Looking to experience Texas? Want to cover a lot of ground in short amount of time? Maybe you just have enough time for one city and you want to see which one is right for you? Well, settle in as I walk you down our experience on a 5 day road trip through Texas.
Why Texas?
My mom, sister, and I were looking for a girls getaway. My sister had visited Austin and San Antonio a few years back, and suggested we check out more of the area. My mom and I had never been to Texas so it was settled, off to Texas we went.
Table of Contents
Day 1: Dallas
We flew into Dallas for two reasons. One it was the best flight option from North Carolina, and two it was north of Waco, aka Magnolia Market! The destination I was looking forward to the most.
Stay
Be careful of where you book your stay in Dallas. We paid a bit more for safety and location.
My advice, for any hotel booking, make sure to not always book based only on price. Check the surrounding areas. I always try to book middle of the road. I don’t need luxury, but I do want my specific needs met and that is often safety and location.
By location I mean, that by the time you pay for parking or transportation you could have paid to stay in town and walk to your desired locations. Less stress and hassle.
Hyatt Regency
Ever noticed the Reunion Tower, the lit-up ball in downtown Dallas, the Hyatt Regency is adjacent to the ball. The hotel was basically a city within itself. A conference center with many restaurants to choose from and a large built-in bar. Also, kudos to them for a great workout facility. We were on the 25th floor facing the city and we had beautiful views of the city lit up at night.
Experiences
We only had a few hours in the city and to be honest there wasn’t a ton that jumped out at us as must-see’s. We were walking distance from Historical District so we took off to see what we could find.
Old Red Courthouse/Old Red Museum
We did not go into the Old Red Museum however I feel that it is worth mentioning because it was a beautiful piece of architecture. Built in 1892 as the Dallas County Courthouse and replaced in 1966.
Picturesque and worth a walk by.
The Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza
I’m not much of a museum person, and as it turns out it was closed the day we were there. I will say walking around Dealey Plaza, seeing and reliving a very historic moment in American history was very interesting. John F. Kennedy was assassinated in this location.
Seeing the X’s in the road where the shots were fired was humbling.
West End Historic District
Walking around exploring West End Historic Districts shops and eateries is well worth your time if you like to immerse yourself into local culture. We were there on a Monday afternoon so a little dead, but I’m sure on weekends this is a hopping place.
Wild Bill’s Western Store was a good find.
Food
Chet’s
I recommend checking out Chet’s in West End Historic District. Not only was the food good, but the atmosphere is cozy and inviting. Irish-American classics with a casual luxury feel. It was mid afternoon before we were able to eat lunch so we just ordered a few appetizers and shared some small bites.
Day 2: Waco
Positioned an hour and half south of Dallas. Since Waco is positioned nicely between Dallas and Austin, we did not plan to spend a night here. After our day of fun in Waco we continued south another hour and half to Austin.
Experiences
Magnolia Market
Ever heard of a show called Fixer Upper? Waco is Chip and Joanna Gaines stopping grounds. They have created many points of interest around this city including Magnolia Market, or the Silos, Magnolia Table, and Little Shop on Bosque. Not to mention the many homes they have fixed up over the years that have been showcased on National TV. Some of which you can even rent for your stay in town.
To say the least, I was in all my feels at this location. To keep this guide quick and to the point. I will save all my emotions and love for Magnolia Market and place them here for those who are interested.
Also check out this reel of our experience. So fun!
Dr Pepper Museum
Again, not a huge Museum fan, I rather be outside exploring. However, this was a fun expedition especially if you are a lover of Dr. Pepper or old advertising. This being the original factory of Dr. Pepper it houses many relics of soda production throughout the years.
I personally loved the old advertisement ads. From the Norman Rockwell feels to the cheesy 80’s/90’s pop culture. Marketing and human psychology through the decades is very interesting.
They even showcased their failures. Which I loved. Everything in business is not a home run and being able to grow and adapt from failures is what makes lasting businesses.
Food
Magnolia Table
I debated if this should go under experience or food. It is an experience to dine at Magnolia Table.
It is a breakfast and lunch dinner. The design is as you would guess impeccable. The food was delicious, southern farmhouse style breakfast. There was plenty of options for lunch as well if you are not a big breakfast fan.
There were seasonal pumpkin spice donut holes, drizzled with yummy goodness, while we were there. Yeah, I’m drooling thinking about those bad boys again.
There might be a little wait for this one but make sure not to skip out on it! See more here.
