Texas is riddled with thousands of caves - in fact, I just recently discovered that we have a few located right here in my neighborhood - wow! We are particularly lucky to have 7 privately owned and operated natural caves that we can visit in Texas, providing a unique family experience like no other!
In 1963, during the construction of Texas' first highway (Interstate 35), a construction crew located this enormous cavern system that sat directly below the highway. The story is told that an employee was lowered deep into the hole that broke free below 40 feet of limestone into an enormous cavern, what is known at the Inner Space Cavern today. Construction of 1-35 continued above, which provides an eerie feeling as you imagine all those cars zooming down the highway above you.
Caverns in Texas are breathtakingly beautiful. And Inner Space Caverns has some gorgeous caves to see. You almost feel like you are seeing an incredible art exhibit with natural displays called "Lake of the Moon" and the "Flowing Stone of Time". My kids favorite structures to look for are the "Soda Straws".
There are 2 guided tours to choose from, the Classic Adventure tour (1 hour and 15 mins) and the Explorer Tour (1 hour and 35 mins). Both are walking tours, but the cave is a comfortable 72 degrees, so it is a great escape from the Texas heat (especially if you come during the summer!). The guides have fun stories to tell and teach the kids all about the different structures, including the history behind these cave paintings....
Kids will also enjoy looking for the "chicken nugget" bats and seeing the collection of skeletons of some of the oldest known mammals in North America that were found in the caves (saber toothed tiger!!). They will also enjoy the tram ride that takes you 69 feet below ground (and yes- takes you back up too!).
Inner Space Caverns is a fun family outing anytime of the year!
Please note that the pictures I am including really do not do the caverns justice - you have to come and see their beauty in person.
Texas Travel Facts on Inner Space Caverns:
Location: 4200 S. IH-35 Georgetown, TX
Hours: Winter- M-F (9 am - 4 pm), Sat (10 am - 5 pm), Sun (11 am - 5 pm)
Summer - M-Sat (9 am - 6 pm), Sun (10 am - 6 pm)
Admission: Adults - $17.95-$19.95
Children (4-12) - $9.95 -$11.95
Children 3 & under - free
Recommended Time: 2 hours
Good to know: All ages welcome, lots of walking, lightweight clothing and comfortable walking shoes are recommended, strollers are not allowed, cameras are welcome (flash is needed), gift shop & snack bar is available
3 comments:
NO STROLLERS? Oh no. I guess we'll be waiting a few years. HA!
No, I think it would be really cool to visit a cave. We even have a few of those here In Oklahoma. I guess I should visit them, huh?
We had some awesome caves in Oregon that I went to once...but they decided to close them to the public and let them go back to natural or whatever. It's sad, cuz they were awesome!
Hmm..let me see..."Hey kids..Do you want to go look for the 'Chicken Nugget' bats?"
Apparently these caverns might not make the list. Actually anything with the word 'bat' in it has an issue with our family. We had a hard enough time convincing our kids that a baseball bat wasn't what they thought it would be.
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