Summer Family Fun in Austin, Texas.

In honor of my soon-to-be new home, I have a collection of fun things to do with kids in the “Live Music Capital of the World,” Austin. If you want a searchable calendar of upcoming events, click here.

(Please forgive my less-frequent blogging this week and next as I’m in the throes of moving; I hope to return to a more frequent posting schedule on Monday, 19 June. Until then I’m shooting for about every 2-3 days.)

Anyway, it’s always an all-American good time with the AAA baseball team based just north of Austin in Round Rock — the Round Rock Express playing at Dell Diamond. Go on a Friday to see the fireworks at the ballfield.

Summer baseball too hot and “boring” for your teenager? How about heading for “SoCo,” the newly-hip South Congress Avenue area for some shopping and people-watching. The Austin Chronicle has a comprehensive guide as well. Your Goth can shop at Blackmail, where everything’s, well, black, and those wanting color just go next door to see the rainbow of clothes at Vivid.

As long as you’re in South Austin, grab some French crepes at Flip Happy. Even New Yorkers seem to have gone ga-ga for Texas food.

If you’re an indoor kinda family, the Paramount Theater has a spectacularly great summer film series; how can you miss seeing the classic Texas flick Giant, in Texas, on the big screen? (It’s scheduled for August 12 & 13.) You know what’s really depressing? The Paramount is also highlighting the 25th anniversary of the release of Raiders of the Lost Ark this year. Sheesh, seems like yesterday that I saw it for the first time, then went right back out and bought another ticket to see it again!

For additional air-conditioned options, there’s the venerable Book People book store (you can search their Calendar for kid’s events and kid’s authors making appearances) and of course you should pick up a copy of the new book The Tao of Willie….Willie Nelson, that is.

Really.