One of the best places in South Texas for kids to play and learn is the McKenna Children’s Museum (386 W. San Antonio St., 830/620-0939, www.mckennakids.org, 10 a.m.–5 p.m. Mon.–Sat., noon–5 p.m. Sun., closed Mon., $5.50 adults and children over 1 year old). Rivaling big-city facilities in San Antonio and Austin, this museum will keep kids occupied and educated for hours on end.

On hot days, head to the outdoor area, where a raised water canal offers innumerable opportunities for kids to be entertained—fountains, hoses, bridges, movable dams, and so many boats and rubber ducks you’ll hardly hear the common parental command of “share.” Nearby, there’s an old Volkswagen bug surrounded by paint buckets, brushes, and smocks, allowing children to fulfill their fantasies of painting the car however they choose.

Inside, a world of imagination awaits with miniature environments offering kids the chance to play in a town square, grocery store, hospital, tool shed, ranch house, and campground. There’s also a Tot Spot for barely-walking babies, an outer-space area, and a large hall for traveling kid-oriented art and educational exhibits.