Things to Do
Family Friendly Fun Things to do in Boerne This Summer
Summertime means family fun time. And lucky for those of us in the Texas Hill Country, we don’t have to go far to find a myriad of entertaining activities for the whole family to enjoy. Pack up the kids and the sunscreen, set the GPS for Boerne, and check out these entertaining activities. Better make a hotel reservation (or a camping reservation)—you’re going to want to spend the night.
Photo: Flickr/rockwilder
Lake Play
Before the family starts to melt, head into the water at Boerne City Lake Park. Park gates open at 5 a.m. so avoid the rush and get there early. Activities at the park include picnicking, swimming, fishing, and hiking. Try your aim for a bucket at the park’s disc golf course. Look for Hill Country Paddle Sports and rent stand up paddleboards or kayaks to explore the entire lake. Motorized boats aren’t allowed, so water sports are safe. Bring your tube or your float and let the gentle lake waves lull you into relaxation.
Photo: Facebook/Texas Tarzan Boat Boerne
Take a dip from the Texas Tarzan Boat, a new activity this year at the lake. Challenge your kids to a jumping contest off of the boat’s jumping platform, channel your inner-Greg Louganis while performing spirited leaps off the 12-foot diving board. Do your best Tarzan yell from the rope swing, spring into the water from the trampoline, or swoosh down the water slide like a seasoned bobsledder. Sound too much like a raucous party barge to you? Nope, no alcohol on board so no drunk diving and the family stays safe. Got your swimming trunks on yet?
Boerne Walking Tour
Photo: Wikipedia/Larry D. Moore/CC-SA 3.0
Want to educate the family a bit while still enjoying that small Hill Country town charm? Schedule a Boerne Walking Tour. Started by a fifth generation Boerne family of German ancestry, you know you’re going to get the real facts on Boerne’s history and heritage. The 90-minute, 1.5-mile round trip tour wanders down the famous Hill Country Mile. Learn about the architecture and the stories the buildings could tell if they talked. Some whisper a handful of the buildings carry reputations of the haunted sort. Be sure to take note of the interesting shops lining the street for a later shopping excursion. Learn about the legends and the settlers whose character and determination built Boerne into the town it is today. Where else are you going to get 150 years worth of history in 90 minutes?
Immerse Yourself in Nature
Photo: Flickr/Van Corey
The love of nature is one feature that draws visitors to the Texas Hill Country and Boerne has no shortage of ways to enjoy it. Take the family for a hike right from the middle of town along Cibolo Creek beginning at Main Plaza. Be sure to stop to admire the gnarled roots that belong to the towering cypress trees that shade the banks like a wall of giants. The hike concludes at City Park where you can drench your tired toes in Cibolo Creek.
Within City Park, the Cibolo Nature Center provides an opportunity to explore nature and learn about the Hill Country landscape at the same time. Over two miles of trails will lead you and your family through four different ecosystems. Lie on your belly on the boardwalk and explore all the little critters living in the marshlands. Safari through the prairie lands and see how many different types of wildlife you can spot. Wander the woodlands to count bird varieties and listen to their calls. Finally, relax along the shady creek shore and cool off in the water. A visitor center and several picnic areas make it easy to spend the day.
Photo: Facebook/Guadalupe River State Park – Texas Parks & Wildlife
If camping, tubing, and canoeing are your idea of family fun, then a trip to Guadalupe River State Park should top your summertime bucket list. Just a hop, skip, and a jump from Boerne, you can spend the day relaxing in the gorgeous Guadalupe River, explore the park by foot, mountain bike, or horse (bring your own horse), or take part in one of the many Ranger Programs the park offers throughout the day and at night. For a glimpse of a less populated but just as beautiful part of the park, sign up for a guided tour of the Honey Creek State Natural Area. Fun facts about the diverse flora, fauna, and geography accompany the 2-hour trek through this peaceful place.
Camp and Cave
Photo: Flickr/John Marquis
If the kids need a break from the summer sun, then a trip into a dark and drippy wonderland of stalactites and stalagmites might be just the activity to rejuvenate overheated little bodies. Two such crystalline caverns await your spelunking pleasure both in close proximity to Boerne.
Check out the Cave Without a Name where six rooms of cave drapery, soda straws, and other exotic formations await your exploration in a delicious 66-degree environment. Musical performances that promise to mesmerize and move even the most stoic are regularly held in the Cave Throne Room (“Queen’s Throne Room” is the formal name if that makes a difference). Can’t get enough? Pitch a tent in the cave campgrounds, and do it all over again tomorrow.
Photo: Facebook/Cascade Caverns
Cascade Caverns offers a different chance to hide from the heat. Since 1932, the cave has provided an interesting source of entertainment from down under. A two-hour adventure tour will have you wiggling through the lower depths of the cave on your belly like a true spelunker. (Adventure tours are offered monthly so check the website for dates.) Keep your eyes peeled for the cute Cascade Caverns salamanders and other cave-dwelling critters. Too sleepy to drive home? No worries, campgrounds await your weary family and their sleeping bags (RV hook-ups available, too).
Beer Gardens
Photo: Facebook/The Roundup Outdoor Concert Venue
So now that you’ve toted the kids to all of the best places to play in Boerne, perhaps you are in need of an adult beverage or two. Fear not, Boerne knows beer and wine. And the German heritage that makes up the backbone of Boerne’s culture flourishes today in the town’s beer gardens. In Germany, beer gardens are a place for the whole family to relax. People of all ages come to enjoy the food and the lively atmosphere. And Boerne’s beer gardens are no different.
Check out Roundup Outdoor venue for live music. Quaffing a hand-crafted local brew will rejuvenate you in no time with over 25 beers on tap. Wine lovers can enjoy local sips from Becker and Sister Creek wineries. Hungry? Walk the avenue of food trucks for your favorite summertime treat. Finally, let the kids run themselves into exhaustion on the 3-acre playground. Check out the concert lineup on Roundup website. Many shows are free.
Photo: Facebook/Random Beer Garden
If you’re unable to drag your family away from the lake until closing time, just pop on over to Random Beer Garden for some post-lake entertainment. Live music, 80 beers and ciders on tap, and a Monster Bounce for the kiddos ensure the good times will continue to roll on. Food trucks cook up some delicious mobile delicacies and pets are welcome to join the party, too. Check Random’s Facebook page for food truck schedules and musical lineups.