Texas this summer

Sanrith Descartes

Sanrith Descartes

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Since the fuckwit in the White is now ordering National Parks to "limit entry and enforce reservations" because... Coronachan (because parks the size of actual states need to limit entry), I am looking to skip my Yellowstone trip this summer. Thinking about a week in Texas with the wife and teen daughter. I have only been to Dallas so thinking starting and ending in Dallas (See the JFK shit, the Bush library at SMU) and then where? Thoughts from you Texas types?

Doing some reading and thinking maybe a Dallas, San Antonio, Austin, Dallas.
 
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Gravel

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No suggestions from me, but we're on the Texas/New Mexico border right now and struggling to figure out what to do in Texas. It's a massive state so I feel like there has to be something, but searching the internet makes it seem like a bunch of shit I don't care about.

I will say the parks thing sucks. We were in Arches last week. First day was fine, but the 2nd we got to the park at about 9am and there was a sign saying the park was at capacity and closed and to come back in 3 hours. How "outside" can be at capacity is pretty puzzling.
 
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Furry

Furry

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You're planning on visiting austin? Let me help you out and say nope, don't do that.

Also I typically ignore park rules in national parks. In the extremely unlikely event you do encounter a ranger that gives a fuck, just apologize and say you didn't know and leave. Yellowstone prolly has a lot of rangers that give a fuck, especially around popular and dangerous areas, but most parks don't. Chief park ranger is on the list of political contribution jobs for a final 3 to give you an idea of how useless they tend to be.
 
Chanur

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Sanrith Descartes said:
Since the fuckwit in the White is now ordering National Parks to "limit entry and enforce reservations" because... Coronachan (because parks the size of actual states need to limit entry), I am looking to skip my Yellowstone trip this summer. Thinking about a week in Texas with the wife and teen daughter. I have only been to Dallas so thinking starting and ending in Dallas (See the JFK shit, the Bush library at SMU) and then where? Thoughts from you Texas types?

Doing some reading and thinking maybe a Dallas, San Antonio, Austin, Dallas.
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The Alamo.
 
Maximis Velocity

Maximis Velocity

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Schlitterbahn, pretty good zoos in several cities. Six flags in Arlington and San Antonio. Barbque mecca in Austin. I am married to a chef so a lot of our trips are planned around food. The silos in Waco was fun because the wife loves Chip and Jo.
 
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GuardianX

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Six flags in Arlington is such a let down even more so considering that the headquarters is in Arlington. The rides are all super dated and the park is pretty messy considering that like I said their headquarters is in Arlington. It always reminds me of the story that Walt Disney would walk Disneyland every single day watching guests and observing how people react in the park and just seeing how the general layout should be and then you go to a place like six flags where I don't even know if the corporate headquarters people even go to the park. Depressing really since the park really could be pretty amazing if they allowed it to be.
 
Springbok

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Fort Worth has a world class zoo and a fairly neat Stockyards area that still feels (while a little cheesy) "Texas". I can't think of any reason to do much in Dallas, the hill country still has quite a few charming little towns, and it's really pretty. West Texas isn't worth the drive or the dust, the panhandle is the same. East Texas is really pretty as well, but I can't think of much to go "do" there.

Honestly, I love Texas and it's a great state to live in but I've never really thought of it as a touristy state with a ton to do for vacation. Maybe Marble Falls? If you like theme parks I'd second Schlitterbahn. The Alamo is neat for a few hours I guess as well.

One thing Texas does do right though, is food. You'll never be at a loss for really great food or booze if you look hard enough.

Big Bend is pretty neat as well, but it's a long way from anywhere and I'm not entirely sure it's worth the effort to get out there. Texas is just too big to experience in a week or 4.
 
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fris

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you've identified a triangle. San antonio to Dallas is a straight shot up i35, with Austin about an hour into that trip. Austin to Dallas can take between 3 hours and 6, depending on construction (which there always is somewhere) and traffic. if you dodge rush hour, you're more likely to find construction. pick your poison. Houston to SA is about 4 hours. Dallas to Houston is bout 4 or 5.

