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Posts with Tag: OutdoorFun

9/27/23

Updates to the 4th Edition (2023)

Austin keeps changing, ya’ll! Here are quick updates to location and name of two entries from the fourth edition, published this past April 2023: * The annual event Touch-A-Truck has moved location

7/18/23

Summer Getting Stale? Spice Things Up!

When my kids were little, we would embrace the beginnings of summer with great enthusiasm. Swimming was new again. Splash pads were exciting. We would move to the summer camp where my husband worked a

1/04/21

Happy Trails

Happy new year! My family welcomed in 2021 by hitting the trails. Balcones Canyonlands National Wildlife Refuge had been on my bucket list for years. It turned out even prettier and better marked than

3/19/20

Exploring "Home" with Kids - Quarantine Idea a Day!

Wondering what to do when you can't get out and explore? In these uncertain times that call for staying close to home, I’ll be posting an idea a day of things to do to keep kids busy and engaged in th

1/29/20

Annual Children's Book Fair @ the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center Feb. 1st-2nd

The Wildflower Center is doing it again! Check out quality children's books, meet authors, explore the grounds, play in the children's garden, and participate in fun activities. You might meet some in

1/15/20

New resource! Explorer's Guide to the Hill Country Oasis

Lucky me, I got to work with the Save Barton Creek Association on this handy guide to some of my favorite outdoor spots. I learned so much about the layers below where we we play, the creatures we li

12/14/19

Holiday Event

The annual holiday event Luminations is glowing and growing - now spanning two weekends. Visit the Wildflower Center at night where pathways are lined with candlelight, one of the most beautiful holid

5/11/18

BATS BY BOAT

If it hadn’t been for research for Exploring Austin with Kids, seeing bats by boat would still be on my bucket list. Instead, it turned out to be one of my favorite things to do in Austin. In fact,

11/03/16

My schedule for the Texas Book Festival – so hard to pick!

One thing that’s great about the Texas Book Festival is that you can make it as simple or full as you'd like. Families can be perfectly content hanging out on the Capitol lawn, rolling down hills, rea

10/14/16

Barton Hill Farms

Barton Hill Farms had been on my “to do” list for a couple of years. Recently, the kids and I got to check it out. The day trip was a hit! It reminded us of the surprises that make exploring new plac

10/06/16

Austin City Limits Festival

The Austin City Limits Festival spans two weekends and showcases over one hundred bands, bringing local musicians and big acts from across the globe to play on its eight stages. Fans come to catch the

7/16/15

Day Trip: Longhorn Caverns State Park

A scenic hour and a half drive from Austin, Longhorn Caverns makes a great day trip to one of the most beautiful underground hikes in the Texas hill country. Tour guides spin geology, history and Te

5/29/15

Sample entry: Veloway

Biking on smooth pavement in the Hill Country sans cars makes an outing to the Veloway worth the trip, especially for young bikers. The 3-mile loop (that can be shortened to 1 mile with a shortcut

4/30/15

Tips for Hiking with Kids

Pack snacks and water. My kids actually get excited to carry their own water (and will drink more) when it’s in Camelbak packs on their backs or when they carry their own stash of snacks and a drink

4/16/15

Sample Entry: Camp Mabry

Camp Mabry, an operating military post open to the public, offers a surprising range of activities for young civilians, from tank and aircraft displays to a military museum and even fishing. Extendin

10/16/14

Camping Checklist

You're used to packing clothes and toiletries for a trip. When camping, don't forget these things too! Home away from home √ Tent √ Tarp for beneath tent and/or for shoes outside tent door √ Slee

6/30/14

Meet Station Master Jason Rodriguez, Manager of the Zilker Zephyr

Jason Rodriguez was “born and raised in South Austin,” and he says it with that classic, laid back, South Austin pride. His family has owned and operated the concession stand near the Zephyr for over

6/05/14

Zilker Park Map for Kids

Contained within the bounds of Zilker Park, there are over a dozen family-friendly things to do! To make it easy to find them all, I created this handy dandy kid-centric map. You can download a copy o

5/09/14

Update: New Luci and Ian Children's Garden at the Wildflower Center

Add this one to your guidebook! This update will appear in the second printing of the book that goes to press this month: "Be sure to check out the Luci and Ian Family Garden, especially with young

4/21/14

Great day for a field trip to St. Edward's University!

Tuesday, April 22nd, is Earth Day! Exploring Austin with Kids will be celebrating with a book signing and children’s activities at the Earth Day Fair at St. Edward's University. Concoct tasty compost

3/19/14

Book Signings and Events Calendar

Looking for fun ways to get your signed copy? Come on out! Sunday, 11/12/23 Author Signing at Texas Book Festival 3:00 pm - 4:00 pm I'll be signing books at the Texas Book Festival this Sunday wit

2/12/14

Book Launch Party!

Come on out to Hill's Cafe on Sunday, March 2nd, from 4:00-6:00 for the big book launch! There will be lots of fun kid activities in addition to the book signing! A juggler and balloon twister will be

1/15/14

Sample Entry: Austin Duck Adventures

Visitors will enjoy this open-air tour of the city in an amphibious vehicle that travels from downtown into Lake Austin. Locals will likely learn some new nuggets of information as well. For instanc