There are so many family-friendly things to do in Austin all year round, but I think November and December are my favorite time of year. It’s usually warm enough outside that you can enjoy spending time outdoors to experience the magic of the season. Here are three events coming up in and around our capital city this November and December that you and your family won’t want to miss.
Creek Show at Waterloo Park
Creek Show 2022 is back at Waterloo Park November 11-20. This display of illuminated art is accompanied by live music and is free for the whole family. Local artists have created the different light exhibits and they are truly impressive. What’s more, they seem to captivate kids’ attention for long periods of time. Since this event is hosted at Waterloo Park, your family can also stop off and play at the playground during the show. My kids
got a kick out of playing in the giant grassy area at night. It’s like a whole new twilight world that they normally wouldn’t get to see. You can also have a blast dancing to the live music on the big stage. Make sure you bring a blanket and stay for the show.
Sweet Eats Adventure Farm
Kick-start your holiday spirit by seeing Santa and his reindeer at Sweet Eats Adventure Farm. His reindeer are there daily after Thanksgiving. You can take photos with Santa just by having a General Admission ticket ($20-25) which also grants you access to over 30 activities.
You can walk through a giant gingerbread house, take pictures with Santa and meet his live reindeer. But this farm is filled with fun activities beyond Santa, which makes it worth the drive (and the cost). We love the apple slingshots, the pig races, the petting zoo and so much more. We spend hours up at the farm and have even bought their season passes over the years because my kids always have the best time. It’s fun for all ages.
Mozart’s Coffee Roasters
If you’ve never been, you’ve got to check out the lights display at Mozart’s Coffee Roasters. As an on-looker, you can see it for free or pay to reserve a table ($20-30). The lights dance to the music and put on a show. Then there’s live piano entertainment between light shows, where the kids are invited up on stage to sing. There’s nothing better than watching the lights, listening to the music and sitting out over the water. It’s like a little slice of Austin heaven for the holidays. They have tightened up reservations and time slots but the show is still worth it to see at least once. Don’t forget to try one of their pretzels and of course get a hot chocolate.
Addie Gross loves living in Austin and is a mom to three boys (ages 13, 10, 4).
