• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
JillBJarvis.com
  • Events Calendar
    • Houston Events for Today
  • What to do in Houston
    • Free Things to Do
    • Houston Mural Map
    • Houston Field Trips
    • Farms and Safaris
    • Houston Parks
  • Restaurants
  • Travel
    • Family Travel from Houston
  • Resources
    • Summer Camps
    • Party Venues
    • Applying to HoustonISD Magnet Schools
    • Find a Preschool
    • Find a Doctor
    • Moving to Houston
  • Connect with Us
    • About Jill
    • Sign Up for the Newsletter
    • Contact Jill at JillBJarvis.com
    • Work with Us
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Calendar
  • Any Day
  • Restaurants
  • Travel
  • About
  • Resources
  • Contact
  • Work with JillBJarvis.com
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • LinkedIn
    • Twitter
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • Calendar
    • Any Day
    • Restaurants
    • Travel
    • About
    • Resources
    • Contact
    • Work with JillBJarvis.com
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • LinkedIn
    • Twitter
  • ×
    Home » Travel » Roadtrips

    Best road trips from Houston... Find them here!

    Modified: Mar 3, 2024 by Jill Jarvis · This post may contain affiliate links · This blog generates income via ads · #sponsoredpost · 7 Comments

    Want to get away, enjoy a vacation with the family, but not have to work so hard to have fun? Here are the best road trips from Houston, recommended by Houston parents! Read on for road trips from Houston, Texas.

    Road trip to San Antonio Omni Hotel

    Below are spots near Houston, towards Austin, Corpus Christi, San Antonio, Dallas... and beyond Texas. Drive a short distance, or drive for several hours... either way, there is a great adventure waiting!

    Do you have a idea for a roadtrip from Houston? Tell us so we can add it to the list.

    Jump to:
    • Best road trips... near Houston
    • Best road trips... towards Austin
    • Best road trips... towards Corpus Christi
    • Best road trips... towards San Antonio
    • Best road trips... towards Dallas
    • Best road trips... beyond Texas

    Best road trips... near Houston

    • Beaumont - 84 Miles from Downtown Houston
      • Visit the Fire Museum, Children's Museum, Energy Museum and Spindletop.
      • Learn all about the animals at Gator Country. You can even wade through the water with baby alligators.
    • Galveston - 50 Miles from Downtown Houston
      • Beaches, museums, parks and restaurants!
    • Jellystone Park - 50 Miles from Downtown Houston - 34843 Betka Rd, Waller, TX 77445
      • Camping/cabins with Yogi, Boo Boo, and Cindy!
      • Fishing, swimming pools, mini-golf and lazy river!
    • Margaritaville Lake Conroe - 55 Miles from Downtown Houston - 600 Margaritaville Parkway, Montgomery, TX 77356
      • Water park, pools, lazy river, beach, mini golf and boat rentals.
    • The Woodlands Resort - 31 Miles from Downtown Houston - 2301 N Millbend Dr, The Woodlands, TX 77380
      • Water slide, underwater music, sprayground, toddler pool, lazy river, dive-in movies and family activities.
      • 200 miles of hiking and biking trails that meander through the southern reaches of the East Texas Piney Woods.

    Best road trips... towards Austin

    • Austin - 163 Miles from Downtown Houston
      • Things to do in Austin with Kids
      • 365 Things to do in Austin
    • The Antlers - 220 Miles from Downtown Houston - 1001 King St., Kingsland, Texas 78639-5252
      • Sleep in a caboose, play in the yard, swim in the lake!
    • Fredericksburg- 240 Miles from Downtown Houston
      • Go to the National Museum of the Pacific War, visit Texas Wine Country, find award-winning shopping, visit the Enchanted Rock State Natural Area and more.
    • Hyatt Lost Pines - 146 Miles from Downtown Houston - 575 Hyatt Lost Pines Road, Lost Pines, Texas 78612
      • Luxurious hotel next to the McKinney Roughs Nature Park.
      • Kayaking, raft trips, horseback riding, hiking, and live music.

