Known as the Rose Capital of the World, Tyler, TX is a wonderfully kid-friendly city in the “piney woods” of East Texas. Create a rosy kid friendly adventure with these fun destinations in Tyler.

Family Fun in Tyler, TX

Brookshire’s World of Wild Life Museum

We normally visit Tyler, Texas in April, the temperatures are in the high 70’s just perfect for outdoor activities in the Rose City. One of my kids favorite places is the Brookshire’s World of Wild Life Museum.

Owners of a large chain of grocery stores, the Brookshire family created the wildlife museum and county store to give local children a taste of exotic wildlife from around the world.  Similar to a natural history museum the animals are stuffed and placed in dioramas that resemble their natural habitat.

A true marvel is the replica of the first Brookshire’s general store. You might think Walmart carries a lot of merchandise, but everything from penny candy to sewing machines can be found in this unique display.

For younger kids the jewel of the museum visit is a hands on high tech play ground complete with fire engine and train caboose.

Tyler Rose Garden

Leaving Tyler headed to my Granny’s in Oklahoma my father always stopped at a roadside rose stand to buy roses. Dropping $4 in a self serve bucket, Dad picked up 2 dozen fragrant roses wrapped in newspaper.

The sandy acidic soil makes Tyler a perfect place for rose growing.  The rose garden is setup to be a living catalog of roses. Forty thousand rose bushes adore the garden with 500 different species of roses.

Visiting the rose garden is a restful evening activity.

 Hands on Activities

Photo Courtesy: Discovery Science Place

Discovery Science Center

Young preschoolers on up love this hands on science center.  A huge pirate ship greets the active little visitors who can run up the gang plank, steer the ship and blast the air canon.

Fully stocked grocery store with real buggies and a cash register lets little people shop. The built in cafe next door is just right for little hands to craft a pretend meal and serve it to parents.

Live action cameras in the CBS (Children’s Broadcasting Station) gives everyone a chance to produce and star in a newscast. Check out Elijah the Anchor Man!

Caldwell Zoo

A small zoo with amazing habitats and opportunities, you can feed the birds or the giraffes, and pet the baby goats.  The zoo is easy to navigate with strollers and small children.  Go early while the animals are still active!

The Center for Earth and Space Science Education

Amazing place to spend a rainy day!  On the campus of Tyler Junior College this “state of the art” planetarium features a full dome video experience. There are 4-5 short films a day for a small price–grab a donut and learn something.

A rotating “hands on” exhibit on the lower level gives kids a chance to explore the coordinating film themes.  Coral reefs and ecosystems were the themes this April.

Dinner and a Show

Kawa’s Hibachi

This year the family and I tired Kawa’s Hibachi Grill because you can’t eat donuts all day.  What fun! Our personal hibachi chef, Tony, a talented cook and comedian, kept us entertained with knife tricks, jokes, and food juggling .

The boys loved it!  We all loved it and the food “mighty tasty”.  I highly recommend sitting outside with plenty of time to watch the show.

Donut Shops

Besides roses, Tyler is noted for having a donut shop on ever corner. Some are just drive by, but others let you sit down with a fresh cup of coffee or another beverage. One catch, arrive before 12 noon, because most shops close in the afternoon.

Visiting Tyler, Texas is an annual event for the Joyous Family.  We love to see and do new things in the area.  Drop us a line or comment below, if you know of even more fun places for kids in the Rose Capital of the World.