Day 3: Austin
Texas’s capitol city. Known for its eclectic and diverse culture. It is self-proclaimed “The Live Music Capitol of the World”. Along with some other fun claims to fame, “Tattoo Capital of the World” and “Food Truck Capital of the World”. One aspect to be admired is the desire to keep things local with the slogan “Keep Austin Weird”.
Austin is an up-and-coming place. Drawing in many fortune 500 companies such as Meta, Google, Amazon, Apple, and Tesla. Also drawing in many celebrities from California. For my North Carolina residents, picture Asheville meshed with Raleigh, and you have a good feel for Austin.
Stay
Ok, our motel in Austin was pretty freakin’ cool! It was like you stepped back into a 70’s motel from a California based movie. Give me all the hippie vibes!
The Austin Motel
A traditional motel that had been remolded but kept all the vintage charm. The Austin Motel includes a restaurant with street views and courtyard seating. Also a pool that hosted fun activities such as movie nights and pool parties. Positioned right on South Congress Ave (SoCo) you were walking distance to many shops and downtown.
Experiences
Shopping on SoCo
An easy adventure to take in Austin, especially if you stay in The Austin Motel, is to walk up and down SoCo and get some shopping in. Most shops in this area are higher end, but fun to walk in and experience what they have to offer in their individual shopping experiences.
6th Street
6th Street is a hot spot for night activity. The historic buildings have been maintained and converted into bars and eateries. If you are not about the night scene these days, then you can stroll through during the day and afternoon to get a feel for the area and listen to some live music.
We went to Friends Bar around lunch time. There was a food truck stationed inside the bar that had amazing street tacos. We also took in a local artist. It was fun and the perfect taste of “Live Music Austin” for our crowd.
Rainey Street
Rainey Street is another fun bar hopping street. There was a lot of character in this location as all the bars had different themes and were basically old houses that had been gutted and remodeled into bars.
We visited UnBARlievable and it had a feel of early 90’s fun house. Bright colors, good alternative music, slides, arcade games, and lawns with old lawn chairs to gather on. They advertise it as a circus where you can expose your wacky side. Check out this reel to see my inner child, which is not hard to coax out, having fun!
Austin Duck Adventures
Most cities I visit, especially if I only have a day or two in them, I like to do a city tour. My favorite is hop on and hop off busses, because then I don’t have to worry about parking or driving in unfamiliar places.
Austin didn’t have this option but what they did have that was intriguing was Austin Duck Adventures. You know the big bus that drives around town but then submerges into water and puts around.
This was fun and very family friendly. We had a good tour guide that provided Austin history that we would have not otherwise had the opportunity to learn. Plus, now I can say I have been in an amphibious vehicle, traveling on land and in water. Now to find a car that drives and flys, I joke but let’s be real probably is not too far in the future!
Ladybird Lake Hike and Bike Trail
This is an easy hiking/city trail to access and it winds up and down Ladybird Lake. We took this on the way back to SoCo from Rainey Street to avoid the city work. I wouldn’t recommend this at night, but was a good option for daytime.
We didn’t do a lot of hikes on our trip but I do have some good research on where you can go to hike while visiting Austin. If you are interested contact me and I will make sure to get the info to you.
Food
Cooper’s Old Time Pit Bar-B-Que
Ok, we hit the jack pot with this one, we were starving and looking for some famous Texas brisket. Cooper’s Old Time Pit exceeded our expectations. The environment was fun and the food was phenomenal.
The three of us chose to order the meats and sides together and then share family style. I suggest this method to test out all they have to offer, but as always do what works best for your group.
I’m not a huge brisket fan because typically people dry it out. However, I would eat brisket once a week if it always tasted like that! Additionally, we got the pork ribs, spicy mac and cheese, green beans, and slaw. All very tasty.
Hula Hut
Hula Hut was a cool little spot-on Austin Lake. Beautiful views and an interesting assortment of food flare. Self-proclaimed Tex-Mex with a Polynesian twist. This will be a short drive from downtown, but worth it to see a little outside of the city.
Day 4: Texas Hill Country
After a few days of city life we were ready to explore some of Texas’s countryside. We had reservations to stay in San Antonio that night. However, we found a perfect route that allowed us to experience some of the countryside, and still get us to our destination by dark. Man did we find a hidden gem!
Did ya’ll know Texas had a wine country? Similar to stretches in North Carolina and Virginia, along HWY 290, Texas has many wineries to choose from. From Dripping Springs, to Johnson City, to Fredericksburg you can find all kinds of fun intricate wineries to stop and have a flight at, along with a few breweries and distilleries too.
Experiences
Deep Eddy’s Vodka
In Dripping Springs, you will find Deep Eddy’s Vodka. Vodka and I don’t get along, but they have tons of fun mixed drinks to try out along with a beautiful venue to explore.
