Things To Do With Kids in Tallahassee Any Time of Year
Looking for things to do with kids on your visit to Tallahassee? Tally ho! We’ve compiled a list of exciting activities that will keep the kids entertained. There’s something for everyone, from exploring scenic parks to simulated space missions and even encountering three iconic Batmobiles at a museum. Get ready for unforgettable family fun, including hours of pinball excitement!
Let’s get started…
Cascades Park
The centrally located, 24-acre Cascades Park is an outdoor oasis in downtown Tallahassee. Your kids can cool off on hot, humid days at Imagination Fountain, a 73-jet super soaker splash pad. Come back at dusk for the choreographed light-and-sound show. Discovery at Cascades is a play area with a focus on natural habitats. The park also has several miles of trails for pleasant-weather strolling and biking. The Adderley Amphitheater hosts musical and theatrical events.
Challenger Learning Center of Tallahassee
Inspire your aspiring scientist or astronaut at the Challenger Learning Center in downtown Tallahassee. This is one of 40 centers that opened in the U.S. following the Space Shuttle Challenger explosion in 1986. Head to space in the space mission simulator, explore the stars in the planetarium or catch a movie at the IMAX theater.
Flippin’ Great Pinball
Get your old-school game on at Flippin’ Great Pinball, a vintage pinball arcade located in Tallahassee’s Railroad Square Art District. Choose hourly, all-day, or family rates. Once you’re gamed out, check out the outdoor murals or grab some refreshments at one of the many eateries located in Railroad Square.
Hike and Bike
Tallahassee is hillier and more forested than most places in Florida, so it’s a great place to hit the trail. Make it interactive, and have your kids point out native plants along the way. Among 10 local park favorites are the J.R. Alford Greenway and Apalachee Regional Park trails. For a longer ride or hike, consider St. Mark’s Historic Trail, a 20.5-mile paved path from downtown to the Gulf Coast.
Museum of Florida History [Closed for renovations]
Need a rainy day activity? Then head inside to trek through centuries of Florida history. Located across from Florida’s Capitol Complex, the Museum of Florida History has exhibits from the prehistoric era through World War II. Check out dinosaur bones, visit an early European settlement in La Florida, or climb aboard a replica 1900s riverboat.
Tallahassee Automobile Museum
Are your kids obsessed with cars? They’ll get their fix at the Tallahassee Automobile Museum. You’ll find plenty of vintage and unique vehicles, including three (yes, three!) Batmobiles. You’ll also see cool collectibles from days gone by. This is a fun and quirky escape on a hot or chilly day.
Tallahassee Museum
The Tallahassee Museum isn’t your traditional, tends-to-be-boring-for-kids museum. Get a glimpse of the state’s wildlife at the Wildlife Florida exhibit that meanders along wooded pathways and atop boardwalks over cypress swamps. Step back in time on an 1800s farm and historic antebellum-era buildings. Adventurous young kids will love the Treemendous Adventure course (39′ height requirement), which includes tree-to-tree challenges such as different bridges, tightropes, and a zip line. Those with a minimum height of 54 inches tall will be challenged by the Tree-to-Tree Adventures with its ziplines and aerial obstacles among the treetops up to 60 feet high.
Kate Newberry
Kate Newberry writes about camping and hiking for several publications.