By Robert Macias
Austin Expert, about.com
For newcomers, Austin weather takes a little getting used to. Sometimes the area gets “stuck” in a certain weather pattern. Usually, the problem is drought, where we have several months with little or no rain. During seasons with an El Niño weather pattern, however, the rain can last for days on end. Here’s where to go to escape the wet stuff.
1. Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum
With three huge floors, the museum can provide a full afternoon of education and entertainment.
You’ll learn about the original Native American
population, the Alamo and Texas’ brief time as an independent nation.
If the kids get restless, there’s also an IMAX theater at the museum,
which plays both educational films and 3-D versions of major releases.[post_ads_2]
2. Alamo Drafthouse Theater[post_ads_2]
While you may think of the Alamo Drafthouse as a nighttime destination, it also often has matinees.
The daytime fare tends to be a little more
kid-friendly, but many of the evening quote-alongs and sing-alongs are
for adults only (and they’re hilarious). Since you can also eat during
the movie, you can make the most out of your busy schedule by combining a
meal with entertainment.
3. Barton Creek Square Mall
This
sprawling hilltop mall in southwest Austin has a Lego Store for kids
and a Nordstrom for mom. And everyone will enjoy the IMAX theater. For a
quick bite, the food court has the usual suspects. For large appetites,
the Cheesecake Factory will leave you feeling fat and happy.
4. Jumpoline Park[post_ads_2]
If
you have kids with way too much energy, let them burn it off at
Jumpoline Park. It’s basically one big room with wall-to-wall
trampolines.
If you sometimes feel like you belong in a
rubber room, well, that’s basically what this is. Everything is padded.
The kids can even play dodgeball on a court that’s surrounded by
padding.
5. LBJ Library and Museum
Located
next to the University of Texas campus in central Austin, the LBJ
Museum is the official presidential museum for President Lyndon Baines
Johnson.
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Even if you’re not an avid history buff, LBJ is
an extremely entertaining character. Be sure to stop by the listening
station where you can hear some of his recorded phone calls. The museum
prides itself on telling the warts-and-all version of history, including
LBJ’s controversial decisions regarding the Vietnam war. On the
positive side, you’ll develop a greater appreciation for LBJ’s
contributions to the civil rights movement.
6. Blazer Tag
If
your kids have a little pent-up hostility, let them get it out in a
safe, supervised environment. Located in an old movie theater, Blazer
Tag offers a multilevel space where kids can run around and blast each
other with light-emitting guns.
