Texas
Small-Town Weekend Getaways from Dallas
Historic courthouse squares, dinosaur tracks, and a restored 1929 mineral-springs hotel, all within 90 minutes of DFW.
At a glance
Dallas has 3 small-town weekend escapes, each with a full 48-hour guide to where to stay, what to do, and where to eat. Drives run from 1 hr to Granbury and 1 hr 30 min to Mineral Wells. The headline draws: Historic Granbury Square, Dinosaur Valley State Park, The Baker Hotel & mineral baths. Most of these towns are at their best March-May or September-November.
- Escapes
- 3 towns
- Drive range
- 1 hour to 1 hour 30 minutes
- Closest
- Granbury, 1 hr
- Best months
- March-May or September-November
Pick your trip
Three ways to start planning a weekend from Dallas.
The short version
Small towns near Dallas worth a 48-hour trip
Dallas weekend trips run southwest into the Texas Hill Country edge and into old resort and oil-boom towns. Within two hours you reach a lake-and-square town, a dinosaur-track river town, and a turn-of-the-century mineral-springs resort. These are weekend trips from Dallas built on lakes, rivers, and small-town Texas squares.
Granbury (1 hour southwest) is the lake-and-square town, with a restored 1880s courthouse square on Lake Granbury and a lakeside boardwalk. Glen Rose (1.5 hours southwest) is the dinosaur-track river town, with state park trackways and a bend in the Paluxy River. Mineral Wells (1.5 hours west) is the turn-of-the-century mineral-springs resort town, reborn around its Baker Hotel restoration and outdoor climbing.
Compare the Dallas escapes
Drive time, character, best season, and the one thing to do first, for every town within reach of Dallas.
| Town | Drive | Character | Best time | Do first |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Granbury | 1 hr | Like a Texas Fredericksburg, without the Hill Country crowds | March-May or September-November | Historic Granbury Square |
| Glen Rose | 1 hr 25 min | Like a Texas Jurassic Park, on the cheap | March-May or September-November | Dinosaur Valley State Park |
| Mineral Wells | 1 hr 30 min | Like a Texas Hot Springs, with a comeback story | March-May or September-November | The Baker Hotel & mineral baths |
On the calendar
Coming up in the Dallas escapes
Events happening in the small towns themselves, not the city.
Refreshed weekly
Nov 21
Rodeo Granbury Battle of the Bulls
Granbury · Reunion Grounds
Experience professional bull riding, mutton bustin, food vendors, and a beer garden under the Texas night sky. It offers an authentic, action-packed rodeo evening perfect for a lively weekend getaway.
Nov 27
Night of Lights Christmas Parade
Granbury · Historic Granbury Square
Celebrate the start of the holiday season with an evening illuminated parade around Granbury's historic courthouse square. It provides a picturesque holiday escape filled with local boutique shopping and festive lights.
Nov 28
Hometown Christmas Parade & Market
Glen Rose · Historic Downtown Square
Kick off the holiday season in historic downtown Glen Rose with a seasonal market and festive community parade. It makes a charming weekend centerpiece for visitors seeking small-town holiday cheer.
All Dallas escapes
3 weekend trip ideas from Dallas, sorted by how far you have to drive. Vibes covered: food, lake, nature, family, history.
Under 1 hour
1 escape from Dallas
What to do
The top attraction in each Dallas escape town, pulled straight from the 48-hour guides.
Granbury
Historic Granbury Square
Free. The 1885 Hood County Courthouse and 40+ National Register storefronts. Grab the self-tour map at the visitor center and walk the square, the opera house, and the 1886 jail.
Glen Rose
Dinosaur Valley State Park
$8 entry. Wade the Paluxy River and find real sauropod and theropod tracks in the limestone. 20 miles of trails for hiking and biking. Track visibility depends on water level, check the park site before you go.
Mineral Wells
The Baker Hotel & mineral baths
$40 spa day pass. Tour the restored 1929 art-deco lobby and book a mineral-springs bath, the original Crazy Water treatment. The rooftop pool has a 50-mile plains view.
Questions & Answers
Dallas weekend FAQ
Granbury (1 hour), Glen Rose (1.5 hours), and Mineral Wells (1.5 hours) are the strongest small-town escapes from Dallas, covering a lake-and-square town, a dinosaur-track river town, and a mineral-springs resort town.
Granbury, about 1 hour southwest of Dallas, is the closest lake town, with a restored 1880s courthouse square and a boardwalk on Lake Granbury.
Glen Rose, about 1.5 hours southwest of Dallas, has dinosaur trackways in Dinosaur Valley State Park along the Paluxy River, where you can wade to the actual prints.
Granbury (1 hour, a lake-and-square town), Glen Rose (1.5 hours, a dinosaur-track river town), and Mineral Wells (1.5 hours, a mineral-springs resort town) are the best weekend getaways from Dallas, covering lakes, rivers, and Texas Hill Country edge.
Granbury is 1 hr from Dallas; Glen Rose is 1 hr 25 min from Dallas; Mineral Wells is 1 hr 30 min from Dallas.
Granbury: March-May or September-November; Glen Rose: March-May or September-November; Mineral Wells: March-May or September-November.
The escapes split by mood: food (Granbury); lake (Granbury); nature (Glen Rose, Mineral Wells); family (Glen Rose); history (Mineral Wells). Every one is a 48-hour trip with specific places to stay, visit, and eat.