University of Texas and Hyde Park
UT, as the university is known locally, can be great fun with young children. Play "I Spy" as you walk around campus: Look for a clock in the air (UT Tower), a pterodactyl flying overhead (Texas Memorial Museum), and a Model T (Lyndon B. Johnson Presidential Library). Guadalupe Street, on the west side of campus (the Drag), offers great people watching and shops where you can snag a Texas Longhorn onesie. Big Red Sun, five minutes east of campus, is a garden, party space, and shop—with gifts for people of all ages—as well as the headquarters of an Austin-based landscape-design firm of the same name. Hyde Park, the next neighborhood north, has terrific restaurants, a small museum, and shaded streets for pushing a napping child in a stroller. The neighborhood "ace in the hole" is a small gem: Shipe Park, complete with a creek for discovering crawfish, tadpoles, and other tiny swimmers.
Eat
ASTI Trattoria
408C E. 43rd St., (512) 451-1218; closed Sundays
There are pizzas to please everyone here; try the prosciutto-and-truffle-oil topping.
Hyde Park Bar and Grill4206 Duval St., (512) 458-3168
This neighborhood classic in a cute converted bungalow draws locals for the fries and chicken salad.
Quack's 43rd Street Bakery411 E. 43rd St., (512) 453-3399
Come here for milk and cookies after a trip to Shipe Park.
Shop
Toy Joy
2900 Guadalupe St., (512) 320-0090
This must-see on the Drag has toys for all ages. Even the virtual tour is a blast.
Do
Texas Memorial Museum
2400 Trinity St., (512) 471-1604
Hunt for dinosaur fossils and run—or roll—down the steep hill.
Elisabet Ney Museum304 E. 44th St., (512) 458-2255; closed Mondays and Tuesdays
Explore artistic Austin's 19th-century roots in the sculptress's studio.
Big Red Sun1102 E. Cesar Chavez, (512) 480-0688
This insiders' favorite is known for its great children's clothes and the coolest planters in town.
Ace in the Hole
Shipe Park
4400 Ave. G, (512) 974-6700 (Austin Parks Department)
In this park, perfectly situated in the center, you'll find play areas for everyone, including a creek, tennis courts, and a large pool with a separate wading area (summer only).
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