10 kid-friendly vacations from Dallas, fun for the whole family!
These top family-friendly trips in Texas, Arkansas, and Oklahoma will wow kids and grown-ups alike.
“The Greatest Legacy We Can Leave Our Children Is Happy Memories.”
– Og Mandino.
The (not that) hard task of pleasing the whole family
Traveling has always been my passion.
It didn’t change when I had kids – in fact, hitting the road with my kiddos to discover new destinations is one of my favorite ways of building family memories. And, oh, what beautiful memories!
Wherever I go, I take my kids in tow. Whenever I plan a trip, I try to mix activities for both kids and adults or, even better, find the perfect cool things to do that all age groups can enjoy.
The win-win attractions.
Those that keep kids engaged, so they don’t start annoying the parents (making it impossible for us to enjoy our time, let’s face it).
Nor are solely focused on the children, to the point of boring us adults and killing our will of traveling with kids for good, lol.
My personal favorite family travel destinations in Texas and surroundings
During the past few years, I’ve been traveling around Dallas, Texas, and the surrounding States, exploring and testing different destinations with my family.
While all the trips were somehow worth the experience, some were especially remarkable for my little ones.
Here I share the ones that, to date, best did the job of wowing everybody in the family (as well as some items at the top of my bucket list).
Travel destinations my kids keep asking me to visit again and that I would totally repeat.
Explore!
Find below the 10 top travel destinations for families within a driving distance from Dallas, according to my and my children’s totally biased opinions – no scientific method here. 
Choose the ones that speak the most to you, make your own family-friendly trips wish list, and hit the road to make wonderful memories with your favorite people!
1. Glen Rose, TX
Dinosaur Valley State Park and Fossil Rim
Distance: 75 miles/ 1 h 20 min from Dallas
Glen Rose is a no-brainer for families with kids of all ages.
It’s super close to Dallas, home to a beautiful state park with real dinosaur tracks, and Texas’ best safari drive-thru, Fossil Rim. You can even sleep in a cabin inside the wildlife center surrounded by animals!
Find in this post the details and a complete itinerary to Glen Rose (destination # 1).
It’s a year-round destination. But before heading there, check with Dinosaur Valley State Park if dinosaur tracks are visible – subject to weather conditions and water level.
2. Davis, OK
Turner Falls, Arbuckle Wilderness Park and Chickasaw Tribe
Distance: 130 miles/ 2 h 00 min from Dallas
Another must-visit destination for families, Davis is a small town in Oklahoma surrounded by amazing attractions: the largest waterfall in Oklahoma, a rustic safari-style zoo, and a native American tribe cultural center.
A travel destination only 2 hours away from Dallas, where you can, among other things, hike into small caves, dive into a waterfall, feed wild animals, and watch a Chickasaw native dance.
Tons of fun and culture and a superb place to create family memories!
Find in this post a complete itinerary to Davis (destination # 2), with all the info you need to plan your trip.
My favorite times of the year to visit Turner Falls are spring and fall to enjoy the amazing colors that make this natural setting even more stunning.
Even if it’s too cold to swim, you can still enjoy nature and hiking.
Plan to arrive at Arbuckle Wilderness Park early.
On our visit we were the first ones to enter the park and OMG, animals were corralling our car to be fed! So cool!
I imagine it wouldn’t have been the same if we had arrived after a lot of people had fed them, and they had their stomachs full, lol.
Avoid visiting the area during summer and holidays. It can get really crowded and spoil the experience.
3. Austin
Barton Springs Swimming Hole, Kayaking, Stand-Up Paddling, and Bat-Watching
Distance: 195 miles/ 3 h 00 min from Dallas
This is an amazing family trip to take from May through September. Austin is one of the coolest Texas travel destinations and offers things to do for all ages.
The must-sees and dos when you’re traveling with kids to Austin are splashing into Barton Springs at Zilker Park, kayaking, or stand-up paddling through crystal-clear Barton Creek and Colorado River.
And watching millions of bats leaving from under Congress Bridge at dusk (trust me on this one, it’s impressive and a one-of-a-kind experience you will never forget).
But Austin offers much more than that!
Here you’ll find a complete post dedicated to this must-visit Texas travel destination, with the top things to do in Austin and tips on how to make the most of your trip.
