Things to Do in Georgetown

Within the McKenna Children's Museum, the laughter of parents and children bounces through the corridors of hands-on educational exhibits. The ever-changing features and activities foster creativity in youngsters while stimulating their interest in science, health, and nature. In a realistic grocery store, shelves full of goods let kids practice nutritional shopping and arguing over the expiration dates of coupons. Further along, the Destination Space exhibit hosts a simulated space shuttle where children can take the helm of important-looking controls. Outside the museum, a colorful maze snakes up a 30-foot climbing structure, and cushy blue building pieces are scattered across the outdoor playground.

A large gift shop packs shelves with interactive toys from Melissa & Doug and Alex. A fresh salad bar stretches across the dining room of the onsite bistro, complementing a menu of healthy snacks that fuel wee ones for their day of play and night of blackmailing the boogeyman.

Sunset Bowling Lanes opened in 1959 with 24 solid-wood lanes and a stockpile of miniature pencils to keep track of spares and strikes. The alley has since upgraded to computerized scoring systems while also maintaining the charm of classic tenpin entertainment. In addition to its open bowling and league opportunities, Sunset Bowling Lanes hosts events such as college nights—which provide students with discounts so they can save up for books or exam mulligans—and keeps its patrons fueled for the eternal turkey hunt with burgers and drinks from the snack bar.

Featured on AustinBoredKids.com, The Dinosaur Park was sparked by the passion of two tiny dinosaur enthusiasts. One 3-year-old boy’s interest in dinosaurs evolved into a passion so strong that it also took hold of his younger sister, leading their parents to hatch the plans for what would soon become The Dinosaur Park. In an outdoor museum setting, a path leads the way through exhibits that include life-size dinosaur replications donning skin and color variations that give a better idea of how these prehistoric giants lived and survived their awkward teen years. More than 15 replicas inhabit the woods, including a 28-foot triceratops, a 6-foot velociraptor, and a 40-foot T. rex. The displays also include Texas-native dinos such as the iguanodon and the coelophysis. Other activities such as a playground, a fossil dig, and a gift store await visitors after they walk the trail.

Texas Ski Ranch sends wakeboarders, kneeboarders, and water-skiers skimming across the placid surface of a cable lake—all without the use of a boat. Ropes connected to a circulating cable high above the water pull up to six athletes at a time around the lake, with kickers and sliders stationed throughout to provide opportunities for big air, and a Little Bro cable system is available for beginners. Aside from the cable park, the 70-acre action-filled sports wonderland also boasts a 15,000-square-foot city-style skate park, as well as an indoor trampoline park, beach area, portable rock wall, and Wahoo's Fish Taco restaurant. A staff of coaches and a fully stocked board shop help visitors explore other adrenaline sports, such as wake surfing and extreme sunburning.

Art can be divisive, but playtime is not. Maybe that’s why Art Alliance Austin chose red rope swings hung in surprise downtown areas to headline the 2012 Art City Austin festival. Courtesy of Austin’s The Red Swing Project, a collective dedicated to transforming neglected urban areas into welcoming play spaces, the swings are just one example of the partnerships Art Alliance Austin makes to achieve its goal of building community through local art projects. And considering Austin’s explosive growth in recent years, that mission is timelier than ever. “It all comes down to creating spaces for a common narrative, a common culture, and common experience to emerge,” explains Art Alliance Austin’s communications liaison Michu Benaim. “And we can achieve that by encouraging people to connect.”

Art Alliance Austin designs its annual festivals to be as much block parties as art shows—Michu describes Art City Austin, for example, as local, homegrown, and neighborly. Since 1956, the group has woven its philosophies into Austin's pulse during its many shows, festivals, and events, which have included Art Night Austin, Art Week Austin, and coproduction of Pecha Kucha Austin, each one helping ensure the city remains a vibrant and creative place to live.

Situated upon a 7-acre organic farm, Glass Monkey Art Studio is a creative hub where skilled flame workers craft functional pieces and artwork such as jewelry, smoking accessories, and bird feeders for clients. They also lead workshops that acquaint aspiring artists with their unique set of skills. After learning to create a set of drink stirrers during the Intro to Glassblowing class, students are free to take more advanced workshops that teach them to make beads, marbles, vases, and other iridescent artwork for wearing, displaying at home, or gifting to a particularly beautiful sunbeam.