Fall Weekends With Kids, Part 3: Navigating Buda to New Braunfels Like a Local

Presenting Sponsor

Sponsor: This episode is brought to you by Steve Tomaselli, your Texas mortgage broker. With 33 years of lending through every kind of market, Steve has learned the job isn’t selling you a loan. It’s getting you to the closing table on time with no surprises. Whether you’re moving to the Hill Country, moving out, or buying your next place in Central Texas, Steve will guide you through a smooth transaction. To get started, visit him at homequalify.ai. That’s homequalify.ai. Steve Tomaselli, NMLS number 358920. Equal housing opportunity.

Welcome to The Texas Current

Tyler Brooks: Welcome to The Texas Current Podcast by Texas Home Talk. I’m Tyler Brooks.

Maddie Lawson: And I’m Maddie Lawson.

Tyler Brooks: And together, we are the co-hosts of The Texas Current Podcast by Texas Home Talk. Before we even jump in today, Maddie and I want to take a very quick second to thank our incredible sponsors.

Maddie Lawson: Yes, absolutely. A huge thank you to our sponsors for making this broadcast possible. We couldn’t produce this show for the community without your continued support.

Tyler Brooks: We really couldn’t. Okay, so setting the stage here: today is Monday, October 5th, 2026, and we are officially launching into Part 3 of our Fall Weekends with Kids in Central Texas field guide.

Maddie Lawson: Which is my favorite part of the guide, Tyler.

Part 3: Why the I-35 Corridor Is Different

Tyler Brooks: Oh, definitely. Because today, our mission is conquering the I-35 corridor. So we are talking Buda, Kyle, San Marcos, New Braunfels, and all those surrounding towns. But Maddie, the logistics of this corridor are completely different from what we discussed in Part 2.

Maddie Lawson: Oh, completely different. When we covered the Hill Country, the strategy was really all about settling in for a long scenic drive. You pack the snacks, you put on a playlist, and you just cruise on those two-lane blacktops.

Tyler Brooks: Right, exactly. Which is the total opposite of today’s strategy. In the Hill Country, your enemy is mileage. But out on I-35, your enemy is traffic.

Maddie Lawson: Ugh, the traffic. It’s relentless.

Tyler Brooks: It really is. Picture this scenario for a second. You are stuck in stop-and-go traffic on Interstate 35. It’s 85 degrees outside.

Maddie Lawson: Because it’s Texas in October.

The “Pick Your Exit” Strategy

Tyler Brooks: Because it’s Texas in October, exactly. And the toddler in the backseat is actively melting down because their superhero costume is suddenly too itchy. And then your GPS just adds 20 more minutes to your drive time.

Maddie Lawson: It’s a Central Texas parent’s absolute nightmare, Tyler. It really is the ultimate test of human endurance.

Tyler Brooks: It is. You do not want to spend a precious Saturday afternoon endlessly merging on and off the interstate, fighting lane closures and construction. So we are introducing what we call the Pick Your Exit philosophy.

Maddie Lawson: I really like how you framed this earlier, Tyler. You compared treating the exits along I-35 to reading a restaurant menu.

Tyler Brooks: Yeah, because it’s the only way to stay sane, Maddie. You need to pick your appetizer, your main course, and your dessert from the exact same exit ramp, so you aren’t driving back and forth in gridlock.

Maddie Lawson: Right.

Tyler Brooks: You choose your anchor destination, then you find a free community event in that same town, and you build a highly localized day.

Maddie Lawson: And the paid activity farms usually serve as those main courses, Tyler. You really have to choose your big paid farm experience first, because that dictates your geographic footprint for the entire day.

Tyler Brooks: Yeah, it sets the boundary.

Uhland Fall Fest & Free Admission Categories

Maddie Lawson: Exactly. And the options out there this year are incredibly robust. Let’s look at Uhland Fall Fest. It’s running all the way through November 1st, and they charge a $20 single-day pass.

Tyler Brooks: $20. But Maddie, I push back a little on letting that price tag scare away larger families. We need to look closely at their free admission categories, because honestly, they are doing something genuinely community-focused.

Maddie Lawson: Which is so refreshing to see.

Tyler Brooks: It really is. They offer complimentary admission for kids five and under, seniors 65 and up, active-duty military, veterans, police, firefighters, EMTs, and even Uhland residents. You just show proof of eligibility at the gate.

