Worthwhile Road Trips

These 4 worthy weekend getaways are within 2 hours of Dallas

About halfway between the winter holidays and summer vacation, the itch sets in to get out of town. If you don’t have the budget or vacation days to take a lengthy trip, gas up the car and take a short road trip to one of these small towns that will quench your thirst for new adventures.

Tyler

Explore: Less than two hours from Dallas, Tyler State Park has towering trees and a scenic spring-fed lake for outdoor adventurers. Try the .67-mile Whispering Pines hike for a short and moderate trek, or the 3.1-mile B Loop for more skilled hikers. Rent a canoe, kayak, or paddleboat to see the park from the 64-acre lake. The 1859 Goodman-LeGrand House & Museum serves as a good starting point for exploring this historic town. Walk through the free museum situated on manicured grounds with lots of azaleas and roses. After gaining an appreciation for the town’s history, walk south on Broadway Avenue to Front Street and explore the antique shops and boutiques.

Eat: For a town with only 100,000 people in it, Tyler has a respectable dining scene. Stop at Stanley’s Famous Pit Barbecue for a plate of finger-licking meat. The Mother Clucker piles a smoked chicken thigh, cheddar cheese, and a fried egg on jalapeño cheese sourdough. For a fancier dinner, make a reservation at the restaurant, winery, and B&B hybrid Kiepersol. The menu features a little of everything, but seafood is the shining star. Make sure to ask about wine pairings for your meal. Try Roast Social Kitchen for pizza, Villa Montez for Latin American food, or FD’s Grillhouse for American fare.

Stay: Camp primitively at Tyler State Park or rent a cabin with electricity, air conditioning, and basic appliances. A string of sleeping options such as Rosevine Inn Bed & Breakfast, Woldert-Spence Manor, and Memory Lane Inn have that charming small-town feel within walking distance to shops and attractions.

Sherman

Explore: Every Saturday from noon to 5 pm, 903 Brewers offers free tours of its Sherman brewery. Try a Republic of Texas lager, Mythical Creature IPA, or Mexican-style Cervaza Por Favor. For an authentic animal experience, visit the migratory bird haven Hagerman National Wildlife Refuge on Lake Texoma. Visitors can walk trails, fish, and (of course) bird watch. The Harber Wildlife Museum has a large selection of animal dioramas, but check out its limited opening hours before venturing to the north end of town for a visit.

Eat: After your hour and 20 minute drive from Dallas to Sherman, get your caffeine fix at Bean Me Up Coffeehouse & Bistro or grab a quick sandwich and soup from the board of rotating specials. A giant salad and bakery treats such as buttermilk pie or lemon squares are on offer at Kathleen’s Kitchen. Come for the unpretentious American food (think everything from nachos to BLTs to chicken fried steak) at Old Iron Post, but stay for the live music on most weekends. No cover charge and inexpensive drinks could keep you there all night. For a classier dinner, head to Fulbelli’s Restaurant. A large menu of seared pork belly, stuffed quail, Moroccan sea bass, lobster mac and cheese, and more will help you fuel up after your day of travel.

Stay: In addition to the usual roundup of Comfort Suites, Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites, and more, Sherman has a handful of home rentals on Airbnb.

Muenster

Explore: This tiny Texas town with a population of 1,600 west of Gainesville forces visitors to slow down from big city bustle. Fish for largemouth bass or crappie in Muenster Lake. Public docks make for the ideal spot for a sunset picnic with goodies from Fischer’s Meat Market grocery store. Muenster Antique Mall often serves as home base for serious vintage lovers making the rounds to shops in Gainesville to the east and Saint Jo and Nocona to the west. If you find yourself in Muenster for the last week in April, the town’s annual Germanfest offers strudel, schnitzels, spätzel, German brews, and nonstop live music. Plus, you could win a nägelschlagen competition (just Google it, trust us).

Eat: Try Rohmer’s Restaurant for authentic German food made by the same family for three generations. Doc’s Bar & Grill has a board of rotating specials spanning all your tried-and-true bar food and a full bar. On hot summer days, grab an ice-cold treat at the Chill Out snow-cone stand.

Stay: Shillinghaus, a B&B run a husband-and-wife duo, has a couple rooms decorated in local goods and furniture. Koesler Haus is a 1900s-era home on a scenic pond that can be fully rented for a group. A jacuzzi, fire pits, and plenty of board games make for a cabin-style weekend. Elm Creek Manor offers guest rooms and a farm-to-table dining experience with homemade cheese; homegrown veggies; and farm-raised goats, chicken, rabbits, and tilapia. If you get tired of walking through the gardens during your stay, take a dip in the pool or hot tub, or play one of the outdoor games on the property.

