I love this park. It's spacious, clean of garbage and debris and welcoming. They often have a…read morevariety of events taking place from political to holiday events and so on. The rec center itself has basketball courts, offers programs for kids, classes for adults and kids alike (yoga, karate, and so on) etc. Everyone involved seems to really want to be there to help the community in any way they can. PS: Our dog gives the park area two paws up.

I visited the Pan American recreation center Park for the Dia de Los Muertos festivities. This is a…read morelovely spot with a big stage area and playground. It was a lovely setting and easy to get to by bus or parking in the nearby neighborhood.

I discovered the Alliance Children's Garden while attending a conference at the Palmer Events…read moreCenter as they are situated right next to each other on Barton Springs Road in Austin. We visited the Garden and had lunch there while taking in all the unique and beautiful installations. The Alliance Children's Garden is pristine and appealing to all age ranges. We saw from small children to senior citizens in the garden. You can find a range of areas to interact in from swings to wooden structures to cave tunnel installations. Covered overhangs provide shade and welcomed seating. A blue honey comb looking structure is the focal point for the garden. This garden is super convenient to downtown Austin. Importantly, one downside of the garden was parking. With very limited parking, it made the garden less accessible.

TLDR: Great park for all ages, with unique playscapes, climbing structures, and a splash pad…read more Limited parking in paid lot. Awesome park with a variety of playscapes. Large space -- spread out. You've got climbing structures, slides, tunnels, swings. What I really loved was how they incorporated the playscapes into the terrain (e.g. slides and tunnels were built into hills). I also appreciated that they had activities for various ages -- my 3.5-year-old daughter enjoyed the complex climbing structure while my 1.5-year-old son liked the simple tree stump climbing structure. Splash pad nearby and ample green space to run around. Downtown is nearby so you've got a beautiful view of the skyscrapers. You've also got some less pleasant aspects. When we were parking, there was a disheveled looking man being arrested. No idea how much of a disturbance he created but the cops were taking care of it. There's a paid parking lot that fills up quickly. Terry Black's BBQ is right across the street if you got a good parking spot and want to snag some meat as well (their line moves fast).

A fun museum for most kid ages. It has changed a little over the last 8years for the better. I used…read moreto come with my nanny charge and now I come with my 3 kids. We were there atleast 3 hours. We went at 1pm and it was NOT packed.

TLDR: STEM-focused kids' play center with a hefty admission fee ($19.95 for anyone 1 and up,…read moreincluding parents). Best for older kids who can utilize the majority of the exhibits. Easy parking in the garage directly behind building. They validate parking -- don't forget to ask. While I love the STEM focus of the Thinkery, I have to be honest -- I just did not find it worth the admission price. COST/VALUE: It's expensive to get in here. $19.95 for anyone 1 and up. Let's compare that to many other indoor play centers where parents/guardians are either free or merely a couple bucks. Additionally, let's say your child just turned 1 -- they're not getting that much out of this -- there are only a small number of play areas they can enjoy (pretty much the gated baby area upstairs and the enclosed baby area within the STEM area). Everything else is really geared toward older kids. So to pay $60.00 for that visit (assuming both parents are joining) is just silly. Ultimately, it's probably best for older kids who are able to interact with all the exhibits. Both my kids (almost 4 and almost 2) definitely skipped a few of the more complex exhibits (microscope, wiring, etc.). ACTIVITIES/EXHIBITS: There is a decent variety of activities here -- outdoor playground, light room, water room, and a main STEM room (which includes a painting area). The water room is pretty neat and they offer Crocs and smocks. My youngest refused the Crocs (he hates Crocs for some reason) and I was relieved. There was a really strong musty smell coming from the shoe shelves. I hope they sufficiently sanitize the wet shoes. Upstairs, there is a play area for younger kids -- a gated (shoeless) area for babies and toddlers and a play area for older toddlers and younger kids (grocery store, kitchen, chicken coop). This area was chaotic and overrun with kids (some of them older). I brought my almost 2-year-old into the baby area and we both found it underwhelming. There just wasn't a lot to do and there is way more they could have done with the space. I actually preferred the second smaller baby area (in the middle of the downstairs STEM room) since it was much more packed with interactive elements). Ultimately, for the cost (we paid $80 for a family of 4), it just didn't seem like enough activities to justify the price tag, especially since my kids are younger and weren't interested in and/or able to appreciate every exhibit. For reference, for $80, we could visit Mt. Playmore twice (it's $30 for our whole family to get in plus any arcades). Obviously it's not educational like this but toddlers don't really care, they just want to interact with objects and have fun. GIFT SHOP: Small but cute gift shop. Well-curated with a nice variety (games, science kits, puppets, etc.). PARKING: We parked in the garage directly behind building. They will validate. They won't tell you that so make sure you ask. The garage attendant was amazing -- he came out and explained everything in the friendliest way. I wouldn't have known about the parking validation if it wasn't for him.

