Road Trips from Houston

Home to an exciting range of activities and attractions the city of Dallas is located in the southern part of Texas. The city houses a wide range of art galleries, zoos, and churches for visitors. The Dallas Museum of art is one of the biggest and oldest museums with a collection of paintings, ancient sculptures, and artifacts. The Dallas zoo is also a major attraction for children, as it has several shows, animal attractions and is also a great learning experience. The cosmopolitan city of Dallas is also known for its delicious cafeterias and restaurants which provide delicacies from all over the world. In addition to this, the city also has a majestic skyline of its high rise buildings like the Bank of America Plaza and the Reunion Tower. Interestingly, the frozen margarita machine and German chocolates were also invented in the city of Dallas.

Distance from Houston: 239 miles

"Located in Far West Texas, between the Davis Mountains and the Big Bend National Park, Marfa is a small city known for minimalist art and tourism. The Chinati Art Foundation and the Judd Art foundation are two famous art museums most visited by tourists. The Marfa gliders is another famous attraction where the visitors can fly in small planes and capture scenic views of the mountains and deserts from the air. The lights festival of Marfa is one of the most popular events in the region. The Marfa Lights is a mysterious scene of the city visible only on clear nights that leaves most spectators awestruck on sight. The view of Marfa lights itself is enough to fulfill one’s stay in the city. Additionally, camping in the desert is also a popular activity in the city for tourists.

Distance from Houston: 588 miles

Located in the Big Bend region and covering 40 acres of land are the Chisos mountains. The mountains were formed by a volcanic eruption 33-44 billion years ago. The mountain's name in the native American language means ghost or spirit, making the region more explorative and engaging for its visitors. The mountain range has a cool climate because of its height and location. With this, the mountain range is also home to several birds, animals, and ants. The mountains also have a lodge for the visitors who wish to spend a longer period at the Chisos mountain range.
 
Distance from Houston: 563 miles

Rio Frio is a small unincorporated city part of Real County, Texas. The town is named after the river on which it is located, the Frio River. Some famous activities that the city is famous for include Alamo. This historic location is very close to the Texans and is a must-visit location for all tourists. In addition to this, Six Flags is another famous recreational park where families and people of all ages can enjoy thrilling rides and activities. The city is also famous for hiking and camping. Garner State Park, located inside the city, offers many different trails and camping sites where people can camp and hike. Fishing is also a common activity along the Frio River.

Activities - camping, recreation
Distance from Houston - 289 miles

Lost Maples, a beautiful and scenic region of hills and valleys located in the Edwards Plateau in Texas. The 2906 acre land is filled with red, orange, yellow leafed trees leaving visitors awestruck and mesmerized. Lost Maples is also home to the white-tailed deer and mountain lions, making hunting a prevalent sport in the region. The trails also include a 2200 foot cliff climb that makes hiking adventurous and one of the park's most popular activities. Other activities visitors can enjoy are birdwatching, backpacking, fishing, and camping. The scenic location attracts hundreds of families for picnics and branches throughout the year. Lost Maples is also home to the rapidly flowing Sabinal River.

Address - 37221 RM 187, Vanderpool, TX 78885, United States
Activities - bird watching, hiking, camping, fishing
Distance from Houston - 283 miles

Barton Springs is a popular man-made swimming pool in Austin, Texas. The unique feature of the pool is that it is filled with the natural springs that are located nearby, hence it is a great skin healing location. Known as the crown jewel of Austin, the pool is the city’s most popular and visited the place. The Barton springs are well maintained by the officials and they also ensure that the place is always safe for swimming and recreation.

Address - Austin, TX 78746, United States
Distance from Houston - 165 miles

A relatively newer and small city, Wimberly was established recently in 2000. The city is located at Blanco River and Cypress creek's confluence and thus offers some of the most natural and scenic views to its visitors of the hills and rivers. The city also has its own Wimberly valley that allows the visitors to go camping and hiking. Fishing is also a common activity in the region. Owing to its hilly locations, the city is most attracted by adventurous and outdoor people who love exploring nature and its wonders. Jacob’s well swimming hole is also a famous attraction within the city.

Distance from Houston: 182 miles

Named after Henry B Shiner, the city of Shiner is located in the Lavaca County of Texas. It is known that Henry B SHiner had given away 250 acres of land to the city, intending to create a railroad that increases the city's connectivity and productivity. The city is home to a minimal number of people and households, with fewer schools and other essentials than Texas's other cities. Shiner, although it is a developing and growing city. 

