11 Texas Weekend Trip Ideas

2020 has definitely cancelled a lot of travel plans and scaled down my vision for any traveling I plan to do in the future. Its not what I had in mind for the start of a new decade, but what can you do? When life throws you a huge curveball, you just have to regroup and roll with it! I’m lucky that I live in the big and spacious state of Texas and that there are so many interesting small towns and big cities for me to visit all within driving distance. And despite growing up in Texas, I have to say there are many places I have yet to see. So I thought I would make a list of Texas weekend trip ideas that I have already gone on this year or plan to go on early next year! I’m not seeing an end to this pandemic anytime soon and there is no way I can curb my wanderlust by not traveling so Texas travel it is.

Dripping Springs - Located about an hour outside of Austin, Dripping Springs is filled with local wineries, Pedernales Falls, and the Texas Olive Company. There’s plenty of opportunity to experience the outdoors while still having a taste of civilization. I’ve actually been to Dripping Springs twice for weddings and the scenery is truly beautiful. This past September I visited again (you can check out my adventures here) and toured a beautiful winery called Bell Springs and ate delicious food at Treaty Oaks Distillery.

Spicewood/Marble Falls - Spicewood is an outdoorsy trail filled area located about 40-50 minutes from Austin that has natural wonders such as Krause Springs and Balcones Canyonlands National Wildlife Refuge. There is also a gorgeous winery in the area, Flat Creek Vineyards, that offers prepackaged wine tastings (Covid safety measure), a full service restaurant, a breezy outdoor patio, and beautiful scenery. Spicewoods is often combined with Marble Falls, which is located about 30 minutes further north. I did a girls trip to Marble Falls this fall and had a blast. You can check out my adventures here! Spoiler- there’s more hiking, more food, and more wine involved.

Canyon Lake - The coolest Airbnb is located here, so I don’t think I’ll need any more convincing to visit Canyon Lake… Aside from that amazing Airbnb, there are tons of other unique places in the area to stay at including treehouse inspired cabins and waterfront homes. It sounds like the perfect place grab a bunch of friends to enjoy the great Texas outdoors while living in affordable luxury!

San Antonio - Everyone’s heard of the Alamo and the Riverwalk, but did you know that San Antonio also has the La Canterra Resort? The Resort has its own golf course, workout classes, walking trails, and spa treatments. It’s an ideal social distancing getaway and an opportunity for a cute staycation. And while you’re in town, why not check out the yummy Mexican food that is everywhere? Pearl District is a newly developed neighborhood that is filled to the brim with a variety of food and shopping options. Plus, there are world class museums, such as the McNay Art Museum (housed in a Spanish Revival style mansion) and the San Antonio Museum of Art, as well as outdoor activities like the San Antonio Zoo, San Antonio Botanical Gardens, and the Japanese Tea Gardens. There is obviously plenty to do and eat for everyone! Located only 3 hours from Houston and 2 hours from Austin, it definitely makes for a great weekend trip.

Fredericksburg - Filled with gorgeous vineyards and wineries as well the popular Enchanted Rock hike, Fredericksburg reads like the perfect girls weekend. To top it off, there are plenty of adorable Airbnb cottages surrounding the main street so even if crowds aren’t your thing and you want to continue social distancing, enjoying a cool Airbnb is still a great option here. Enchanted Rock is a state natural area that includes over 11 miles of hiking trails, including the most popular one to the summit of the rock for optimal viewing. Enchanted Rock does need advanced reservation though because there are capacity limits in place and it can get quite busy on the weekends. The most popular activity in Fredericksburg though is to tour the various wineries that surround the town. I have Das Peach Haus (check out its photos on Instagram because they are so pretty!), Grape Creek Vineyards, Pedernales Cellars, Fat Ass Ranch and Winery, and Fiesta Winery (also located in Marble Falls) all on my list. Although, I’m sure there are tons more out there!