Maddie Lawson: Okay, Tyler, wait. Even with those discounts, are families just paying a cover charge for a photo op? Because we’ve all been to those roadside patches where you are basically just paying to stand next to a decorative gourd in a dusty field.

Tyler Brooks: No, I completely understand the skepticism, Maddie. I really do. But Uhland actually provides tangible all-day entertainment value, well beyond just the backdrop.

Maddie Lawson: Okay, like what?

Tyler Brooks: So that gate price includes their Wild Things Zoofari animal shows, a complimentary petting zoo, and hands-on music experiences run by School of Rock Kyle. It functions more like a local theme park.

Maddie Lawson: Oh wow, that is a lot of programming.

Tyler Brooks: Yeah, plus they have themed weekends, like the Pumpkin Jamboree on October 10th and 11th, interactive children’s music with Tío Tóto on the 17th and 18th, magician Brad Henderson the weekend after that, and a butterfly release to close the season.

Maddie Lawson: Okay, that definitely justifies the ticket.

Tyler Brooks: Oh, one quick thing, Maddie. Tell people to leave the dog at home. They have a strict no-pets policy, only allowing ADA service animals.

Indian Springs Ranch Early Entry

Maddie Lawson: Good to know. But Tyler, what happens if you have very young toddlers? Because no matter how great a magician is, the afternoon heat and shoulder-to-shoulder crowds can completely overwhelm a two-year-old.

Tyler Brooks: Which brings us to a brilliant parent hack over at Indian Springs Ranch in Manchaca.

Maddie Lawson: Ooh, tell me about this one.

Tyler Brooks: For select October weekends — specifically the 17th, 18th, 24th, and 25th — they are offering 9 a.m. early entry windows. Maddie, the psychology behind this is perfect.

Maddie Lawson: Because it’s actually cool outside.

Tyler Brooks: Exactly. You get in right as the gates open, the temperature’s cool, the exotic animals are actually active and hungry for the feed cups, and you can let your kids run in the corn pit before the midday crowds arrive. You get your experience, and you’re back in the car heading home by lunch.

Mama Mary’s Farm: Buy Online

Maddie Lawson: That early start is an absolute lifesaver for nap schedules, Tyler. Over in Creedmoor, Mama Mary’s Farm is offering a different kind of hack, entirely focused on the budget.

Tyler Brooks: Okay, I love a budget hack.

Maddie Lawson: Right. So if you’re planning a weekend visit there, do not wait until you get to the entrance to buy your tickets. Purchasing them online in advance can save a family of five up to $30 compared to the gate pricing.

Tyler Brooks: $30. That easily covers the family’s lunch.

Country Grace Farms: Confirm the Address First

Maddie Lawson: Exactly. Now, looking at another anchor, Country Grace Farms is really famous for their pink pumpkin displays, the miniature train rides, and the carousel. But Tyler, before anyone starts planning their route, I found a red flag with their navigation.

Tyler Brooks: Yes, Maddie, you pointed this out earlier, and we have to jump in here to save some parents a headache.

Maddie Lawson: The farm’s own posts have listed two different street numbers on FM 1101. So please don’t blindly type an address into your maps app and hit go. Confirm the address on the farm’s official website before you leave.

Tyler Brooks: Which is the last thing you want to get wrong.

Maddie Lawson: Right. Otherwise you could end up lost on a rural road with an impatient four-year-old kicking the back of your seat.

Weather Reality: October Flash-Flood Risk & Plan B

Tyler Brooks: And that is a critical warning, Maddie. And speaking of ruined plans, we really have to talk about the reality of October weather in Central Texas.

Maddie Lawson: Oh, yes.

Tyler Brooks: Just this past weekend, October 3rd and 4th, weather and flash-flood risk across the corridor forced both Uhland Fall Fest and Mama Mary’s to close.

Maddie Lawson: You cannot assume the sky will cooperate, Tyler. Fall weather here is incredibly volatile. A farm that looks beautiful on a Tuesday can become an unsafe mud pit after a Friday night thunderstorm.

Tyler Brooks: Yep. Always check the venue’s social media pages the morning of your trip, before you load everyone into the car. Always have a Plan B.

Maddie Lawson: Always.

