Tyler Texas Online Tyler for Kids & Teens: Things to See & Places to Go


Things to Do for Kids & Teens in the Tyler Area

Tyler has a wide range of places to see and things to do year-round for kids and teens, plus many seasonal events. From movie theaters to water parks, from zoos to camping, Tyler has it all!

Studio Movie Grill in Tyler Texas

Movie Theaters, Mini-Golf & Bowling in Tyler

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

Putt Putt Golf - SE Loop 323 at Old Troup Highway, Tyler - 903.561.7750

Green Acres Bowl - 2311 E SE Loop 323, Tyler - 903.561.2911


Places for Kids to Have Fun and Learn

The Caldwell Zoo in Tyler
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.

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.

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.

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

Center for Earth and Space Science Education (CESSE) Planetarium at Tyler Junior College main campus

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 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.

Faulkner Park Sports Complex - Baseball, tennis, walking trails, fishing pond, skateboarding and more!

 

photograph of the new Center for Earth and Space Science Education (CESSE) Planetarium on the campus of Tyler Junior College in Tyler Texas
The Center for Earth and Space Science Education (CESSE) Planetarium on the campus of Tyler Junior College in Tyler (TylerTexasOnline staff photo)

Pine Cove Christian Camps - large multi-venue camping on the shores of Lake Palestine, both summer and year-round

East Texas Gators & Wildlife Park - Grand Saline

Cherokee Trace Drive-Thru Safari Park

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

Kilgore - East Texas Oil Museum, Kilgore College, more

Athens - State Fish Hatchery

Rusk - ride the Texas State Railroad to Palestine, and back ... Texas State Railroad

Grand Saline - stop and lick the Salt Palace!

Tyler Bicycle Trails & Rides

Bicycle ride in the Tyler Texas countryside
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.


About the Tyler Bicycle Trails & Rides

Legacy Trail System

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.


About Tyler's Legacy Trails

Hiking and Parks Around Tyler

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.


Hiking Trails and Parks in Tyler

TJC Theatre

The Tyler Junior College 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.


Website of the TJC Theatre

Water Parks, Swimming and Camping in Tyler Texas

Water Park at the Villages - southwest of Tyler, on Lake Palestine - 903.534.8400.

Municipal swimming pools - operated by the City of Tyler.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Lake Palestine in East Texas


Tyler Museums of Interest to Children

A great place for children or school groups is a tour of the Discovery Science Place downtown.

Check out hotel review and prices, and make reservations, at TripAdvisor

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 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.

For More Information

For more information, we highly recommend you contact the Tyler Convention and Visitors Bureau which offers detailed information on Tyler attractions and events.

Tyler Texas Photo Album ... click to view

The Cowan Center at the University of Texas at Tyler
Cowan Center at the University of Texas at Tyler (UTT)