Brenham/ Round Top - Home of the famous Blue Bell ice cream factory (with tons of free ice cream samples!) and the Round Top Antiques Fair (set for an October weekend), the towns of Brenham and Round Top would be the perfect day trip from Houston. It is only 2 hours away! There is also the most adorable bed and breakfast (The Frenchie Boutique Hotel) and an equally cute winery (Blue Mule) nearby that help set the scene for a fun trip. However, the biggest reason why people visit the area is for the bluebonnets in the spring! Texas’ state flower is in peak bloom come spring and the roads surrounding the towns is filled with them.

Corpus Christi - Imagine yourself sipping an iced latte on the balcony of your beachside Airbnb condo with the slight breeze and the smell of saltwater in the air. That image alone makes me want to head down to the Corpus Christi beach and spend a few days lounging in paradise. I recently heard about Lively Beach hotel, with its private beach access and spacious pool, and have been dying to book a reservation and experience the Corpus Christi beaches in paradise. In addition to the beaches, the town also has a Selena Museum (that is actually owned and operated by Selena’s family as this is their hometown), the South Texas Botanical Gardens, and cute coffee shops like, Hester’s Cafe.

Lufkin/Nacogdoches - Many people haven’t considered East Texas a real travel destination, but it does have a lot to offer! In short, its a great day trip for hiking and outdoor adventures that aren’t overflowing with visitors. I actually headed to Lufkin for a day trip earlier this summer- you can read about my adventures here.

Waco - Another random town I would have never been interested in before the pandemic, but now, after doing some research I’ve realized there are tons of fun activities in Waco! The biggest draw being the Magnolia Market, owned and operated by the famous couple Chip and Joanna Gaines of Fixer Upper fame. I headed to Waco in October with my best friend and spent a glorious 2 days in the most unique Airbnb- check out our adventures here!

Fort Worth - It is often overshadowed by its neighboring city, Dallas, but Fort Worth should be a destination in its own right. With a little research, you’ll discover that the city has tons to offer. I spent 3 days in Fort Worth and discovered my share of world class museums (National Cowgirl Hall of Fame), outdoor experiences (Fort Worth Botanical Gardens), amazing food (Hatsuyaki Handroll Bar), and colleges (Texas Christian University). Check out my entire Fort Worth weekend here.

Marfa - Marfa has been on my list for a while now, but due to the distance (its almost 9 hours from Houston!) I still haven’t had a change to make the trip, Just the thought of eating the same Marfa Burrito that Matthew McConaughey ate and taking a photo in front of the iconic isolated Prada store (that isn’t actually a store…) makes me so excited. Other Marfa highlights include their mysterious green Marfa Lights and their unique art scene with art museums such as, the Chinati Foundation and the Ayn Foundation. The little town is also located less than an hour away from McDonald’s Observatory, which apparently is the place to stargaze.

I’ve heard of many other amazing small Texas towns that make fun little day trips and I’m hoping to check them all out as well! Let me know if any of yall have visited already:

• Ennis- Located an hour from Dallas and famous for its bluebonnet trail.

• Weatherford- There is an annual peach festival!

• Beaumont- Apparently, there is a giant fire hydrant located in the middle of town that was gifted in celebration of the 101 Dalmatians movie coming out.

• Farmesville- Hiking and anitiques make up this small town’s charm.

48 Hours: Marble Falls, Texas

Another week, another Texas trip! That’s how my life feels nowadays at least. Continuing my streak of Texas vacations by visiting Marble Falls, a small country town an hour northwest of Austin. It is often overlooked by its more popular hill country neighbors, Dripping Springs and Fredericksburg, but Marble Falls definitely has its own special points.

Accommodations

Although I usually prefer hotels when traveling during Covid just because hotel chains have a bigger responsibility when it comes to ensuring that rooms are clean, Marble Falls doesn’t have too many hotel options so we went for an Airbnb this time around. Our sweet Airbnb was located in basically the middle of nowhere on a tiny farm where a horse and a donkey also resided. It set the scene for the perfect girls trip and was a great homebase for us all weekend. The Airbnb was actually located right in the middle of all activities we wanted to do so we were able to make stops back at the house to freshen up, rest, and snack. While the wifi is iffy (it is the countryside after all), the fresh air and spacious grounds more than made up for it. The trip reminded of why Airbnb is such a great experience and business and how it offers so many unique opportunities that otherwise wouldn’t be available.

