Help us plan our trip! Texas.

[alesis]

Hey guys.
We are planning an approx 2 week camping trip in the hte beginning of July to Texas. We'd like to visit 2 areas, and one will need to be near Dallas, as we have family there we will be visiting.

We have kids ages 2, 7 and 9, and enjoy hiking, nature, typical touristy traps like aquariums and such, swimming etc.

We need full hookup sites for both areas, and are looking for suggestions for a cg near Dallas, as well as what other area we should visit. I was thinking perhaps a ocean front town, but I know nothing about Texas so I figured you guys could clue us in to the best places to visit.

Since we'll be in each area for 5-6 days, it'd be nice to have locations where there are a few day trip options within about an hour of driving.

Thanks in advance!,

[TexasH]

Beltone Magoo wrote:
Remember the local saying: We have 2 seasons here; Summer and July/August. You'll believe it after you try it.
Good luck and safe travels!

But you forgot the most important season...... Deer :B

[Beltone_Magoo]

Remember the local saying: We have 2 seasons here; Summer and July/August. You'll believe it after you try it.
Good luck and safe travels!

[Pigkisser]

Head south from Dallas on IH-35 and take the kids to the Schlitterbahn Water Park in New Braunfels. It is listed as the world's largest water park and the kids will have a blast. It's a great way to cool off during the summer heat. I would recommend the Stone Creek RV Park which is located on IH-35 in Schertz, TX, which is north of San Antonio and about 15 miles from New Braunfels.

You can then check out San Antonio and then head to the beach at Corpus or Port Aransas.

[Pop-Pop_C]

We lived on the north side of Ft. worth for
Almost 30 years. Going into that area in July would not be my
first choice. I would make sure you had 2 airs and the both work well.
But if you must. There is a camp ground on the NW. corner of the DFW
airport , on Grapevine Lake in the city of grapevine .
Lotsa space and much amneties in the area.
Galveston , Corpus Christi , and port Aransas are good choices.
We are FULLTIMING now and currantly on SPI I S. Tx.

[garmp]

DW & I were in Texas mid-October. Drove from St Louis through Arkansas to Dallas to see some friends. Spent a couple of Days in San Antonio. Wife LOVED the river walk and the Alamo. The next highlight of our trip was Mustang Island SP, one of my Had-To's. Gavelston Island was next and between the two GI had the better campground, but MI had the better beach, in our opinion. Camped our way back through LA, into Ark and Petit Jean SP. Great trip

[PawPaw_n_Gram]

4runnerguy wrote:
Another option would be the Ozarks or Ouachitas in Arkansas. Since they're a little higher in elevation, it's a little cooler there by 4 or 5 degrees. Plus, they're on the way from Detroit. Lake Ouachita is amazingly clear with a variety of camping options including COE and an SP.

Though I was exiled to Texas by the US Navy 27 years ago, my home is always Arkansas.

We literally grew up on a lake in foothills of the Ouachitas - Lake Greeson - averaged camping 25-30 weekends and two full weeks a year from the time I was 12 to 18.

We had a ski boat - and how that little 60 hp Johnson lasted 20-24 hours of use that many weekends for 15 years is beyond belief.

Even took my grandkids to Lake Ouachita for two weeks last summer.

That said - while the exact temps might be a few degrees lower than Texas - the humidity makes the heat index higher. It is harder to escape the humidity than the heat.

RVs don't do high humidity well - the AC's don't have the capacity to dissipate the heat, especially when everyone stays indoors.

Central Arkansas, eastern Oklahoma and southern Missouri are an option. The idea of spending a week another full day drive past Dallas vs spending that week a full day drive closer to Detroit might make more sense.

It will eliminate two driving days from the vacation trip - and make the final leg home easier.

patperry2766 wrote:
It would be a long drive if you were planning to go to Dallas on a daily basis

This is an important point.

I live on the northeast edge of the DFW metroplex - six miles from Lake Lavon.

The poster who mentioned the distance lives - at least 60 freeway and toll road driving miles from my home. That's a minimum of one hour drive in the late evening - maybe 1 1/2 hour mid-day - and can easily be two hours if the traffic is heavy. For me as a Navy retiree to go to the NAS at Carswell I always plan for 2 hours driving each way.

There is extensive road construction across the north freeways of Dallas (I-635) and Fort Worth (I-820). Nothing which really bothers a resident of the area - but would be awful to a visitor.

The DFW area is 75-80 miles wide and 50-60 miles tall. You should concentrate your visits to a general area. It would be very easy to spend three to four hours per day driving to attractions, tourist locations - and 200 miles per day in the DFW area.

