While there is a long list of things to see and do in Dallas, a weekend getaway can provide a refreshing change of pace, whether you want to experience small-town charms, take advantage of attractions in a different city, or perhaps delve into nature and take part in outdoor activities while surrounded by magnificent scenery.
I’ve had many long layovers in Dallas that have allowed me to experience some fantastic destinations that I probably wouldn’t have been able to otherwise. All have been well worth the drive. As you probably know, Texas is a big state, and people are used to driving longer distances here, but each of these weekend getaways from Dallas can be reached within a four-hour drive, and you’ll find many options that are even closer.
Austin
Table of Contents
Just a three-hour drive from Dallas, the Texas capital is different from the rest. Its slogan is “Keep Austin Weird,” reflecting the desire to keep it that way. It has long had a tradition of attracting musicians, artists, and the like, which has led to a more progressive spirit that can be experienced throughout this more liberal city, a distinction dating back to the Civil War, when it was pro-Union. Today, it’s known for its vibrant food scene, particularly when it comes to BBQ and Tex-Mex. Often referred to as the “Live Music Capital of the World,” you’ll also find a long list of live music venues like the Continental Club and Elephant Room.
Keeping in line with its eclectic personality, you won’t want to miss a visit to the Cathedral of Junk, a structure built using objects found over the course of many years. There’s plenty to do for outdoor adventurers as well, including kayaking and paddleboarding at Lady Bird Lake and swimming at Barton Springs. Afterward, there are some great accommodation options you can look forward to relaxing in. While it’s challenging to find hotels with hot tub in room in Austin, the Lake Austin Spa Resort has hot tub cottages we love. You’ll be able to soak in total privacy in an outdoor hot tub set within your own fenced-in area.
Colorado Bend State Park, Bend
Just over three hours from Dallas in the northern region of Texas Hill Country, you’ll find Colorado Bend State Park, a great place to camp and hike, but you’ll also find quaint inns, cabins, and vacation rentals nearby in the towns of San Saba and Bend. It’s a great place to go in the summer when you want to cool off, with opportunities to swim in numerous scenic swimming holes along the Spicewood Springs trail, and visit 70-foot-high Gorman Falls.
The park has roughly 30 miles of hiking and biking trails, along with opportunities for fishing and kayaking on a six-mile stretch of the Colorado River. Caving tours are available, led by expert guides, where you’ll climb, slide, and crawl through spaces and into large chambers.
Fredericksburg
Tucked into the heart of Texas Hill Country, Fredericksburg is a quaint German town surrounded by vineyards and colorful wildflowers in the spring. In its historic district, you’ll get a glimpse of its past while exploring the shops, tasting local wines, dining, and perhaps visiting the National Museum of the Pacific War. If you like German cuisine (and beer), you’ll find plenty at the restaurants here, such as the Auslander and the Aldorf Biergarten. Plus, you can take a tour and sample the brews at Fredericksburg Brewing Company.
In the lush surrounding hills, there are trails for hiking, including the main Summit Trail in the Enchanted Rock State Natural Area that will bring you to the top of a massive pink granite dome. It’s steep but short at just 1.3 miles round-trip, providing a stunning panoramic view of Texas Hill Country. Accommodations are wide-ranging and include locally owned motels, national hotel chains, inns, guesthouses, traditional B&Bs, and vacation rentals.
San Antonio
The second-largest city in Texas, San Antonio, is approximately a four-hour drive from Dallas, but you’ll find a wide range of things to do, with attractions like a waterpark, an amusement park, and numerous historic sites, including The Alamo, one of the first Spanish missions built in the state back in 1716. It’s best known for the Battle of the Alamo, which took place in 1836, when the Mexican forces surrendered to the Texan Army. A museum is hosted in the site’s oldest structure, which details the history of Texas through intriguing artifacts. The mission church is one of the most photographed monuments in the state, as the site where the Texan garrison made their final heroic last stand.
