Texas has many cities that offer great family getaways, especially if your family is on a tight budget and Austin is one of the best in the state.

It is full of natural beauty and cool music in equal parts. The Capitol building is stately and beautiful and worth a look inside and it is free.



Then there are places like Lake Travis and Lake Austin. Your family can enjoy inner tube pulls across the lake for $5 an hour.



Austin also has Zilker Park where you’ll find a spring-fed pool called Barton Springs Pool. When you find it dive right in. The water is cool, natural and unbelievably clear.



North of Austin, your family can explore caves at Inner Space Cavern and watch the evening show put on by what is said to be the largest urban bat colony in America at Austin’s Congress Avenue Bridge. Now is the best time of year to view them because the mama bats just gave birth.



One more thing, if you’re going to drive from Houston to Austin, stop in Brenham at the Blue Bell Creamery.

A tour costs $3 for adults, $2 for kids and at the end of it you get a generous scoop of ice cream.