The Church Pumpkin Patch Economy

Tyler Brooks: Now, Maddie, as much as we love these elaborate commercial activity farms with their carousels and Zoofaris, they’re actually a relatively recent evolution. They were built on the back of a much older, much simpler Central Texas fall staple.

Maddie Lawson: The church pumpkin patch?

Tyler Brooks: Yes, the church pumpkin patch economy.

Maddie Lawson: The history here is so fascinating, Tyler. Local Methodist churches up and down the I-35 corridor relied heavily on the Pumpkin Patch Fundraisers USA model. These pumpkins were traditionally grown out near Farmington, New Mexico, harvested in an agricultural partnership with Navajo Nation workers, and then shipped on commercial trucks all the way down to Texas.

Tyler Brooks: And the mechanism that made this entire pipeline work, Maddie, was a consignment-style model. It’s a brilliant piece of community economics. The churches did not have to purchase thousands of dollars’ worth of pumpkins up front.

Maddie Lawson: Which completely eliminates the financial risk for local congregations, Tyler. Think about it. If a church had to buy all that inventory itself and we got hit with weather like we did this past weekend, the rotting pumpkins could wipe out the youth group’s budget for the entire year.

Tyler Brooks: Exactly. By receiving the pumpkins without paying up front and using a revenue-sharing agreement, small neighborhood groups could create a beloved community event without needing a big operating budget. It’s the ultimate low-risk, high-reward community builder. Now, if a traditional farm or a church patch doesn’t fit your family’s vibe, the corridor is also home to permanent destination attractions that transform themselves with seasonal overlays for October.

Natural Bridge Caverns Bat Fest Runs Every Weekend

Maddie Lawson: Oh, definitely. Let’s start with Natural Bridge Caverns, Tyler. They host Cavern Bat Fest, and we need to set the record straight right now.

Tyler Brooks: Yeah, let’s clear this up.

Maddie Lawson: If you heard Bat Fest ended on October 3rd, that isn’t the case. It runs every single weekend in October.

Tyler Brooks: And Maddie, the value proposition here is fantastic. You can enjoy the mini hay maze, the bat-themed scavenger hunt, and the live music completely for free. You just pay the $10 parking fee.

Maddie Lawson: That’s a great deal.

Cavern Bat Fest Costume Rules

Tyler Brooks: Right. You’re not obligated to buy a cavern tour ticket just to soak in the festival atmosphere. However, parents really need to know the rules before they leave the house — specifically regarding costumes.

Maddie Lawson: Yes, pay close attention to this. Wearing a family-friendly costume earns a free AMAZEn’ Ranch Round-Up maze ticket. Kids nine and under can wear full costumes and face paint, but no decorative masks. If your child is 10 or older, or if you’re an adult, you can’t wear masks or face paint, or carry handheld accessories like toy pitchforks or wands.

Tyler Brooks: And the park can approve or reject any costume at the gate, Maddie, so check the rules before you go.

Maddie Lawson: It’s a strict crowd-control policy.

Animal World & Snake Farm Zoo Howl-O-Ween

Tyler Brooks: Exactly. Another great permanent attraction is Animal World & Snake Farm Zoo. They are hosting their Howl-O-Ween Extravaganza on October 24th and 25th. If you book an adult ticket online in advance, kids who show up in costume get in for free.

Scare Warning: Wonder World Haunted Tour vs. Boo Fest

Maddie Lawson: That is a phenomenal incentive, Tyler. What is the situation over at Wonder World in San Marcos? They usually have a pretty packed calendar.

Tyler Brooks: They do, Maddie, but I have to issue a very stern warning to parents regarding their schedule. Wonder World is hosting a haunted tour on October 29th and 30th. Do not, under any circumstances, take toddlers or young kids to this specific event.

Maddie Lawson: It’s too intense.

Tyler Brooks: Oh, it is designed to scare. It is strictly for older kids, teens, and adults. If you bring a five-year-old, you’re going to be dealing with nightmares until Thanksgiving.

Maddie Lawson: Oh no. Nobody wants that.

Tyler Brooks: Right. If you have a young family, skip the haunted tour entirely and take them to the free Boo Fest on October 31st at 4 p.m. That event is designed for them. It features trunk-or-treating and family games.

Sundrop Screams & Age Guidance

Maddie Lawson: I am so glad you made that distinction, Tyler. It is so easy for a stressed parent to just see the word Halloween on a flyer and assume the event is appropriate for kindergartners.