Wichita Falls

Explore: For a couple off-the-wall attractions about two hours northwest of Dallas, visit the world’s littlest skyscraper in downtown Wichita Falls. The neoclassical Newby-McMahon building measurers 40 feet tall and is a Texas Historic Landmark. The Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum is worth a visit just to snap a photo with all the wrestling outfits on display, and the memorabilia and history will keep you entertained for a couple hours. Roam the Art on the Green Outdoor Sculpture Invitational Exhibit’s six permanent exhibits on the grounds of Kemp Center for the Arts.

Eat: Plenty of good food can be found in Wichita Falls. A modest menu of American food pairs well with a cold beer at the newly opened Highlander Public House. If you make it to Wichita Falls during the week, stop at the Gypsy Kit for tacos, burgers, sandwiches, and more at this food truck-turned storefront hot spot. Get seafood at Pelican’s, pizza at Stone Oven, and cheesy, greasy goodness at Willie’s Place. For one of the best steaks in the area, head to McBride’s Steakhouse.

Stay: Book a stay at one of several chain hotels and motels, such as Courtyard Marriott, Hampton Inn, and Homewood Suites.

903 Brewers in Sherman offers free brewery tours on Saturdays.

903 Brewers/Facebook

903 Brewers in Sherman offers free brewery tours on Saturdays.

Hotel News

7 extremely cool and offbeat hotels to stay in the Texas Hill Country

Photo courtesy of Kerrville Convention and Visitors Bureau

undefined

For weekend warriors looking to escape Dallas, the Hill Country offers more than just wine tastings and antique shopping. The rolling hills hide some of the most unique properties in the world. From safari ranches with rhinos to a life-sized bird's nest, these are the weirdest, wildest, and most unforgettable places to rest your head in Texas — because your hotel should be as memorable as your road trip.

Cypress Valley — Spicewood
If you've ever wanted to build a treehouse, but only had a few spindly saplings in your suburban backyard, this adventurous hideaway might cure some lifelong FOMO. With a winding tangle of rope bridges and trellises, the compound might look like a particularly elaborate rope course, but the rooms are more Jane than Tarzan. Snap a few shots of the distressed wood walls and oversized pendants for post-trip design inspo, then turn the cell phone off for the weekend.

Barons CreekSide Glamping Wagons — Fredericksburg
Yes, playing The Oregon Trail video game caused a generation to distrust covered wagons, and the iffy salad bars at K-Bob's probably didn't help. These replica Conestoga settler's wagons don't have a risk of typhoid fever. The 220 square feet spaces have roomy showers, sinks, and all the conveniences of home. But guests will probably want to spend most of their time outdoors, lounging in a hammock near the fire pit.

Longneck Manor — Fredericksburg
You might expect to find goats, cows, and chickens on a Hill Country ranch. Longneck ups the ante with ambling rhinos and wagging Labradors. Founded by Rick Barongi, a former director at the Houston Zoo, the safari resort works with conservation groups to quell any Joe Exotic-style ethical concerns. Overstuffed furnishings and luxe linens give all the comforts of a high-end hotel, but there are some amenities that the Four Seasons can't replicate. The suite offers a private window into the barn, where baby giraffes munch on leaves.

The Diamond is Onera Fredericksburg's unique take on an A-Frame. Photo by Jeff Jones

Missing Hotel — Marble Falls
If Swiss Family Robinson's hardworking patriarch studied Modernist architecture, he might have drafted something like this Marble Falls enclave. The various cabins and geodesic domes may have urban niceties, but the canopy of old-growth trees is light-years from the hustle and bustle. Don't expect to make a stay into a working vacation — even the owners admit the Wi-Fi is spotty. Instead, give yourself the permission to forget about time by taking a dip in a private plunge pool or swaying along to a record.

Onera — Fredericksburg
This Hill Country resort is a CultureMap obsession, both for the breathtaking natural setting and the avant-garde architecture. In August, the spot debuted 23 new units with striking geometric forms that look more like minimalistic monoliths than buildings. Inside, the owners provide few distractions. Why nibble on tchotchkes when you can feast on spectacular vistas?

Skybox Cabins — Glen Rose
Although all of the cabins on this compound have charming themes, ranging from a tribute to 17th-century French pigeonniers to buzzy pollinators, the most coveted is The Nest. It isn't just a catchy name. Guests can actually perch in a human-sized aerie outfitted with pillows and twinkle lights. Bring up a portable speaker and cuddle into a tête-à-tête. Recommended listening: Billie Eilish's "Birds of a Feather."

Texaco Texaco Station — Kerrville
Yes, you read that right. You can actually spend the night in a repurposed Texaco gas station without having to wear a pair of coveralls. The 40s building is pure Americana, filled with quirky touches like a Dr. Pepper machine, a row of sporty vintage toys, and a trash can fashioned from a Mobil oil drum. And the recreational areas could be pulled straight out of Life magazine. Put on a bowling shirt and play table tennis or grill hot dogs inside a courtyard sodded with artificial turf.

Yes, you can sleep in this wagon. Barons Creekside/ Facebook

hill country fredericksburg marble falls glen rose spicewood kerrville hotels glamping airbnbs travel