pack up and go

2 Dallas-Fort Worth campgrounds stake their claim on list of America's best

Spring is here. Let's go camping.

Dallas camping fanatics seeking an outdoorsy spring vacation experience need to check out Campspot's Best Campgrounds in America, which lists seven top campsites across Texas, including two in DFW.

Online private campground marketplace and booking website Campspot analyzed more than 50,000 data points across 15 different categories, including community reviews and family-friendly amenities, to determine the rankings.

Dallas-Fort Worth award-winning campgrounds
Two Dallas-Fort Worth campgrounds earned coveted spots on the list: The Vineyards Campground & Cabins in Grapevine, and Dallas Northeast Campground in Caddo Mills.

The Vineyards, which is located only 24 miles northwest from Dallas, scored No. 5 in the category for "Top Mid-Size Campgrounds." Campspot says The Vineyards is the best place for a "picturesque getaway" with its cozy cabins, a private beach, wineries, and more.

Over in Caddo Mills, which is about 40 miles northeast of Dallas, Dallas Northeast Campground won No. 3 in the "Top Campgrounds New to Campspot in 2024" ranking.

"Experience the best of both worlds at Dallas Northeast Campground, where scenic tranquility meets easy access to all the attractions of Dallas, offering 63 acres of serene landscapes, a 5-acre lake, and a range of amenities including a pool, community fire pit, outdoor grilling kitchen, catch [and] release fishing, and more, making it an amazing getaway for families and adventurers alike," Campspot wrote.

Award-winning campgrounds in the Hill Country
The No. 1 resort in the "Top Campgrounds New to Campspot in 2024" category is Summit Vacation & RV Resort in New Braunfels. The 75-acre resort is spread across the Guadalupe River, providing the ultimate riverside getaway for families. The complex also scored third place in the category for "Top Mid-Size Campgrounds."

Summit's New Braunfels neighbor, Camp Fifo Texas Hill Country, also earned two accolades in this year's awards: No. 2 in the category "Top Campgrounds for Digital Nomads," and No. 4 in the list of "Top Large Campgrounds."

"Camp Fimfo beckons families with a perfect blend of outdoor adventure and relaxation, featuring a swim-up bar, outdoor movies, water slides, and a host of amenities designed to create lasting memories for all ages," Campspot wrote.

Terraqueous RV Resort in Blanco, about 50 miles west of Austin, scored No. 2 in the category for "Top Campgrounds for Long-Term Stays." The resort was ranked highly thanks to its many opportunities for family-friendly activities, such as exploring Blanco's western Buggy Barn Museum, or the Exotic Resort Zoo in Johnson City.

The fourth and final Hill Country campground that came away with an award was Yogi Bear's Jellystone Park Camp-Resort: Hill Country in Canyon Lake, located about 50 miles southwest of Austin. The camp scored No. 4 in the category for the "Top Campground for Waterparks."

"Enjoy amenities like the Water Zone, jumping pillow, and convenient access to the nearby Guadalupe River, Canyon Lake, and the historic district of Gruene, ensuring a memorable getaway for all ages," Campspot said.

Houston-area award-winning campgrounds
The seventh and final Texas campground that earned an award in 2024 was Rayford Crossing RV Resort in Spring, about 30 miles north of Houston. Rayford Crossing scored No. 3 in the category for "Top Campgrounds for Long-Term Stays."

The full list of winners can be found on campspot.com.

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Holiday Travel News

American Airlines briefly halts flights nationwide for technical issue

Photo courtesy of American Airlines

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American Airlines briefly grounded flights nationwide Tuesday due to a technical issue just as the Christmas travel season kicks into high gear.

American flights were cleared to fly by federal regulators about one hour after a national ground stop order was issued by federal regulators.

Just before 8 am Dallas time, the Federal Aviation Administration ordered all American Airlines flights grounded in the U.S. at the airline’s request. American had reported a technical issue affecting its entire system with millions traveling for the holiday.
The ground stop, according to the time stamps on the FAA's orders, lasted exactly one hour.

American has not expanded on what technical issue grounded the flights and the airline did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The groundings couldn't come at a worse time for the millions of travelers expected to fly over the next 10 days. The Transportation Security Administration expects to screen 40 million passengers over the holidays and through January 2.

Many flights during the holidays are sold out, which makes cancellations even more disruptive than during slower periods. Even with just a brief outage, the cancellations have a cascading effect that can take days to clear up.

In December 2022, Southwest Airlines stranded 2 million travelers, and Delta Air Lines suffered a smaller but significant meltdown after a worldwide technology outage in July caused by a faulty software update from cybersecurity company CrowdStrike.

Southwest was ordered to pay a $35 million fine as part of a $140 million settlement to resolve a federal investigation into the Christmas debacle of 2022.

Excluding the settlement, the nation’s fourth-biggest airline by revenue said the meltdown cost it more than $1.1 billion in refunds and reimbursements, extra costs and lost ticket sales over several months.

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