4. Llano, TX
Enchanted Rock, Longhorn Caverns, and Colorado River Canyon Cruise
Distance: 229 miles/ 3 h 30 min from Dallas
If your family enjoys the outdoors, you’ll love this trip.
Llano is only a place to spend the night – the fun lies in its surroundings! From there, you are 30 minutes away from both Enchanted Rock and the Longhorn Caverns, two very cool destinations for all ages.
Enchanted Rock is a unique formation, a pink granite dome in the Texas Hill Country’s heart.
The hike to the top is doable with kids under the right conditions (read this post, destination # 11) and rewards you with amazing views. Unforgettable, I would say – or at least it was for my kids, who keep me asking me when we’re going to go up the “Giant Rock” again!
The Longhorn Caverns are stunning. And one of the only places in the world where you can experience complete darkness.
The guided tour through the cavern requires you to lower your head in some stretches. And my kids found it hilarious that mom had to move like a ninja carrying a 3-years old in a baby carrier, lol.
Near Longhorn Caverns, you’ll find Buchanan Lake and can take a scenic cruise along the Colorado River Canyon there.
This trip is best suited for cooler weather months, between late October and early April.
Hiking Enchanted Rock under the heat makes it 10 times harder (it’s all the way up, and there are absolutely no shades along the way).
5. Murfreesboro, AR
Crater of Diamonds State Park and Diamond Old West Cabins
Distance: 234 miles/ 3 h 45 min from Dallas
A low-profile lodge with Old West-themed cabins and tons of family activities – including tepees with firepits to make s’mores! And a nearby place to become a miner for a day and dig in the dirt for diamonds and other stones.
Do I need to say anything else?
Oh, and my own kids loved it so much that they recently even offered to trade their birthday parties for a weekend there.
I would say that it’s probably their favorite quick getaway from Dallas to date!
For full details, check this post (destination # 9 – Crater of Diamonds State Park).
The best time to visit is any time of the year but summer – the crater of diamonds is an open area, with no shades, and digging under the excruciating heat is not advisable or fun!
6. Gruene
Natural Bridge Caverns, Natural Bridge Wildlife Ranch, and River Tubing.
Distance: 240 miles/ 3 h 40 min from Dallas
Gruene makes everyone happy!
Parents can enjoy the amazing and lively historic town square, with the oldest dance hall in Texas, lots of live music, wineries, good shops, and restaurants.
Kids will have a blast exploring a cavern, feeding the animals at Natural Bridge Wildlife Center – did you notice a pattern here? Lol – and tubing the Guadalupe River.
For more things to do in Gruene and further details, check this post (destination # 10).
Another year-round destination – go during warmer months if you want to do the river float thing, though.
But have in mind that Gruene and its surroundings get really crowded during holidays (which place doesn’t?), and river tubing cannot be as pleasant during these times.
7. Houston and Galveston
NASA, Kemah Boardwalk, and Moody Gardens
Distance: 240 miles/ 3 h 30 min from Dallas
The Houston-Galveston combo makes a remarkable family trip, I swear!
They are not exactly the most celebrated travel destinations in Texas, I know.
But knowing where to go and focusing on the best things to do, Houston and Galveston can be awesome places to visit and are only 40 minutes apart.
In one shot, you can visit the NASA mission control center and astronaut facility training. Indulge in old-fashioned fun at the Kemah Boardwalk.
And visit Moody Gardens, a themed amusement park and non-profit. It offers, among other attractions, an aquarium, a rain forest exhibition, and a seasonal water park featuring a white-sand beach and a lazy river.
Check here a complete itinerary to Houston, including a side trip to Galveston.
The best time to visit to do the whole thing is summer, but you can enjoy the NASA area attractions year-round if you decide to skip the Galveston part – Houston has enough cool attractions to keep you entertained for a weekend.
8. Port Aransas, TX
Beaches, Pirate Cruise, and Dolphin Watch Tour
Distance: 389 miles/ 6 h 20 min from Dallas
Hitting the beach is one of the best ways to ensure fun for everybody in the family.
At least in my humble opinion, as I love being by the beach and my kids do not need much more than sand and water to have the time of their lives!
