Get Outta Town

3 easy spring break getaways near Austin for the whole family

Cinnamon Shore Port Aransas travel beach

The beach isn't too far for a last-minute getaway.

Spring break. What was a time of beach parties and college-level leisure has now taken a dramatic shift if you're a parent. Unless you had the foresight to get your kids into the myriad camps around the city, you are the official entertainment director, travel agent, and personal chef during this mid-semester break.

But if you can get away, if only for a weekend, there is no denying the value of traveling with your kids, exploring new experiences, and cultivating a sense of curiosity about the unknown. Here are three quick getaways for spring break that won't break the bank and side step the airport altogether.

Garner State Park
If camping is your family’s jam, take that extra three-hour drive out of the city to hit Garner State Park. Its beauty is breathtaking, and the cabins and camping shelters are affordable and family-friendly. One of the main draws of Garner, especially after a long, cranky car ride, is the spring-fed pool that sits underneath the majesty of a limestone cliff. Take a swim in the Frio River, play on the play structures, hike to the creek beds, and then call it a day with a campfire supper under the stars.

Cinnamon Shores, Mustang Island State Park
A cozy, decidedly family-friendly community nestled on the edges of Mustang Island State Park, Cinnamon Shores is part resort and part residential planned area. It features beachside homes that can be rented by single families or groups. Sand castle-building lessons, movie nights al fresco, and live music on the town square are just a few of the activities that make Cinnamon Shores unique.

Tonkawaya Ranch, Fredericksburg
Tonkawaya Ranch is an eclectic and funky getaway perfect for families. Colorful cabins stud the hillsides overlooking the expansive ranch. Kids can play horseshoes or washers on the lawn or take a dip in the cowboy hot tub (no jets here — just a large rancher’s tub with well water warmed from the afternoon sun). The town of Fredericksburg is a short drive away with all the small-town elegance parents need: wine tasting, unique restaurants, and the historic five-and-dime where kids can purchase small treasures.

LBJ State Park is only a short drive away, offering a glimpse into life as it was in 1918. Kids are sure to spot many a longhorn, as LBJ State Park is now home to a portion of the Official Longhorn Herd.

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Travel Tip

One Texas city tops Travel + Leisure's best places to go in 2025

Photo by Robert Lerma

Travel + Leisure spoke highly of San Antonio's new and popular Pullman Market.

Austinites already live in a destination city, but now they can say they are within 80 miles of unique vacation hotspot. National travel magazine Travel + Leisure has declared San Antonio one of the best places to travel in 2025.

The publication's annual "Where to Go" list reviews nearly 120 notable places around the globe and chooses only 50 for its collection of best destinations. Winners are then categorized into one of seven categories: cultural immersion, nature lovers, big-city thrills, moments on the water, food and drinks, beach vibes, and adventurous travelers.

"These are places that feel of the moment, whether that’s because they offer unparalleled access to the outdoors, a cultural immersion you can’t find anywhere else, a pulse-quickening hit of excitement, or the sort of blissful luxury only a true five-star property can deliver," Travel + Leisure editors wrote.

San Antonio was lauded as a must-visit destination in 2025 "For the Food and Drinks" by T+L. The Alamo City was specifically praised for being "on the cutting edge of culinary innovation" in part thanks to the 13 outstanding local restaurants that were recognized in the first-ever Texas Michelin Guide, and the numerous James-Beard Award-nominated local chefs and eateries.

"Elsewhere, chef and restaurateur Jason Dady will be opening Mexico Ceaty in early 2025, overhauling a food court to create a dining destination that highlights Mexican cuisine," T+L said.

Mexico Ceaty San Antonio Mexico Ceaty will bring several concepts to the Shops at Rivercenter. Rendering courtesy of SA Partnerships

The report also gives a shoutout to the increasingly popular dining complex Pullman Market, which opened earlier in 2024.

"Our market highlights the difference and value of truly fresh and truly local," said Pullman CEO Kevin Fink in the report, "whether it’s whole fresh fish from the Gulf of Mexico, Berkshire pigs from down the road, or butter from a herd of cows whose milk tastes of the Texas landscape." Fink's restaurants are mostly in Austin, including Emmer & Rye, the crown jewel of the hospitality group of the same name.

When it comes to finding a place to stay in San Antonio, there is no shortage of comfortable and lavish accommodations. T+L names two recently opened hotels in its report: Kimpton Santo, a boutique hotel that repurposed 19th century schoolhouses, and the fully renovated InterContinental San Antonio RiverWalk.

San Antonio was the only Texas city to be recognized in Travel + Leisure's "Where to Go" list for 2025. Fort Worth previously earned this unique recognition in the 2024 report. Earlier this year, San Antonio won national acclaim in the publication's annual "World's Best" reader's choice awards, and was named the No. 6 best U.S. city in 2024.

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