Day Trippin' › Texas › From Houston › Best small towns
Our picks for the best small towns within 3 hours of Houston: 12 places, 2 under an hour away, 0 between 1 and 2 hours and 10 between 2 and 3 hours, counted by road time from ZIP 77002.
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 Kemah Boardwalk, 37 min southeast of Houston.
Under 1 hour 1 to 2 hours 2 to 3 hours
Photo: Renelibrary, CC BY-SA 4.0
#1 · Town · 2 hr 36 min west
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 · 2 hr 49 min west
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: Larry D. Moore, CC BY 4.0
#3 · Family fun · 2 hr 49 min northwest
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: Nsaum75, CC BY-SA 3.0
#4 · Family fun · 52 min southeast
Galveston attraction with Aquarium, Rainforest and Discovery pyramids, 3D theater, zip line and the new Galveston Children's Museum.
Heads-up: Open every day; hours are posted weekly. Free parking. Holiday in the Gardens light trail and ice rink from November 21, 2026 to January 2, 2027. Palm Beach is seasonal.
Photo: Margaretwmiller, CC BY-SA 3.0
#5 · Family fun · 2 hr 34 min west
284 acres of native Texas gardens and trails in south Austin, run by the University of Texas.
Heads-up: Only service dogs allowed. Card only. Summer hours start early and end at 3 p.m. Buy tickets ahead and carpool, parking is limited.
Photo: Larry D. Moore, CC BY 4.0
#6 · Family fun · 2 hr 30 min west
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: Steve Groom, CC BY-SA 4.0
#7 · Family fun · 2 hr 42 min north
Vintage steam and diesel excursion trains through the Piney Woods between Palestine and Rusk.
Heads-up: Round trips take about four hours. Trains run on scheduled dates only (lunch, dinner, holiday and Polar Express trains), so book ahead. Weather can cancel trains.
Photo: Jouaienttoi, CC BY-SA 4.0
#8 · Family fun · 2 hr 52 min west
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: Tony Webster from Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States, CC BY 2.0
#9 · Family fun · 37 min southeast
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.
Photo: E. C. Kropp Co. (Milwaukee), Public domain
#10 · Town · 2 hr 14 min north
Calls itself the oldest town in Texas, with red brick downtown streets, the Sterne-Hoya House Museum and gardens that give it the name Garden Capital of Texas.
Heads-up: Free visitor guide online. Oak Grove Cemetery holds four signers of the Texas Declaration of Independence. Azalea gardens are best in spring.
Photo: Jouaienttoi, CC BY-SA 4.0
#11 · Family fun · 2 hr 52 min west
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.
#12 · Family fun · 2 hr 50 min west
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 (2 hr 36 min), San Antonio River Walk (2 hr 49 min), Magnolia Market at the Silos (2 hr 49 min), Moody Gardens (52 min) and Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center (2 hr 34 min). The page lists 12 places in all.
12: 2 under an hour away, 0 between 1 and 2 hours and 10 between 2 and 3 hours, by road from ZIP 77002.
Kemah Boardwalk, about 37 min southeast of Houston.
6 need no pass or fee, including Magnolia Market at the Silos, Nacogdoches and Gruene Historic District. Fees change, so check each place.
11 of the 12 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.