Distance from Houston: 120 miles

Known for its Creole cuisine, unique dialect, and world-famous music, the city of New Orleans is located in Louisiana's heart. The diverse city of New Orleans is also known for its melting pot of African, American, and French cultures. The city also serves one of the best cuisines in its small, vintage, and homely cafes and restaurants. The Sazerac drink in New Orleans is the city's specialty; invented in early 1800, the drink instantly became a hit and is now the official drink of New Orleans. In addition to this, the city is also known for its French and American architecture and buildings prevalent in almost all the small lanes and corners of the city.

Distance from Houston: 377 miles

Established in 1916, the Big Bend National Park is a 3,242 km² natural forest reserve. With more than 318 million visits every year, the national park is involved in protecting and preserving over 1200 species of plants, 450 species of birds, 56 species of reptiles, and 75 species of animals. Big Bend also has many archeological sites of dinosaur bones as well as volcanic dikes. These features make the state park extremely useful for research and development. The Big Bend National Park's primary activities for visitors include camping, birdwatching, and backpacking trails. Another feature of the park is its certification as a dark sky park. It is one of the few parks where the stars, moon, and even the milky way galaxy is clearly visible at night.

Address: Big Bend National Park, TX, United States
Activities: The night sky, camping, bird watching
Distance from Houston: 563 miles

Caddo Lake is a 26,810-acre lake and wetland located on the border of Texas and Louisiana. It is one of the largest lakes in the Southern part of the United States. Caddo Lake is home to several alligators, making it different from any other lake in the city. Other animals that can be spotted there include owls, snakes, frogs, bobcats, and ferrets, among many others. There is also an alligator park where visitors can feed alligators and understand their habitats. Fishing and camping are also popular adventure activities around the lake. 46 campsites around the lake are built for visitors for a fun-filled stay at the park, in addition to the ranger programs and rental paddle boats.

Address: Harrison County, Texas
Activities: fishing, hiking, camping
Distance from Houston: 247 miles

A city known for its revolutionary history, Marshall is filled with several historical sites and buildings, all telling a story. The area was initially used for cotton plantations, which later became a developed area, although it is yet developing in several ways. The city is also known for its well-established railroad that increases its connectivity throughout the city as well as the state.

Distance from Houston: 219 miles

Located 287.5 miles away from the city of Houston the Garner State Park is 1774 acres of pure scenic beauty, with hills, mountains, and rivers. The Garner State Park is also home to the Frio Rio river, where visitors can swim, rent paddle boats also go fishing. Hiking, trekking, and camping are activities that are thoroughly enjoyed by all the visitors. Along with these popular activities, visitors can also picnic on the grass, canoe, and fish in the river, study nature, play mini-golf and go mountain biking in the premises of the state park. In addition to these exciting and adventurous activities, one can also buy souvenirs as a memory of this panoramic place.

Address: 234 RR 1050, Concan, TX 78838
Open Hours: 8am-10pm
Activites: Hiking, camping
Entry Fee: USD 8
Distance from Houston: 285.7 miles

Located 50 miles north of Houston, the Sam Houston National Forest is one of the four largest natural habitats of Texas. The forest covers an area of more than 163,037 acres of land and is home to a variety of species of birds, animals, and trees. Hiking is an exciting and popular activity in the Forest Reserve. The region has a 128-mile long trail called the lone star train that runs through the heart of the forest. Home to the 3000-acre lake where the visitors can enjoy fishing and boating, the forest reserve also allows camping within the region with more than 48 camping sites that have an electricity supply. The forest is a very scenic location where people can enjoy their life outside the busy city life.

Address: 394 FM 1375 West, New Waverly, TX 77358, United States
Activities: Hiking, Camping, Bird watching
Distance from Houston: 50 miles

Located in the Appalachian range of Alabama, Huntsville is also known as the city of Rockets. The city is home to the U.S Space and Rocket center, NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center, as well as the United States Aviation and Missile Command, making it one of the most technologically developed cities in Texas.
Built with a strong infrastructure, the city of Huntsville also has a revolutionary history of civil wars, world wars, and depressions. With this rich and flourishing history, the city is now home to developing technology with its space centers and research institutions.

