23 Family Weekend Getaways from Dallas

Fayetteville sits in the Boston Mountain range of the Ozarks and has miles of stunning trails for families to discover on their feet or bikes. If you want a slight change of scenery, drive down to the Buffalo National River. Sports-loving families might want to catch an event at the University of Arkansas.

A true Cajun experience without having to take the family all the way to New Orleans. From taking a swamp boat tour to visiting alligators to stopping by the Children's Museum of Acadiana, there is plenty of fun for kids. Mardi Gras season brings family-friendly parades, carnivals and events.

Lake Texoma is one of the largest reservoirs in the United States and one of the best lakes near Dallas. Located on the Texas-Oklahoma border, Lake Texoma has many different beaches for swimming, a charming Bed and Breakfast, even a 1800s style pirate ship tour! It boasts a large wildlife refuge, which is a great place for photography, hiking, fishing, and bird watching. Eisenhower State Park, Lake Texoma State Park, and Island View Park all offer great swimming beaches, and plenty to do for a fun day trip or weekend getaway!

At Turner Falls Park, you can visit the largest waterfall in Oklahoma. Families can thoroughly enjoy the outdoors here, with their incredible hiking trails that will take you past caves, streams and all throughout the Arbuckle Mountains. There are also various natural swimming areas, beaches and picnic spots. The park has camping sites, shelters and cabins available for rent.

Your family will love taking part in several activities unique to Oklahoma City. There's the highest adventure course of its kind at the Sandridge Sky Trail and Boathouse District, fascinating art at the Oklahoma City Museum of Art, a water taxi that takes you along the Bricktown Canal, and so much more.

Galveston, while most known for its beaches (and a popular spot to begin a cruise!), has so much more to enjoy. From restaurants with food from all over the world, to great shopping, and beach parks to explore, you and your family will never run out of things to do. And of course, don't forget the ocean - Stewart Beach is recommended, as there are lifeguards on duty and rentable chairs and umbrellas, and this beach is alcohol free!

Though each park is unique in its own way, you'll find lazy rivers, uphill water coasters, Boogie Bahn boogieboard wave pools, and Torrent Tidal Wave Rivers (with giant waves breaking at every turn!) at both locations.

This spectacular city has a plethora of activities for families to choose from, like becoming an astronaut for the day at the NASA Space Center, checking out the Houston Museum District, visiting the animals at the Houston Zoo, indulging in some yummy Tex-Mex and much more!

Waco is best known as the home of Baylor University and the location of the popular HGTV show Fixer Upper. But did you know that Waco is also the home of Dr. Pepper, with a museum you can visit? Or that it has a zoo located inside the urban Cameron Park? And it's pretty much a given that you should check out Chip and Joanna Gaines' Magnolia Market at the Silos while you're there!

The “Crown Jewel” of the Central Texas Highland Lakes has over 270 miles of shoreline. There are several parks to explore, boat and jet ski rentals, party barges with slides that'll drop you straight in to the lake, and ski and pontoon boats! There's even a Lake Travis zip line. With delicious lakeside restaurants at every turn, your family will be well fed, well entertained, and get their fill of lake life in the sun!

This dinosaur park near Fort Worth has preserved Sauropod and Theropod tracks at multiple sites along the Paluxy riverbed. In addition to the dinosaur experience, families can hike, bike, camp, and swim or fish in the river.

One of the best preserved caves in all of Texas, the drawings found here have been hidden for over 10,000 years. Several themed tours are available, and there is also a playground, mining area, and fossils displayed outside the caves that were found inside. Visitors should check out Old Town district and Georgetown Square to shop crafts, antiques, and chocolates.

Stay here for the weekend and you'll never have to leave - this resort has it all. Kids love the lazy river, the water park complete with sports and water slides, making s'mores at the nightly bonfire, horse rides, and family scavenger hunts. And for the adults that need an extra escape - the spa is the perfect place to go.

Austin is known for being "weird," which means it has plenty of fun and unique things for your family to do! This city is a great spot for live music and festivals, one-of-a-kind museums like the Cathedral of Junk are fun to explore and make for great photo ops, and South Congress Ave has great candy and ice cream shops. Want an especially unique experience? Check out Austin's Mexican free-tailed bats - over 1.5 million live under the Congress Avenue Bridge!

Colorado Bend State Park is the perfect weekend getaway for the nature-loving family. Over 35 miles of hiking and biking trails showcase stunning scenery like Gorman Falls and the Colorado River. Spicewood Springs is the perfect place to jump in the water and cool off, and the park has some of the best bass fishing in Texas. You can even experience cave tours where an experienced guide will lead you on a spelunking adventure!