There are caverns are just north of Austin in Georgetown, kids will probably enjoy depending on their age.

Schlitterbahn is the worlds best water park. not possible to experience the enter thing in one day. if you rather a more laid back water experience, there's several rivers you can float/tube. but drunk college students might dampen the family atmosphere you're looking for.
 
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Furry

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Springbok said:
Fort Worth has a world class zoo and a fairly neat Stockyards area that still feels (while a little cheesy) "Texas". I can't think of any reason to do much in Dallas, the hill country still has quite a few charming little towns, and it's really pretty. West Texas isn't worth the drive or the dust, the panhandle is the same. East Texas is really pretty as well, but I can't think of much to go "do" there.

Honestly, I love Texas and it's a great state to live in but I've never really thought of it as a touristy state with a ton to do for vacation. Maybe Marble Falls? If you like theme parks I'd second Schlitterbahn. The Alamo is neat for a few hours I guess as well.

One thing Texas does do right though, is food. You'll never be at a loss for really great food or booze if you look hard enough.

Big Bend is pretty neat as well, but it's a long way from anywhere and I'm not entirely sure it's worth the effort to get out there. Texas is just too big to experience in a week or 4.
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I've been to every zoo in texas. If I were to pick one to recommend, it's the houston one is best, but the parking situation can suck if you don't get there early. San antonio and austin zoos are shit. FT worth is good, do not give money to the dallas zoo. A few of the small zoos are very nice in a quiet way, victoria and gainesville as quality examples. Fort worth is definitely nicer than dallas when it comes to touristy.

Don't forget to stop in west texas at the czech stop if you pass through, it's about a 10 second detour between dfw and austin/san antonio. Every texan knows about it. That and Buccees are the two must-stop places on any texas road trip.
 
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S

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Furry said:
You're planning on visiting austin? Let me help you out and say nope, don't do that.
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+1, though I didn't see much of it, it wasn't very exciting and parts of it were 'unsafe feeling'. Maybe downtown Austin but you'd be wasting money staying there as it's 'Cali' expensive.

If you're visiting anything, Houston or Fort Worth.

I am obligated to tell you 'fuck Dallas' as an Eagles fan.

Maybe go to Orlando, Florida and stay in a tourist-y style location.

If you want national park / wilderness style stuff, could always consider the Pocono mountains in Pennsylvania, though that's stupidly far.
If you want a good place to stay for kids, Wildwood in NJ isn't bad but again its out of the way.
 
Sanrith Descartes

Sanrith Descartes

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So I am thinking of hitting one of the "dude ranches" for part of the trip. Wtf, if Ft Lauderdale is the Mecca of strip clubs, then this Bandera place outside San Antonio must be the Mecca of Dude Ranches. Anyways, this place "Mayan Dude Ranch" has some stellar reviews and decent pricing for all-inclusive. Anyone ever been or have any feedback on the dude ranch thing? Lots of horseback riding, trails, this Median river, etc.
 
Kiki

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Yeah I was going to recommend horseback riding, but never been to a real dude ranch. I live near Bandera, it's a pretty redneck and biker town be warned, it'll be alot different than most of the towns. Go shooting somewhere it's fun for the whole family, there is big ben, no where near where you will be tho. Enchanted rock maybe. Get a bunch of tacos in San Antonio/Austin. Bunch of wineries, breweries, out here, any kind of tasting room you can think of. Bunch of water parks. The riverwalk in San Antonio is okayish for tourists I guess, check out Paris Hatters and Durty Nelly's Irish Pub. Austin is crazy packed and hard to recommend stuff there. There are several lakes in this area/ caves you can tour as someone mentioned. You don't really get any good beaches until you are almost to Mexico.

Buccees will change your world view however.

