Day Trippin' › Texas › From Austin
From Austin, Barton Springs and the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center are under 15 minutes away, Hamilton Pool and Krause Springs about 40, Gruene and the Comal River under 50, Pedernales Falls about 50, and Enchanted Rock under two hours. The best day trips from Austin, by drive time.
91 places within a 3-hour drive, by real roads.
Swimming · 41 min west
A swimming hole under a roughly 50-foot waterfall in a box canyon west of Austin. A short, steep, rocky trail leads down to it.
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.
Theme park · 48 min southwest
A big riverside waterpark in New Braunfels with about 45 rivers, rides and slides in four sections, each with a lazy river and kids' area.
State park · 38 min east
A park in the Lost Pines forest with 1930s Civilian Conservation Corps cabins and buildings. You can see the forest regrowing after recent fires.
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.
Bike trail · 43 min southeast
A hilly 12-mile park road through the Lost Pines between Bastrop and Buescher state parks, good for road biking or a slow drive.
Wildlife refuge · 46 min northwest
A refuge northwest of Austin, near Lake Travis, that protects nesting golden-cheeked warblers and black-capped vireos, with about 10 miles of foot trails and observation decks.
State park · 52 min west
The Pedernales River tumbles over wide limestone ledges near Johnson City. There are hiking, horse and mountain bike trails, plus a separate swimming and tubing area.
Cave · 1 hr 3 min southwest
Big show cave near New Braunfels named for the natural limestone bridge at its entrance. Two guided cavern tours plus zip lines, a maze and gem mining above ground.
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.
Historic site · 1 hr 18 min southwest
Four Spanish colonial missions on the south side of San Antonio, Concepcion, San Jose, San Juan and Espada. The Espada Aqueduct and Rancho de las Cabras are part of the park too.
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.
Theme park · 1 hr 21 min southwest
A big theme park in San Antonio with roller coasters, family rides and shows.
State park · 1 hr 44 min west
A huge 425-foot pink granite dome north of Fredericksburg with about 22 miles of trails, rock climbing and dark night skies. The short, steep Summit Trail gives wide Hill Country views.
Historic site · 1 hr 13 min southwest
The famous mission and 1836 battle site (check) in downtown San Antonio. You can walk the grounds and visit Alamo Church.
Family fun · 1 hr 29 min north
Busy shopping and food complex in Waco with shops, places to eat and a big turf lawn.
Historic site · 2 hr 45 min north
Fort Worth's Old West district, where the Fort Worth Herd runs the world's only daily cattle drive and rodeos fill the historic Cowtown Coliseum.
State park · 2 hr 46 min north
Walk in real dinosaur tracks in the Paluxy River bed near Glen Rose, with about 20 miles of trails for hiking and mountain biking.
Museum · 2 hr 54 min east
Space museum and visitor center by NASA's Johnson Space Center with exhibits, The Moonwalkers show and NASA tram tours.
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.
Zoo · 2 hr 31 min east
Big zoo in Houston's Hermann Park.
Lake · 2 hr 44 min south
A brush-country lake near Mathis for swimming, boating, fishing and birding, with a 1930s CCC refectory.
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.
Bike trail · 2 hr 26 min east
Houston bayou park with trails for walking and biking, the historic Cistern, kayak and bike rentals and the Johnny Steele Dog Park.
Drive times are by road on a typical day from ZIP 78701 (OpenStreetMap data with the OSRM route planner). Facts checked against official sites; passes and hours change, so check before you go.