10 day trip- must see?? (Dallas, El Paso: how much, houses, find a job)

[birdlady127]

My family is planning a 10 day trip to Texas this summer. The purpose is not only vacation, but to see if it's somewhere we'd like to move (from western PA). It's such a large place that I am having trouble figuring out what we should be sure to see. We have a 5 and 9 year old. We are semi outdoorsy as a family. I'd like to see a variety of what Texas has to offer. We are more "country", but I do worry about the critters down there... not sure I can survive it. I have a pretty bad aversion to spiders and snakes aren't on my nice list either. I have no exposure to scorpions, but I almost think I can handle them over the nasty spiders. Any good areas that are "less" infested? I have been reading the gulf area is more infested.

Some places I would like to go are Waco and Glen Rose. There's also a dinosaur park somewhere I thought would be interesting.

Thanks in advance!

[RooCeleste]

Texas is huge -- every type of topography is available here so you really need to narrow down what you're wanting. We have desert, coastline, rolling hills, scrub, flat plains, piney woods, and everything else you can imagine. It can be very muggy and it can be very dry. It takes at least 12 hours to drive across the state (and that's pushing it) and even more than that from the northernmost part of the panhandle to the very tip of the Rio Grande Valley. We have huge cities and very small towns and deserted ghost towns where you can actually stay. There are critters everywhere...the predominant type varies in different parts of the state, though. Pretty much anywhere you go, other than the top of the tallest skyscraper in Dallas, there will be some sort of snake and spider.

The best thing to do is get the Texas Travel Guide at https://www.traveltexas.com/ and narrow down your wants a bit more so people can better advise you. We have some really amazing State Parks, too, with all sorts of neat things to do: Texas State Parks - TPWD One of those parks is Dinosaur Valley State Park in Glen Rose.

If you are planning to work here, it is best to find a job first then move...otherwise, you may have a 8-12 hour commute!

[Backintheville2]

If you come to Glen Rose (for Dinosaur Valley State Park) you may also want to check out Fossil Rim Wildlife Center. Your children will really enjoy Fossil Rim. Google it to check out their website.

Also, Granbury is a short drive (about 20 minutes) from Glen Rose. Downtown Granbury is full of antique stores, other gift shops and restaurants and is a very historic town. There is also Lake Granbury, if you are looking for boating or water skiing. Very nice area just 30 minutes southwest of Fort Worth on Hwy. 377.

For a larger city, Fort Worth is fun and has several good museums and an area called the Stockyards. In the Stockyards, each day there is a longhorn cattle drive in the streets, which is from the 1800's. Plenty of restaurants and shopping in the Stockyards.

Waco, is about 90 minutes south of Fort Worth and home to Baylor University. Beautiful campus worth touring. Waco is home to Magnolia Market, the silos owned by Chip and Joanna Gaines who are hosts of Fixer Upper on HGTV. Located near downtown Waco, a very popular tourist destination. Be prepared for long lines if interested in going. There is also Cameron Park, and a Dr. Pepper Museum depending on what everyone is interested in.

As you know, Texas is huge but the towns mentioned (Fort Worth, Granbury, Glen Rose, Waco) are within a short drive of each other. Depending on how much time you want to spend, you could probably spend a couple of days in this area. I was raised in Granbury so I know this area of TX pretty well, and now live in nearby Stephenville.

Stephenville is known as the "Cowboy Capital", as we have several Pro Rodeo Cowboy Champions who live here, the most famous being Ty Murray. Stephenville is home to Tarleton State University, and is a town of 20,000 residents.

I'm most familiar with this part of Texas, but if you think of any other questions, I'll try to answer them if I can. Welcome and have a great trip! Be forewarned, it will probably be very hot. Dress in light clothing and maybe have a cooler with ice and cold bottled water for everyone, especially if you are touring Fossil Rim Wildlife Center.

[C24L]

Originally Posted by birdlady127

My family is planning a 10 day trip to Texas this summer. The purpose is not only vacation, but to see if it's somewhere we'd like to move (from western PA). It's such a large place that I am having trouble figuring out what we should be sure to see. We have a 5 and 9 year old. We are semi outdoorsy as a family. I'd like to see a variety of what Texas has to offer. We are more "country", but I do worry about the critters down there... not sure I can survive it. I have a pretty bad aversion to spiders and snakes aren't on my nice list either. I have no exposure to scorpions, but I almost think I can handle them over the nasty spiders. Any good areas that are "less" infested? I have been reading the gulf area is more infested.

Some places I would like to go are Waco and Glen Rose. There's also a dinosaur park somewhere I thought would be interesting.

Thanks in advance!

Texas has venomous snakes like rattlesnakes,copperheads,coral snakes and water moccasins but they prolly wont get you if you dont mess with them.

[joqua]

Originally Posted by birdlady127

My family is planning a 10 day trip to Texas this summer.

That's the first mistake you'll make - coming to Texas in summer. Much better to visit the other times of year, particularly in the fall, but spring in the hill country is very special too.

[birdlady127]

So is July going to be the worst time? The problem is my husband has limited time and since I teach and the kids are school age we have to do July or August.
We haven't been far from home in a decade and I want the trip to go well, not be miserable.

I keep trying to learn more about the various areas and think the northern part would perhaps be an area of interest over the south or coast.

[birdlady127]

Originally Posted by joqua

That's the first mistake you'll make - coming to Texas in summer. Much better to visit the other times of year, particularly in the fall, but spring in the hill country is very special too.

I spent 3 weeks in the Amazon rain forest. .. I wonder how it'd compate!

[bluescreen73]

Originally Posted by joqua

That's the first mistake you'll make - coming to Texas in summer. Much better to visit the other times of year, particularly in the fall, but spring in the hill country is very special too.

Coming when the weather's at its worst is a good idea - especially if they're considering a possible relo. It'll give them a taste for how hellish the weather can be.

Originally Posted by birdlady127

I spent 3 weeks in the Amazon rain forest. .. I wonder how it'd compate!

Drier, but hotter I imagine. Make no mistake, though, there's a huge difference between dealing with 3 weeks of heat & humidity on one isolated occasion and 3 months of it every. single. year.

Gotta ask...why Waco? Fixer Upper? I had to go there several times when I worked for a company with an office there. There's a reason why Chip and Joanna find all those rundown, ramshackle houses. Waco isn't quaint. It's an armpit.

[birdlady127]

Haha! Yes, I'm thinking that's mainly why my husband mentioned Waco.

Problem is my husband is tired of PA winters whice can feel more like a 6 month season than 3. I on the other hand love winter, minus the lack of vitamin D, because there's no pest concerns (it bothers me so much I'd rather move north to have MORE snow and I'm always cold). I am trying to be open minded about Texas, but between critter concerns and the heat idk. When we do get summer days here I have zero energy.

Another issue for him here is lack of job opportunities, which I am affected by too. With a master's all I can find is mental health jobs at $20 an hour, which wasn't my field of study.

[bluescreen73]

I understand, but you are considering trading lousy winters and ok summers for equally lousy summers and ok winters. If I were to ever move back to Texas I'd look at El Paso. Drier climate and closer to terrain I personally find more appealing (mountains).