Day Trippin' › Texas › From Austin › Best small towns
Our picks for the best small towns within 3 hours of Austin: 15 places, 2 under an hour away, 8 between 1 and 2 hours and 5 between 2 and 3 hours, counted by road time from ZIP 78701.
We put first the places with a real photo, a well-known name, a family-friendly note and an official site, then list the rest by drive time. The closest is Spring Lake Glass-Bottom Boat Tours, 30 min southwest of Austin.
Under 1 hour 1 to 2 hours 2 to 3 hours
Photo: Renelibrary, CC BY-SA 4.0
#1 · Town · 44 min southwest
A 15-acre historic district on the Guadalupe River in New Braunfels, with old township buildings, local shops, food and free live music daily.
Heads-up: Some shows are ticketed. Parking fills on weekends. Pair with tubing on the Guadalupe or Comal.
Photo: Kkmd (talk · contribs), CC BY-SA 3.0
#2 · Town · 1 hr 13 min southwest
A walkway below street level along the San Antonio River, lined with restaurants, shops and hotels downtown. It runs about 15 miles in all.
Heads-up: Go Rio narrated cruises take about 35 minutes and don't run when flood gates are closed. Holiday River Parade in late November.
Photo: Hot Furnace, CC BY-SA 4.0
#3 · Town · 1 hr 20 min west
A Hill Country town founded in 1846 by German settlers, known for German food, history museums, more than 150 shops and nearly 100 wineries nearby.
Heads-up: Hosts hundreds of festivals a year, so book rooms early. Pair with Enchanted Rock or Luckenbach.
Photo: Larry D. Moore, CC BY 4.0
#4 · Family fun · 1 hr 29 min north
Busy shopping and food complex in Waco with shops, places to eat and a big turf lawn.
Heads-up: Open Monday to Saturday 9 to 6, closed Sunday; hours shift for holidays and events. Leashed dogs welcome but must stay off the turf and out of ticketed events. Pair with other Waco stops.
Photo: Renelibrary, CC BY-SA 4.0
#5 · Town · 1 hr 51 min southwest
A small Hill Country town that calls itself the Cowboy Capital of the World, with dude ranches, rodeos and horseback riding.
Heads-up: Visitor center on Highway 16 South. Hill Country State Natural Area is nearby for riding and hiking.
Photo: Another Believer, CC BY-SA 3.0
#6 · Family fun · 2 hr 31 min east
Houston's big central park with pedal boats on McGovern Lake, a park railroad, carousel, splash pads, the Japanese Garden and McGovern Centennial Gardens.
Heads-up: Park open 6 a.m. to 11 p.m.; gardens 9 to 6. Dogs on leash except in McWilliams Dog Park. Ride hours change with weather and season. Next to the Houston Zoo.
Photo: Michael Barera, CC BY-SA 4.0
#7 · Town · 2 hr 52 min north
Lake town with a historic square and Lake Granbury, voted USA Today's Best Historic Small Town several times, with festivals all year.
Heads-up: Visit Granbury office at 201 E. Pearl St. Easy to pair with Dinosaur Valley State Park and Fossil Rim.
Photo: Michael Barera, CC BY-SA 4.0
#8 · Family fun · 2 hr 54 min north
Large botanical garden in East Dallas with seasonal festivals, concerts and holiday displays.
Heads-up: Open daily 9 to 5. Buy parking online ahead; plates are read at entry. No pets, only service animals. Free wheelchairs at the ticket booth first come first served; scooters rent for a fee.
Photo: Larry D. Moore, CC BY 4.0
#9 · Family fun · 30 min southwest
Glass-bottom boat tours on Spring Lake in San Marcos, a tradition since 1947, run by Texas State University's Meadows Center.
Heads-up: Tours run daily, first come first served, about 30 minutes. School groups fill boats March-July. Boats don't run in lightning or high wind.
Photo: Jouaienttoi, CC BY-SA 4.0
#10 · Family fun · 1 hr 14 min southwest
A free city garden on North St. Mary's Street near the San Antonio Zoo, open every day of the year.
Heads-up: Open daily 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Some paths have stairs. Pair with the zoo.
Photo: Jouaienttoi, CC BY-SA 4.0
#11 · Family fun · 1 hr 12 min southwest
39 acres of gardens including a Texas Native Trail, a family garden and the glass Lucile Halsell Conservatory.
Heads-up: Hours change by season, call ahead. Holiday light show from late November.
Photo: Hot Furnace, CC BY-SA 4.0
#12 · Town · 1 hr 16 min west
A tiny old general store, bar and dance hall near Fredericksburg, famous for live music since its early days.
Heads-up: Open daily, later on Friday and Saturday. Check the venue policies page for dogs.
Photo: Renelibrary, CC BY-SA 4.0
#13 · Family fun · 2 hr 44 min north
Large Fort Worth garden that includes a Japanese Garden.
Heads-up: Open daily 8 to 6, last entry 5. Dogs only on select Dog Days weekends each month, leashed, fee per dog. Japanese Garden may have its own hours.
Photo: Tony Webster from Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States, CC BY 2.0
#14 · Family fun · 2 hr 59 min east
Waterfront boardwalk with rides like the Boardwalk Bullet coaster, a Ferris wheel and double-decker carousel, Stingray Reef and restaurants.
Heads-up: No entrance fee; buy ride tickets or a day pass. Free fireworks and concerts on many nights. Only service animals. Paid parking, credit card only. Ride hours vary.
#15 · Family fun · 1 hr 12 min southwest
San Antonio's hands-on children's museum, open since 1995 as the San Antonio Children's Museum.
Heads-up: Several discounts, one per visit. Check the hours page for closures.
Our top picks are Gruene Historic District (44 min), San Antonio River Walk (1 hr 13 min), Fredericksburg (1 hr 20 min), Magnolia Market at the Silos (1 hr 29 min) and Bandera (1 hr 51 min). The page lists 15 places in all.
15: 2 under an hour away, 8 between 1 and 2 hours and 5 between 2 and 3 hours, by road from ZIP 78701.
Spring Lake Glass-Bottom Boat Tours, about 30 min southwest of Austin.
9 need no pass or fee, including Granbury, Magnolia Market at the Silos and Bandera. Fees change, so check each place.
15 of the 15 list themselves as open year-round. Places with a season say so on their card; check hours before you go.
Drive times are by road on a typical day from ZIP <class 'zip'> (OpenStreetMap data with the OSRM route planner); places under 25 minutes away count as in town. Facts checked against official sites; passes and hours change, so check before you go.