San Antonio is the #1 tourist destination in all of Texas. Which means there are tons of kid friendly activities in San Antonio that both young and old will love doing! This colorful city is rich in history and fun for visitors of all ages. Especially the younger ones! My family recently spent a weekend in San Antonio with our two-and-a-half-year-old toddler, and we all had a ball. Traveling with younger children isn’t always the easiest, but if you plan out your adventures and include experiences that they will love just as much as you – it makes trips together all the more enjoyable.
Top 10 Kid Friendly Activities in San Antonio
1. Pearl Green Space
The Pearl District in Central San Antonio offers so much for families to do and discover. With 22 sprawling acres of shops, dining, activities and entertainment, there are oodles of ways to spend your visit. We loved relaxing on the green space in the heart of the area with live music playing a few feet away and ice-cold drinks in hand. Kids will have a blast running around and checking out the splash pad fountain nearby.
Stop by on Saturdays to shop the local farmer’s market from 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. or grab tacos for breakfast, lunch or dinner at La Gloria, an eatery boasting street-style Mexican dishes.
2. River Boat Cruise
The whole family can sit back and relax on a GO RIO river cruise through the San Antonio River Walk. Named one of the most popular attractions in the city, riders will enjoy beautiful views while learning about San Antonio’s history, architecture, art, and culture. The entertaining guides interact with passengers along the way spilling fun facts and telling stories. Making this a definite must-do kid friendly activity in San Antonio.
Tickets can be purchased in advance online and it’s recommended to arrive about half an hour early. Don’t forget a hat, sunglasses, and sunscreen! There is no shade on these beautiful boats, but that’s OK because it gives cruisers more room to see San Antonio’s sights!
3. The Alamo
After a visit to this historical Texas mission, your family will always “remember the Alamo.” The historical landmark played a pivotal role in the battle for Texas independence and it’s a must-see attraction for anyone visiting San Antonio. Did I mention that this kid friendly activity in San Antonio is also FREE?! Guests can stroll through the grounds and church on a self-guided tour or chat with one of the knowledgeable docents on hand who are always willing to share even more tidbits.
The Alamo is open every day at 9 am. You can also stop by on the first Saturday of the month to see a special living history event take place.
4. Playtime at Yanaguana Garden
Steps away from the heart of downtown is a playground oasis inside of Yanaguana Garden. This free-space offers full-size chess and checkers sets along with playgrounds and splash pads. There’s even a colorful family-owned popsicle stand, Paleteria, selling artisanal flavors you definitely need to try. We loved the strawberry kiwi and lime paleta!
5. Explore Historic Market Square
The three-block shopping plaza of Market Square is dotted with colorful outdoor shopping stalls, live music boasting traditional tunes and street vendors serving sizzling tacos, churros and more.
The “El Mercado” market features more than 100 different shops and stalls, some filled with breakable pottery you may want to steer your small child far clear. However, there are plenty of colorful shops selling handmade toys and trinkets such as yarn dolls, maracas, and various Mexican wooden toys that all make for memorable souvenirs. The market is also dotted with dozens of colorful dresses and accessories that even the littlest fashionista in your party would swoon over.
Tip: snack on the warm cinnamon churros made fresh right in front of your eyes in Market Square. Not that you need to, but dipping them into hot chocolate or caramel makes them all the sweeter.
You’re going to love these last 5 kid friendly activities in San Antonio!
6. Mission National Park
A visit to the San Antonio Missions National Park is a can’t-miss activity! We were truly blown away by the beautiful architecture and rich history these Spanish missions had to offer. You could easily spend an entire day visiting all four missions, but if time is not on your side I highly recommend paying a visit to at least Mission San Jose, the largest in all of San Antonio. This is the one pictured above. It is very walkable and stroller friendly, offering ample opportunity for you to get up close and personal while exploring this historic site.
Tip: Ranger-led programs are held at 10 a.m., 11 a.m., 2 p.m. and 3 p.m. Monday through Sundays.