    Best road trips... towards Corpus Christi

    • Corpus Christi - 207 Miles from Downtown Houston 
      • Texas State Aquarium
        • Dolphins, eagles, flowers, splashpads, otters, sharks, stingrays and more.
        • Use your Houston Zoo membership for discounts.
      • USS Lexington, Aircraft Carrier and WWII Museum
        • Museum and educational facility on WWII Aircraft Carrier.
    • Port Aransas - 207 Miles from Downtown Houston
      • Explore this small town on Mustang Island by Corpus Christi!
    • South Padre Island - 369 Miles form Downtown Houston
      • 34-miles of beaches and attractions

    Best road trips... towards San Antonio

    • Big Bend National Park - 565 Miles from Downtown Houston
    • Chalk Bluff Park - 293 Miles from Downtown Houston - 1108 Chalk Bluff Road, Uvalde, TX 78801
      • On the Nueces River.
      • Camp, swim and hike.
    • Garner State Park - 285 Miles from Downtown Houston - 234 RR 1050, Concan, TX 78838
      • Next to 2.9 miles of Frio River and on 1,774 acres.
      • Swim, inner tube, paddle boat, hike, camp, fish, mini-golf, geocache, bike and dance.
    • Gruene -  176 Miles from Downtown Houston
      • Texas' oldest continually operating dance hall. 
      • Whitewater raft, tube and canoe trips on the Guadalupe and Comal Rivers.
      • Fly fishing, pottery making and lots of history.
    • Mayan Dude Ranch - 246 Miles from Downtown Houston - 350 Mayan ranch rd, Bandera, TX 78003
    • Schlitterbahn Waterpark - 176 Miles from Downtown Houston - 400 N Liberty Ave, New Braunfels, TX 78130
      • 70 acre waterpark next to the Comal River.
      • River adventures, kid’s water playgrounds, and spots to relax and picnic.
    •  San Antonio - 200 Miles from Downtown Houston
      • Things to do in San Antonio with Kids
    • The Tipis at Geronimo Creek Retreat - 163 Miles from Downtown Houston - 2050 Laubach Rd, Seguin, TX 78155 
      • Not camping... "glamping" at Geronimo Creek. Stay in a tipi or cabin... with beds, kitchens and private bathrooms.
      • Go camping... without really "roughing it".

    Best road trips... towards Dallas

    • Dinosaur Valley State Park - 259 Miles to Downtown Houston - 1629 Park Rd 59, Glen Rose, TX 76043
      • Find dinosaur tracks, camp, picnic, hike, mountain bike, swim and fish.
    • Fort Worth Zoo - 267 Miles to Downtown Houston - 1989 Colonial Pkwy, Fort Worth, TX 76109Open 365 Days a Year
    • Grapevine - 263 Miles from Downtown Houston
      • Historic Downtown has shops, restaurants and galleries.
      • Dove Park - 1509 Hood Ln, Grapevine, TX 76051
        • Open summers and reasonable admission.
        • Slides, climbing wall, water playground.
      • Great Wolf Lodge - 100 Great Wolf Drive, Grapevine, TX 76051
        • Indoor and outdoor water park, kids spa and more.
      • LEGO Land Discovery Center - 3000 Grapevine Mills Parkway, Grapevine, TX 76051 
        • Lots of Legos and indoor Lego playground.
      • Sea Life Aquarium - 3000 Grapevine Mills Pkwy, Grapevine, TX 76051
        • Feed shows, touch zones, play zone and more.
    • Texas State Railroad - 150 Miles from Downtown Houston - Park Road 76, Rusk, TX 75785 & 789 Park Road 70, Palestine, TX 75801
      • Steam Engine runs out of Palestine and a diesel departs from Rusk.
      • Travel 25 miles through the woods.
    • Waco - 185 Miles from Downtown Houston
      • Dr Pepper Museum, Magnolia Shop, Texas Ranger Museum and more.

    Best road trips... beyond Texas

    • Broken Bow, Oklahoma- 327 Miles from Downtown Houston
      • Gorgeous outdoor adventures – hiking, canoes, zip lines, fantastic fishing, breweries, wineries and great restaurants.
      • Rent a luxury cabin
    • Eureka Springs, Arkansas - 555 Miles from Downtown Houston
    • Hot Springs, Arkansas - 409 Miles from Downtown Houston
    • New Orleans, Louisiana- 350 Miles from Downtown Houston
      • French Quarter, Jackson Square, Carriage Rides, Central Grocery
      • Louisiana Children's Museum, WWII Museum, Mardi Gras World
      • Audubon Park, Audubon Zoo, Audubon Aquarium, Insectarium
      • Street Car
      • City Park, Story Land Park
    • Memphis, Tennessee- 566 Miles from Downtown Houston
      • Great children’s museum and another museum, The Pink Palace.
      • Beal Street during the day with a fire station museum nearby.
      • Take the trolly car around downtown.
      • Go see the ducks walk the red carpet inside the Peabody Hotel.
      • Visit the Civil Rights Museum/Lorraine Motel.
      • Fabulous children’s garden at the Memphis Botanical Garden.
      • Graceland if kids are older.
      • Take the monorail over to mud island and explore.
      • Several parks along the Mississippi River.
      • Underground Railroad Museum and Cotton Museum.
      • Bass Pro Shop in the Pyramid.
    • Orange Beach & Gulf Shores, Alabama - 520 Miles from Downtown Houston
    • Pensacola Beach, Florida - 530 Miles from Downtown Houston

    Also, did you know your Houston Museum and Zoo Memberships can get you free or discounted admission at museums and zoos all over the world? Learn more HERE!