Texas Hills Vineyard
Texas Hills Vineyard gave me all the Texas vibes I was looking for when we ventured out of the city. Just a few minutes off HWY 290. They have a beautiful chateau with a covered patio that looks out into the vineyard and twisting oak trees.
The staff was very friendly, and we enjoy a flight and charcuterie board before moving on to our next destination.
I wish we had more time to explore vineyards. I think it would be a ton of fun to have a girl’s wine trip out to this area and base out of Fredericksburg. Whose with me?!
Main Street Fredericksburg
The cutest little historic German town, Fredricksburg. Founded by German settlers in 1846 this town to this day still holds its German influence on main street. There are many shops to walk through and peruse. Wineries with to-go cups to enjoy while you shop. Along with restaurants to sit and watch the hustle and bustle.
Food
Auslander Biergarten Restaurant
If you ever have gone or want to go to Germany Auslander is worth a visit. It reminded me of so many things I experienced in Munich while visiting. From the beautiful intricate wood cuckoo clocks to the delicious schnitzel.
Curious what schnitzel is? Basically it is country style steak or chicken fried steak. You take a meat of your choice, pound it until it is thin, the bread and fry it. The schnitzel itself is not highly seasoned but is topped with bold sauces.
In true Texas style I had the Spicy Texas Schnitzel. Yum.
Day 5: San Antonio
Stay
Our hotel in San Antonio could not have been in a better location. While researching, I spent a good chunk of time trying to figure out where on the riverwalk you should be. Time well spent!
Club Wyndham Riverside Suites
Bonus we had our own little apartment for two nights. A fully working kitchen, living room area with pull out couch, bathroom, and bedroom. Perfect for 4 or less. There was also a hotel patio that overlooked the riverwalk where we could hear fun music from the dueling piano bar across the water.
This hotel was nothing fancy, but it had a great location and larger room options.
Experiences
Riverwalk
The riverwalk was our main attraction as I’m sure is most peoples. It didn’t disappoint. However, 1-2 days was all that was needed to really enjoy this area. If you are going to plan additional days I would definitely plan something else that San Antonio has to offer like Sea World or Six Flags.
Riverwalk Cruise
Hoping on a boat to see and hear about the history of the riverwalk is a must. The guides are entertaining, and the views are beautiful. Go Rio
The Alamo
I wish I had known more of the history of The Alamo before visiting. It is very interesting. I was aware of it through history in school, but not to the extent of really understanding what all took place there.
Texas history in general is very interesting. Did you know Texas has lived under 6 National flags? Hence, where Six Flags got its name. That’s pretty intense to have that much change over, yikes.
Food
The Iron Cactus
The Iron Cactus was our Tex-Mex experience. We were told to wait until we got to San Antonio to go full Tex-Mex, even though we had a taste of it in almost every restaurant we visited. The Iron Cactus was right in the middle of all the hustle and bustle of the riverwalk nightlife. The food was good, the margs where even better! If you are a margarita kinda gal go for the strawberry, you will not regret it, trust me.
The Republic of Texas Restaurant
The Republic of Texas Restaurant is great lunch spot on the riverwalk. You can’t miss the big red, white, and blue table coverings by the water. The perfect people watching spot, along with ducks, and the river boats passing by. My sister and I each ordered a burger on the menu to split and share. The queso burger was our favorite!
Saltgrass Steak House
When you are looking for that good all American steakhouse Saltgrass Steak House is your place. Everything we had here was good. We started with the onion straws for an appetizer and then we had Ribeye’s and cheese fries for our meal. Definitely not our healthiest meal but it feels so good to splurge every now and again!
Transportation
We flew American Airlines into Dallas/Fort Worth and out of San Antonio. I loved San Antonio because it was a smaller but high functioning airport. The car rental drop off was so easy and was connected to the airport, no shuttles.
We rented our car through Alamo. I have used them twice this year and have had really good luck with this company. Be prepared. Car rentals are expensive. Picking up and dropping off at different airports adds to the cost as well. Totally worth it for an epic, road trip!
Takeaway
A fun girls getaway. Lots of exploring and we were able to cover a lot of ground.
It is fun to jump off the beaten path and find special local spots. If I go back I would definitely like to spend more time in Texas Hill Country, and maybe even venture out to Big Bend National Park.
If you decide to venture out to Texas, reach out to me. I would love to help you plan your trip around your interests.
In the meantime, join my newsletter so we can get to know each other better. Be the first to know about new trips and new planning offers. I will be waiting for your on the inside, travel buddy! Let’s get out and explore!
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