Address: Morgan County, Alabama
Time from Houston: 2 hours by flight

Considered as the Texan’s Texas, Brenham is the city where one can feel the real authenticity of Texas and its lifestyle. The city brings out its culture, lifestyle and festivals in a pure and orthodox manner showcasing the roots of the state. There are many activities in Brenham that make it a very adventurous and exciting city to visit.
Brenham holds many annual events and festivals that make the city very happening and lively. Some of the famous festivals include the yearly German Heritage Fest and the Texas rangers day. Other attractions include museums and clubs that make the place adventurous and informative.
Distance from Houston: 76 miles

A metropolitan city located in the heart of Galveston County is Texas City, known for its Magical WInter lights and clear lake. Texas city is one of the largest cities in the state and is also home to one of the most important Texas ports. The city is well developed and is famous for its beautiful sunsets and sunrises. Being an environmentally friendly city, they have built around 40 conservational parks in Texas city. Texas City also houses a famous aquatic center and its very own museum which showcases the events of World War 2 and how it impacted the city in particular. Other activities one can come across in the town include fishing. Experienced fishers and water enthusiasts also visit Texas City Dike, the largest human-made pier in the world stretching close to 5.3 miles.

Address: Galveston County, Texas
Activities: Fishing
Distance from Houston: 45.9 miles

A city in Brazos County, Texas, College Station is known for being home to the world-famous Texas A&M University. The research university today has the highest student population in the country. In addition to this, they also have several other business gardens, a well built and connected transportation system throughout the city. The city also has airports and railroads to increase the connectivity of the place.

Address: Brazos County, Texas
Distance from Houston: 87 miles

Bolivar Peninsula is a census-designated place located in the Galveston County of Texas. The peninsula is a 27 mile stretch of land that is filled with exciting activities and adventurous events. These activities include birdwatching, a tour of the Travis fort and the Bolivar lighthouse, and much more. Filled with cultural and historical monuments as well, the region is also covered with thousands of different species of birds. There are specific birding centers as well where one can go bird watching. The area is also filled with elegant restaurants and bars so that people can enjoy the beautiful sunset along with delicious food.

Address: Galveston County, Texas
Activities: Bird watching, historical monuments
Distance from Houston: 72 miles

Forming the southern part of the Edwards Plateau, located between south and central Texas, is the Texas Hill country. The region is known for its topography of soluble rocks as well as the hills filled with minerals like granite and limestone. The mountains, hills, vegetation and rivers build up together to make the region more beautiful and scenic as a whole.
The Texas Hill Country has several places to walk, hike and trek and enjoy the freshness of the serine beauty and extensive vegetation. It is one of the most peaceful and calming atmospheres which is spread throughout the ranges of mountains and valleys—the area dominated with the Spanish and German influence of food stalls, beer and architecture.

Activites: Hiking, trekking, camping
Distance from Houston: 250 miles

New Braunfels is placed in the middle of the crossroads of the crystal clear Comal and the overpopulated city of Guadalupe. The city is majorly known for its widely spotted German and Texas architecture, in most of the heritage buildings around the city. The winter months here often attract visitors to cool rivers and adventurous water parks. New Braunfels has a humid and subtropical climate which is similar to most of its surroundings. The weather permits the people to shop at various renowned locations as well as smaller local stores. The town also holds the famous Wurstfest, a German-style sausage festival every November, and another festival in December highlighting the heritage buildings in Lockhart.

Distance: 174.6 miles

Also known as the barbeque capital of Texas, Lockhart is loved by the visitors for the wide range of delicious meats that go into making the world-famous barbeques. Here, one is more likely to find budding musicians and small brewers who live at Lockhart to escape the high prices and hectic city life of the metropolitan cities.
The Caldwell courthouse and jailhouse are major attractions in the city with a unique and impactful history. The Downtown square is also the right place for people to relax, sit, and spend time together. Lockhart also is home to a bunch of art galleries that have the work of growing artists, to empower and highlight their talent.

Distance: 140 miles

A charming college town, SanMarcos is located amid the metropolitan cities of San Antonio and Austin. Home to the largest outlet mall in the country, San Marcos is also known for its historic downtown square and unique water parks. Visitors get a chance to experience out of the world things like a unicycle football match and an uphill waterfall at the park. In addition to this, San Marcos allows its visitors to take a glass-bottom tour in the Spring Lake and go paddle boating during the nights. The Lyndon Baines Johnson Museum and the World War 2 aircraft museum are also places that add value to the small town of San Marcos.

Distance: 165 miles