Absolutely incredible weekend at Blue Hills Ranch. We were fortunate to stay in the stunning…read moreGiraffe Villa... a hefty price, but worth it if you can afford it. The Giraffe barn is attached to one side of the house, and their pasture is on the other side. It is the most fabulous "Barndominium" with incredible finishes and clearly thoughtfully designed. That experience alone was mind-blowing.... however we also had the Gold Packages and were able to experience everything the ranch had to offer! Zebras, Capybaras, Kangaroos, Otters, Deer, Homer the Dromedary!!! Everywhere you turned there were more animals and more experiences offered. My children and I were in absolute animal heaven and will be thrilled to return. I will say, our vacation was expensive and it did not disappoint. However, I do believe you can absolutely visit this ranch on a budget.... Probably one of the best experiences was their ranch safari and that is a nominal price and totally worth it! You can see the entire property and all of the animals on the safari trip. Additionally they have fantastic cabins that are themed, and if you have children under the age of 10, the pirate themed cabins are beyond your wildest imagination.... as far as I am aware all of the sleeping accommodations include kitchens so you can absolutely cook for your family instead of paying for the delicious ranch food. That said... Chef Alan is phenomenal and out of this world excellent chef. Each meal was made with love and artistry. The staff at Blue Hills Ranch all go above and beyond to create lasting memories for you. I absolutely recommend this experience as a NOT TO BE MISSED event! We are already planning a return in October/November depending on availability . Cannot wait. Looking forward to being among these amazing staff members (shout-out to Jen, Anne, Shelby, Emily, Chesney, Alan...) the guard dogs, and all of the incredible exotic animals. Thank you, Matt!

All I can say is WOW! This ranch was an unbelievable experience from the moment we booked our stay…read moreuntil the moment we left. The entire staff was absolutely amazing--so accommodating, personable, welcoming, and attentive to every detail. The chef was incredible! Not only was the food delicious, but he was also so personable. He would come out and sit with us, talk with us, and make sure we were happy with everything. That personal touch made the experience even more special. The staff truly went above and beyond to make sure my husband and I had one of the most memorable weekends of our lives. We felt genuinely cared for throughout our entire stay. I cannot recommend this ranch enough. If you're looking for a special getaway with wonderful people, amazing food, and exceptional hospitality, this is the place. We had such an incredible experience and will definitely be back!

Bunnies. Guinea pigs. Hedgehogs. Chickens. Bearded dragons. And a tortoise…read more Tiny Tails To You, a mobile petting zoo, brought these cuties to our recent company staff development day and I kid you not, grown people were lining up for their chance to pet an adorable creature or three. I indulged in my inner child and cuddled as many as possible. Except for the chicken 'cos my neighbor has those. And I didn't really cuddle the bearded dragon... more like I draped him across my arm, then petted him with one finger. The TTTY staff were absolutely fantastic, dealing with both humans and animals smoothly and efficiently. They also ensured the animals took regular breaks to rest and eat. A delightfully relaxing activity. Everyone left with smiles on their faces, especially me!

From the initial contact until the actual event - Tiny Tails were amazing! Excellent communication,…read moreprovided flexibility with no hustle! Trinity arrived on time. She was very sweet and kind to our kiddos! Tiny Tails made our little one's birthday party extra special! Everyone had a great time! Thank you!

Lott Park is a cute little park. One of several parks right in my Central East neighborhood. It's…read morelocated relatively close to Franklin's BBQ. Just a ten minute walk from my apartment. There's a playground with climbing rocks, swings, slide. Our fur baby absolutely loves climbing and swinging and sliding. He has the best time. He absolutely hates the splash pad (it scares him). We like walking him to this park because it's peaceful and we're usually the only ones there. Sometimes we'll grab a bite to eat on 11th and bring it to the park to eat. It's truly a nice little spot to enjoy being outdoors.