7. The Saga Light Show
One of the best free attractions you’ll find in the city is The Saga light show at the San Fernando Cathedral. This 24-minute show was created by French artist Xavier De Richemont and tells the story of San Antonio’s history from settlement to present day. Colorful shapes and sights dance along the facade of this beautiful cathedral set to a symphony of sound. So even if your younger children aren’t quite sure what’s going on in the story, they’re sure to be mesmerized throughout the show. Making this one of our favorite kid friendly activities in San Antonio.
Shows run every Tuesday, Friday, Saturday & Sunday at 9, 9:30 & 10 p.m.
Tip: Bring a blanket to sit on and arrive early to find a seat up front with the best view. Visitors can also bring chairs but are encouraged to position them towards the back of the plaza. If you forgot to bring along snacks and drinks to enjoy during the show, don’t fret! There is typically a food truck or vendor nearby selling snacks, drinks and even champagne for the grown-ups.
8. The Briscoe Western Art Museum
Cowboys and cowgirls of all ages will have a blast taking a peek inside the Briscoe Western Art Museum. While the museum is not hands-on with a strict “no touching” policy, it beckons its younger guests to use their imagination and ponder what life was really like for early Western settlers and Native Americans at the time.
You’ll spot century-old hand-tooled leather and silver saddles on display along with dozens of silver spurs, shotguns used in actual conflicts and even a bowie knife and uniform from The Battle of the Alamo.
Children 12 & under are free and adults are only $10.
Tip: Plan your visit during the afternoon to beat the heat while cooling off inside.
9. SeaWorld San Antonio
Not one but two big theme parks lie on the outskirts of San Antonio. Both offering thrills for family members of all ages. After visiting each park this spring with my toddler, I found that Sea World catered a bit more to little kids than Six Flags did.
There is an entire section of Sea World centered around the world of Sesame Street called Sesame Street’s Bay of Play. This kid-friendly corner has 3 acres of adventurous activities even for the tiniest of tots. There’s a merry-go-round, a mini coaster, a larger than life playground and even a splash pad for those hot Texas days. SeaWorld Visitors can also catch the interactive Sesame Street Party Parade each and every day.
On hot summer days, the shows are the best place to cool off at SeaWorld. Fans blowing above, water splashing from the tanks and plenty of shade? Sounds good to me! Not only that, but the marine wildlife educational shows give audiences an up close and personal look at beluga whales, dolphins, and even killer whales while educating onlookers about these magnificent species in a fun and playful way.
10. Spend time Poolside at one of San Antonio’s Many Resorts
There are many great places to stay in San Antonio. Hotel Valencia in the heart of the River Walk makes getting around downtown a breeze. Hotel Havana is exotic and hip and boasts beautiful architecture, too. But the hotels your children are going to love the most probably are those that come with water slides. Am I right!?
The JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort & Spa stands out from many of the hotels and resorts in town, especially with its River Bluff Water Experience. This resort water park invites hotel guests to explore its numerous slides, pools even beaches all set against sweeping views of the Texas Hill Country!
I’ve stayed at the JW Marriott San Antonio twice now, once during a cold winter weekend and once at the peak of summer. No matter the season you visit, you can enjoy these amenities as many of the pools and water slides are heated during the winter. Come summertime, it’s hard not to want to spend your entire stay in San Antonio floating through the 1,100 ft. lazy river.
But if you’ve made it this far in this blog post, then you know that there is SO much to see, do and discover when it comes to kid friendly activities in San Antonio, Texas! So get on out there with your kiddos & enjoy all of what this Texas city has to offer!
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Big thank you to Visit San Antonio and Travel Mindset for sponsoring this trip and inviting me along to their #InstaMeetSanAntonio for this incredible experience. We had an absolute blast. As always, all opinions are my own. Thank you so much to my readers for supporting the brands that make Lone Star Looking Glass possible.
