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Family-Friendly Things to Do in the Tyler Area
Tyler has a wide range of places to see and things to do year-round for familes, plus many seasonal events. From movie theaters to water parks, from zoos to camping, Tyler has something for any family!
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It's Hot, or Cold, Outside ... We Need Indoor Things to Do!
- Studio Movie Grill - 8954 S. Broadway Ave, at the Village at Cumberland Park - 903.508.6991
- Hollywood Theaters - 1250 Loop 323 South SW, Tyler - 903.592.7000
- Times Square Grand Slam - Movies, bowling, laser tag, rope courses, VR, an arcade, restaurant - 5201 South Broadway Avenue, Tyler - 903.581.1818
- Carmike Cinema - 7415 South Broadway Ave, Tyler - 903.939.8258
- Discovery Science Place - Offers a variety of programs, exhibits, and events that are sure to entertain the whole family. Perfect for summer camp, parties,celebrations, events and fun and learning. Located at 308 N. Broadway Avenue in Tyler. For more information and hours, phone 903.533.8011.
- Green Acres Bowl - 2311 E SE Loop 323, Tyler - 903.561.2911
- Urban Air Adventure Park - an indoor adventure park with attractions for all ages. Visitors enjoy its trampoline park which includes a sky rider, ropes course, climbing walls, wipeout, warrior course. battle beam, and an indoor plavground with tubes. Urban Air is located at 8958 South Broadway Avenue at the Village at Cumberland Park.
- iJump Trampoline Park - 25,000 square feet trampoline park. Dodgeball courts, state-of-the-art Ninja Course, basketball hoops for dunking, a HUGE airbag, seating area, private birthday rooms, open jump area, and an iCafe for snacks and drinks! Located at 2029 Capital Drive. Phone 903.630.7090
 The Center for Earth and Space Science Education (CESSE) Planetarium on the campus of Tyler Junior College in Tyler (TylerTexasOnline staff photo) |
- Center for Earth and Space Science Education (CESSE) Planetarium at Tyler Junior College main campus - The new CESSE planetarium at Tyler Junior College has become a "don't miss" Tyler attraction.
The new theater is equipped with Digistar 4, the latest in digital projection technology. TJC is one of only two facilities in Texas to utilize this new system – and one of only 50 worldwide.
Similar to IMAX, the Digistar 4 offers giant-screen transfer capabilities that can present not only astronomy and other science-based programming but also expansion into geography and history.
- Liberty Hall - 103 E. Erwin in downtown Tyler. A live performance theater in Downtown Tyler featuring plays, films and shows. The Hall is a popular venue for school concerts and other local events.
- The American Freedom Museum is located just a few blocks from downtown Bullard on the Brook Hill School campus. The Museum contains 15,000 sq.ft. of galleries showcasing a collection of over 600 artifacts and documents about our nation’s history.
- The Cotton Belt Depot Museum is located downtown and features four large model train layouts, photographs, uniforms, hats, etc. that have been donated by former employees of the railroad, and friends of the depot.
- TJC Theatre presents an excellent variety of productions throughout the year. Box Office hours are weekdays from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Call the office at 903.510.2212. The TJC Theatre box office opens one week prior to the opening date.
The Weather is Nice ... Outdoor Activities for the Family
 The Caldwell Zoo in Tyler (TylerTexasOnline staff photo) |
- Caldwell
Zoo - an 85-acre regionallly-recognized zoo containing more than 2,000 animals representing 250 species from East Africa, North America, and South America. The zoo includes a children's petting pen, two aquariums, picnic areas, a café that overlooks an African savanna and gift shops with original African items. The zoo also has seasonal presentations including a bird show, alligator feedings, giraffe feedings, and elephant demonstrations.
The Caldwell Zoo is located at 2203 Martin Luther King Blvd Tyler, TX 75702. Phone 903.593.0121
- Putt Putt Golf - SE Loop 323 at Old Troup Highway, Tyler - 903.561.7750
- Wired ZiptheUSA - WIRED is a unique, state of the art zip line and challenge course located ½ mile south of Interstate 20 on Hwy. 19 directly across from Canton’s First Monday Trade Days.
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New York Texas ZipLine Adventure is located near the community of LaRue, Texas, about 15-20 minutes east of Athens. Each ZipLine Tour lasts approximately 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Choose between a 6 ZipLine Tour or the newest 9 ZipLine Challenge Tour with a 1500 ft. line with 2 cable sky bridges leading to a 40 foot zip tower.