This park is very close to downtown and just a stones throw away from I 35, however, it is neatly…read moretucked behind an old Austin neighborhood. It sits on less than an acre or what might be considered a single residential home site. This property supports quite a number of amenities for its size, including a large covered area perfect for a quartet. This park boasts of a covered pavilion, 2 play scapes, a splash pad, two separate picnic areas with grills, and a fountain. I also spotted two sets of swings and a half basketball court. There are also two additional grills at the pavilion, but I did not see any public bathrooms. One thing I noticed that was noticeably absent was that there are no "no parking" signs next to this park unlike the Swede Hill pocket park just a few blocks away. Definitely a nice community park that benefits the residents in the area.

We love this park! There's a huge play area with swings, slides, climbing rails and a few more fun…read moreactivities for kids. There's also a soccer playing field, a hiking trail that leads to secret beach with views so downtown and a shaded picnic area. The picnic area can be reserved for a day through Austin Parks&Rec and can be used for group gatherings or birthday parties.

Wow... the secret beach.. how beautiful. I came from Houston on a day trip. I won't tell everyone…read morespecifics to try and keep this secret as much as possible, but if you're coming here the first time.. it isnt easy to find. I can see how most times people just drive off.. me being the curious person I am just started walking by myself in the woods on a trail. I fortunately just so happen to see one woman walking her dogs and followed her in that direction but i swear to you she was walking fast as to not give this place away hahah! She actually disappeared onto another trail and couldnt find her.. (like Alice and Wonderland and the white rabbit style).. finally I heard splashing! I looked to my right and saw a weird trail that went down a steep side hill. So I followed the noise.. its pretty steep so be careful! After the brush and trees cleared THERE IT WAS! CLEAR, COOL WATER!! It was shallow when I got there and only about 8 people were there at 1pm during a Saturday. As time goes on it gets deeper and the water rises! Also more people start coming too. It feels sooooo amazing! You can grab a chair and just sit in the middle drinking and cooling off. Dog friendly! I spent a few hours with my boy before heading back. I live for finding places like this!

I took an online class through Zoom to learn how to make fresh baguettes and loquat jelly. It was…read morean adult class and I had my 17 year old son engaged as well, mostly because he wanted to impress his girlfriend. My son and I worked side by side on our own batches, watching and listening to chef Pascal as she walked us through the process. Bake Austin provided a way for my son and I to spend special time together during quarantine. Not only that, we learned a great deal and have become better cooks because of it. Since the class I purchased an oven thermometer and a scale. I leaned that my oven takes much more time than I thought to come up to temp! My younger son watched a recording of a brownie class from Bake Austin and made a batch of brownies. The next day he flipped through my cook book and made a 2nd batch of brownies. He's baked at least once per week since watching his first Bake Austin video. I think the video made him realize he could bake, and bake he has! During our strange quarantine period Bake Austin and Chef Pascal have been a bright spot in our lives. I'm incredibly grateful for their time and effort and I hope they receive enough paying customers to make it.

Chef Pascal offered donation based quarantine camps for the kids. They were an absolute blessing…read more My daughter is hyperactive she and doesn't entertain herself well. We have a house with five kids so that led to many fights. Chef Pascal's classes kept her focused on something she has been interested in since she was little. They kept her busy, planning, buying, organizing, and led to nice treats for the family. While not everything she made was easy or worked out, she learned to work through it and learned from the mistakes for next time. She has grown much more confident in her abilities and excited to try new things in the kitchen. We look forward to Bake Austin's summer camps and other future opportunities.

Mueller Lake Park is such a pleasant park to walk around. It is away from the hustle and bustle of…read morethe Mueller district. You take in the beautiful lake as you meander around the lake. The hubs and I walked around the lake after our brunch. Such a pleasant walk...

Such a pleasant park. Perfect for a stroll around the lake. Stroller-friendly…read more Plenty of benches as well as grassy area for picnics or for kids to run around on. There's also a playground (across from The Thinkery). A huge amount of birds here. Ducks, pigeons, grackles. Even saw cormorants. A few food trucks near the parking lot although most were closed late Sunday afternoon.

The tennith court hath not a net. The bathketball court hath not a hoop. The bathroom building…read morehath not either, either. Ether? Yether!

Of course I'm gonna rate Metz 5 stars..for one my mon is the supervisor and I'm not gonna give her…read morecenter a bad review..but honestly it is a good center to check out if you want to do something everyday of the week. They offer a lot of programs. I play in both co-rec and womens kickball league, I'm in a bike riding class, sewing class and core worout class...plus on Friday I usually stay and watch the movie they play for the community. Personally even if my mom wasn't the supervisor I would still come and participate in their programs.