This article was originally posted in 2016! Can you believe how much San Antonio has changed since then?! The opportunities for fun seem almost endless. Like back then, it’s easy to get into a rut and forget about some of our city’s best attractions. Or, if you are like me and your kids’ preferences are changing, some activities aren’t as cool now that they’re teens and tweens.
So, if you need the inspiration to keep your crew busy this weekend (or for the next school holiday), check out these great San Antonio activities for teens and tweens!
- Painting With a Twist
- UTSA’s Growing Artists—Community Art Program
- Young Chefs Academy
- Central Market Cooking School
- San Antonio Museum of Art
- The McNay Art Museum
- The Witte Museum
- Clay Casa
- ICode
- Scobee Planetarium
- San Antonio Botanical Garden
- The San Antonio Zoo
- Hill Country Science Mill
- SA Parks and Rec
- The Meadows Center for Water and the Environment
- Hiking (multiple locations)
- Natural Bridge Caverns
- Urban Air
- AIRTOPIA
- Main Event
- Andretti Indoor Karting & Games San Antonio
- Bowling (multiple locations)
- Top Golf
- X-Factor Paintball Park
- Power Park Fitness
- Ice Skating & Roller Skating
- iFly San Antonio
- Cool Crest Mini Golf
- Monster Mini Golf
- Texas Ski Ranch
- Ripley’s Believe It or Not
- Six Flags Fiesta Texas
- SeaWorld
Arts & Culture
Painting With a Twist
What: Grab your friends for a fun painting class. Join a class on the calendar (check for age requirements) or arrange a private party.
Where: Alamo Heights, Northwest, Artisan’s Alley, The Forum
Website: Painting With a Twist
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UTSA’s Growing Artists—Community Art Program
What: “Community Art Programs offer multiple avenues for access to the visual arts for young artists. Explore a range of Young Artists’ programs to nurture and celebrate creative ability. Classes are available throughout the year, providing age-appropriate learning for ages 5 to 17.” *Classes require registration, so make sure to check class availability.
Where: Classes will be held at UTSA’s Southwest Campus: 300 Augusta, San Antonio, TX 78205
Website: UTSA Community Art Program
Phone: (210) 200-8201
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Young Chefs Academy
What: Cooking for kids! Classes, parties, and camps. Kids will learn about kitchen safety, nutrition, food preparation, baking and cooking, presentation and table setting, manners, and more.
Where: Stone Oak
Website: Young Chefs Academy
Phone: (210) 402-0023
Social: Young Chefs Academy Facebook
Central Market Cooking School
What: Kids’ cooking classes are offered during school holidays: Spring Break, Christmas Break, and the summer. Check the calendar to find classes geared toward kids.
Where: Alamo Heights
Website: Central Market Cooking School
Booking: Central Market Cooking School—Eventbrite
Social: Central Market Cooking School Facebook
San Antonio Museum of Art
What: Did you know the SAMA has the most extensive collection of ancient Egyptian, Greek, and Roman art in the southern U.S.? Check out the events page for special activities like Roman Landscapes and Landscapes by Boat.
Where: Just north of downtown
Website: San Antonio Museum of Art
Phone: (210) 978-8100
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The McNay Art Museum
What: The McNay was the first modern art museum in Texas. Experience everything from painting to sculptures and more throughout their 25-acre campus. Make sure to check out their events page for family-friendly activities. High school students can apply to be a Teen Art Guide.
Where: Alamo Heights
Website: The McNay
Phone: (210) 824-5368
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The Witte Museum
What: Explore natural history, South Texas history, and science at the Witte Museum. From the H-E-B Body Adventure to special exhibits and exploring the grounds on the San Antonio River, every kid will have a blast! Check out their special events calendar—they even have cooking classes!
Where: Alamo Heights
Website: The Witte Museum
Phone: (210) 357-1900
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Clay Casa
What: Pottery and glass painting with friends! Check out their class schedules or drop in for open studio times. Plan your return trip a few days later to pick up your finished piece.
Where: Embassy Oaks Shopping Center and New Braunfels
Website: Clay Casa
Phone: (210) 402-6656 (Embassy Oaks location)
Social: Clay Casa Facebook
Science
ICode
What: Equipping children with a strong foundation in STEAM education, ICode focuses on academic strength, problem-solving, and creativity while encouraging leadership skills and collaboration.