- The Historic Aviation Memorial Museum (HAMM) is a large regional aviation museum located at Tyler's Pounds Regional Airport, in the old passenger terminal building. It includes a gift shop and library, a multimedia theater room, and provides a variety of educational programs.
- The 82-acre Tyler Nature Center was developed from a former game bird hatchery into an ecological education center. A visitor's center, indoor and outdoor classrooms, wetlands, grasslands and ponds provide a natural setting for area birds and animals. The facility and surrounding lands are available for use by instructors or other outdoor enthusiasts. The Nature Center grounds hosts a year-round schedule of native plants and inhabitants for visitors to enjoy. It is located at 11942 FM 848 just east of Tyler.
- Faulkner Park - Cumberland Road at South Broadway - sprayground, tennis, sprayground, fishing pond, baseball fields, hiking & biking trails, and skate park.
- Camp Tyler - an outdoor learning center located on 350 acres on Lake Tyler, opened in 1949. The camp provides physical, education, and social resources for the children of East Texas.
- Pine Cove Christian Camps - large multi-venue camping on the shores of Lake Palestine, both summer and year-round
- Tyler State Park - just north of Tyler. This beautiful 985 acre park in the rolling hills features a 64 acre lake, campgrounds, hiking trails, pavillions, cabins, mountain biking, nature studies, canoes, paddle boats, kayaks, bike boats, jon boats, park store and much more. Tyler State Park is located 2 miles north of Interstate 20 on FM 14 north of Tyler on Park Road 16. Phone 903.597.5338.
- Cherokee Trace Drive-Thru Safari Park -home to an amazing variety of wildlife. See over two dozen exotic and endangered species that thrive in an open habitat similar to their native territory. At your own pace, enjoy a self-guided drive through the hills and open savannahs of this 300-acre preserve.
The safari is located at 1200 CR 4405, about 12 miles east of Jacksonville, Texas. Phone 903.683.3322
- Tiger Creek Wildlife Refuge - north of Tyler, and just north of Tyler State Park, at 17552 FM 14. Home to over 40 rescued big cats. 903.858.1008
- Athens - State Fish Hatchery - Popular Athens area attractions include the widely known and visited Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center (TFFC), combining outdoor education with a production fish hatchery of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. TFFC houses a hatchery, laboratory, aquarium, and education center focusing on underwater wildlife.
- Rusk - ride the Texas State Railroad to Palestine, and back ... Texas State Railroad
Let's Go Swimming! ... Pools and Water Parks in Tyler
- Water Park at the Villages - southwest of Tyler, on Lake Palestine - 903.534.8400.
- Municipal swimming pools - operated by the City of Tyler and the Faulkner Park Sprayground
- East Texas Aquatics - the premier competitive swim team in East Texas, offering a variety of programming from infant swim and learn-to-swim up through National level competition for youth and adults in East Texas since 1972. Home of the Tyler Titans swim team. Located at 11594 TX Spur 248, just east of UT-Tyler.
- Texas Swim Lessons of Tyler - offers group swimming classes in Tyler at the CTE Center of Tyler at 3013 Earl Campbell Parkway. Private, customized swim lessons for kids and adults at your home are also offered, as well as lifeguard services for special events.
- Splash Kingdom Water Park - near Canton on Interstate 20.
- East Texas is blessed with an abundance of lakes, including Lake Palestine, Lake Tyler and East Lake Tyler in the immediate area, and other lakes such as Toledo Bend Reservoir in easy driving distance.
Tyler Bicycle Trails & Rides
 Image courtesy of the Tyler Bicycle Club |
- Besides the Rose Rudman Trail and Legacy Trails, other trails located around town are ideal for biking, including Tyler's Faulkner Park and Lindsey Park.
- Others can be found at Tyler State Park north of Tyler, offering 13 miles of trails, and mountain bike trails at the University of Texas at Tyler.
Hinking and Walking Trails
- Now open is an extension of the Legacy Trail system to Gresham, running along an abandoned railroad route along Old Jacksonville Highway. Beginning near FRESH on Old Jacksonville Highway, the system also provides connectivity to the Faulkner Park area.
- For walking, jogging, biking or roller-blading, Tyler's Rose Rudman Recreational Trail is a perfect "close-in-to-town" venue for a short stroll or a long hike. Also, the City of Tyler operates an extensive system of parks around the city.