    Do you have more ideas for the best road trips from Houston? For fun Texas road trips from Houston? Let us know in the comments!

    More Roadtrips

    • Margaritaville Lake Conroe Splashpad
      Margaritaville Lake Conroe Staycation
    • Boy at Houston Zoo Exhibit
      Reciprocal Museum Membership... Visit museums & zoos for free
    • Surfside Beach Driftwood
      Surfside Beach Texas Rental: ROCK HOUSE
    • Port Aransas Beach
      Things to do in Port Aransas, with kids!

    About Jill Jarvis

    Jill Jarvis is the owner of JillBJarvis.com, a BigKidSmallCity.com and Things to Do in Houston, with Kids, blog!

    She is the mom of five and started the website years ago... when she was tired of constantly cleaning up the same mess in the family room.

    Another mom showed her that you could just go do fun things in Houston, without hours of planning.

    This inspired the blog and changed everything about how she enjoyed life in Houston, with kids!

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Melissa Rhea says

      May 30, 2015 at 8:04 pm

      Mallory Rhea Farrow Kelsey Prince Chelsea Schofield Britney Rose Prince here is some good ideas for this summer!!!! I see some road trips in our future!!!

      Reply
    2. Crystal Cazares says

      May 24, 2016 at 8:20 pm

      http://www.pickyourown.org/TX.htm lots of places to stop along the way, stretch those legs and pick some yummy snacks too. I have been to a few of them and the ones I've been to are great.

      Reply
    3. Crystal Cazares says

      May 24, 2016 at 8:24 pm

      Also can't forget Austin's children's museum called the thinkery, it's rated one of the top 11 children's museums in the country. Also on the list is the Houston children's museum and the doseum in San Antonio because they are some of the most engaging, interactive places for kids and have lots of steam related ways to get kids excited about learning.

      Reply
    4. Crystal Cazares says

      May 24, 2016 at 8:34 pm

      I also feel Waco might need a shout out with the dr pepper museum, the magnoila homes shop that has the really large yard for families to play, and the Texas ranger museum

      Reply
    5. Crystal Cazares says

      May 24, 2016 at 8:38 pm

      Choose to Houston should include the show body theatre. It's a drive in movie that has a playground at the front and you get two movies for one price. It's nice to sit and watch the stars while a movie is playing and the kids aren't stuck to only one seat, they can kick their legs a bit or hop up and down without distributing others.

      Reply
    6. Kevin R says

      June 16, 2018 at 7:58 am

      For a short road trip from Houston, only 5 hours, I would encourage your readers to go to Broken Bow, Oklahoma. It has gorgeous outdoor adventures – hiking, canoes, zip lines, fantastic fishing, breweries, wineries and great restaurants. The cabin rentals are incredible. They are secluded and luxurious.
      Check out our site Rustic Luxury Cabins for some of the best out there. We have a great resource for Top 25 Things to do in Broken Bow as well.
      https://www.rusticluxurycabins.com/things-to-do-in-broken-bow/
      https://www.rusticluxurycabins.com/

      Go explore,
      Kevin
      Rustic Luxury Cabins

      Reply
    7. aservantshands massage says

      September 05, 2024 at 4:57 am

      Things to Do in Hochatown
      If you want to enjoy Oklahoma’s natural beauty, one of the best places to visit in the state is the area around Broken Bow Lake. Whether you rent a cabin, stay in a hotel, or camp out, knowing some of the best things to do in Hochatown and Broken Bow can help you make the most out of your vacation.

      visit us :https://aservantshandsmassages.com/things-to-do-in-hochatown/

      Reply

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Primary Sidebar

    On JillBJarvis.com, you will find things to do in Houston, with kids! Find all the Houston events, things to do any day, restaurants and resources for local parents.

    Popular Posts

    • Hermann Park The Commons Splashpad Kids Walking in Water
      What to Do in Houston Today, June 13-August 10, 2025
    • Smile Yall are in Houston Mural
      What to Do in Houston with Kids Any Day
    • Midtown Park Boulder
      Houston Parks: Citywide Map, Pictures & Parent Reviews
    • Boys at the Beach
      Things to Do in Houston with Teens

    Featured On

    Go HERE for more media appearances!

    As Seen On Media Channels

    Browse Website by...

    • Parks
    • Farms and Zoos
    • Beach
    • Things to do

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • About Jill
    • Privacy Policy
    • Disclaimer

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up! for emails and updates

    Contact

    • Contact
    • Media Kit

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2021 JillBJarvis.com