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Our last summer in Texas (2023) was the second hottest summer ever recorded in the state! July and August had a 45-day streak of triple-digit days. It was miserably hot!
Accompanying the heat was a severe drought, which made finding places to swim extremely difficult. The rivers in our area were barely more than a trickle, if not completely dry and the lakes were low and full of bacteria that thrive in warm water.
So, we were left looking for indoor activities near Fort Cavazos to escape the brutal heat. Here’s what we came up with:
Museums
We had several museums on our Fort Cavazos and Texas Bucket List, so what better time to check them out?
- National Mounted Warrior Museum (Fort Cavazos)
- Bell County Museum (Belton)
- Temple Railroad and Heritage Museum (Temple)
- Coryell County Museum and Historical Center (Gatesville)
- Dr. Pepper Museum (Waco)
- Texas Rangers Hall of Fame Museum (Waco)
- National Museum of the Pacific War (Fredericksburg)
- Bullock Museum of Texas History (Austin)
- Texas Military Forces Museum (Austin)
- Thinkery Children’s Museum (Austin)
- LBJ Presidential Library & Museum (Austin)
- Blanton Museum of Art (Austin)
- Museum of the Weird (Austin)
Physical Activities
If you’re looking to let the kids burn off some of that endless energy, you might consider some of these indoor, but still physical activities.
- Urban Air Trampoline Park (Killeen)
- Altitude Trampoline Park (Killeen)
- Xtreme Jump Adventure Park (Temple)
- Boulders Climbing Center (Killeen)
- Luv 2 Play – indoor play area (Killeen)
- Little Sprouts Playland (Belton)
- 254 Kascade – skating rink (Killeen)
- Putters & Gutters – skating rink/bowling (Lampasas)
- Texas Skateland – skating rink (Harker Heights)
See a Movie
Another of the best indoor activities near Fort Cavazos is seeing a movie. Many theaters have special matinee pricing during the summer, making it an affordable option. You can also see an educational showing at the local planetarium!
- The Cove Theater (Copperas Cove – & it’s locally owned!)
- Mayborn Science Theater – planetarium (Killeen)
- Regal Killeen
- Cinemark at Market Heights (Harker Heights)
- Cinergy (Copperas Cove)
Visit a Cave
If you want to enjoy nature, but still escape the heat, try visiting a cave. Central Texas is full of caves! There are several within driving distance of Fort Cavazos to choose from.
- Longhorn Cavern State Park (Burnet)
- Inner Space Caverns (Georgetown)
- Westcave Outdoor Discovery Center (Austin)
- Natural Bridge Caverns (San Antonio)
- Wonder World Cave & Adventure Park (San Marcos)
- Cave Without a Name (Boerne)
- Cascade Caverns (Boerne)
Painting and Pottery
Creative indoor activities near Fort Cavazos would be a fun way to beat the Texas heat. Thankfully, there are several options in the area.
- Apache Arts & Crafts Center (Fort Cavazos)
- Painting With a Twist (Harker Heights)
- Tap Tap Art Studios (Harker Heights)
- Board and Brush (Waco & Austin)
- The Art Studio (Cedar Park)
- Cordovan Art School & Pottery Parlor (Cedar Park)
We added a lot of these activities to our Deployment Bucket List and it helped us keep busy, not only on the super hot days, but also on the rare rainy days as well.
You can still have a fun and busy summer when the heat is out of control! I hope these ideas inspire you to get out and explore all that Central Texas has to offer.