Where: Stone Oak
Website: ICode
Phone: (210) 809-6393
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Scobee Planetarium
What: The Scobee Planetarium is open to the public on Friday evenings. They offer three different shows each Friday: 6:30 p.m., 8:00 p.m., and 9:30 p.m. This is a must for kids who love space, astronomy, and science.
Where: North of downtown, at San Antonio College
Website: Scobee Planetarium
Phone: (210) 486-0100
Social: Scobee Planetarium Facebook
San Antonio Botanical Garden
What: If you have a nature lover or budding botanist in the family, take advantage of the Botanical Garden. Spend time walking through the 38 acres of diverse gardens, including the Texas Native Trail, the Rose Garden, the Tropical Conservancy, the Vegetable Garden, and the Garden for the Visually Impaired. Check out their education page for activities like the Children’s Vegetable Garden Program (through age 16).
Where: Mahncke Park, between downtown and Alamo Heights
Website: San Antonio Botanical Garden
Phone: (210) 536-1400
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The San Antonio Zoo
What: The San Antonio Zoo was established in 1914, is open year-round, and is home to more than 750 species. Great events this season include their Blooms, Bees & Butterflies!, the Monarch Fest, and their Festival de Animales.
Where: North of downtown
Website: The San Antonio Zoo
Phone: (210) 734-7184
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Hill Country Science Mill
What: It may be an hour away, but this hands-on science museum is geared toward tweens. The interactive exhibits allow kids to explore biology, physics, chemistry, botany, archaeology, and more.
Where: Johnson City, north of San Antonio
Website: Hill Country Science Mill
Phone: (844) 263-6405
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Nature
SA Parks and Rec
What: There’s something for everyone. With recreational fun, fitness, learning, and life-long growing, SA Parks and Rec offers an enormous variety of programs and classes to fit every personality: music, dance, art, fitness, sports, you name it. Your whole family will have an opportunity to explore and develop new interests.
Where: Check class registration for details.
Website: SA Parks and Rec
Catalog: SA Parks and Rec Catalog
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The Meadows Center for Water and the Environment
What: The Meadows Center is a water and environmental research center associated with Texas State University. The San Marcos Spring is one of the largest natural springs in the United States. You can explore it via glass-bottom boat, paddle boarding, kayaking, or hiking in the park-like area.
Where: San Marcos, northeast of San Antonio
Website: The Meadows Center for Water and the Environment
Phone: (512) 245-9200
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Hiking (multiple locations)
What: San Antonio (and the surrounding area) has fantastic places to explore nature. Grab a group of your kids’ friends and set out for a great day of hiking, exploration, and physical activity.
Where: The Mission Reach, Hardberger Park, Friedrich Park, Government Canyon, Lost Maples, and Enchanted Rock, among others
More Details: Family-Friendly Local(ish) Hikes
Natural Bridge Caverns
What: Where else can you explore caves, pan for gems, visit wildlife, run an open-air maze, tackle an obstacle course, go zip lining, or watch the world’s largest bat emergence? You can also check out the Natural Bridge Wildlife Ranch next door.
Where: North of San Antonio, near Garden Ridge, TX
Website: Natural Bridge Caverns
Phone: (210) 651-6101
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Active Stuff
Urban Air
What: The Ultimate Indoor Adventure Park where kids can explore thrilling attractions and challenge their bodies and mind.
Where: Loop 410 & Hwy 281
Website: Urban Air
Phone: (210) 460-7054
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AIRTOPIA
What: Filled with a ninja obstacle course, trampoline dodgeball, a traverse climbing wall, four extreme climbing walls, a trampoline basketball dunk zone, and more, AIRTOPIA is more than a trampoline park, it’s a giant indoor children’s amusement center.
Where: Hwy 281 & Thousand Oaks
Website: AIRTOPIA
Phone: (210) 626-8056
Social: AIRTOPIA Facebook
Main Event
What: Main Event has the “most fun under one roof,” with their combination of state-of-the-art bowling, multi-level laser tag, gravity ropes, zip lines, and more. It’s a place for all ages to play!
Where: San Antonio North & West locations
Website: Main Event
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Andretti Indoor Karting & Games San Antonio
What: Andretti’s is a premier entertainment destination featuring high-speed electric Superkarts, a ropes course, an arcade, virtual reality, laser tag, and duckpin bowling.
Where: The Rim
Website: Andretti Indoor Karting & Games San Antonio
Phone: (210) 469-0700
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Bowling (multiple locations)
What: Does bowling really need an explanation? San Antonio has lots of fun options to knock down a few pins.
