This is a great activity to do with your toddler, especially if they’re obsessed about dinosaurs!
Our little one has been super excited about watching Land Before Time – all 14 of them on DVD and then on YouTube! It’s been a marathon of the movies every weekend for about 12 weekends now. It was only natural that we would be going to the Dinosaur Park in Cedar Creek, TX.
In this review of the Dinosaur Park, you’ll learn about:
- The city where the Dinosaur Park is located in
- What to expect when visiting
- Activities to consider for after your visit
- And tips for your visit
It’s in Cedar Creek!
First off, it’s not in Cedar Park. It’s in Cedar Creek! We made the big mistake of going to the one in “Cedar Park” and ended up on the corner of a residential neighborhood that also had a “dinosaur park”.
The “park” in Cedar Park looked like it contains 1 set of skeleton. To be absolutely honest, we didn’t get out of the car to look after we realized we were totally in the wrong location. So I can’t be sure what exactly was there, but it was just a corner of a residential neighborhood.
The full address of the Dinosaur Park is 893 Union Chapel Rd, Cedar Creek, TX 78612. It’s off of Highway 71, between Austin and Bastrop. Do not mistake it for Cedar Park like we did.
What to Expect
It’s an outdoor museum! Everything is outside except for the gift shop and bathrooms.
The bathrooms are very clean, but they’re only available inside the gift shop. I think there were 4 bathrooms total, but there may have been more. I forgot to count exactly. There’s a changing table in at least one of them for those needing it. There’s little step stools at the sinks outside of the bathrooms for the little ones. I didn’t notice any step stools inside the bathroom though.
The gift shop is really nice and complimentary to Dinosaur Park. It’s everything related to dinosaurs. The prices are very reasonable in my opinion. We got a very nice Melissa & Doug dinosaur floor puzzle, and a bunch of figurines, including glow-in-the dark ones.
Stroller vs Wagon
Whether to bring a stroller or wagon depends on which one has the bigger wheels and if your little one cares about how smooth the ride will be.
We have both a Bob jogging stroller and a Little Red Wagon. We brought the wagon on this trip, but the Bob would have been easier to push around because our Bob has the bigger wheels. The trail is paved but is “older” and has “potholes” so the ride would have been gentler and smoother in the Bob wheels. Our almost-four-year-old didn’t really care about it, and spent most of the time walking the trails looking for the dinosaurs.
After the Park
With your Dinosaur Park admission, you get “Wristband Perks” at neighboring local businesses. We didn’t get a chance to take advantage of these other benefits on this visit. However, we’re already planning on coming back to the park, and then enjoying the discounts available at neighboring local venues like Leo’s Italian Grill, Simply Sweet Cupcakes, and Sugar Shack.
Tips for Your Visit to the Dinosaur Park in Cedar Creek
Here are some tips I would recommend if you were to visit Dinosaur Park in Cedar Creek.
The Dinosaur Park is in Cedar Creek, and the next big town is Bastrop. Expect to spend about 1.5 to 2 hours walking along the trails, playing in the playground, and going through the Fossil Digs.
Everything is outdoors! Check the weather report before you plan your trip. Be prepared for the sun and heat with sunblock and water. Depending on the time of day and year, bring mosquito/bug repellent with you. I would highly (highly highly) recommend going late fall, winter or early spring before temperatures increase too much.
Bring food for a picnic at the picnic tables if you’ll be there over lunch time. They have vending machines, and you can order local food for delivery.
Plan on taking advantage of exploring Bastrop and all they have to offer with the “Wristband Perks”. It’s about another 20 minutes west.
A stroller/wagon isn’t absolutely necessary as you can always leave to go to your car and come back in as long as you have your wrist band.
For our next visit
We’ll probably go again either this winter or early spring before it gets too hot to be spending 1-2 hours outside walking and playing. Hopefully, we’ll arrive between 11 and 12 to walk around first, and then enjoy a picnic lunch at the playground and picnic area. Then when we leave, head into Bastrop for the afternoon to explore the city of Bastrop before dinner at Leo’s Italian Grill, who also has gluten free pasta, and dessert at the bakeries on their affiliate program.