Tyler Brooks: Very easy.

Maddie Lawson: The exact same logic applies down the road in New Braunfels at Sundrop Springs. They are hosting a daytime fall festival, but their separate after-dark Sundrop Screams event is an intense haunted experience. Please verify the age guidance.

Tyler Brooks: Yeah, keep the little ones at home for the night events.

Maddie Lawson: Oh, and be sure to check their official website for current 2026 admission details, because there is outdated pricing floating around online.

Balancing the Budget With Free Civic Events

Tyler Brooks: Great point, Maddie. So let’s pivot to the second half of the Pick Your Exit philosophy. You’ve selected your paid anchor farm in the morning. How do you stretch your family’s day into the afternoon without draining your bank account?

Maddie Lawson: You pair it with the corridor’s free civic and municipal events, Tyler.

Tyler Brooks: Yes.

Maddie Lawson: If you drop $80 at a farm at 10 a.m., you balance the budget by spending $0 at a city-sponsored festival at 4 p.m.

Boo-da Halloween & the Sensory-Sensitive Green Rooms

Tyler Brooks: That is the financial padding we’re talking about. Let’s look at the Boo-da Halloween event in Buda on Saturday, October 24th, from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. Maddie, the city has a feature I think is a masterclass in planning.

Maddie Lawson: It really is, Tyler. Buda has a dedicated sensory-sensitive area backstage in the amphitheater green rooms.

Tyler Brooks: I love this so much.

Maddie Lawson: Think about what a municipal Halloween event feels like to a child. Flashing lights, loud echoes, unpredictable crowds, and scary costumes. It’s a recipe for sensory overload.

Tyler Brooks: Oh, absolutely.

Maddie Lawson: This green room acts as a pressure valve. It features noise-cancelling headphones, low lighting, fidget toys, and comfortable seating. It gives neurodivergent kids — or honestly, any overstimulated toddler — a quiet place to regulate.

Tyler Brooks: So the family doesn’t have to abandon the entire evening.

Maddie Lawson: Exactly.

Kyle Center Street Trick-or-Treat

Tyler Brooks: That kind of accessibility matters, Maddie. Also happening on October 24th is the Kyle Center Street Trick-or-Treat, from 9 a.m. to noon. This perfectly flips our schedule. You do the free downtown treat trail in the morning when it’s cool, and then use your afternoon for the paid farm visit.

Downtown Spooktacular & Teal Pumpkin Stops

Maddie Lawson: Moving south to New Braunfels, they have their Downtown Spooktacular on Thursday, October 29th, from 5 to 7 p.m. Tyler, the logistics here are brilliant, because the city provides a free shuttle from City Hall.

Tyler Brooks: Oh, that’s huge.

Maddie Lawson: It completely bypasses the anxiety of trying to parallel park a minivan in downtown festival traffic.

Tyler Brooks: And Maddie, the Spooktacular also includes a great health and safety feature at its treat stations.

Maddie Lawson: Yes, Tyler — teal pumpkin stops.

Tyler Brooks: Right. For those who might not know what that is.

Maddie Lawson: From Food Allergy Research & Education’s Teal Pumpkin Project, a teal pumpkin signals that the station offers non-candy, allergy-aware treats.

Tyler Brooks: Which is so important.

Maddie Lawson: It is. If you’re a parent of a child with a severe peanut or dairy allergy, Halloween is incredibly stressful. You spend the night inspecting wrappers and worrying about cross-contamination.

Tyler Brooks: Yeah, checking every single mini candy bar.

Maddie Lawson: Exactly. The teal pumpkins mean those kids get a non-candy treat. They get to take part in the magic safely.

San Marcos: Farmer Fred’s Harvest Fall Carnival

Tyler Brooks: It is a profound relief for allergy parents, Maddie. Finally, to round out the free civic events, we have to mention San Marcos. Farmer Fred’s Harvest Fall Carnival is happening on Friday, October 30th.

Maddie Lawson: A classic.

Tyler Brooks: This isn’t just another pop-up event. It is a deeply embedded city tradition that dates back to at least 1996. The city always holds it on the Friday before Halloween.

Cultural Shift: Texas Clay Festival & Día de los Muertos

Maddie Lawson: Thirty years of institutional memory right there, Tyler. And that brings us to an interesting shift in the corridor’s energy, because once October 31st passes and the jack-o’-lanterns start to rot on the porch, I-35 doesn’t just pack up and go home.

