Tips For Visiting Blue Hole in Wimberley With Kids
Every summer I bring my kids to Blue Hole in Wimberley for an afternoon of swinging from ropes into the cold blue river water below. It's so wholesome and invigorating! We've done this a few years in a row now, so we've mastered all of the little details.
Blue Hole is a swimming spot in Wimberley, TX (about 30-45 min outside of Austin). It's located in Blue Hole Regional Park and you can swim in the Cypress Creek at the base of a bunch of gorgeous Bald Cypress trees. It's a Texas gem and 100% worth visiting. It's truly one of my favorite things to do in Austin with my kids!
A few tips for visiting Blue Hole With Kids
We've visited Blue Hole with our two young kids for a few years in a row. It's a short drive from our south Austin home and my kids LOVE this summer tradition!
That said, the first couple times we went there I missed a few essential items in my packing list. So now I have a good list to refer back to year after year. Here's what to know if you're visiting Blue Hole with kids:
Pack water shoes!! No one talks about this but I swear it makes the trip so much more fun! The bottom of Cypress Creek is covered with rocks and pebbles and it's very uncomfortable to stand on, yet kids will be in that shallow area for most of the visit and everyone will be standing on teh rocks. Pack shoes! (I tend to pack water shoes for my kids and I just bring my velcro teva sandals for myself.)
It's most fun for kids if you bring some floats. Both of my boys are good swimmers, but I still pack a few pool noodles and inner tubes. Just makes it more fun!
Snacks. Snacks!!! Duh, an obvious one for any parent out there. Kids always get hungry when they're swimming!
Folding chairs are nice to have. Not necessary, but nice. You could also just pack a picnic blanket, but basically the area outside of the creek is just a big field. It's nice to have a clean place to sit for snack/water breaks from swimming.
Bring a wagon for all your stuff. Oof, I forgot this one year...never again! I always bring a wagon for our towels, pool floats, snacks, waters, sunscreen, change of clothes, folding chairs, etc. The walk from the parking lot is about a 5-10 min, so if you're carrying everything it can be a lot. Bring a wagon!
Other things to pack:Â a change of clothes for the drive home (there are changing stalls inside the bathroom at Blue Hole Regional Park), a few extra towels (the water is so cold so the kids will probably get out to dry off multiple times), and lots of extra water (because Texas summer!).
^ Bathroom/changing rooms at Blue Hole Regional Park in Wimberley
When To visit Blue Hole
It's open all summer but my favorite month to visit is July. The water really VERY cold so the hot July air mixed with the ice cold river water is actually the perfect mix.
That said, we went on June 12th this year, which is a bit early in the season, but it was a hot/humid day and the water still felt awesome. I think Texas heat is pretty guaranteed, y'all. 🙂
Also: the weekends fill up! So if you want to avoid crowds, go on a weekday. Saturday mornings/afternoons will always be crowded in May-August.
Kid-Friendly Lunch spots near Blue Hole
I love booking the morning reservation slot at Blue Hole and then going out to lunch afterward!
If you want to eat locally in Wimberley, there's good pizza spot called Community Pizza and Beer Garden. It's super kid-friendly and has wood-fired pizza. It gets really crowded on the weekends, so be prepared for a bit of a hunt to find a parking spot.
My personal favorite place to eat lunch after swimming at Blue Hole is Hays City Store in Driftwood. It's on the way back to Austin, so it's an easy halfway point to stop and grab lunch. There's a kids play area that my boys love, and the food is good with a robust kids menu and lots of grill and Tex Mex favorites! Love this spot!
Hope this is helpful as you're planning a trip to Blue Hole with your kids! And mostly I hope that you actually make the reservation and get out there and go visit Blue Hole - it's an absolute bucket list item in Texas and fun for the whole fam. 🙂