Fun places to visit (Houston, Dallas: house, camping, living)

[lepoisson]

What kind of places do you like to visit in Texas for short weekend trips?

In all honesty, I think Texas is kind of lacking in "close by" weekend trips because of how spread out everything is and how boring some of the cities here are. In most cases I end up flying somewhere else Friday evening and coming back Sunday because that's easier and more fun than what Texas cities have to offer.

I really enjoy San Antonio but I can only go there once or twice a year because it does get repetitive. Austin is the same deal. There are some unique restaurants and bars but overall I don't think there is that much to do here. Hot Springs, AR is a good weekend trip from DFW, but like the other places it's not really somewhere I could go more than once every couple years.

Houston I really didn't care for at all as a tourist. You have to drive everywhere and there are almost no pedestrian friendly walkable areas like you'd have in cities like Seattle and San Francisco.

Corpus Christi has the aquarium and a few things downtown but overall I found it to be boring. They can do so much more to make this city better for tourists.

I have coworkers from Lubbock and Amarillo but they said there is absolutely nothing for tourists there.

How is El Paso? I guess you could fly out and drive up to White Sands NP for a weekend trip.

I've heard Oklahoma has some nice nature near Broken Bow.

Big Bend NP is amazing but it's way too far of a drive for just the weekend.

I've heard great things about the Hill Country but it's a little bit far of a drive for a "leave Friday after work and come back Sunday evening" weekend trip from DFW. Might be better for a 3-4 day weekend trip.

[Pilsn3r]

Getaway House near Dallas or Houston. Just to get away and unplug. Lake Buchanan area is closer than Horseshoe.

[StealthRabbit]

. I think Texas is kind of lacking in "close by" weekend trips because of how spread out everything is

Thus.... The rub... Texas is pretty spread out, and has very minimal public lands so..., . That long distance will determine your weekend trips. For several years, we have done 'fly-drive' weekends, across the USA and Canada and Mexico, so if you are close to an airport... Take flight. We usually take an early flight out, and return via a red-eye, or very early to arrive home just in time to get to work. We did the same while living overseas. Usually left by night train and returned by night train or bus. Maybe Texas is running the illegal border crosser buses back to Texas empty, so you could get a free ride home!

For internal Texas, you may also benefit from a quick flight for a weekend adventure. There are a few airport destinations on the coast, as well as all the major cities. I can count on at least 20 TX destinations/ yr during local festivities. Thanksgiving to Christmas is very busy on the Hill Country Lighting Trail (as is Bluebonnet season). Late Spring is decent alone central texas coast, as snowbirds head home by May.

DFW has plenty of interesting weekends escapes. San Antonio has all the Hill Country activities within a couple hours. These change seasonally so always plenty to do.

ELP is a very nice and quick airport, and you can do a loop to Ruidoso, NM, White Sands, and Old Mesilla, and then back to ELP.

If you like the great outdoors... Follow the Texas crowds to NM and CO, Texans chased us from our (previously quiet and private) Colorado home in the 1960s, By the 1980's most accessible remote spots in CO and NM were discovered and ruined, but a few are still accessible, just crowded and full of litter.

If cities is your gig, there are plenty within 2 hr flight of DFW. Flying is cheaper than fuel. We do 100+ flights / yr, so we can bring a companion for free, wherever we fly. Makes for very inexpensive trips.

San Diego or SF is usually great for a cool weather destination. Santa Barbara is now accessible by SWA.

During winter, we often choose Palm Springs or Vegas. You can get to National Parks from each city if you get tired of people. We often do the Utah National Parks using Vegas as a hub. Valley of Fire is only 50 miles from Vegas and very good for sunrise and sunset. Nice camping in the park.

Many people flock to PHX during winter spring training camps and games.
Tombstone, Bisbee, and SE AZ is very close to Tucson airport.

Get going, as you're burning daylight.
Someday you'll be too old and crippled up to enjoy the trips.

[ChristieP]

https://www.traveltexas.com/
This is the official Texas travel site. It will give you lots of ideas of things to see and places to visit on weekends. Remember that many fun places in Texas are not in cities; the small towns and wide open spaces also have lots of good things to do and see. My husband and I love visiting small towns’ festivals during the spring and fall, and visiting historical sites, so we are often driving out on Saturday morning, spending that night somewhere, and driving back on Sunday.

