Get Your Dinosaur Fix in Austin, TX

Find dinosaurs in Austin, TX!

Where to find dinosaurs with your kids!

Dinosaurs seem to capture the attention and imagination of children and adults alike. A museum visit might not even count in the mind of a child unless a dinosaur exhibit is included.

My favorite place to learn about dinosaurs as a kid was the Museum of Natural Science in Houston, TX. I loved seeing those massive skeletons and hearing about how they lived. It’s a must-see attraction in the heart of the big city’s museum district, but you don’t have to go all the way to Houston to satisfy your kid’s (or your own) dinosaur obsession.

Check out these dinosaur hot spots in Austin and its surrounding towns!

The Dinosaur Park

  • Bastrop, TX
  • Thurs – Sun, 10 am – 4 pm
  • $10-$11/person
Dino Park, Bastrop, TX

We LOVE this park. My kids really enjoy walking the trail of dinosaur replicas, exploring the gift shop, digging for fossils, and playing on the playground.

If you want to extend your visit to Bastrop , here are suggestions for enjoying a full day (or weekend) in the cute little town.

Texas Memorial Museum

  • Austin, TX – UT Campus
  • Tues – Sat, 9 am – 5 pm
  • $5-$7/person
Texas Memorial Museum, Austin

Considered Texas’s first state museum, the TMM has a history to tell itself, while also showcasing the natural history of this great state in exhibits ranging from valuable specimens in the Great Hall to the dinosaurs and other wildlife unique to Texas. If your family is excited to participate in a dino dig after checking out the skeletons at the TMM, travel a few minutes away to…

Austin’s Nature and Science Center

  • Austin, TX – Zilker Park Area
  • Mon-Sat, 9 am – 5 pm; Sunday 12 pm – 5 pm
  • FREE
Digging for Fossils, Austin Nature and Science Center

At the Nature and Science Center, the most popular attraction for my kids is the Dino Pit, where they can dig through a huge sand pit for fossils and random left-behind toys. But there is also a beautiful garden and trail, a unique hands-on museum, and live animal exhibits to explore.

Champions Park

  • Cedar Park, TX
  • Public Park , FREE
Champions Park, Austin

Another option for a dino dig is Champions Park, where the kids can also climb on stone dinosaur parts, run through the splash pad, ride bikes on the paved trails, and swing to their hearts’ content at the playground.

If you’re up for a day trip, here are a couple great dinosaur options just a bit further out of town…

Witte Museum

  • San Antonio, TX
  • Monday-Saturday, 10 am – 5 pm
  • $10-$14/person

Located in Brackenridge Park, known for its significance in Native American history and also for exciting playgrounds and the San Antonio Zoo, is the Witte Museum, Here, you’ll find exhibits all children and adults will love, including dinosaur bones and replicas. Go for the museum; stay for the variety of attractions in the park.

Mayborn Museum

  • Waco, TX – Baylor University Campus
  • Monday-Saturday, 10 am – 5 pm, Sun 1 pm – 5 pm
  • Special Exhibit, Jan 29 – May 1, 2022
  • $8-$10/person

The Mayborn Museum is one of our favorite road trip destinations, and now they’ve added a special exhibit inspired by the favorite kids’ show, Dinosaur Train. Visitors will get to hop on board to travel through the prehistoric eras, learning about their most fascinating inhabitants.

This museum is very hands-on with a variety of exhibits. Allow a lot of time for exploration. Then, squeeze in a quick visit to the Mammoth National Monument for more prehistoric discoveries.

Mammoth Site, Waco TX

Extend the Learning and Fun…

Hope you get your dinosaur fix at one or all of these attractions! To make the car ride more interesting or extend the learning, order these amazing My First Dinosaur Flash Cards, encyclopedia, or sticker books in advance.

By Heather D.

I’m a wife and a mom of 4 amazing kids in Dripping Springs, TX (west of Austin). I had always been a working mom (educator, school administrator)until my last little guy came along. Now, I stay home and find a million ways to keep busy, including planning trips for my family all over the state, doing home improvement projects with my husband, volunteering a ton, cooking/baking, and working out. I'm also a personal finance enthusiast, and I love to share tips on saving money for families!
I’m always looking for more ideas for family fun and frugal living! If you find something really great that you think other families would love, please use the hashtag #drippingwithkids. If you want to see more of what’s going on in the area, follow me on Instagram at dripping_with_kids and/or on Facebook @drippingwithkidsblog.

I'd love to hear from you! What's your favorite thing to do in the Texas Hill Country?

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