[patperry2766]

Another option would be the Ozarks or Ouachitas in Arkansas. Since they're a little higher in elevation, it's a little cooler there by 4 or 5 degrees. Plus, they're on the way from Detroit. Lake Ouachita is amazingly clear with a variety of camping options including COE and an SP. Besides the usual outdoor activities, there are interesting museums in Hot Springs and Little Rock and a great free art museum in Bentonville (Crystal Bridges). Plenty of little streams to play in.

I was in Hot Springs AR last August and it was hotter than 10 kinds of hell. Humidity is a b**** and with all the tall trees, it never seemed like we could get a decent breeze blowing thru the campsite. I think that part of Arkansas would be beautiful in late fall of early spring.

[Bumpyroad]

4runnerguy wrote:


Beaches in TX aren't anything to write home about. Very fine sand, almost mud along the LA border and they get sandier as you head south toward Mexico. Beaches aren't too crowded in the summer as it is so hot. Even the water is like a warm bathtub, not very refreshing.
.

last summer at Galveston the beach looked like it had a hedge row on it. discovered it was a ton of sea weed piled up. find a place that has a pool instead.
bumpy

[patperry2766]

There is a incredible amount of things to do. If your goal is to cram as much in as you can, then you will not be disappointed. Based on a 2 year old:

Six Flags Hurricane Harbor
Dallas World Aquarium
Ft Worth Zoo...way better than the Dallas Zoo
Perot Museum ( I haven't been personally, but heard it's awesome)
Ft Worth Museum of Science and History
U.S. Bureau of Engraving and Printing
Sea Life Aquarium/Legoland Discovery Center/Polar Ice House (all in the same mall in Grapevine Texas...plus there is a Bass Pro Shops next to it)
Ft Worth Stockyards...daily cattle drive down the middle of the road.

There is Six Flags in Arlington, but a 2yo in summer wouldnt work due to heat and ride height. The older kids would dig it


I have lived in both Dallas & Ft Worth for the last 23 years and I prefer Ft Worth to Dallas because it just seems that Dallas has a faster and busier pace of life and everybody's always rushing to get somewhere...plus traffic sucks BIGTIME.

Based on the destinations, Traders Village or Jellystone would mean less drive time

[2112]

4runnerguy wrote:
Really?? :h Texas in July?? :E

HOT HOT HOT

The lows at night can be what the high temps in Detroit are in the summer.

Yea, he mentioned hiking and I just ignored that. Hiking would be brutal. Enchanted Rock, Lost Maples, Caprock Canyon and Palo Dura Canyon are nice hiking locations if you must.

Beaches aren't too crowded in the summer as it is so hot.

Texas beaches are PACKED during the summer months. It's the only outdoor relief available other than rivers. There is a steady stream of beach goers heading down the Gulf Freeway all summer long. The mosquito's love the beach too!

And as empty_nest mentioned; yep, we are all nice folk's down here.
Welcome to Texas 🙂

[empty_nest]

I can not offer a whole lot since I'm obviously not from that area. However, we have flown to San Antonio several times and will again this April. We absolutely love Texas and it will become our snowbird (winter Texan) destination in a couple more years.

We have seen all the major attractions in San Antonio, as mentioned above, and have been to Rockport and Corpus and over to Del Rio. It's all great and worth seeing. Texas is a huge state and would take a lifetime to see it all. But, what impressed us the most, from the very first time, was how welcoming and friendly the people in Texas are. Enjoy your time there!

[4runnerguy]

Really?? :h Texas in July?? :E

HOT HOT HOT

The lows at night can be what the high temps in Detroit are in the summer.

But if you must go:

Beaches in TX aren't anything to write home about. Very fine sand, almost mud along the LA border and they get sandier as you head south toward Mexico. Beaches aren't too crowded in the summer as it is so hot. Even the water is like a warm bathtub, not very refreshing.

As noted, San Antonio and the hill country would be on option. Visit indoor museums, water parks, float down the rivers. Visit places like the Alamo in the morning then find a cool place to hunker down during the heat of the day.

Another option would be the Ozarks or Ouachitas in Arkansas. Since they're a little higher in elevation, it's a little cooler there by 4 or 5 degrees. Plus, they're on the way from Detroit. Lake Ouachita is amazingly clear with a variety of camping options including COE and an SP. Besides the usual outdoor activities, there are interesting museums in Hot Springs and Little Rock and a great free art museum in Bentonville (Crystal Bridges). Plenty of little streams to play in.

[2112]

I Highly recommend San Antonio. Research it. Lot's to do there for a diverse interest family.

Schlitterbahn in New Braunfels is a great idea.

Pick a beach, they are all equally disappointing but the farther south you go the better they get. Keep in mind there is not a 'beach' in Rockport but the beach in Aransas Pass is fun. More for the kids in Aransas Pass as well.

[patperry2766]

It would be a long drive if you were planning to go to Dallas on a daily basis, but with three kids, I think this would be a perfect place.

Camp Jellystone