Our local road trip guides have been busy answering questions from our community on Instagram. Looking for inspiration? Check out their answers on the best road trip adventures for families. 

Chet - @chettripper

@viknboys: Need Big Bend Lodging ideas that aren’t pricey luxury destinations but aren’t campgrounds either. Thanks!⛰❤️

Chet: I would say the Chisos Mountain Lodge is your best bet, it's right in the middle of the national park. Or just outside Far Flung!

 

@thejonhull: Best place to camp in February in Big Bend?

Chet: I would say, it doesn't get any better than the Chisos Basin right in the middle of the national park. If you can grab a spot there, I would do it. Or check out Big Bend Ranch State Park, it's phenomenal, lots of good options.

 

@yellowrosestitcher: Where's the best place to camp where it's not too crowded?

Chet: One of my favorite places to camp that isn't too crowded is Caprock Canyons State Park, it's sort of the underappreciated alternative to Palo Duro Canyon up in the Panhandle, it's totally beautiful.

 

@cannon.kirby: Do you have a favorite Rodeo you like to attend? And what would be your favorite Rodeo event if you have one?

Chet: You gotta go to the Mesquite Rodeo, it's the Rodeo Capital of Texas, or check out the Stephenville Rodeo in the Cowboy Capital of the World. Also, my favorite event is Bronc Riding.

 

@iamlucig: Where’s a good place to take the family with kids ranging from 3 to 14 we’ve but no theme parks. We’ve been to several in the last few years would like a new adventure.

Chet: You need to get those kids outside! The three year old you might have to throw on your back, the rest of them can hike. Go to Enchanted Rock, you'll love it.

 

@ufosandstars: do you know any camping sites in texas that allow ATVs and arent strict about gathering firewood? I'm also looking for someplace scenic. Preferably within an hour or two from the dallas fort worth area

Chet: I would say check out River Run Park in Jacksonville, Texas. It's an incredible off-road park and they offer camping. Or Hidden Falls Adventure Park in Marble Falls.

 

@ssej6: Where’s the good bass fishing in dfw?

Chet: I've always heard Benbrook Lake and Grapevine Lake are fantastic. But if you want the best largemouth bass fishing in Texas, head to Lake Fork!

 

@osoperez58: For a first in a long time I want to take my daughter on a hiking trip where is a good first time near Fort Worth Texas?

Chet: I love this! You gotta go to Mineral Wells State Park. Check out Penitentiary Hollow, hike around the lake, you won't regret it – it's beautiful!

 

Nina Cardenas - @ramblinroundtexas

@stebingers: Traveling from El Paso to San Antonio to Houston. Obscure attractions along the way?

Nina: The drive from El Paso to San Antonio can be brutal but there are a couple of places to stop. First is Balmorhea State Park which is the world's largest spring fed swimming pool. Stop, take a dip, it's nice and chilly! Second is the Caverns of Sonora where you can take a cave tour to stretch your legs.

 

@hshaikh_a: Best road trips from Dallas for toddlers? And we've never been camping before, so best recommendations on park/lodge/campground with toddlers

Nina: A great road trip with toddlers from Dallas is to Dinosaur Valley State Park. The kids will love playing in the river, seeing the dinosaur tracks, and checking out the big dinosaur models they have by their headquarters. And if you don't want to camp, grab a cabin or a hotel in Glen Rose.

 

@stebingers: What not to miss in Houston? 

Nina: While you're in Houston, I highly recommend making the one-hour drive to Brazos Bend State Park. It's a really cool place, you'll get to see alligators, they have the George Observatory which is open on Saturday nights and it's a beautiful spot right outside of Houston.

 

@stebingers: Anything cool to see in El Paso?

Nina: While you're in El Paso, one thing to not miss is Franklin Mountains State Park. If you're short on time, I highly recommend doing the Aztec Cave Trail. It is a very steep climb, but I promise you that it is well worth it once you get up there into the caves.

 

@northernmade_southernraised: Where do you stay in the area (of Big Bend Ranch State Park)?

Nina: Now there's not much out in far west Texas, but if you're visiting Big Bend Ranch State Park and you don't want to camp, you've got some other options in Lajitas and Terlingua. You can stay in the hotel at Lajitas Golf Resort, you can glamp at the Summit at Big Bend or you can stay in an Airbnb.

 

@stebingers: What not to miss in San Antonio?

Nina: While you're in San Antonio, visit one of my favorite outdoor spaces, Government Canyon State Natural Area. It's only open Friday through Monday but if you're there on one of those days, take the round-trip five-mile hike to see their dinosaur tracks.

