Family Vacation in Texas: 1001 Vacation Ideas

The kids will have a blast watching the pig races, or the calf scramble where a bunch of kids chase the young calves around the arena. There are pony rides for the kids to enjoy or, if they are old enough, they can try the mechanical bull. There are lots of animals at the livestock show like goats, chickens, cattle, rabbits and llamas.

Then, of course, there’s the real rodeo action with top competitors riding bucking horses, barrel racing and wrestling steers.

Space Center Houston has many interactive exhibits like the Living in Space where the kids can use a robotic arm to pick up objects and learn how astronauts eat and bath while in a space module.

Some of the other kid friendly things here are the IMAX theater (the largest in Texas), the Martian Matrix where the kids can climb around in the maze of tunnels and passageways, and Kids Space Place where they can try their hand at commanding the space shuttle.

Around 80 teams of students and professionals take over a 25 x 25 foot section of the beach and turn ordinary sand into wild and creative sand sculptures. Some are extremely detailed and elaborate structures, some have a sports or television theme and some of them just plain hilarious.

Because it is a barrier island, the land side waterway is a sandy-bottomed saltwater lagoon only 3-5 feet deep. This makes it a great place for kids and beginner windsurfers to practice and have fun. Plan camping vacation with the kids at Padre Island National Seashore and get in some excellent fishing while you enjoy everything else this local paradise has to offer.

Family Vacation in Texas Idea #6:San Antonio is a great place to take the family for vacation. Three theme parks are located here, Six Flags Fiesta Texas, Schlitterbahn Waterpark Resort and San Antonio’s SeaWorld. The city has a huge authentic Mexican marketplace, Market Square, where the family can enjoy authentic Mexican foods, music, entertainment and shopping. The downtown River Walk is a relaxing spot to stroll along the walkways among the giant Cyprus trees, flowers and cafes. You can take one of the narrated riverboat tours of the San Antonio River. Of course, the The Alamo is located here. You can tour this famous landmark and learn the history of its role in the fight for Texas independence from Mexico.

Family Vacation in Texas Idea #7:There are many things for family vacationers to do in Austin, Texas, but one of the more unusual and interesting activities involves a million or so Mexican free-tailed bats. Each day during the summer, the bats congregate beneath the Congress Avenue Bridge. Then at dusk they all take flight for their nocturnal activities. This results in a thrilling blast of bats that fills the night air for up to 45 minutes. Bat viewing can be done from the bridge, down on the riverbanks, out on Town Lake or even from properly positioned seats in a local restaurant.