The beaches near Port Aransas are the best ones to visit from Dallas – magnificent beaches, a reasonable driving distance so, if you’re feeling like burying your feet in the sand and building sandcastles, head there!
Port Aransas is a small coastal town with a cool beach vibe, good restaurants, and entertainment options.
From there, you can embark on a Dolphin Watch Tour and a Pirate Cruise.
The beach right at Port Aransas is not the best. Still, within a short driving distance, you can reach Mustang Island and South Padre Island National Seashore (aka North Padre Island), with amazing beaches you wouldn’t expect to find on the Texas coast.
No need to say this is an ideal trip for warmer weather months! I would say anytime between April and October.
The cool thing is that you can avoid the crowds even during holidays knowing the right spots to go.
Check this post to know the beaches to visit and avoid in the Port Aransas coastline – it’s based on a trip to Port Aransas right on Labor Day.
9. Malaquite Beach, TX
Camping ON the beach!
Distance: 442 miles/ 6 h 30 min from Dallas
Malaquite is a jaw-dropping beach. Think white sand, deep blue ocean, and lots of pelicans – it’s a bird sanctuary.
It’s my favorite beach to visit from Dallas when I have a short time frame.
The distance, 6h30 driving, is doable on a long weekend.
And it’s a must-visit place to fix for good the mistaken idea many people have that there are no good beaches in Texas – so untrue!
Malaquite Beach is part of the South Padre Island Seashore and the only beach in the preserve accessible without a 4-wheel drive.
You can easily visit it as part of a trip to Port Aransas. But for a unique and unforgettable experience, camp right at the Padre Island National Seashore by the beach.
Honestly, I don’t know of any better way to build family memories than sleeping under the stars and having a stunning beach as your backyard!
The best time for visiting is late April through early October, to enjoy the summerish weather. I would avoid August, though, as sleeping in a tent under the Texas heat does not sound very appealing to me.
10. South Padre Island, TX
Dunes, white sand beaches, dolphins, sea turtles, and (enclosed) alligators!
Distance: 560 miles/ 8 h 00 min from Dallas
I confess it took me a while to visit South Padre Island. More precisely, 5 years.
Why would I drive eight hours to hit a Texas beach when I could drive two hours more and get to Florida?
But then life gave me a puppy. And while looking for summer dog-friendly vacations, I stumbled again upon South Padre Island.
I thought, “why not give it a try?”. And I’m SO glad I did!
This was by far my favorite family vacation in Texas to date.
The beaches beautiful, with white sand and clear water (forget about Galveston’s brown water). The town was charming and full of great waterfront restaurants. And the natural environment and activities jaw-dropping and inspiring.
We walked on white dunes – you can ride a horse on them as well!
I visited Sea Turtle Inc, where we saw gorgeous sea turtle rescues and learned about the importance of recycling (seeing my 5 years old collecting plastic from the beach the next morning and saying “because now I care about the world” was worth the trip by itself).
My kids got to hold an alligator and a snake at the South Padre Island Birding and Nature Center!
And much more.
Find in this post my recommendations on the 10 top things to do in South Padre Island, including tons of family-friendly activities to engage in there.
Summing Up
"Oh, the places you'll go." - Dr. Seuss.
If you read this post till this point, chances are you’re a travel lover yourself, just like me. Instill this passion in your kids, too – they will thank you someday.
Show them the world beyond our own backyards. Teach them to appreciate nature’s gifts. To live life to the fullest – it goes by really fast!
Pick your favorites and hit the road
In this post, you found 10 ideas to be used whenever your family needs a break from routine.
Glen Rose, Davis, Austin, Llano, Murfreesboro, Gruene, Houston, Port Aransas, Malaquite Beach, and South Padre Island are all awesome places to travel with children from Dallas.
They are within a driving distance from the Big D and offer interesting activities for the whole family.
Dig into the content above, choose your favorite trip ideas, gather your kiddos and explore.
Get out of the routine, spend some deserved quality time with your family, and create wonderful memories to be treasured for life!
Share your experiences and help to spread the word!
Remember to get back here and tell me your experience. I will love to hear from you.
And if you know of an amazing place to travel with kids from Dallas I’m missing in this post, please leave a comment!
This is a work in progress, and I’ll love to check it out and help to spread the word.
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