Activities

Balcones Canyonland National Wildlife Refuge

This place is HUGE. There are so many different sections and hiking trails to choose from and so much space and land. We hiked all the trails at Doeskin Ranch trailhead, which took around 3 hours. There is a mixture of steep elevation gain and flat peaceful walks. The land is simply beautiful, but the best part was the lack of crowds. We came on a Friday afternoon (the refuge is only open Monday to Friday) and came across about 4 other people. Definitely a great social distancing opportunity. It didn’t even seem like we were in Texas! There is no entrance fee and plenty of parking available. All the trails are clearly mapped out and marked- don’t worry you won’t get lost!

Flat Creek Estate

Flat Creek is located about 10-20 minutes away from Balcones (depending on where your trail head is) and is a beautiful vineyard and winery with a full service restaurant included. In order to do the $15 wine tasting, bookings have to be made in advance so that the winery can properly prepare a safe tasting since the tasting cups are disinfected and prepackaged. The tasting includes 4 different types of wines- 2 reds, 1 white, and 1 rose. Guests are allowed to take their wine into the beautiful green vineyard and wander around their huge property. Beware- Flat Creek Estate is located in Spicewood, but their sister restaurant, Flat Creek Enoteca, is located in Marble Falls downtown. So if you’re wanting to try the Enoteca’s delicious pizzas, make sure to leave yourself enough time to drive 30 minutes between the properties.

Sweet Berry Farms

If you’re looking for an activity that screams FALL, this is it! Sweet Berry Farms is definitely the destination for all fall related activities and is no secret to the public because it is crowded and the two giant parking lots do fill up so make sure to come early (they open at 8am on Saturdays). There are plenty of pumpkin patches and pumpkin photo opportunities as well as cute little goat pens with feedings allowed and wildflower fields that allow for picking. Other activities included making your own scarecrow, painting pumpkins, and 3 corn mazes. I loved how festive and autumn-y the environment felt and felt like I was truly enjoying fall in Texas. The best part? Entrance to the farms is free, although tickets to the different activities are priced and sold separately. Sweet Berry Farms was located 5 minutes from our Airbnb (a true bonus) and one of our favorite parts of the trip.

Perissos Vineyard

After visiting Flat Creek the day before, my standards for Marble Falls wine was pretty high. But Perissos exceeded those expectations- the wine here is delicious! We accidentally came on Member Appreciation Day so there were quite a lot of people enjoying the wine an picknicking outdoors, but I loved how the tastings tents were all spread out around their property allowing for plenty of social distancing. Tastings are $18 for 6 wines (although we did get a 7th because it was a special event) and consists of 3 whites and 4 reds. Advanced bookings aren’t needed and there is also an option to buy a glass of wine indoors to take outdoors to drink. Perissos wines somehow achieved a level of sweetness that I find rare in Texas wines due to the extremely hot weather that permeates Texas. I loved walking around their vineyard just enjoying the autumn weather and the sweet wines!

Downtown Marble Falls and Downtown Burnet

I was slightly surprised by Marble Falls because it’s a bigger town than I was expecting. I saw tons of people everywhere and there was even a giant HEB. However, their downtown Main Street still had a small town vibe to it. Filled with cute boutiques and cafes (and free parking!), Main Street is so quaint that it makes you feel like you are in Hallmark movie. Stores do close early and usually aren’t open on Sundays so check opening times before going!

Burnet is a nearby small town located about 15 minutes away from Marble Falls. We came for ice cream because that was the only thing open on a Saturday night and just walked around the (empty) downtown peering into vintage stores. Their church is what I would have thought a small town Texas church would look like- so quaint and classic.

