My review last week was about my two year old’s new favorite spot in Austin, and this week I think I have found mine!  However, not only is this place wonderful for grown ups, but my kids love it as well!  This special place is called Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center. Today my review is going to focus on a special event they have going on now until January 30th called Fortlandia.

Fortlandia at Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center is officially one of the best activities we have done so far in Austin.  Combining the beautiful weather outside right now with a fun activity for my kids made it such a wonderful morning.  Fortlandia is open now until January 30, 2022 (closed December 24th, 25th 31st, and January 1st) and entry is included with your ticket to the Wildflower Center (https://www.wildflower.org/fortlandia).

When you walk into the Wildflower Center head towards the Arboretum Trail and you will see signs for the entrance to Fortlandia.  The forts are spread out around the entire 1 mile Arboretum trail.  The path is flat and great for strollers.  If you have little ones I highly recommend bringing your stroller because the younger kids may get tired after the 1 mile walk (and all of the playing they will do along the way!).  Along with the forts there are also a few nice shaded areas with picnic tables where you can stop and have a snack.  

There are eight different types of forts on this trail.  They have places for kids to build, pretend play, climb, and explore.  There is a little bit of everything.  My two year old’s favorites were Across the Room, silvana and Capillary Action.  He loved Across the Room because there were three little huts to explore and one had a tunnel which he always enjoys.   The silvana fort was my favorite.  It is an immersive maze that reflects all different colors.  The maze itself was not too complicated to get through, but the way you can see your reflection and all of the different colors walking through was really unique and special.  My two year old was fascinated with this fort.  Then the Capillary Action fort area was a fun space for him to explore, climb and practice his balancing.  He enjoyed going over and under the small bridges.  We stopped at every fort along the way and each one was unique and had different ways to play. 

Towards the end of our walk there was a section full of swings.  There were toddler swings, rope swings, and bench swings to enjoy.  I think if I was alone I could have sat on these swings under the beautiful trees all day.  My son loved trying each one and I think he also enjoyed resting his little legs for a while after all of the walking he did.  They also have a large space where children can build their own fort.  There were multiple stations with large sticks and branches to build with.  This was a very popular area and it was fun to see what everyone was coming up with.  

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On our way out of the Wildflower Center we stopped to listen to a few wind chimes and we enjoyed seeing the small waterfall. There is also a nice gift shop with plenty of unique items for purchase.  There were also plenty of fragile items so I did not stop too long with my little one, but I will definitely be back. You can also find a little café and restrooms to wash up in all in the front of the Wildflower Center.

Fortlandia has something for everyone and with this incredible weather we have been having just getting outside on the beautiful walk makes it special.  I only took my two year old on this trip, but I will definitely be back with my entire family soon.  Below are some tips for your visit:

1. Entry to Fortlandia is included with your ticket to the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center. You must reserve the time you would like to visit. You can purchase tickets and reserve your time slot here: https://www.wildflower.org/visit
2. There is a café right when you walk into the Wildflower Center for purchasing food.  They have soup, salads, and sandwiches as well as plenty of places to sit.
3. I highly recommend bringing a stroller for little kids. There is a lot of walking around the Wildflower Center and the path around Fortlandia is 1 mile long so their little legs may get tired!
4. Parking is free, however the parking lot fills up fast so if you can not find a spot there are more along La Crosse Avenue. Definitely plan a little extra time for parking.
5. I will be posting a full review of Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center soon so you can learn more about everything else they have to offer!

Enjoy!