What are the best Texas roadtrips to take from Houston, with kids?

Want to get away, enjoy a vacation with the family, but not have to work so hard to have fun? Here are the Texas roadtrips recommended by Houston parents!

Read on to see spots near Houston, towards Austin, Corpus Christi, San Antonio and Dallas.  Drive a short distance, or drive for a few hours… either way, there is a great adventure waiting!

Do you have a Texas getaway spot to recommend? Tell us so we can add it to the list.  (Also, here are camping spots near Houston & here are our roadtrip packing tips!)

Close to Houston:

• 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.

• La Torretta – 55 Miles from Downtown Houston – 600 La Torretta Blvd, Montgomery, TX 77356
  • Aqua park, pools, lazy river, beach, mini golf, kids camp

• Galveston – 50 Miles from Downtown Houston
  • Beaches, museums, parks and restaurants!

• Lone Star 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!

Head Towards Austin:

• 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.

• 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!

Head Towards Corpus Christi:

• Explore Corpus Christi – 207 Miles from Downtown Houston 
• Texas State Aquarium – 207 Miles from Downtown Houston – 2710 N Shoreline Blvd, Corpus Christi, TX 78402
  • Dolphins, eagles, flowers, splashpads, otters, sharks, stingrays and more.
• USS Lexington, Aircraft Carrier and WWII Museum – 207 Miles from Downtown Houston – 2914 N Shoreline Blvd, Corpus Christi, TX 78402
  • Museum and educational facility on WWII Aircraft Carrier.
• Pirate Cruise – 364 Miles from Downtown Houston – 501 E Maxan St, Port Isabel, TX 78578
  • Take a cruise on a pirate ship!  There is interactive entertainment as you cruise around Laguna Madre.
• South Padre Island – 369 Miles form Downtown Houston
  • 34-miles of beaches and attractions

Head Towards San Antonio:

• 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”.
• Landa Park Aquatic Center – 175 Miles from Downtown Houston – 350 Aquatic Circle, New Braunfels, TX 78130
• Schlterbahn 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.
• 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
• 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.
• Chalk Bluff Park – 293 Miles from Downtown Houston – 1108 Chalk Bluff Road, Uvalde, TX 78801
  • On the Nueces River.
  • Camp, swim and hike.
•  San Antonio – 200 Miles from Downtown Houston
  • Things to do in San Antonio with Kids
  • San Antonio Underwater Room at the Omni

Head Towards Dallas:

• 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.
• 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.
• Grapevine – 263 Miles from Downtown Houston
  • Historic Downtown has shops, restaurants and galleries.
• LEGO Land Discovery Center – 263 Miles from Downtown Houston – 3000 Grapevine Mills Parkway, Grapevine, TX 76051 
  • Lots of Legos and indoor Lego playground.
• Sea Life Aquarium – 263 Miles from Downtown Houston – 3000 Grapevine Mills Pkwy, Grapevine, TX 76051
  • Feed shows, touch zones, play zone and more.
• Great Wolf Lodge – 264 Miles from Downtown Houston – 100 Great Wolf Drive, Grapevine, TX 76051
  • Indoor and outdoor water park, kids spa and more.
• Dove Park – 266 Miles from Downtown Houston – 1509 Hood Ln, Grapevine, TX 76051
  • Open summers and very reasonable admission.
  • Slides, climbing wall, water playground.
• Fort Worth Zoo – 267 Miles to Downtown Houston – 1989 Colonial Pkwy, Fort Worth, TX 76109
  • Open 365 Days a Year.

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!