Tyler Brooks: Nope, it does not.

Maddie Lawson: The region seamlessly transitions into its heritage and cultural phase.

Tyler Brooks: The pumpkins disappear, but the calendar stays full, Maddie. Even before Halloween, the cultural events start ramping up. On October 24th and 25th, the Texas Clay Festival takes over Gruene. This is their 34th annual event, featuring more than 80 juried Texas potters and clay artists.

Maddie Lawson: And a week before that, on October 17th, the Día de los Muertos Festival takes place at Main Plaza in downtown New Braunfels. It’s completely free, with dance, live music, and cultural programming right in the center of town.

The Wurstfest Family Plan

Tyler Brooks: But Maddie, we all know what the ultimate season closer is for Central Texas. November 6th through the 15th, it is Wurstfest in New Braunfels.

Maddie Lawson: Okay, Tyler, the Wurstfest reputation precedes itself, and I really have to challenge you on this.

Tyler Brooks: Bring it on.

Maddie Lawson: Wurstfest is known as a beer festival. The imagery is packed tents, people drinking beer, eating sausage, and yelling over polka bands. Explain the family value to me, because navigating a seven-year-old through a crowded beer tent on a Saturday night sounds like the opposite of a good time.

Tyler Brooks: Oh, I completely agree with that assessment of a Saturday night, Maddie. It would be entirely too much. But the reputation overshadows the reality, provided you understand how the ticketing schedule shapes the crowds.

Maddie Lawson: Okay, how does the math work on that, Tyler?

Tyler Brooks: Here is the Wurstfest family budget hack. First, kids 12 and under are completely free every single day of the festival.

Maddie Lawson: Wow, okay.

Tyler Brooks: But the real mechanism is adult admission. It’s completely free Monday through Thursday evenings, starting at 5 p.m.

Maddie Lawson: Free, really?

Tyler Brooks: Totally free. A Tuesday at 5:30 p.m. feels completely different from a Saturday at 9 p.m. On a Tuesday, the crowds are remarkably thin, and you can comfortably sit and eat a hot pretzel while enjoying the accordion music.

Maddie Lawson: So it’s basically a totally different festival.

Tyler Brooks: Exactly. You bypass the weekend chaos entirely, and you pay $0 at the gate to do it.

Maddie Lawson: The time of day completely changes the crowd, Tyler. Going on a weeknight turns an overwhelming tourist draw into a relaxed neighborhood fair.

Tyler Brooks: It’s all about knowing how the schedule works, Maddie.

Final Thoughts: Managing Energy vs. Miles

Maddie Lawson: You know, when you zoom out and look at all of this, Tyler — from mapping out the early toddler entries at Indian Springs, to finding the teal pumpkins in New Braunfels, to using the sensory rooms in Buda — it brings me to a final thought for our listeners.

Tyler Brooks: What is the takeaway, Maddie?

Maddie Lawson: With so many free civic events and thoughtful municipal accommodations along the corridor, the actual cost of a Central Texas fall weekend is rarely about your financial budget.

Tyler Brooks: That’s so true.

Maddie Lawson: The real cost is how well you manage your family’s energy levels and your tolerance for I-35 traffic. If you try to bounce between three different cities in one afternoon, you will burn out. You have to plan the exits, not just the events.

Sponsor Thanks & Closing

Tyler Brooks: That is the honest truth, Maddie. Plan the exits, pace yourselves, and recognize that sometimes skipping the expensive attraction for a free afternoon treat trail is exactly what your family needs. Well, before we wrap up today’s guide, we must thank our sponsors one final time.

Maddie Lawson: Absolutely, Tyler. To the businesses that support The Texas Current Podcast by Texas Home Talk, thank you. You provide the foundation that allows us to keep exploring and sharing this amazing community with our listeners.

Tyler Brooks: Yes. A sincere thank you to our sponsors, and thank you to you, our listeners, for navigating the I-35 corridor with us today. We hope this breakdown helps you build the perfect, stress-free fall weekend for your family.

Maddie Lawson: Stay safe out there. Always double-check the weather apps.

Tyler Brooks: And we’ll see you next time on the podcast.

Maddie Lawson: Bye, everyone. Drive safe.

Closing Sponsor

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