Indoor family-friendly fun in the Highland Lakes

School's out, summer vacation is here, and you and your family are looking for fun things to do in the Highland Lakes — preferably inside and out of the heat. We've got plenty of ideas below and in our Highland Lakes Vacation guides.
Here are some indoor, family-friendly activities you can enjoy in the Highland Lakes.

SCIENCE MILL

101 S. Lady Bird Lane, Johnson City
844-263-6405
No family vacation (or staycation) to the Highland Lakes is complete without a visit to the Science Mill, a fun, interactive take on science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). The museum has hands-on exhibits inside and outside, including a 4D Jurassic Flight virtual reality experience, 3D movies, a cellphone disco, a fossil dig, the Colossal Robotic Hand, the Fractalarium, an Atomic Jellyfish, and much more — 50-plus exhibits, in fact. Find summer hours, admission prices, and other information on its website. You can schedule your visit online or just show up.

MUSEUMS

Across the Highland Lakes
For more enjoyable educational opportunities, check out the museums in the Highland Lakes. Two that might rev up your child's imagination are Hill Country Motorheads, a vintage motorcycle museum, and the Highland Lakes Squadron of the Commemorative Air Force Museum, which is dedicated to American flight history. Both are located in Burnet. Another ode to two wheels, the Texas Vintage Motorcycle Museum, just opened in Johnson City.

SHEER FUN

2413 Commerce St., Marble Falls
By reservation only
Test your skills at this rock-climbing gym, which offers fixed, 12-foot vertical walls for beginner through intermediate and an adjustable, 8-foot-by-14-foot kilter wall. All climbers must go through the gym's initiation program that covers safety, etiquette, and falling skills as well as have a liability waiver on file. Waivers for those under 18 must be signed by a parent or legal guardian. Ages 14 and under must be supervised by an adult. You can book your climbing experience online.

LONGHORN CAVERNS

Longhorn Cavern State Park, 6211 Park Road 4 South, Burnet
512-715-9000
You're technically inside when you explore below the surface on a cave tour at Longhorn Cavern State Park. It's a cool 68 degrees year-round in the limestone caverns. See smooth dolomite, glittering calcite crystals, and dripping stalactites on a lighted walking tour. For the more adventurous, the park offers Wild Cave Tours through the tightest and darkest spots. Visit the park's website for prices and details. You can also hike its trails for free.

HILL COUNTRY FLYER

All aboard this Austin Steam Train Association experience. Ride the rails on a historic route running along the first line built from Austin to the Highland Lakes. The Hill Country Flyer takes passengers on a 66-mile round trip from Cedar Park to Burnet, where you might catch a Wild West shootout. Find dates, special events, and tickets on the association's website.

MOVIES

Catch the latest family-friendly film at a Highland Lakes theater, including at the recently remodeled Cinergy Cinemas in Marble Falls, where movie-goers can relax in reclining seats with food tables and beverage holders that keep drinks cool or hot. Keep up with weekly movie lineups on 101HighlandLakes.com.
For more family-friendly activities, whether indoors or outdoors, check out the Highland Lakes Vacation guides at 101HighlandLakes.com. And look at all of the fun things you can do outdoors in the Highland Lakes! 
editor@thepicayune.com