Theme & Amusement Parks in Pflugerville

More than 500 animals inhabit the grounds at Capital of Texas Zoo, a haven for wildlife education and a breeding ground for more than 14 endangered species. The zoo's residents include zebras, ringtail lemurs, and a rare white tiger, not to be confused with a ghost tiger. Other appearances from the animal kingdom include peacocks, kangaroos, turtles, and lions.

Educational animal shows highlight a specific member of the zoo, such as the Wings show, which stars eurasian eagle owl Hedwig, who has made appearances on Late Show with David Letterman and in the movie Furry Vengeance. The zoo also takes to the road with traveling animal shows that involve a cast of six exotic reptiles, mammals, and birds, which makes appearances at birthday parties, schools, or events. With lessons catered to the age of the audience, the animals teach children to respect other living things and remind adults why they can’t keep falcons as pets.

As the wakeboards, waterskies, and skateboards of The Texas Ski Ranch zoom about outside, the Spring Loaded Indoor Trampoline Park facility holds airborne activities of its own. Trampolines stretch across the more than 15,000-square-foot facility, pulsating beneath the socks of leaping, tumbling, and flipping adults and youngsters alike. The venue also houses inflatable bounce houses for tinier guests, and come Tuesday nights, colorful balls sail through the air during weekly dodge-ball games. The staff hosts birthdays throughout the year, along with Mommy and Me sessions and fitness classes.

One inch off the asphalt, roaring by at 65 mph. Because On Track Xperience houses a fleet of NasKarts powered by Honda engines, this kind of wind-in-your-hair action is possible. Helmets, of course, keep wind out of hair, though, while drivers 16 and older zip around Thunderhill Raceway's banked oval track. Each race burns up 10 laps and lasts about five minutes. Those looking to master their lap times can attend speed school and learn the ins and outs from a former pro racer and trainer. And those interested in a little competition can join eight-week racing leagues. Groups can also navigate the oval circuit for birthdays or corporate events that can accommodate up to 400 for team-building racing events where winners are showered in a business-card tickertape parade.

The opened jaws of a great white shark are usually no place for a child. But at Kidz 'n' Play, the shark is just another air-filled component of an inflatable playhouse, where kids can race friends down slides or scamper through a Finding Nemo-themed escape tunnel. Designed for ages 10 and under, Kidz 'n' Play's indoor playground includes giant Legos for building, toy tea sets for pretend snacking, and a reading nook stocked with picture books. Though they can pass the time surfing free Wi-Fi or building a pillow fort around their minivans in the parking lot, parents are encouraged to play with their sock-clad youngsters.

The zookeepers and storytellers at Tiny Tails to You! travel from town to town to organize pop-up petting zoos four days a week, and lease out hands-on learning experiences for festivals, summer camps, and private parties. What beasts turn up at these parties is up to the customer, who might arrange for anything from an avalanche of fluffy bunnies and baby birds to an encampment of chinchillas, hedgehogs, leopard geckos, and tortoises. The staff's love for animals extends beyond informative show-and-tells—head zookeeper Ed Bradfield offers pet-sitting services for dogs, cats, exotic pets, and house-trained rocks, and the zookeepers are nearly always offering baby bunnies for adoption.

Locomotion Inflatable Play disguises healthy servings of exercise with hours of fun and games at its colorful, indoor activity center. Inside, socked adventurers are set free to explore or count each of the facility's 12,000 square feet, which are covered in bouncy inflatables and themed play areas. Playrooms for toddlers keep younger guests separate from older kids, and a miniature town encourages its visitors to cook up their own scenarios at a theater, grocery store, and 1950s-style diner. In addition to open-play sessions, Locomotion hosts birthday parties, and also features a Stuffin' Station, where kids build their own stuffed lions, bears, and dinosaurs to play with when their imaginary friends are busy.