Each summer, Texas families face the same happy question: Where should we go next?

KidsOutAndAbout.com’s annual Top 20 Places to Take Kids survey is designed to help answer it. Conducted at the beginning of summer each year, the survey invites readers in each region to browse 60 to 80 great local destinations, choose their top three favorites, and, at the same time, build a practical summer bucket list for their own families. KidsOutAndAbout has been running the survey since 2005, and in 2026, the Texas survey was co-sponsored for the first time by Texas Lifestyle Magazine and DFW Motherhood.

This year’s Texas results span five major KidsOutAndAbout regions: Austin, Dallas, Fort Worth, Houston, and San Antonio. The winners show what Texas families value most: places where kids can move, explore, wonder, learn, laugh, and make memories with the adults who love them. The top-ranked destinations ranged from large civic institutions to beloved local gems, with #1 honors going to Mt. Playmore in Austin, Animal Connection Experience at Fritz Park in Dallas, Fort Worth Zoo in Fort Worth, Houston Arboretum & Nature Center in Houston, and San Antonio Zoo in San Antonio.

One of the clearest statewide themes is that Texas families love animals. Zoos, aquariums, wildlife experiences, and animal-centered attractions ranked especially high across the state. San Antonio Zoo and Fort Worth Zoo both captured the #1 spot in their regions; Houston Zoo and Dallas Zoo both ranked #2; Austin Aquarium ranked #3; and Austin Zoo, San Antonio Aquarium, Houston Interactive Aquarium and Animal Preserve, Children’s Aquarium at Fair Park, SEA LIFE Grapevine Aquarium, Natural Bridge Wildlife Ranch, and Moody Gardens all appeared among the regional winners. For families, animals remain one of the most reliable bridges between fun and learning.

Nature also had a particularly strong showing, suggesting that Texas parents continue to prize outdoor experiences even in a state where summer heat is part of the equation. Houston Arboretum & Nature Center took the #1 spot in Houston, while River Legacy Nature Center ranked #2 in Fort Worth. Other outdoor favorites included Austin Parks, Dallas Arboretum, Heard Natural Science Museum & Wildlife Sanctuary, Fort Worth Botanic Garden, Brazos Bend State Park, Armand Bayou Nature Center, Hermann Park Conservancy, Nature Discovery Center, Phil Hardberger Park, San Antonio Botanical Garden, and Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center. The results point to a broad appetite for green space, trails, gardens, wildlife habitats, and low-pressure places where kids can roam.

Museums and science destinations were another major cluster, with several ranking near the very top. The Texas Science & Natural History Museum ranked #2 in Austin, Houston Museum of Natural Science ranked #3 in Houston, Perot Museum of Nature and Science ranked #4 in Dallas, Children’s Museum Houston ranked #5, Fort Worth Museum of Science and History ranked #5, and Witte Museum ranked #8 in San Antonio. Families also recognized beloved learning destinations such as Space Center Houston, Bullock Texas State History Museum, Science Mill, Henry B. Tippie National Aviation Education Center, Fort Worth Aviation Museum, The DoSeum, Thinkery, and the Perot. Together, these results show that “educational” and “fun” are not separate categories for Texas families; the best destinations are often both.

Indoor play and active entertainment also performed well, which makes sense in a Texas summer. Mt. Playmore’s #1 ranking in Austin was joined by strong performances from Cheeky Monkeys Fort Worth, Chuck E. Cheese locations in Austin, Dallas, and San Antonio, Altitude Trampoline Park locations in Austin, Dallas, and Fort Worth, Urban Air locations across the Dallas region, Main Event in Austin and San Antonio, Dave & Buster’s in Austin and Houston, Pinballz Arcade, Alley Cats Entertainment, Great Wolf Lodge, LEGOLAND Discovery Center, Topgolf, and Peter Pan Mini Golf. The pattern is clear: families want places where kids can burn energy, especially when the weather makes outdoor plans less predictable.

The arts also claimed meaningful space in the rankings, reflecting families’ interest in performances and cultural experiences alongside animals, science, and active play. Magik Theatre ranked #9 in San Antonio, while Bass Performance Hall, Broadway Dallas, Zilker Theatre Productions, Majestic Theatre – San Antonio, The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion, CYT Austin, CYT Houston, Casa Mañana, and North Texas Performing Arts were also recognized. These results suggest that family audiences are not only looking for a place to spend an afternoon; they are also looking for shared stories, music, theatre, and live experiences that become part of childhood memory.

The results also reveal regional personalities. Austin’s list leaned into play, science, parks, music, and quirky local favorites. Dallas had a strong showing from animals, museums, and big-ticket attractions. Fort Worth families elevated the Fort Worth Zoo, nature centers, museums, performing arts, and heritage destinations. Houston’s winners reflected the city’s scale and breadth, from arboretums and science museums to Space Center Houston, the Astros, the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, and Moody Gardens. San Antonio’s results leaned heavily into animals, outdoor adventure, theme and water parks, theatre, and iconic family destinations such as SeaWorld, Natural Bridge Caverns, Morgan’s Wonderland, Six Flags Fiesta Texas, and The DoSeum.

For KidsOutAndAbout, the Top 20 survey has always been more than a popularity contest. It is a snapshot of how families actually use their communities: where they return again and again, where they bring visiting relatives, where they go when school is out, where they make traditions, and where kids ask to go back. This year’s Texas results show a vibrant family landscape filled with zoos, museums, theatres, farms, parks, science centers, aquariums, sports, indoor play spaces, and outdoor adventures. With Texas Lifestyle Magazine and DFW Motherhood joining as first-time co-sponsors, the 2026 survey gives families across the state a cheerful invitation to explore more of what Texas has to offer.

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Cover Photo by Artem Kniaz on Unsplash