New Braunfels, Texas

Established in 1898, Landa Park has been a popular urban oasis for locals and tourists ever since. Situated on 51 acres along the river, this large park has a range of facilities that offer entertainment and recreation for all generations.

There is a large swimming pool, paddle boats on the lake occasionally filled with trout, a lovely picnic area in the shade of ancient oaks, a miniature train that crosses the park from end to end, a mini golf course and a maxi 18-hole golf course, tennis courts and two scenic hiking trails – the Panther Canyon Nature Trail and the Harry Landa Tree Trail. William and Dolores Schumann Arboretum will delight nature lovers with 96 species of trees.

164 Landa Park Dr, New Braunfels, TX 78130, Phone: 830-221-4350, Map

Natural Bridge Caverns offers a variety of outdoor adventures and fun for the whole family, including five distinct underground tours and concerts. Guests can see the beautiful stalactites, stalagmites, and rock formations of the caverns 180 feet below ground. Alternatively, they can climb to the top of a 60-foot obstacle course and take the zip line back down with Twisted Trails.

Gem and fossil mining is also available. After all the fun, guests can grab a bite to eat at the on-site café or pick up a gift in the souvenir shop. All activities are appropriate for both children and adults. The caverns are open daily except for major holidays.

Natural Bridge Caverns, 26495 Natural Bridge Caverns Road, Natural Bridge Caverns, TX 78266, Phone: 210-651-6101

McKenna Children's Museum offers kids interactive, hands-on exhibits that focus on culture, technology, and space with a goal of encouraging and unleashing learning and imagination. The range of exhibits is enormous, and there is something for everyone. The activities are linked to scenarios of everyday life that kids can explore, such as the Lend a Hand Ranch, Grocery Store, Outside the Lines Art Studio, Tot Spot, Destination Space, and so much more.

Destination Space is particularly popular because it takes the kids out of their own world into another. They learn fun facts about space, have a light and music adventure, and even dress in special clothes for their space exploration. In the Grocery Store, they play at running a store and learn to count and speak Spanish. At McKenna Hospitable, they learn about what goes on in hospitals, in patient rooms, or in an ambulance. The Under the Comal River Exhibit teaches kids about creatures living in rivers and other waters.

McKenna Children's Museum, 801 W San Antonio St, New Braunfels, TX 78130, Phone: 830-606-9525

Exploring New Braunfels is fun – it is such a quirky mix of residential homes, beautiful historic buildings, great shops, museums, restaurants, and entertainment venues. You will find Naegelin’s, the oldest Texas bakery here, and Henne, the oldest Texas hardware store. During the last 40 years, the city put a lot of effort and love into making downtown and Main Street the way it is now.

The area stretches from Seguin Avenue from one underpass to another and across ten blocks of San Antonio Street until it meets the Main Plaza with its lovely old fountain, sculptures, music pavilion, and meticulously landscaped grounds. Here, you can watch the parades and the Christmas “Festtage,” and listen to all kinds of concerts. website

About half way between Austin and San Antonio and less than 14 miles from New Braunfels, Canyon Lake is one of the deepest lakes in Texas. It is popular with fishermen, boaters, and everyone who likes spending a hot summer day on the water. The lake is located on the Guadalupe River and offers 80 miles of scenic shoreline.

Five communities are located around the lake, and you can also find a busy marina and two yacht clubs. Eight public parks, managed by The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, offer picnicking areas, boat ramps, and camping. Below Canyon Dam, you can go tubing down the Guadalupe River. You can also explore the Canyon Lake Gorge with 100 million years old fossils and dinosaur tracks.

Fed by natural springs coming from the Edwards Aquifer, the Comal River was for a long time the main attraction that drew tourists to New Braunfels. From the aquifer, the river flows through scenic Landa Park and passes through Downtown New Braunfels and nearby Schlitterbahn Waterpark until it eventually merges with the Guadalupe River.

The water temperature is constantly 70-72 degrees, making it pleasantly refreshing during the hot Texas summer and warm enough for a swim in the winter. Nobody can come to New Braunfels without experiencing the most popular activity on the Comal River – tubing. Tubes can be rented from one of several outfitters – all you need is your bathing suit. You can also enjoy the Comal River by renting a paddleboat or a canoe at Landa Park. Map

No visit to New Braunfels can end without at least one tubing trip down Comal River. One of the most popular tubing outfitters is Landa Falls, located on the river bank at the Wurstfest grounds. They offer one of the longest floats, and the portion of the river where they operate is less steep, making the trip slower and more suitable for children.

Landa Falls offers tubes without or with bottoms, cooler tubes, and combination cooler and tube. They also provide life vests free of charge. Their free air-conditioned shuttle bus will take you back to the grounds where you can have a nice picnic on the lovely manicured grounds of the Wurstfest festival, or, if you did not have enough, you can even go on another tubing trip down the river free of charge.

Landa Falls, Landa Park Drive, New Braunfels, TX 78130, Phone: 830-387-4408

Tubing down Comal River is a popular activity in New Braunfels. The constantly pleasant water temperature makes this activity possible year around, and some people can never get enough. To accommodate them, Texas Tubes Outfitters, located in downtown New Braunfels on the banks of the Comal, offer day passes, which allow tubers to use a return shuttle throughout the whole day.

So, up and down they go, down the river, up in the shuttle, in one of the bottomless or bottomed tubes with or without cooler. Most people rent the tube with a cooler or bring their own – drinking is allowed on Comal, and people take advantage of it. Life vests are optional and free of charge, but even with a vest, drinking too much on the water is not a good idea.

Texas Tubes, 250 Meusebach Street, New Braunfels, TX 78130, Phone: 830-626-9900, Map

What started in 1967 as the popular Snake Farm became a fully accredited zoo in 2012. It still has lots of snakes and gators, but it now also boasts more than 500 different animals, most of which are rescues.

You can come and see primates such as cute capuchin monkeys, exotic birds, cats, longhorns, and much more. Visitors can watch animal feeding or even handle snakes at specific hours.

Feeding the wild animals is not allowed, but there is a nice petting zoo where kids can enjoy handing out snacks to the animals. The zoo encourages “adoption” of animals by asking for financial assistance in feeding them, and they stress animal care, conservation, and environmental stewardship.

Animal World and Snake Farm Zoo, 5640 Interstate 35 Frontage Rd, New Braunfels, TX 78132, Phone: 830-608-9270

The New Braunfels Farmer’s Market is more than just a place to find fresh produce. Every Saturday, vendors from all over the area gather and sell everything from fruits and vegetables to pizza, chocolate, baked goods, meats, and cheeses.

You can also find hand-made goods such as accessories, toiletries, and household products made from high-quality natural ingredients. Live entertainment and celebrations are often offered. Check the farmer’s market website for information on what is being offered each week. The market is open from 9am to 1pm every Saturday, rain or shine.

New Braunfels Farmer’s Market, 186 S Castell Ave, New Braunfels, TX 78130