Texas distances are large enough that a Dallas weekend divides sharply: things within two hours, and things that require leaving on Friday evening.
Within an hour
Fort Worth, 45 minutes, and genuinely a different city rather than a suburb.
The Kimbell Art Museum in a Louis Kahn building widely regarded as one of the finest museum buildings anywhere, the Amon Carter for American art, and the Modern next door — three serious museums within walking distance of each other, most with free general admission.
The Stockyards for the cattle drive and the honky-tonks, and a walkable centre.
Two to three hours
Waco, 90 minutes — the Magnolia development, the suspension bridge, and Cameron Park.
Tyler and the East Texas piney woods, two hours — the closest genuine forest, with the rose garden and Tyler State Park.
Broken Bow, Oklahoma, three hours northeast — cabins in pine woods, Beavers Bend State Park, hiking and paddling. Heavily booked on summer and autumn weekends.
Caddo Lake, three hours east — bald cypress in black water, and the only natural lake in Texas. Paddling among the trees is unlike anywhere else in the state.
Friday evening departures
Austin, three hours — music, food, Barton Springs, and the bats under the Congress Avenue Bridge from spring to autumn.
The Hill Country, four hours — Fredericksburg's German-settled main street, a wine trail, Enchanted Rock's granite dome, and swimming holes at Hamilton Pool and the Blue Hole.
Spring wildflowers, roughly late March into April, are when it is at its best and busiest.
San Antonio, four and a half hours — the River Walk, the Alamo, and the four Spanish colonial missions south of the city, which are a UNESCO site and considerably quieter than the Alamo.
Hot Springs, Arkansas, five hours — bathhouse row, a national park inside a town, and the Ouachita mountains.
Long weekends only
| Destination | Drive |
|---|---|
| Marfa / Big Bend | 8h / 9h |
| New Orleans | 8h |
| Santa Fe | 10h |
| Galveston / Gulf coast | 5h |
Marfa is a small high-desert town with Donald Judd's permanent minimalist installations, a distinctive quality of light, and a food and lodging scene disproportionate to its size. Big Bend beyond it is one of the least-visited national parks and one of the best.
Practical
Summer is brutal. July and August routinely exceed 38°C across Texas, which rules out most outdoor plans between about 11am and 6pm.
Spring and autumn are the seasons — March to May and October to November.
Book Hill Country and Broken Bow accommodation well ahead for wildflower season and autumn.
Flying is sometimes better. Dallas to Austin, Houston or New Orleans by air can beat the drive once traffic is counted.