Free Things to Do With Kids in San Antonio
Last updated by Moms Guide SA
Quick answer
San Antonio has more than 150 free places for kids, including parks, splash pads and public libraries. Kids 12 and under always get in free at the San Antonio Museum of Art and the McNay. The Witte Museum is free for Bexar County residents on Tuesdays from 3 to 6 p.m. Library story times are free too.
- Free places
- 150+ in our guide
- Free museums
- SAMA and McNay, kids 12 and under
- Everyday
- Parks, splash pads, libraries
Top free picks
Parks & Playgrounds
Yanaguana Garden
Free playground and splash pad downtown.
San Antonio
Parks & Playgrounds
Phil Hardberger Park (West / Military Hwy)
Free park with trails, playgrounds and the land bridge.
San Antonio
Parks & Playgrounds
Brackenridge Park
Free historic park next to the zoo.
San Antonio
Parks & Playgrounds
Hemisfair
Free downtown park.
San Antonio
Parks & Playgrounds
McAllister Park
Free large park with trails.
San Antonio
Seven Oaks Park
Free North Side park.
San Antonio
Libraries
Central Library
Free; story times most weeks.
San Antonio
Potranco Branch Library
Free branch with a kids area.
San Antonio
Museums
Witte Museum
Free Tuesdays 3 to 6 p.m. for Bexar County residents.
San Antonio
Museums
San Antonio Museum of Art (SAMA)
Kids 12 and under always free. Free for Bexar County residents Tuesdays 4 to 7 p.m.
San Antonio
Museums
San Antonio Missions National Historical Park
Free national park with four missions.
San Antonio
Compare at a glance
Area, ages, cost and indoor or outdoor for the places in this guide, from our place listings. Cost uses our scale: free, $ (low), $$ (moderate), $$$ (higher). Check each place before you go.
| Place | Area | Ages | Cost | Indoor or outdoor |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yanaguana Garden | Downtown | Babies to 12 | Free | Outdoor |
| Phil Hardberger Park (West / Military Hwy) | Northwest San Antonio | All ages | Free | Outdoor |
| Brackenridge Park | Downtown | All ages | Free | Outdoor |
| Hemisfair | Downtown | Babies to 12 | Free | Outdoor |
| McAllister Park | San Antonio | All ages | Free | Outdoor |
| Seven Oaks Park | Stone Oak | All ages | Free | Outdoor |
| Central Library | Downtown | All ages | Free | Indoor |
| Potranco Branch Library | San Antonio | Babies to teens | Free | Indoor |
| Witte Museum | Alamo Heights | Babies to teens | $$ | Indoor |
| San Antonio Museum of Art (SAMA) | Downtown | 3 and up | $ | Indoor |
| San Antonio Missions National Historical Park | San Antonio | 3 and up | Free | Outdoor |
| Hardberger Park - Urban Ecology Center | Northwest San Antonio | Babies to teens | Free | Outdoor |
| The Park at Pearl | Downtown | All ages | Free | Outdoor |
| Confluence Park | Downtown | 3 and up | Free | Outdoor |
| Lorence Creek Park | Stone Oak | All ages | Free | Outdoor |
| OP Schnabel Park | Northwest San Antonio | Babies to teens | Free | Outdoor |
| Pearsall Park | San Antonio | Babies to teens | Free | Outdoor |
| Gustavs Geysers at Pearl | Downtown | All ages | Free | Outdoor |
| Benavides Park Splash Pad | San Antonio | Babies to 8 | Free | Outdoor |
| Elmendorf Lake Park Splash Pad | San Antonio | Babies to 8 | Free | Outdoor |
Free museum days and times
Checked on each museum site. Hours change, so confirm before you go.
- Witte MuseumFree Tuesdays 3 to 6 p.m. for Bexar County residents. Reserve ahead. Source
- San Antonio Museum of ArtKids 12 and under always free. Bexar County residents free Tuesdays 4 to 7 p.m. and second Sundays 10 a.m. to noon. Source
- McNay Art MuseumKids 12 and under always free. Free general admission Thursdays 4 to 9 p.m. and first Sundays noon to 5 p.m. Source
- The AlamoAlamo Church entry is always free. Reservations required. Source
- San Antonio MissionsFree entry to all four missions in the park. Source
Free parks and playgrounds
We list 145 free places in San Antonio and nearby. Religious venues are left out of this guide. City parks and playgrounds are free. Our best parks guide has more.
Hardberger Park - Urban Ecology Center
The Park at Pearl
Beautiful Pearl District park with modern playground, splash pad, and open lawns, surrounded by great restaurants and shops.