Beyond history, you might spend a day at Six Flags Fiesta Texas, play at the Schlitterbahn New Braunfels Waterpark, or stroll the vibrant River Walk, one of San Antonio’s most iconic attractions. From here, you can take in a 360-degree view of the city from the Tower of the Americas and browse the handcrafted items and fresh produce at the Mexican market in the Historic Market Square. Narrated boat cruises are also available for a view from the water, where you’ll glide beneath arched bridges reminiscent of Venice, Italy.
Waco
Only a 90-minute drive south of Dallas, Waco has a rich history and numerous attractions. The Waco Mammoth National Monument protects the country’s only nursery herd of Columbian mammoths. Visitors can view fossils of a bull mammoth, female mammoths, an ancient relative of camels, a giant tortoise, and more. Tours are available that include a visit to the Dig Shelter with fossils that can be seen in their original state within the bone bed. After checking out the final resting place of woolly mammoths, if you’re a Dr. Pepper fan, you can visit a museum dedicated to the drink and even create your own unique soda.
Sports fans won’t want to miss the Texas Ranger Hall of Fame & Museum or the Texas Sports Hall of Fame, while those who want to learn the darker side of Waco’s past can visit the Site of the Branch Davidian Compound just a short distance from town. Finally, fans of the HGTV show “Fixer Upper” and anyone who is into home decor will be enticed by the Magnolia Market, the brainchild of Chip and Joanna Gaines.
Caddo Lake State Park, Texas
Located along the border of Texas and Louisiana, Caddo Lake State Park has everything you need for a weekend getaway just over a 2.5-hour drive from Dallas. In fact, right in the park, there are historic cabins as well as campsites. Or, you can stay in one of the hotels or resorts nearby in either the town of Uncertain or Jefferson. This is a place unlike anywhere else in the state, made up of more water than land, taking its name from the lake that has a vast cypress grove rising from the somewhat eerie, dark waters.
If you visit Caddo once the trees have shed their leaves in autumn, you’ll see short stumps that poke through the surface of the water known as cypress “knees,” providing fantastic photo ops. They’re best seen by taking a boat tour that departs from Uncertain that will allow you to learn more about the lake and the area’s wildlife. Paddling and fishing are popular activities here, too, but you’ll also find hiking trails for exploring the land. In the town of Jefferson, there are antique stores, boutiques, and restaurants.
Dinosaur Valley State Park, Glen Rose
Only 75 miles southwest of Dallas, Glen Rose is home to Dinosaur Valley State Park, where dinosaur enthusiasts can marvel at real dinosaur tracks. Millions of years ago, Acrocanthosaurus roamed this part of the prairie, which was once a shallow beach. The footprints can still be seen in the bed of the Paluxy River. Many other activities are available here as well, including 20 miles of trails for hiking, while the river is popular for swimming, fishing, and paddling. At the entrance to the park are statues of a Brontosaurus and Tyrannosaurus Rex that are popular with kids and make for fun photo ops.
There are multiple other attractions to fill your weekend too, including the drive-thru safari at the Fossil Rim Wildlife Center, where you can see endangered and exotic animals in their natural habitats. In the Historic Downtown Square, you’ll find a variety of unique shopping and dining venues, while accommodation includes inns, resorts, and hotels right along the river.
Houston
About 3.5 hours from Dallas, consider Houston if you want to experience a cosmopolitan city with world-class attractions, shopping, dining, nightlife, and hotels. Those interested in outer space can visit a Smithsonian affiliate dedicated to the history of space exploration, Space Center Houston. Take a tram tour through NASA facilities to go behind the scenes, watch astronauts train, and even experience the sensation of a blastoff in the Blastoff Theater.
The Menil Collection is a local gem drawing visitors from around the world with more than 16,000 works of art dating from Paleolithic times to the present. Highlights include pieces by Picasso, Salvador Dali, and Andy Warhol. Houston also has an impressive arts district with over 300 artists and other creatives. Another big benefit of a weekend getaway here is that there are several hotels with hot tub in room in Houston. For a couple’s escape, it’s hard to beat the Hotel ICON, Autograph Collection, which has rooms available with two-person jetted tubs.