 

@callie.finch: We are planning on taking our 2 and 4 year old camping and a lot of the state parks closest to us (Houston) have alligator warnings.... should that deter us from going to those parks? Should we be overly cautious about alligators? I feel like they are everywhere lately!

Nina: Now I know the thought of sharing space with Alligators can be a little bit unnerving but in Texas only two people have been killed by Alligators since 1836. So as long as you follow the rules, keep your children and pets close, don't swim at night, you'll be fine.

 

@stebingers: What not to miss in Dallas? 

Nina: In Dallas, I highly recommend Cedar Hill State Park. It's a great little nature oasis to feel like you're getting away from the city and they have all sorts of outdoor activities including hiking and swimming. They've also got Penn Farm, which is a historic farm from the mid-1800s.

 

@nolaschaub: I just moved to central TX. What are the top 3 weekend trips for a couple without kids?

Nina: The first of my top 3 Hill Country road trips would be to Enchanted Rock State Natural Area in Fredericksburg. Not only is the park beautiful and iconic for Texas, but Fredericksburg has tons of wineries and great restaurants to explore.

My second Hill Country weekend road trip would be to Blanco. Visit Blanco State Park and you can swim, kayak, there are some short trails and then afterwards to to Real Ale Brewing Company and grab a beer, then head to Garrison Brothers Distillery in Hye.

My third weekend Hill Country road trip would be to Colorado Bend State Park. Now this is not near a city like the other two, it's a little bit more remote. But there's tons of hiking, you can rent kayaks and in non-Covid-times they do wild cave tours.

 

Nina Palmo - @raisingwildflowerkids

@altefteller: What's the best parks in East Texas for hiking and tent camping with kids in mind. We just started camping last year as a family, but are looking for more places to visit, our current go-to spot is Martin Creek Lake State Park. 

Nina: Caddo Lake State Park in East Texas is a beautiful place to go for a Piney Woods hike in the forest. You can also rent kayaks and canoes and hit the waterways. They're lined with towering bald cypress trees with spanish moss, a really magical feel.

 

@altefteller: And what's your weirdest camping hack that you can't do without now??

Nina: So we're generally pretty low maintenance campers but we do have this one weird hack: We bought this $20 water filter online and we now bring it on all of our camping trips to make the water that comes out of the spigots at the camp sites taste a lot better.

 

@forlando: Any science to how you pack? 

Nina: One packing tip that helps us stay organized is we gave each of our kids instead of a suitcase one of those big Rubbermaid type bins to keep their stuff in. They can see everything, and they don't need to take everything out in order to find their pajamas or swimsuit or whatever it is they're looking for.

 

@forlando: Who picks the music?

Nina: If we're listening to music on our trip, my husband usually picked it out. If we're listening to podcasts or audio books, then I probably picked it out. The kids pick their own stuff, they're usually plugged into their tablets, so they listen to their own podcasts, audio books, or movies.

@forlando: Should I feel guilty for giving kids tablets in the car?

Nina: I really cannot emphasize enough that we all should have zero guilt for having our kids use their tablets on road trips. Ours do it, they've got their movies, they've got their audio books they plug in their headphones and then my husband and I get a chance to have a conversation.

 

@thewillsikora: Any kid friendly (2-3years) recommendations near DFW?

Nina: In the DFW area, the Huck Finn Trail in Richardson is a really nice, stroller friendly urban hikinig trail with a waterfall and turtles. A little further out, Lake Mineral Wells State Park has some cool rock formations and a kid-friendly lake.

 

@findingmandee: Best hikes for kids in Big Bend? 

Nina: At Big Bend National Park, for the youngest hikers Santa Elana Canyon Trail is a great option about a mile and a half out and back with some great canyon views. For a slightly bigger challenge, check out the Basin Loop Trail: A little bit of elevation, a little bit longer, also a lot of fun.

 

@findingmandee: And advice for affordable places to stay nearby Big Bend?

Nina: For affordable places to stay in the Big Bend area, I would definitely check out camping at the national park or nearby Big Bend State Park. You could also check out if places like Hipcamp or Tenter or Airbnb are running any specials especially if you're flexible on your dates.

 

@proverbs13twenty: Good indoor adventure place for kids (3-9 yrs) within 3 hours of Odessa, TX

Nina: If you're looking for an adventure but you want to stay warm, one place that's about 2 1/2 hours from the Odessa area is the Caverns of Sonora. It's a warm cave, i's about 72 degrees year-round so there's no need for jackets and it's a really cool place to explore.

 

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