in nature. Gorgeous flowers, cacti, water views, and hiking trails.
UTSA Institute of Texan Cultures
So many different cultures call Texas home and you can learn about them at the institute.
Day Trip to Bourne
Bourne, pronounced “Ber-NEE”, is an amazing day trip from San Antonio. The architecture in the city alone is enough to have me recommend it to you. However, Bourne has so much more to offer. Some of the more popular places to visit in Bourne are the Cibolo Nature Center and Farm, River Road Park, and Bourne City Lake Park.
Side note: one day when we were leaving the Bourne, we got lost and ended up taking a tour of the Texas countryside. And it IS gorgeous. The Texas Longhorns, cactus, and ranch archways are so beautiful. So, if you feel like taking some back-country roads to see the real Texas.. getting lost outside of Bourne is a great place to start.
A drive through the countryside is one of the best cheap family things to do in San Antonio as you only have to pay for gas and the scenery is stunning!
Morgan’s Wonderland
The world’s first ultra-accessible theme park.
Hemisfair
The Hemisfair Park is an area of San Antonio where the city has restored old architecture in the city. They do a lot of work to keep the history of San Antonio alive.
The DoSeum
The DoSeum is a San Antonio Children’s Museum that is a little slice of heaven for those traveling as a family. If you have been looking for indoor activities for toddlers in San Antonio, The DoSeum should be at the top of your list!
McNay Art Museum
A wonderful museum that is free for everyone 19 and under. It’s also a very popular place for portrait photography.
Natural Bridge Wildlife Ranch
My family’s FAVORITE activity in San Antonio. The ranch has a drive-thru safari as well as a petting zoo and a cafe. LOVE LOVE LOVE this place. You can drive through this beautiful ranch and feed the beautiful animals that they have there from the safety of your car. This is by far one of the most kid friendly activities in San Antonio!
Eat Delicious Tacos From Taco Cabana
Again, if you are a local this won’t seem like a big deal to you. However, if you aren’t from the U.S. or if you are from a different region in the states, then Taco Cabana is something fun to try while you’re in the area.
Tower of the Americas
Enjoy fine dining and breathtaking views of downtown San Antonio from the Tower of the Americas.
Things To Do In San Antonio With Kids Continued
Mission Concepcion
The mission was dedicated in 1755 and is the oldest unrestored stone church in all of America.
The Buckhorn Saloon & Museum
A great stop if you are looking for things to do in downtown San Antonio. Just one block from the river walk and two blocks from the Alamo.
World’s Largest Cowboy Boots
One of the most shocking things about moving to Texas came when we first went to my local mall. Standing 35 feet tall in front of Sacks Fifth Avenue is the world’s largest pair of cowboy boots! When thinking about things to do in San Antonio with kids you may not think of going to the mall. However, taking a picture with the largest pair of cowboy boots that you’ve ever seen makes for a great story when you get home. Plus, you can head inside and get some ice cream while you’re there.
San Fernando Cathedral
Beautiful cathedral in the heart of downtown San Antonio.
Historic Market Square
This market is the perfect place to get authentic Mexican clothing, food, and more.
La Villita Historic Arts Village
Gorgeous area of the city to explore just south of the San Antonio River Walk.
Brackenridge Park
Conservancy in San Antonio and a great place to camp.
San Antonio Botanical Garden
One of the top eight most beautifully designed botanical gardens in America.
Japanese Tea Garden
We highly recommend stopping by the Japanese Tea Garden. We have walked through the garden and the surrounding area many times. It’s a great place for little ones to see turtles and fish for free. Believe it or not, it’s also one of our top recommendations for things to do in San Antonio with a baby. Why? We’ve been to the tea garden with our three-month-old in her carrier and it was a super relaxing experience. Her little eyes were wide open the whole time and she was so curious about everything they had on-site.
When you have little ones, sometimes all you need is to get them outside or not water to make them feel enriched and relaxed. At the tea garden, your little one will be enthralled by all of the sights and relaxing water sounds.
Witte Museum
A popular museum in the city. Admission is only $14 for adults and children under 3 are free! If you are traveling with kids young than three. This is one of the best things to do in San Antonio with kids if you have young ones that are three years old or younger.
San Antonio Museum of Art
This museum is another great stop along the riverwalk. A favorite for my family because it has free general admission on Tuesdays from 4 pm-9 pm.
Natural Bridge Caverns
Take a cave tour, mine for gold or, if you’re brave, go on the canopy ziplines! This is one of the most fun places for kids in San Antonio as it’s adventurous and a super fun experience for the whole family.
Six Flags Fiesta Texas
The ticket for Six Flags Fiesta will set you back $64.99. A little too expensive for my preference, but if you are an amusement park lover this may be for you.
SeaWorld San Antonio
Another amusement park option is Sea World. Their tickets are slightly cheaper at $59.99
San Antonio Missions National Historical Park
The park contains four missions and they are all active parishes.
Things To Do In San Antonio With Kids Continued
The San Antonio Zoo
By far one of the best zoos we have been to. It’s a large zoo where you can get up close and personal with the giraffes and elephants. When looking for San Antonio attractions for families, the zoo is usually at the top of everyone’s list. If your little ones enjoy animals as most children do, a visit to the San Antonio zoo is a great way to spend half of a day in the city.
Majestic Theatre
See a show at the oldest and largest theatre in San Antonio.
The Pearl
Another one of our favorites. The Pearl is a great place to walk, sit in the park, and take pictures. I would take my daughters to storytime at The Twig Bookshop at the pearl every week. This is also a great place to grab some delicious food and explore the farmer’s market.
This is one of the best cheap things to do in San Antonio as the storytime is free and you can spend as much or as little as you’d like while you are exploring The Pearl area. There are great little shops, a coffee house, and a sweet shop surrounding a green space that is great for sitting and reading a book, letting your kids play, or letting your dog run around. You are sure to fall in love with The Pearl!
Grab some BBQ at the Smoke Shack
It took us a long time before eating at the Smoke Shack. After months of recommendations from friends, we finally went. It is a small little restaurant, but it SOOO delicious.
Phil Hardberger Park
Beautiful conservancy in San Antonio with great walking trails.
San Antonio Aquarium
We enjoyed our time at this aquarium, but it wasn’t the nicest we have ever been to. The aquarium is THE ONLY one I have ever been to that allows you to touch everything. I mean EVERYTHING. If you have always wanted to hold a baby turtle or pet an octopus, this is the place for you!
Pappadeaux Seafood Kitchen
Our go-to dinner restaurant. Delicious seafood with beautiful outdoor water features and seating.
Aquatica San Antonio
Texas’s family-friendly water park.
Waffles & Ice Cream from Kuma
Eat a Hong-Kong style bubble waffle with lychee ice cream at Kuma. Great spot for insta-worthy snaps!
Drinks at Bar 1919
A speakeasy-style bar with a dark and classy environment with a LARGE variety of drinks. If you have the opportunity to go out in San Antoni without your kids, Bar 1919 is a great place to spend your alone time!
Which of these things to do in San Antonio with kids will you do first?
Follow along on Pinterest!