Galveston
If you’re willing to drive just a bit over four hours from Dallas, you can stay in Galveston along the coast, complete with sandy beaches and iconic attractions like Moody Gardens, with an aquarium, rainforest, and discovery museum. While it’s especially fun during the warmer months when you can take advantage of the warmer weather to play in the sand and the surf, there’s a lot more to do here. That includes visiting the Texas Seaport Museum, the Ocean Star Offshore Drilling Rig and Museum, the Galveston Railroad Museum, and the Tall Ship Elissa, one of the oldest and longest continuously sailed vessels in the world.
The long list of options in Galveston also includes the popular Pleasure Pier with games and amusement rides right on the pier. The Strand historic district is another outstanding place to explore, with its Victorian architecture, art, shops, and restaurants, many of which serve fresh seafood like Miller’s Seawall Grill. The nightlife is wide-ranging too, including trendy clubs for dancing and the landmark 1894 Grand Opera House, which hosts a variety of performances.
Shreveport, Louisiana
Less than a three-hour drive from Dallas, Shreveport offers a mix of culture, history, and entertainment. The Louisiana Boardwalk is a vibrant district along the riverfront with shops, restaurants, and attractions, ideal for all ages. Families are sure to appreciate the Sci-Port Discovery Center with an IMAX theater, interactive science exhibits, and a planetarium, providing educational fun, while the adults might test their luck in the riverfront casinos.
Another great option for families is the Shreveport Aquarium for close encounters with turtles, seahorses, eels, sharks, and many other marine creatures. Hand-feeding the stingrays is especially memorable for kids and adults alike. Want to see alligators? Head to the Gators and Friends Adventure Park, which also provides zip-lining adventures, a petting zoo, an arcade, and go-karts.
Medicine Park, Oklahoma
Located in the Wichita Mountains of southwestern Oklahoma, Medicine Park is just over a three-hour drive from Dallas. It’s known as “America’s cobblestone community” as there are round red rocks strewn throughout the town, a unique geological phenomenon that gives it a distinct look. There are many scenic places to stroll, including trails by Bath Lake and Medicine Creek, but one of the most popular attractions is the Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge, which is home to over 550 species that were in danger of extinction, including Rocky Mountain elk, longhorn, and herds of bison. It’s a great place to hike, fish, kayak, and capture photos of wildlife. Nearby in Lawton, you can also visit the Museum of the Great Plains with collections that spotlight the natural and cultural history of the Great Plains.
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
A little over three hours north of Dallas, OKC (as Oklahoma City is often referred to) has a thriving cultural scene with many unique districts to explore. The Adventure District hosts the OKC Zoo, the National Cowboy Museum, the Science Museum, and the Remington Park racetrack and casino. For those looking for bars, restaurants, and nightlife, the Downtown and Bricktown districts are the place to go, while Film Row serves as a hub for film festivals and the arts. Want to spend time on the water? The Boathouse District lies along the Oklahoma River, providing opportunities for a variety of recreation, including canoeing and kayaking.
While solemn, visitors can also pay their respects to the victims of the 1995 bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building at the Oklahoma City National Memorial reflecting pool and empty glass and bronze chairs. The Survivor Tree, an elm that was nearly destroyed in the attack, is also part of the memorial. There is also a museum where you can learn more about the event and its impact.
Norman, Oklahoma
Norman is about a two-hour and 45-minute drive north of Dallas. It has a small-town college atmosphere as the home of the University of Oklahoma and its popular college football team, the Sooners, yet it’s the third-largest city in the state. You can come to catch a game, but there are many things to do at the university and beyond. One of the country’s finest university art museums, the Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art, has a collection with nearly 16,000 works, including the Bialac Native American and Adkins collections, contemporary and traditional Native American art, French Impressionism, 20th-century American paintings, and more. The Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History is another highlight with displays on Oklahoma’s natural and cultural history, including the world’s largest Apatosaurus.
