Quick Summary: The vast and beautiful landscapes of Texas include rugged mountains, thickly forested valleys, tranquil lakes, and rocky shorelines, much of which is protected and preserved in state parks, which are open for the public to explore and enjoy on a day trip. Whether you are an avid angler, healthy hiker, or mad mountain biker, many of the parks have excellent amenities and facilities that cater for a variety of outdoor and recreational pursuits for the whole family.


  • Updated with new information since originally published.
  • Please support our journalism through affiliate links. Affiliate Disclosure
  • Our editors recommend these diverse local experiences.

1. Abilene State Park ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Category: Activities
Abilene State Park | Texas State Parks for Families
© Courtesy of trongnguyen - Fotolia.com

2. Acton State Park ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Category: Activities
Acton State Park | Texas State Parks for Families
© Courtesy of Paul Wolf - Fotolia.com

3. Balmorhea State Park

Category: Activities
Balmorhea State Park | Texas State Parks for Families
© Courtesy of tiva48 - Fotolia.com

4. Bentsen-Rio Grande Valley State Park

Category: Activities
Bentsen-Rio Grande Valley State Park | Texas State Parks for Families
© Courtesy of Ivan Kuzmin - Fotolia.com

5. Big Spring State Park

Category: Activities
Big Spring State Park | Texas State Parks for Families
© Courtesy of fotocinema - Fotolia.com

6. Davis Mountains State Park

Category: Activities
Davis Mountains State Park | Texas State Parks for Families
© Courtesy of Zack Frank - Fotolia.com

7. Eisenhower State Park

Category: Activities
Eisenhower State Park | Texas State Parks for Families
© Courtesy of porqueno - Fotolia.com

8. Fort Parker State Park

Category: Activities
Fort Parker State Park | Texas State Parks for Families
© Courtesy of ajamils - Fotolia.com

9. Kerrville-Schreiner Park

Category: Activities
Kerrville-Schreiner Park | Texas State Parks for Families
© Courtesy of Olga Ionina - Fotolia.com

10. Lake Brownwood State Park

Category: Activities
Lake Brownwood State Park | Texas State Parks for Families
© Courtesy of Sergej - Fotolia.com

11. Lake Whitney State Park

Category: Activities
Lake Whitney State Park | Texas State Parks for Families
© Courtesy of Maggie Claire - Fotolia.com

12. Mission Tejas State Park

Category: Activities
Mission Tejas State Park | Texas State Parks for Families
© Courtesy of Evgeny - Fotolia.com

13. Longhorn Cavern State Park

Category: Activities
Longhorn Cavern State Park | Texas State Parks for Families
© Courtesy of westtexasfish - Fotolia.com

14. Palo Duro Canyon State Park

Category: Activities
Palo Duro Canyon State Park | Texas State Parks for Families
© Courtesy of Irina K. - Fotolia.com

15. San Jacinto State Park - San Jacinto Battleground State Historic Site

Category: Activities
San Jacinto State Park - San Jacinto Battleground State Historic Site | Texas State Parks for Families
© Courtesy of st_matty - Fotolia.com

16. Stephen F Austin State Park

Category: Activities
Stephen F Austin State Park | Texas State Parks for Families
© Courtesy of fotocinema - Fotolia.com

17. Monahans Sand Hills State Park

Category: Activities
Monahans Sand Hills State Park | Texas State Parks for Families
© Courtesy of Irina K. - Fotolia.com

18. Lake Corpus Christi State Park

Category: Activities
Lake Corpus Christi State Park | Texas State Parks for Families
© Courtesy of Jeff - Fotolia.com

19. Jim Hogg State Park

Category: Activities
Jim Hogg State Park | Texas State Parks for Families
© Courtesy of fotocinema - Fotolia.com

20. Galveston Island State Park

Category: Activities
Galveston Island State Park | Texas State Parks for Families
© Courtesy of ShyLama Productions - Fotolia.com

21. Falcon State Park

Category: Activities
Falcon State Park | Texas State Parks for Families
© Courtesy of Hummingbird Art - Fotolia.com

22. Possum Kingdom State Park

Category: Activities
Possum Kingdom State Park | Texas State Parks for Families
© Courtesy of niki_alex - Fotolia.com

Map:


Plan Your Trip

Get Ready to Go!

Need some more help?


Go to travel reservations.