The Hill Country is the BEST part of Texas! Yes, it’s best for a 3-day weekend since the drive is usually 4-5 hours. Fredericksburg has LOTS of things to do for tourists. There are lots of other towns, such as Boerne, Wimberly, Marble Falls, and Kerrville. In the spring, the bluebonnets are amazing, and in the summer, “tubing” the Hill Country rivers is a very popular pastime. Fall brings cooler temperatures that are great for hiking, and festivals such as Oktoberfest. Winter and the holidays are great, and after that is a slower season. Fredericksburg is the heart of Texas’ wine country: https://www.wineroad290.com/

[michaeltx9412]

Everything being spread out in Texas is the problem... Texas is a great state. It's a good place to raise your family overall, but it lacks in "the fun department." You could live in a poor state like Alabama and beautiful beaches are within just a couple of hours of drive from your home to the south and mountains to the north. In New Mexico, you're sorrounded by nature with a lot of public lands... In Midwestern states like Indiana, Ohio, etc Chicago and other dense, interesting and "real" urban cities are close by. Texas has three huge metropolitan cities, but they're all flat concrete jungles with endless sprawls. Atlanta and Phoenix are on the exact same boat being peer sunbelt cities, but at least ATL is surrounded by trees and the latter has some of the best destinations in the country within just a couple of hours of drive. I mean, I still prefer Texas over many other states as a place to live, but if you want see something exciting and interesting at the same time, it ain't it unless you want to get drunk at a bar. Honestly, small towns are where Texas shines.

[BobTex]

We do weekends in Galveston couple of times a year. We have a favorite place to stay Gruene on the river and also make 2-3 trips a year to the Hill Country , usually Fredericksburg which we have a couple of getaway places there. San Antonio is nice enough but not that enthralled with it too often.

A lot depends on what you want to do in getting away. I like to go camping and fishing and there's plenty of that available, even on Texas beaches. Since I'm way in East Texas Big Bend is really a challenge to get to, I can go to the Smoky Mountains almost as quickly.

[Cuero]

Live near an airport. It's long been popular for better off Texans to fly someplace to get away for the weekend.

[lepoisson]

Originally Posted by michaeltx9412

Everything being spread out in Texas is the problem... Texas is a great state. It's a good place to raise your family overall, but it lacks in "the fun department." You could live in a poor state like Alabama and beautiful beaches are within just a couple of hours of drive from your home to the south and mountains to the north. In New Mexico, you're sorrounded by nature with a lot of public lands... In Midwestern states like Indiana, Ohio, etc Chicago and other dense, interesting and "real" urban cities are close by. Texas has three huge metropolitan cities, but they're all flat concrete jungles with endless sprawls. Atlanta and Phoenix are on the exact same boat being peer sunbelt cities, but at least ATL is surrounded by trees and the latter has some of the best destinations in the country within just a couple of hours of drive. I mean, I still prefer Texas over many other states as a place to live, but if you want see something exciting and interesting at the same time, it ain't it unless you want to get drunk at a bar. Honestly, small towns are where Texas shines.

This is exactly how I feel. I used to live in Chicago and could easily take weekend trips to beach towns in Michigan or Wisconsin or visit some lakes with campsites. I've been to a few campsites near DFW and because there really isn't much scenery, they are kind of boring.

A couple weekends ago I flew out to LA on Friday night and came back Sunday evening. Not really a place I'd live but I had a blast. I'm planning on doing some more trips like this soon.

One of these days I'm going to make it down to the hill country but I need to wait for a 3 day weekend for that I guess.

[TheOverdog]

Spirit Airlines - wait for flash sales. Go to fun cities from DFW or Houston.


If you are into smaller towns, The DayTripper (tv show and website) makes the most of small town Texas. Check him out on Youtube to see if there is anything you might like. There is more than you might think.

[fwsavemoney]

Hot Springs, AR
Broken Bow, OK,

Go to Palo Duro State Canyon
Caddo Lake
Toledo bend near Louisiana border