Where: AstroBowl is an excellent option in Alamo Heights if your tweens want to bowl old-school style. Bowlero, in north central SA, has recently been remodeled and offers lots more than just bowling: billiards, shuffleboard, and an arcade. In northeast SA, Brunswick Zone offers 40 lanes and has specials all week. If you live near Leon Valley, check out Bandera Bowling Center!
Top Golf
What: I think of Top Golf as the driving range meets darts, with some hi-tech score tracking built in. It’s a three-story driving range where you play different games by trying to hit your ball into the targets in the field in front of you. There’s food, video games, pool tables, and more.
Where: Northwest SA, near I-10 & 1604
Website: Top Golf
Phone: (210) 202-2694
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X-Factor Paintball Park
What: X-Factor has multiple playing fields to accommodate all levels of paintball fanatics. From open play to tournaments to parties, they provide all your tween needs for a great day of paintball fun.
Where: North central SA, near Rolling Oaks Mall
Website: X-Factor Paintball Park
Phone: (210) 296-1118
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Power Park Fitness
What: Do you have an American Ninja Warrior fan in your house? If so, check out this parkour course/gym in Spring Branch. Think obstacle course meets cross-country running course.
Where: Spring Branch, north of San Antonio
Website: Power Park Fitness
Phone: (210) 246-2599
Social: Power Park Fitness
Ice Skating & Roller Skating
What: Getting dropped off at the roller rink for an evening without parental supervision is a rite of passage for many tweens. San Antonio offers tons of options all around town.
Where: The Ice Center at Northwoods Ice & Golf Center in north central SA offers open skating, parties, and hockey leagues. For roller skating, choose from the Car-Vel Skate Center in northwest SA, Car-Vel Skateland in south SA, and The Rollercade in central SA.
iFly San Antonio
What: If your tween is a thrill seeker, this is their chance to try indoor skydiving! Flyers from ages 3 to 103, beginners to seasoned pros, and people of all shapes, sizes, and abilities can take flight. Enter their vertical wind chamber and experience the exhilaration of skydiving in a controlled environment.
Where: The Rim
Website: iFly San Antonio
Phone: (210) 762-4359
Social: iFly San Antonio Facebook
Cool Crest Mini Golf
What: Want a blast from the past? Cool Crest offers two miniature golf courses: the first opened in 1929, and the newer one opened in 1957. They are closed during the winter but open again in the spring.
Where: North of downtown, near Jefferson
Website: Cool Crest Mini Golf
Phone: (210) 732-0222
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Monster Mini Golf
What: Monster Mini Golf is so much more than mini golf! You can play laser tag, navigate a laser maze, test your skills in the arcade, and immerse yourself in a virtual experience.
Where: Castle Hills, north central San Antonio
Website: Monster Mini Golf
Phone: (210) 979-8888
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Texas Ski Ranch
What: Water skiing, skateboarding, a trampoline park, and snowboarding—all in one place! It’s a one-stop shop for active kids who love to be outside.
Where: New Braunfels, northeast of San Antonio
Website: Texas Ski Ranch
Phone: (830) 627-2843
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Miscellaneous
Ripley’s Believe It or Not
What: Ripley’s has four main attractions: The Odditorium (a collection of weird stuff), the 4D Moving Theater, Louis Tussaud’s Wax Museum, and the Illusion Lab.
Where: Downtown
Website: Ripley’s Believe It or Not
Phone: (407) 345-8010
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Six Flags Fiesta Texas
What: Fiesta Texas is a giant amusement park with everything from high-speed, twisting, and looping roller coasters to shows, water rides, and a water park. The park is open much of March and then on the weekends until mid-May, when it opens daily for the summer season.
Where: North central SA
Website: Six Flags Fiesta Texas
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SeaWorld
What: SeaWorld combines an amusement park, zoo, theater, school, and water park to create an experience that family members of all ages can enjoy. It may seem best suited for younger kids, but SeaWorld offers several fun educational opportunities for kids through high school.
Where: West SA
Website: SeaWorld
Phone: (210) 520-4732
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With all that San Antonio has to offer, there is enough to keep our tweens busy every waking minute. And, of course, this list doesn’t include some of the festivals, the River Walk, and the many events hosted every season. What are your favorite places to take your kids? Share them with us in our ACM Facebook Community or tag us on ACM Instagram!
Portions of this article were originally published in March 2016.