Kayaking on Lake Marble Falls

One of the highlights of this trip was renting kayaks from Just Yakin and having the entire Lake Marble Falls to ourselves as we paddled around. I’ve never seen a lake so empty before! During our one hour kayaking we came across only 1 speed boat- after that no other boaters or kayakers were around. I loved how serene the experience was, although we did get wet. Be prepared for strong waves! Kayak rentals from Just Yakin are $22/hour or $75 for an entire day. They deliver the kayaks to a specific boat ramp so advanced reservations are a must. Hourly rentals are only allowed for Lake Marble Falls. The other lake deliveries offered on their site (including Lake Buchanan) are day rentals only due to the distance. I highly recommend renting single kayaks so that picture taking is easier!

Inks Lake State Park

We headed to Inks Lake State Park for our last day in Marble Falls. The park is located about 30 minutes north of Marble Falls and is open to day visitors on an advanced reservation basis. Meaning that bookings get reserved way in advance and it is near impossible to snag a ticket if you aren’t a planner. We were only able to obtain the $6 per person reservation for a Sunday (weekends are very competitive). The Park isn’t the biggest in Texas, but there are still a few interesting hiking trails and a hidden swimming hole (Devi'l’s Waterhole) that can only be reached by a hike. Due to the capacity limits, there isn’t too many people, which allowed us ample space for hiking and enjoying a scenic picnic. There is plenty of room for parking and the bathrooms are extremely clean as well (important when you are outdoors). Inks Lake is the perfect place to spend a day outdoors away from the crowds!

Food

Wingman Brothers Smokehouse

Wingman BBQ was highly rated on Yelp and it was featured in Texas Monthly magazines so we were excited to give it a try. But sadly, the meat didn’t live up to the hype. I had the one meat plate (brisket), which came with two sides (I chose potato salad and mac and cheese). Everything, while decently priced, was extremely salty. There are so many barbecue places in Marble Falls (it is Texas after all) that I wouldn’t return to this place for more meat.

Numinous Coffee

Numinous is the most popular coffee shop in Marble Falls and wow, the coffee sure is well brewed! I see why everyone raves about it because the employees are so sweet and the coffees and baked good are delicious. My pumpkin spice latte and gluten free chocolate peanut butter cookie were to die for- I’ve never even had great gluten free pastries before and this one blew me away. Numinous also makes their syrups in house so they aren’t too sweet or bitter tasting. The coffee shop is located in a white house located in downtown Marble Falls. Definitely worth a stop!

Blue Bonnet Cafe

If you spot lines outside a tan and white building, you’ve most likely spotted the Blue Bonnet Cafe. The Blue Bonnet is the most popular brunch spot in Marble Falls and with capacity limits in place due to Covid, indoor dining isn’t possible without a decent wait. Instead, we opted for takeout and brought our omelets and hashbrowns and bacon to Lakeside Park (5 minute drive away) for an outdoor picnic. The food at the Cafe is typical brunch fare and tasted very ordinary to me, but the small town feel is what really made the place a gem.

Happy Scoops Ice Cream

Located in downtown Burnet, Happy Scoops is the ice cream shop of the area. They make their own ice cream on site and have the most delicious flavors. My whopper malt scoop made my night! While everything in Burnet does close early, Happy Scoops actually opens until around 9pm so it is the perfect after dinner treat.

I’m discovering so much of Texas that I never would have even considered visiting prior to Covid. This is my 4th Texas weekend trip and I’m loving my home state even more with every new adventure. Let me know if you guys have any other Texas weekend trip ideas!

48 Hours: Waco, Texas

My best friend and I have been trying to visit Waco for months now, but every time we actually commit, it seems like the Covid cases spike again. It is now October and it seems like even if we are nervous about Covid, it isn’t possible anymore to put life on hold so we just decided to pick a few days to go. Waco is often overshadowed by its neighboring city, Dallas, which is only located about an hour and a half away, but thanks to Chip and Joanna Gaines and their legion of Fixer Upper fans, Waco has really made it onto the map in recent years. Be prepared for a rural, but very quaint town! I’ve spent several weekends now exploring Texas and I’m so excited to be able to add another town onto my list.

