Taking kids to old town spring - what is actually worth doing?

It is definitely worth a visit, but you just have to pick the right spots if you have little ones with you! You do not want to drag toddlers into the tight glass and antique shops, that is just pure stress. There are cute candy shops, ice cream, and plenty of shaded boardwalks to walk around. Kids usually love watching the freight trains go by near the tracks on the west side of the town. For parking, if you come on a regular weekend morning before noon, you can often find street parking or spots in the gravel lots off Elm Street or Main Street. Some of the private lots charge five dollars during big festival weekends like Crawfish Fest or autumn events, but on a normal Saturday you can find low cost or free spots if you park a block off Gentry.

We spend a lot of time in Old Town Spring because it is so close to our routine. Here is how we make a morning out of it with kids: 1. Go early around 10:00 AM before the heat and crowds pick up. 2. Park off Elm Street near the historic museum area. 3. Do a small walking history hunt. Look at the old bank building with the bullet hole history, the old jail cell, and the train tracks. 4. Grab a cold drink or treat at one of the local bakeries or snack shops. 5. If the kids get restless, head right down Cypresswood Drive to Collins Park or Barbara Bush Library to burn off energy. It is much more of a casual strolling place than an amusement destination, but my kids have always loved the old town atmosphere.

Seconding going early! Grab a cold brew off Gentry, get the kids an ice cream or a pastry, and just walk the wood boardwalks. Skip the heavy gift shops if your kids are in a clumsy phase. Park on the side streets off Gentry instead of trying to pull directly onto the main strip when it is busy.

Do not take seven year old twin boys into the glass ornament shop unless you want an instant panic attack ask me how I know haha! But seriously we paid five bucks for a lot near the tracks last spring and my boys literally just wanted to sit on the bench and watch a massive train rumble past for forty minutes. Best five dollars I spent that week.