Confluence Park
Lorence Creek Park
Beautiful creekside park in Stone Oak with walking trails, playground, sports courts, and peaceful creek setting.
OP Schnabel Park
Pearsall Park
Free splash pads and pools
City splash pads are free and generally run spring through early fall. See every splash pad with its season.
Gustavs Geysers at Pearl
Free interactive splash pad with surprise water jets at the Historic Pearl district.
Benavides Park Splash Pad
Free city splash pad at Benavides Park, open March-October.
Elmendorf Lake Park Splash Pad
Lincoln Park Splash Pad
Free city splash pad at Lincoln Park, open March-October.
Martin Luther King Park Splash Pad
Free city splash pad at Martin Luther King Park, open March-October.
San Pedro Springs Pool
Historic spring-fed pool with cool natural water
Free libraries and story times
Public libraries are free, and so are their story times. See this week's story times.
Maverick Branch Library
Modern far West Side library with spacious children's area, teen zone, STEM programs, and meeting rooms.
Westfall Branch Library
Cortez Branch Library
South Side community library with children's programs, storytimes, and free homework help resources.
Igo Branch Library
Popular Northwest SA library near UTSA with children's storytimes, coding clubs, teen programs, and meeting rooms.
Parman Branch Library at Stone Oak
Modern Stone Oak library with 3D printers, recording studios, outdoor garden, and top-tier children's and teen programs.
Carver Branch Library
East Side community library with children's programs, storytimes, and cultural events celebrating the neighborhood's heritage.
Free nature and trails
Free nature spots and trails we list. Check hours and trail rules before you go.
Free indoor places for hot or rainy days
Free places with a roof, for rainy or hot days. Our indoor guide has more, free and paid.
Free by age
Free places whose listings name these ages. Places for all ages are in the sections above.
Toddlers (43 places)
Cibolo Nature CenterHardberger Park - Urban Ecology CenterHemisfairYanaguana GardenOP Schnabel ParkPearsall ParkOld No. 1 Firehouse MuseumWoodlawn Lake Park
Preschoolers (48 places)
Cibolo Nature CenterHardberger Park - Urban Ecology CenterConfluence ParkHemisfairYanaguana GardenOP Schnabel ParkPearsall ParkOld No. 1 Firehouse Museum
School age (52 places)
Cibolo Nature CenterHardberger Park - Urban Ecology CenterConfluence ParkHemisfairYanaguana GardenOP Schnabel ParkPearsall ParkThe Alamo
Free events in the next two weeks
Fall Pumpkin Patch at Tower of the Americas
Tower of the Americas
Oct 19 to Nov 1, multiple dates
Helotes Hills UMC Pumpkin Patch
Helotes Hills United Methodist Church
Oct 19 to Nov 1, multiple dates
Baby Story Time at Landa
Landa Branch Library
Oct 19 · 1 p.m.
Let's Build
Brook Hollow Branch Library
Oct 19 · 3 p.m.
Let's Build: LEGO Time
Mission Branch Library
Oct 19 · 4 p.m.
Universal City Pumpkin Patch
Universal City Pumpkin Patch
Oct 19 to Oct 30, multiple dates
The Patch at Winding Branch Ranch
Winding Branch Ranch
Oct 21 to Nov 1, multiple dates
Pearl Wednesday Night Market
Pearl Farmers Market
Oct 21 to Oct 28, multiple dates
Miss Anastasia's Wild and Wacky Pre-Weekend TWIGLET Storytime!
The Twig Book Shop
Oct 23 · 10:30 a.m.
We post new weekend picks on Instagram. Follow @momsguidesa.
Questions parents ask
Which San Antonio museums are free, and when?
Kids 12 and under get in free at SAMA and the McNay every day. The Witte is free Tuesdays from 3 to 6 p.m. for Bexar County residents. The McNay is free for everyone Thursdays from 4 to 9 p.m. The Alamo Church and the Missions are always free.
Are San Antonio splash pads free?
City splash pads are free. They generally run spring through early fall. Most are closed in winter.
What free things can toddlers do?
Library baby and toddler story times are free most weekdays. Shaded playgrounds like Yanaguana Garden downtown are free too.
Is The DoSeum ever free?
Kids under 1 get in free at The DoSeum. We haven't confirmed a regular free day for everyone, so check thedoseum.org for discounts like Museums for All.
Is the San Antonio Zoo ever free?
We haven't confirmed a regular free day on sazoo.org. Check the zoo's tickets page before you assume free entry.
How we check facts
We check the facts in this guide on each venue's official site, and we update the guide when they change.
We don't make up ratings or reviews.