Also it will be hot (and probably humid) as balls at some point. May God have mercy on your soul.
 
Burns

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It you want educational:

Dallas/Ft. Worth (if you are doing the JFK stuff)(never been to any of these, just ideas):​
(Ross) Perot Museum of Nature and Science - Seems to be popular​
Dallas Aquarium - Ft. Worth has the Zoo, Dallas has the Aquarium​
Dallas Arboretum - Girls like flowers, and 66% of your troupe will be girls (The Arboretum in Houston was neat when I went during some festival, years ago)​
Ft. Worth Zoo - As others have said, I hear it is one of the best in the nation​
​
Austin Area:​
LBJ's library in Austin - It has a museum in it, but it probably wont take more than a few hours​
LBJ Ranch (Texas White House) out in Stonewall - The ranch is kinda neat, doesn't take too long, and you drive through the hill country to get to it​

If you want entertainment/outdoors:

Dallas/Fort Worth:​
Reunion Tower - You can go up in the big ball in the middle of downtown Dallas​
Stockyards - as previously mentioned. Note: make sure you look up what times things are happening to get the best experience​
​
Food:​
Babe's Fried Chicken - if there was one place you have to eat in DFW, it's Babes. They are world renowned. It is BYOB and you get a choice of Chicken or Chicken Fried Steak​
Fogo De Chao $$$ - Brazilian Steak House - Some of the best meat I have ever had​
Bob's Steakhouse $$$ - Top End Steak - never been, but it's the premier steakhouse in DFW​
Del Frisco's $$$ - Alternative high end restaurant in Dallas that is highly recommended​
Christina's Fine Mexican (TexMex, mostly) - reasonably priced and very good​
Pappasito's Cantina (TexMex) - "reasonably" priced Texas TexMex chain - best steak Fajitas I have ever had, and they know it (and price it accordingly)​

Austin Area/Hill Country:​
Lake Travis - Rent a boat and tour the rocky cliff shores​
Schlitterbahn - never been, but you can probably tell from this thread, people seem to love the waterpark in New Braunfels​
Fredericksburg - never been, but it is another popular hill country location. Some traditional German stuff, wineries, and places to hike. Also next to LBJ Ranch.​
​
Food:​
The Oasis - "reasonably" priced, awesome view of Lake Travis with average food​
Rudy's BBQ - affordable Texas chain of gas stations and cooked on the spot BBQ, only the ones in and around Austin are good (I loved Rudy's BBQ when I lived there)​
Franklin's BBQ - won a bunch of BBQ awards, legendary lines to get in​
Pappasito's Cantina - if you missed it in Dallas, there are plenty of them in Austin, did I mention the Fajitas?​

Honorable mentions:
Canton, TX 1 hour east of Dallas. The first Monday of the month they have a bunch of knick-knack vendors (~5,000) show up and sell shit. Women seem to like it.​
Scarborough Renaissance Festival Ends on Memorial day, if you are traveling that early. (Went to the Houston one back in high school, was cool then, dunno how things are now)​

If you want a more scenic drive from Fort Worth to Austin, you can jump over to 281. I pulled a trailer that couldn't go over ~60 mph down there once, on 281, and it was more interesting than 35 (google street view makes it easy to see if it something you want to do). Marble Falls area was also the best looking country I have seen in Texas, yet.

If you are renting cars, an alternative could be Amtrak. They offers a route from DFW to Austin in 5 hours. The time I took it, it was comfortable, relaxing, and they have cars with big windows in to watch the steers go by.
 
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Burns

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Almost forgot, if you are looking for good produce for the road trips, I highly recommend Central Market, if there is one close to where you are staying (it might even be worth taking a small detour). They have the widest variety of apples and oranges I have ever seen and I have never had a bland piece of fruit from them. Most everything else is super expensive, but the produce isn't that bad, especially for the quality you get.

Otherwise, you cant go wrong with HEB for road trip stock (they also own Central Market).
 
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