New Braunfels really has some wonderful, outdoor recreational activities and locations. Parks are obviously a mainstay for any family with young children, and NBTX has some great options. Our family’s favorite parks in New Braunfels are Fischer, Landa, and Morningside. I’ll break it down into a pros and cons list for each park. And you’ll see which park is our favorite in New Braunfels!
Fischer Park
Pros
- Adult-friendly accessible play-structures! Nathan and I are easily able to join Orson and Nova on the play gyms.
- Age-appropriate! There are two structures with different age recommendations. Apart from that, there are multiple musical toys, like giant chimes and xylophones, as well as a swing set with tandem and disability-accommodating swings. You’ve got options.
- Splash Pad! This is a huge attraction for us! Orson’s still skittish about it, but Nova wants to run into it during every visit. There are several fountains and even a giant water bucket!
- Conservation Efforts! Until recently, I was not aware of the extensive efforts Fischer Park takes to be environmentally conscious. This park is the largest one in New Braunfels, and half of it is dedicated to native prairie reservation and is recognized as a Monarch Waystation. Even the water from the Splash Pad is recycled for use in park irrigation. You can read more about their efforts here.
- Fischer Park Nature Education Center! While I can’t yet personally vouch for any of their offered family and preschool programs, how cool that they have an education center! We have walked through the pollinator/butterfly garden there, enjoyed massive swaths of wildflowers, seen native wildlife, and it’s like stepping into a painting. They even have a gift shop and a kid-geared “Dino Dig” for young paleontology aficionados!
Cons
- Lots of pavilions! While I understand that this may be a huge pro for many people, it’s not great for us in the season that we’re in with the kids. During any given visit, there’s usually at least a birthday party or two going on, which is great (and I think reasonably priced to rent the space), but toddlers aren’t great at reading the room when it comes to personal space and private event boundaries…if there’s a party, they’re there for it!
- Heavily used (and abused) playground equipment! It’s a small complaint, really. I mean, most of the equipment is really well-maintained and properly cared for; however, when it comes to the xylophones, etc, with the tethered drumsticks, the tethers haven’t lasted on some of the equipment and have yet to be replaced. Just a minor annoyance…
Landa Park
Pros
- Variety of Playground Equipment! There are multiple play-structures, suitable for a variety of recommended ages; bouncy, spring animals; a merry-go-round; swing sets (including tandem swings); etc. I honestly don’t think we’ve even seen them all up to this point.
- Scenery! This park is absolutely gorgeous. The tree cover is stunning (granted, Landa Park includes the William and Dolores Schumann Arboretum, home to over 80 different species of tree); there are scenic water attractions such as Landa Park Lake (Comal River), paddle-boats ($5 per person, minimum of 2 passengers, for 30 minutes), and a spring-fed wading pool; and an awesome hiking trail known as Panther Canyon.
- Additional Attractions! These include an adorable miniature railroad that offers a comfortable way to explore the park ($5 per person, under 1 is free) and Landa Park minigolf ($5 per person, under 3 is free).
Cons
- Expansive! Something that is a pro, for sure, but one of the reasons that we’ve yet to see all of the playground equipment up close is simply due to the fact that there is just too much ground to conveniently cover for little toddlers. As they get older, it will definitely be a plus in favor for Landa.
- Parking! It’s a popular downtown park in New Braunfels. Expect a little congestion, and depending on the time of day, you may have to walk a ways from any parking you do happen to find. There have been times we’ve visited that it’s felt like we’ve spent more time walking to and from the playground than actually using it.
Morningside Park (Our favorite park in New Braunfels)
Pros
- Convenience! I’m not even addressing the proximity to our house. I’m talking about how close the playground equipment is to the parking lot. Seriously, cross over the sidewalk, and you’re there. We love this convenience for our littles, so that they can spend more of their time actually enjoying the playscapes.
- MOST Accessible Playscapes! The largest play-gym has a massive, gentle grade, wide ramp, making it super easy to scale with your kids if you have any mobility issues. I love playing on the equipment with my babies!
- Greatest Appeal! Orson and Nova have generally been way more enthusiastic about the equipment and environment here. There’s a great variety of climbing equipment, steps that they love to ascend, an interactive walking trail (posted storybook pages that engage your kids in their surroundings), and I find that they need minimal encouragement to run amok and have fun.
- Hidden Gem! This park has always been the most quiet and least stimulating. We generally go fairly early in the morning on Saturdays, but even when we’ve gotten there closer to 10am, it’s still fairly sparse. I’m sure it’s due in part to things like limited picnic tables (there are only a couple, along with a few benches), but we aren’t complaining! It’s a major plus for us!
Cons
- Wood Chips Galore! Minor squabble. The most accessible playscape is on a cushy, squishy, rubber padding, but the other one, as well as the nature play area, and an awesome flying fox area are all bedded on wood chips. More mess, more bugs, but my biggest issue with the wood chips is simply the fact that Nova still loves to put e.v.e.r.y.t.h.i.n.g in her mouth.
- Limited Attractions! This is the smallest park on the list (16 acres), which, honestly, is the reason it’s our most frequented. It’s the best park for the babies at their current stages; however, there definitely isn’t as much to do here compared to Fischer or Landa. That’s alright with us for right now, it may just not totally fit the bill once they’re older and have more stamina and interests.
Cons aside (which were pretty difficult to come up with), these parks are all absolutely worth a visit. But our favorite park in New Braunfels with our toddlers is Morningside. Even without kids, these are beautiful, serene parks in the Texas Hill Country that have great walking trails and get you in touch with nature. As long as the allergies here don’t getcha, the fresh air does us all some good.
