Day Trips in Texas

Galveston Island is a long, narrow barrier island on the Texas Gulf Coast, about 50 miles from Houston. The entire island except Jamaica Beach is part of the City of Galveston.

Galveston Island is a historic beach town and has been a beloved vacation destination for generations of Texans. Galveston has 32 miles of wide sandy beaches, excellent restaurants, a range of great hotels, superb downtown shopping, antique stores, art galleries, endless entertainment, and diverse recreation. Of the many magnificent Victorian beauties, some of the must-see are the 1859 Ashton Villa, 1892 Bishop's Palace, and 1895 Moody Mansion. The best place to learn about the history of Galveston is the Texas Seaport Museum. Moody Gardens is a kids’ delight with an aquarium pyramid, a tropical rainforest pyramid, and a 3-D theater. Schlitterbahn Waterpark is an incredible family entertainment park.

Fredericksburg is a city in central Texas, 1.5 hours from Austin. It was founded in 1846 by a group of German pioneers. The town, especially its Historic District, has a strong German flavor, especially in its architecture, food, and festivals.

The best place to learn about the city's German heritage is at the Pioneer Museum, which features settlers' homesteads and artifacts. Located in the town square, Marktplatz, is the Vereins Kirche, a replica of a 19th century original German church that once stood in its place. The National Museum of the Pacific War showcases WWII exhibits. The Fredericksburg Historic District offers a fascinating trip through the city’s architectural past with over 700 historically important structures. Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park, located on the ranch that belonged to the former president Lyndon B. Johnson, offers fascinating self-guided tours. Fredericksburg is surrounded by century-old peach orchards and a number of well-known wineries.

Located deep in the Texas Hill Country, between San Antonio and Austin, New Braunfels is an incredibly charming small town founded in 1845 by a group of German settlers. To this day, New Braunfels has a strong flavor of the Old World, perfectly balanced with the small town Texas charm. The carefully preserved Gruene Historic District is wonderful to explore, with historic buildings like the 1800s Gruene Hall.

The Comal and Guadalupe rivers that flow through New Braunfels offer endless recreation, and Schlitterbahn Waterpark is a popular playground and a cooling haven during hot summers.

Natural Bridge Wildlife Ranch & Caverns, with 500 animals, is beloved by animal lovers. The best time to come for a visit is during one of its many festivals, when the town is alive with traditional music and food.

McAllen is a charming city near the southern tip of Texas, about 60 miles northeast of Brownsville.

The city’s International Museum of Art & Science features interactive exhibits, European paintings, and Picasso lithographs. To the south, visitors will find the Quinta Mazatlan – a Spanish Revival mansion that is surrounded by natural woodlands that are filled with migratory and endemic species of birds. There are a several green and scenic parks in McAllen, including Los Encinos Park, Springfest Park, and Fireman’s Park. The McAllen Nature Center, Nuevo Santadar Gallery, and La Plaza mall, are all worth a visit as well.

The giant statues of dinosaurs found all over Dinosaur Valley State Park near Glen Rose in Texas remind visitors that giant animals once roamed the area.

The park covers over 1,500 acres and features massive tracks wonderfully preserved in the ancient limestone, proving their existence. The Paluxy River, which today runs through the park, was once the shore of a vast Cretaceous ocean.

Dinosaurs once roamed those shores, leaving their footprints in the mud. Millions of years later, those footprints have become incredibly clear fossilized stone footsteps.

The park is especially popular with kids, who love searching for dinosaur tracks, which are located in the river bed and are not always visible. The park is also popular for camping, hiking, mountain biking, swimming, and fishing in the river.

1629 Park Rd 59, Glen Rose, TX 76043, Phone: 254-897-4588

Nacogdoches is a charming Southern town in East Texas, best known as the home of the Stephen F. Austin State University.

The town, which is a sister city to nearby Natchitoches is home to a population of nearly 33,000 residents, originally established as the Mission Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe de los Nacogdoches in 1716 and serving under nine different state and country flags throughout its history.

Today, the laid-back Southern town is home to one of East Texas' final family-owned plantations, the August Tubbe Plantation, and is the host of the annual Texas Blueberry Festival in June.

Visitors can explore attractions such as the 10-acre Mast Arboretum, the Millard's Crossing Historic Village living history museum, and the Old Stone Fort Museum, which recreates an important 1779 militia fort.

Every summer, Bracken Cave provides home to over 15 million Mexican free-tailed bats (Tadarida brasiliensis). It is the largest bat colony in the world and one of the world’s largest concentrations of mammals.

Every day, at dusk, millions of bats fly out of the cave to hunt insects, providing a spectacular sight popular among locals and visitors to San Antonio.

The cave is located about 20 miles from downtown San Antonio, and is under constant threat of urbanization.

To prevent the cave from being swallowed by subdivisions, in 1992 Bat Conservation International (BCI) bought the land on which the cave is located and, with its conservation partners, continues to purchase additional land around the cave.

Their goal is to protect not only the bats, but also other endangered and native species found on the Bracken Cave Preserve.

26101 FM3009, San Antonio, TX 78266

The historic town of Boerne was originally established in by German immigrants. Today Hill Country Mile, which lies at the heart of the historic city, is a bustling attraction with something of interest everyone.

The Caverns of Sonora is a world-class cave located about 8 miles from the small city of Sonora, Texas. The cave is famous for its spectacular calcite crystal formations, especially helictites.

The cave was discovered by accident in 1905, on the Mayfield family ranch.

Many of the unique mineral formations found in the cave have bizarre names such as “bacon” – layered flowstone formed by mineral-rich water that is repeatedly moving along the same path. “Popcorn” are small mineral nodes on cave surfaces, while “soda straws” are hollow mineral cylinders.

These fascinating speleothems cover every inch of the roofs, walls, and floors of the cave, creating a spectacular glittery, surreal underground world. Opened to the public in 1960, the cave today has a network of railings, stairs, and trails that make it easier to explore.

1711 Pvt Rd 4468, Sonora, TX 76950, Phone: 325-387-3105

Dripping Springs is a small town in Texas, about a half-hour drive from Austin. Famous as a brewery, distillery, and winery destination, Dripping Springs is also the wedding capital of Texas and a popular tourist spot for those who just want to enjoy the big Texas sky, a slower pace, rolling hills, and good food.

A great spot to learn about the town’s history is 1854 Dr. Pound Historical Farmstead and Pioneer Museum, with family events, tours, and beautiful gardens.

The cool waters and beautiful setting of Hamilton Pool are one of the town’s main attractions.

Another nice green space in Dripping Springs is Pedernales Falls State Park with the Pedernales River, which forms pools and waterfalls as it meanders through the verdant hills.

Tours of Dripping Springs craft distilleries can be a trip of its own, and there are quite a few.

Arguably the most notable is Deep Eddy Distillery. Jester King is a craft brewery located in an authentic farmhouse on a huge ranch that is known as the best adult playground in the area.