Summer vacation

Summer road trip from Dallas to these 8 family-friendly resorts

Airfare is through the roof these days, but don’t sweat it: A family-friendly summer getaway is just a road trip away. Here are eight unique resorts worth a visit this season - seven in Texas and one just across the border in Oklahoma. Some boast elaborate amenities like on-site waterparks and floating obstacle courses, and some are completely off the grid amid wildlife and starry skies. All are kid-friendly and ready to welcome families this summer.

Great Escapes RV Resorts North Texas - Perrin
Located about an 90 minutes northwest of Dallas in the town of Perrin, this family-friendly RV park boasts a water obstacle course, fishing lake, multiple pools, a multi-level splash pad, 18-hole mini golf, laser tag, playgrounds, basketball and volleyball courts, on-site restaurant, ice cream shop, snack bar, and more. There are also themed weekly events, like “Santa’s Summer Surprise” and “Messy Chocolate Craze.” Don’t own an RV? No problem. There are a dozen on-site cabins and cottages, including a swanky barndominium that sleeps up to six. Rates start at $149.

Oak Ranch Resort - Graham
For those wanting to get off the grid and avoid big crowds, this ranch-style resort is perfect for a quiet retreat. Located on 57 acres just north of Possum Kingdom Lake, the secluded setting is full of Texas wildlife (turkey, deer, armadillos, and songbirds to name a few) and crystal-clear starry skies. There’s also an on-site pool and fully stocked fishing pond, and the Brazos River is located just minutes away. Options for overnight accommodations include three casitas that sleep from two to eight people and the four-bedroom La Casa Tierra that sleeps up to 12. Make it a family reunion and host dinner catered by the resort’s on-site chef at the newly completed poolside Social House. Rates start at $457, including taxes and fees.

Villages Resort at Lake Palestine - Flint
Located just outside Tyler in East Texas is this Holiday Inn Club Vacations resort on Lake Palestine, home to lake activities, 18-hole mini golf, and a year-round indoor waterpark right on-site. Other amenities include sports courts, an arcade, three pools, a splash pad, hot tubs, and a marina restaurant right on the water that provides sunset views. Rates start at $135.

Horseshoe Bay Resort - Horseshoe Bay
The expansive Hill Country resort, on Lake LBJ near Marble Falls, just debuted its 2,850-square-foot floating pool, touted as the only one in North America and inspired by the Grand Hotel Tremezzo’s floating pool on Lake Como in Italy. Horseshoe Bay Resort is also home to Splash Safari Aqua Park, a floating obstacle course with climbing walls, slides, and balance beams on the lake open to those six and up; and the country's first Mouratoglou Tennis Center. Peruse the resort’s Summer Guide for dozens of daily kids’ activities, from sand bottle art sessions to tortoise and meet-and-greets. Make plans for Breakfast with the Birds on July 6 and September 1. Overnight rates start at $239.

Isla Grand Beach Resort - South Padre Island
Open since 1959, the island resort is located on 10 beachfront acres featuring lush foliage that provides a truly tropical vibe. There are two resort-style pools, hot tubs, tennis courts, sand volleyball courts, multiple restaurants including a beachfront burger shack, and daily live entertainment during the summer, including fireworks every Thursday night. Also during the summer are daily kids’ activities, including water games, arts and crafts, kids’ night out, sandcastle building, and movie nights. Rates start at $212 through July.

Kalahari Resort - Round Rock
The African-themed resort just outside Austin is home to America’s largest indoor waterpark but also features multiple outdoor pools and slides, several signature restaurants, a massive arcade, bowling, escape rooms, laser tag, a mirror maze, and more. Grown-ups can plan ahead for Kalahari’s third annual Food & (Not Just) Wine Festival on Sunday, September 22 from 12-4 pm featuring more than 100 food and drink samples along with chef demos and live entertainment. Tickets start at $149 per person. Overnight rates through September 2 start at $195.

Omni Barton Creek - Austin
The Central Texas resort, spa, and golf club has a new emphasis on family amenities, recently debuting its 6,000-square-foot Longhorn Lawn. The greenspace is home to inflatables, lawn games, foam parties, and several scheduled activities. There’s also mini golf (including nightly “glow golf”), family-friendly pools, a splash pad, and nightly complimentary s’mores by the firepit. There’ll be Independence Day activities July 4-7 with fireworks, live music, pool parties with a DJ, and kids’ activities. Rates start at $399 with promos for longer stays starting from $319.

Villages Resort at Lake Palestine/Facebook

Villages Resort at Lake Palestine has an year-round indoor waterpark.

Choctaw Landing - Hochatown, Oklahoma
Tucked in the woods amid nearby trout streams in Oklahoma’s Beavers Bend State Park and Broken Bow Lake, the hotly anticipated 100-room lodge-style resort and casino opened in April. While it is a casino, there are kid-friendly amenities that fall right in line with the Broken Bow area’s identity as a family destination. The resort pool is open to all ages and features a splash pad, cabanas, loungers, and fire pits for evening s’mores. The Cypress Lawn features an amphitheater for live music and events. The hotel also offers an Art Hike highlighting Choctaw culture and history guided by an AI-generated digital version of Choctaw Chief Gary Batton. Make plans for a fireworks show on July 3. Rates start at $169.

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where to travel right now

Music festivals, art fairs, and wine top Texas travel ideas for October

Photo courtesy of Gruene Music & Wine Festival

The Gruene Music & Wine Festival runs October 8-11.