Beyond the museums, there are breweries, wineries, and historic districts. The Chautauqua and Miller Historic Districts include some 150 historical homes, built between 1910 and 1938, making it fun just to wander. Outdoor activities are plentiful too, including hiking, biking, and kayaking at Lake Thunderbird State Park.
Turner Falls Park, Oklahoma
Less than two hours from Dallas, the small town of Davis is best known for its natural beauty, particularly Turner Falls Park with its waterfall that plunges 77 feet into a swimming hole popular for refreshing dips. It’s the perfect weekend getaway during the warmer months for cooling off and taking advantage of exciting experiences like the 1,700-foot-high zipline at Air Donkey Zipline Adventures hosting a 1,700-foot-high zipline. If off-roading is more your jam, head to the Cross Bar Rranch Off-Road Park.
After any outdoor activity, it’s always fun to take a tour of Bedre Fine Chocolate, which includes samples of the Oklahoma-made gourmet treats. If you like bluegrass, be sure to plan your visit around the Arbuckle Mountain Fall Bluegrass Jam that typically takes place over a week in mid-September at the Arbuckle Mountain Bluegrass Park. No matter when you come, you can get up close to exotic animals at nearby Arbuckle Wilderness, where you can even feed the free-roaming creatures. There’s also a reptile center, petting zoo, and rides for the little ones.
Broken Bow, Oklahoma
Broken Bow is an enticing destination for nature lovers with crystal-clear lakes and lush forests, about a two-hour and 45-minute drive northeast of Dallas. You’ll have a wide range of hotel and other lodging options, including cabin rentals, along with opportunities for boat tours, hiking, kayaking, and fishing in Beavers Bend State Park. There are even beaches to relax on and a museum that explores the role of forestry in local life. Plus, while you’re there, you can watch for bald eagles and black bears.
While there are plenty of spots for coffee, dining, and sweet treats, only 10 minutes away in Hochatown, you’ll find wineries and breweries as well.
Wichita Falls
If you don’t want to travel a long distance, consider a weekend trip to Wichita Falls. This small town borders the state of Oklahoma in North Texas and is just a two-hour drive from Dallas. It has a charming downtown with historical buildings like the 1909 Kell House Museum, where you can step inside for a trip back in time to see the original family furnishings, clothing, decorative arts, and more. Learn more about the region’s past at the Museum of North Texas History, which focuses on the area’s Native Americans, cowboys, and the gas and oil industry. There’s also a thriving arts scene and the 178-acre Lucy Park with walking trails, picnic areas, and a nature center. The highlight is the center’s Ruby N. Priddy Butterfly and Nature Conservatory, a huge glass structure with trees, wildflowers, prairie grasses, shrubs, and other plants native to the region.
Tyler
Only 90 minutes southeast of Dallas, Tyler is known as “America’s Rose Capital,” home to the famous Tyler Municipal Rose Garden, a 14-acre public park with thousands of rose bushes that include over 300 different varieties of roses. It also hosts the Texas Rose Festival, worth planning a trip around in mid-October with a parade, a Queen’s Tea, and Queen’s Coronation, along with other community events focused on Tyler’s floral heritage. Other popular attractions include Tyler State Park with forested areas to explore and a large lake for boating, fishing, and swimming. The Discovery Science Place is particularly good for families with children, with lots of opportunities for hands-on exploration.
Insider Planning Tips for Dallas Weekend Getaways
With so many options when it comes to weekend getaways from Dallas, to help narrow things down, first consider whether you prefer a destination with big-city attractions, small-town charms, nature, or perhaps a little of everything. Then, determine your budget so that you can make the best choice when it comes to activities and accommodations. For example, if you’re in need of pampering, it may be worth the splurge for a luxury hotel with your own in-room Jacuzzi tub that will also put you within walking distance of top attractions.
If you’d like an upscale stay but don’t want to spend an arm and a leg, consider traveling during the off-season. No matter when you go, be sure to confirm operating hours for any specific activity or attraction you have your heart set on.