Accommodations

The #1 reason why we wanted to visit Waco (besides Magnolia Market obviously) was getting to stay in these adorable mini container homes. I first spotted them on Airbnb and fell in love with their cute interior design and dreamy rooftop. The Airbnb owner actually has about 5 other tiny container homes on his property and renovated all of them with his sons. Although they vary in size (some are for 4 people while others like ours are meant for 2 people only), the homes all have wifi, air conditioning, murphy beds, tvs, and a beautiful rooftop deck. While we were in Waco to explore, we definitely wanted to spend a good chunk of time at our Airbnb as well because how often do you get to live in a container home? Unfortunately, the homes fill up super quickly (like months in advance) so we decided to stay Thursday to Saturday instead of the typical Friday to Sunday weekend trip. It worked out however, because both of us chose to work remotely on Friday, allowing us to spend more time in our container home! There homes on the property are spread out to where noise isn’t an issue, but not too spread out to the point where you feel like you are alone in the middle of rural Texas. The rooftop was our favorite part of the home- we did a workout class up there and enjoyed a lunch with views. But the Tuft and Needle mattress and the Hulu subscription were also amazing features as well. This tiny home was one of the best Airbnb experiences I’ve ever had!

Activities

Magnolia Market

Magnolia was CROWDED so get there as early as possible (as in before everything opens because lines do form and with Covid capacity restrictions, entry into buildings can take time. Construction and renovations was also going on when we were there so some parts were closed, but that just means I’ll have to go back when everything is complete. There are 3 areas that are currently open- Magnolia Press, Magnolia Market, and Silos Baking Company. Obviously, we went to all 3! Magnolia Press is the adorable green and gold coffee shop on their campus and served up a great, although sort of too sweet, snickerdoodle latte. Like its two counterparts, there are various Instagrammable photo opportunities located inside and outside of the building. The coffee shop opened first so after grabbing our caffeinated drinks, we headed towards the bakery to wait in line for opening time. The line wrapped around the corner, but moved reasonably efficiently. I got an assortment of cupcakes and cookies and boy, were they delicious! Highly recommend the nuts and bolts cupcake as well as the Silos cookie. Last, we stopped next door at Magnolia Market where customers and fans can stock up on Chip and Joanna Gaines merchandise. Everything is quite expensive though so I only bought my staple souvenirs- a Magnolia themed postcard and a cute wooden magnet. The Magnolia experience is definitely built for fans of Fixer Upper and the Gaines- it is mainly photo taking, shopping, and eating- but it makes for the perfect addition to a girls trip!

Cameron Park

Cameron Park is a huge green area located alongside the Brazos River with a ton of trails, including ones that have serious elevation. There are a few trailhead options and plenty of parking available. The trails are a mixture of shaded and unshaded, but all were interesting to hike and had sufficient signage up. Our favorite was the River Trail where we could walk along the beautiful Brazos River (something so very Texas) and also immerse ourselves in the trees. The trails aren’t too crowded, which made for a great social distancing outing.

Dr Pepper Museum

All Dr. Pepper lovers must visit this museum at least once. The museum is housed in a 3 story building and filled with paraphernalia and interesting facts about the brand and all their products. I didn’t even know that Dr. Pepper was created in Waco! Its located at the very location where Dr. Pepper was first served to the public, the Old Corner Drugstore. There is even a replica of the original store front inside the museum. Facts on how soda is created and bottled as well as historical information on the development of soda drinks is what makes up the bulk of the information provided. The museum takes about an hour to wander through and ends in the soda fountain where all ticketholders can receive a free 10 oz soda drink.

Baylor University

I stopped here very quickly on my drive back to Houston and thoroughly enjoyed walking the peaceful university grounds. There were students scattered around the campus studying outside, eating, and basically just reminding me of my own college days. It was so nostalgic (even though I’m a proud Longhorn)! There is a free visitor parking lot located towards the middle of campus that doesn’t require a parking permit, which definitely made visiting and touring the campus a lot easier. UT could definitely learn something from this!