Dallas travelers with a soft spot for the arts will have an easy time planning a weekend getaway with all of the music festivals, art fairs, and other cultural showcases happening around Texas this month.

From the grand debut of an international museum exhibition in San Antonio to Central Texas music festivals, there are plenty of ways for travelers to engage in artistic experiences all over the state. North Texans can also stay close to home to enjoy a weekend of Western cowboy culture and swing dancing at the Fort Worth Stockyards.

This is everything you need to know to plan a quick getaway in October.

Houston
Two creative festivals will take over Houston's George R. Brown Convention Center in October, drawing in art purveyors, collectors, and travelers on the prowl for their next statement piece. Prestigious contemporary art fair Untitled Art will return for its second annual show from October 2-4, showcasing several galleries from both local and Texas-based artists. Next is the Affordable Art Fair running from October 15-18, which will feature works from 350 artists from across the globe, including 17 Houston galleries. Single-day admission for Untitled Art starts at $40, and general admission tickets to the Affordable Art Fair is $20 per person.

Just down the road, Margaritaville Lake Resort Lake Conroe is giving weary travelers a discount to make the most of an extended lakeside getaway. Guests can receive 20 percent off the best available rate and get a $50 daily resort credit when they book stays from October 9-12 using the promo code "FALL2026". The Fall Break Weekend will be packed with events, such as a wine tasting with Bernhardt Winery, a comedy showcase, a poolside gameday watch party, and much more.

A major college town one-and-a-half hours from Houston will transform into a lively stage for emerging and established songwriters from October 9-10. The Bryan, Texas Songwriter Festival in Historic Downtown Bryan will have a free Main Stage open to the public, but the a VIP add-on wristband ($246) gives exclusive access to intimate performances, experiences, and additional perks at various venues. The artist lineup includes Radney Foster, Blue Water Highway, Beat Root Revival, Macie Hanna, and more.

Austin
October is a busy month for Austin residents and visitors with back-to-back weekends of Austin City Limits Music Festival, Hot Luck Festival, and the Formula 1 U.S. Grand Prix — but there's plenty to do outside the city limits if you're avoiding the frenetic festival vibes.

One calming choice is the 2026 Autumn Art Stroll in the Downtown Georgetown Cultural District on October 16, where visitors can fill out a stroll passport at participating locations while enjoying live music, artist demonstrations, tours, and art shopping from 4-8 pm. The event is free to the public.

The Hill Country
Longtime family-owned winery Formando Vineyards is celebrating the grand opening of its new tasting room at 11835 N. State Highway 16 in Fredericksburg on October 1. The new taproom will serve wine by the glass, light bites, and three guided tasting experiences. All wines made under the Formando brand are made with fruit sourced from Hill Country growers and the family's own estate in Gillespie County.

Carter Creek Winery Resort in Johnson City has a new October-exclusive overnight package that makes planning a weekend getaway much easier and tastier. The Texas Wine, Bourbon & Beer Package is available Tuesdays through Saturdays and includes a one-night stay at the resort, plus a wine tasting for two, a beer tasting experience, and a whiskey flight at Garrison Brothers Distillery. Rates for the package start at $169 and can be booked online, with additional nights available by calling 877-935-7101.

Wine enthusiasts and Americana music lovers have a new reason to gather in the cozy Hill Country town of Gruene this fall: The Gruene Music & Wine Fest from October 8-11. The four-day festival will have wine and beer tastings, an auction, a catered dinner, live music, and much more. The festival also serves as a fundraising event for United Way of Comal and Guadalupe Counties. Event and concert tickets for October 9 are sold out, but tickets are still available for two other Gruene Hall concerts. Admission is free for the kickoff party (October 8) and the Tastings & Tunes event (October 10), but attendees can pre-purchase tasting tickets online. General admission for the Sunday All-Star Playlist is $97 per person.

Gruene Music & Wine Festival

Photo courtesy of Gruene Music & Wine Festival

The Gruene Music & Wine Festival runs October 8-11.

San Antonio
The San Antonio Museum of Art will debut an extraordinary and impressive collection of cultural artifacts predating the Roman Empire on October 31. The new international exhibit, The Etruscans: From the Heart of Ancient Italy, will feature 130 works from more than 20 museums from around the world, including artifacts on loan from the Vatican Museums, the British Museum, and the Louvre. SAMA is one of only two U.S. museums where the exhibition will be shown, making it a can't-miss exclusive treasure for Texas travelers to explore for themselves. The Etruscans: From the Heart of Ancient Italy will be on view through March 14, 2027, and the exhibit is included with regular museum admission ($24 per person with discounts for seniors, military, and students).

Dallas-Fort Worth
The 35th annual Red Steagall Cowboy Gathering & Western Swing Festival will return to the Fort Worth Stockyards for an authentic Western weekend from October 23-25. The festival honors cowboy culture, ranching heritage, and "rich traditions of the Western world" with a chuck wagon competition, ranch rodeos, live music, poetry readings, a cookoff, swing dancing, and more. Ticket prices start at $67.27 including fees before taxes, and Western Swing tickets must be purchased separately.

ICYMI: The Transport Security Administration has launched a new program, called Gateside by TSA PreCheck, allowing members to pass through security and enter the gates at 13 U.S. airports (including Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport) without having to purchase a plane ticket. The initiative is intended to make it easier for TSA PreCheck members to visit a gate for welcomes and send-offs, or visit with friends during a layover, according to TSA's website.

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