Waco Suspension Bridge

Located along the Brazos River, the Suspension Bridge is a pedestrian only bridge that lets you look over the beautiful river in peace. I was a little confused on the name Suspension Bridge though because it wasn’t necessarily a typical “suspension” bridge and was basically just a normal pedestrian bridge. The bridge isn’t too far of a walk from Magnolia Market or the Dr. Pepper museum so its a fun detour to stop at.

Waco Farmer’s Market

The farmer’s market was a nice detour for a cheesy and cheap quesadilla, but is very small. I’m guessing due to Covid, many vendors did not want to serve food at the market so there is only about a dozen tents set up for buying produce, baked goods, and ready made food. We were already in the area with plans to visit Magnolia Market, the Bridge, and the Dr. Pepper Museum, so stopping at the farmer’s market wasn’t out of the way for us. However, I wouldn’t have made a special stop here.

Food

Shorty’s Pizza Stack

The popular and unique food item to try here is the pizza pillow, which is a square shaped pizza dough with the cheese, toppings, and sauce wrapped inside. I would have to say this is a pass- probably one of the worst pizza/ pizza creations I’ve ever tasted. The dough was very chewy and dough and the filling was too heavy, making the whole thing taste soggy. There was also no real flavor besides only tasting the dough. A definite pass.

Franklin Ave Mac House

The mac and cheese here wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t amazing mac and cheese either. I chose the Big Jim’s mac and cheese with gouda and bacon and thought it was a decent snack. The cheese wasn’t too liquidy or oily and there was a decent amount of bacon included. The Mac House is located in a shopping plaza parking lot in a little wooden house- it can be easy to miss to keep your eye out for their sign!

Teriyaki Park

Fried sushi! I have been wanting to try fried sushi for the longest time and it is actually so hard to find (although should it be in Texas where we fry literally everything). The sushi was so yummy here I actually stopped by twice to try two different fried rolls. The Waco roll and the California roll both come fried (and are huge). Teriyaki Park was a surprise for us after tasting some mediocre food and is a true hidden gem in Waco.

Cajun Craft

Another hidden food gem in Waco! The cajun food here was spot on- both my friend and I agreed. I loved my boudin balls so much- they were perfectly fried and crispy on the outside with delicious rice jambalaya on the inside. My only regret was that I didn’t order more food from here…. Highly recommend!

Dos Mundos

Like Shorty’s, this baked potato spot can also be a pass. I love baked potatoes and was looking forward to trying a restaurant that specialized in baked potatoes with a variety of different toppings. But not only was the potato overpriced (a small is $10!), the toppings didn’t actually add much flavor or uniqueness to the potato.

1102 Bubble Tea

No vacation is ever complete without a bubble tea drink! As you probably know, I always attempt to find and taste bubble tea in every city that I visit. 1102 is a chain the the Dallas area with about 3-4 other locations and there is a reason why they are successful. Their tea is really good! They also have a few unique and Instagrammable options like a flower pot milk tea and a cereal inspired drink. I went for a classic black milk tea with bubbles, but definitely plan to be more adventurous next time I come across their cafe.

Bittersweet Waco

Go here as fast as you can! The cookies here are the best! There are so many unique and mouthwatering combinations of flavors- snickerdoodle cookie butter, birthday cake cream cheese, peanut butter chocolate, nutella oreo, oreo caramel, and so much more. My friend and I had a hard time just choosing one cookie ($4.5) so we decided to buy half a dozen cookies ($20). The cookies are given to you in individual plastic bags and are meant to be heated up at home (or in the store) prior to eating. I thought this was smart because had the employee heated up the cookie for us at the store, they would have cooled down by the time we brought them back to our Airbnb to enjoy after dinner. The cookies are so soft and full of rich flavor- I’m dreaming of the day I can return to Waco and try more!

Exploring small towns is the best! It’s also perfect for these crazy times when being around too many people can make a girl nervous. What other small towns would be perfect to visit?