Photo: Joe Mabel, CC BY-SA 3.0
Museum · 34 min east
Perot Museum of Nature and Science
Downtown Dallas science museum with 11 exhibit halls, including the Moody Family Children's Museum for young kids.
- 2-3 hrs
- Year-round
- Admission
Day Trippin' › Texas › From Fort Worth › Within 4 hours
Places within 4 hours of Fort Worth
100 places are worth the drive within 4 hours of Fort Worth, counted by road time from ZIP 76102: 13 under 1 hour, 13 1 to 2 hours, 24 2 to 3 hours and 50 3 to 4 hours.
The mix leans toward hikes, history and wildlife, mostly to the south and southeast. Four hours each way is weekend territory: most of these work best with a night away, so check the places to stay on the state page.
The headline places are Dinosaur Valley State Park, Magnolia Market at the Silos and Barton Springs Pool, and the closest real day trip is The Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza (33 min).
Map: places within 4 hours of Fort Worth
Under 1 hour 1 to 2 hours 2 to 3 hours 3 to 4 hours
Under 1 hour from Fort Worth 13 places
Photo: Larry D. Moore, CC BY 4.0
State park · 38 min southeast
Cedar Hill State Park
Big park on Joe Pool Lake with a gravel swimming beach, the DORBA mountain bike trail and the historic Penn Farm.
- Half day
- Year-round
- Texas State Parks day-use fee (per person; kids 12 and under free)
Photo: Michael Barera, CC BY-SA 4.0
Family fun · 43 min east
Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden
Large botanical garden in East Dallas with seasonal festivals, concerts and holiday displays.
- 2-4 hrs
- Year-round
- Admission (parking extra)
Photo: Michael Barera, CC BY-SA 4.0
Town · 43 min southwest
Granbury
Lake town with a historic square and Lake Granbury, voted USA Today's Best Historic Small Town several times, with festivals all year.
- Half day
- Year-round
- Free
Photo: Kevin1086, CC BY-SA 3.0
Zoo · 36 min east
Dallas Zoo
Big city zoo in Dallas with its own DART Red Line station across from the front gate.
- Half day
- Year-round
- Admission (parking extra)
- Confirm fees and hours before you go
Photo: Michael Barera, CC BY-SA 4.0
Bike trail · 39 min west
Lake Mineral Wells State Trailway
A 20-mile rail-trail with flat grades and gentle curves running between two towns, shared by bikers, hikers and horseback riders.
- 2-4 hrs
- Year-round
- Texas State Parks day-use fee (per person; kids 12 and under free)
- Confirm fees and hours before you go
More under 1 hour from Fort Worth, by type
- Hikes
- Cleburne State Park (52 min), Ray Roberts Lake State Park (54 min), Lake Mineral Wells State Park (57 min)
- Biking
- Katy Trail (35 min), Ray Roberts Greenbelt (49 min)
- History
- The Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza (33 min)
- Small towns
- Mineral Wells (53 min)
1 to 2 hours from Fort Worth 13 places
Photo: Larry D. Moore, CC BY 4.0
Family fun · 1 hr 18 min south
Magnolia Market at the Silos
Busy shopping and food complex in Waco with shops, places to eat and a big turf lawn.
- 2-3 hrs
- Year-round
- Free
State park · 1 hr 7 min southwest
Dinosaur Valley State Park
Walk in real dinosaur tracks in the Paluxy River bed near Glen Rose, with about 20 miles of trails for hiking and mountain biking.
- Half day
- Year-round
- Texas State Parks day-use fee (per person; kids 12 and under free)
Photo: Res2216firestar, CC BY-SA 3.0
Zoo · 1 hr 3 min southwest
Fossil Rim Wildlife Center
Conservation center near Glen Rose where you drive a scenic route among roaming endangered and exotic animals and can feed them from your car.
- Half day
- Year-round
- Admission (per person; kids 2 and under free)
Photo: NetherlandishYankee (talk), Public domain
Historic site · 1 hr 8 min northwest
Fort Richardson State Park
Original 1860s buildings of a big frontier Army post at Jacksboro, plus the 9-mile (one way) Lost Creek Reservoir State Trailway for hiking, biking and riding and a sand beach on Lake Jacksboro.
- Half day
- Year-round
- Texas State Parks day-use fee (per person; kids 12 and under free)
Photo: Larry D. Moore, CC BY 4.0
National park · 1 hr 20 min south
Waco Mammoth National Monument
See mammoth fossils left where they were found, on a guided tour of the dig shelter in Waco.
- 1-2 hrs
- Year-round
- Tour fee (per person; national park passes not accepted)
Photo: GrapevineTxOnline.com, CC BY 2.0
State park · 1 hr 37 min northeast
Eisenhower State Park
Bluff-top park on Lake Texoma with a sandy swimming cove, two fishing piers, more than four miles of walking and biking trails and fossils from an ancient ocean.
- Half day
- Year-round
- Texas State Parks day-use fee (per person; kids 12 and under free)
More 1 to 2 hours from Fort Worth, by type
- History
- Texas Ranger Hall of Fame and Museum (1 hr 17 min), Dr Pepper Museum (1 hr 18 min)
- Wildlife
- Cameron Park Zoo (1 hr 20 min), Caldwell Zoo (1 hr 56 min)
- Hikes
- Purtis Creek State Park (1 hr 36 min), Tyler State Park (1 hr 57 min)
- Family fun
- Tyler Municipal Rose Garden (1 hr 58 min)
2 to 3 hours from Fort Worth 24 places
Photo: Downtown Austin, Public domain
Swimming · 2 hr 47 min south
Barton Springs Pool
A three-acre spring-fed pool in Austin's Zilker Park that stays around 68-70 degrees all year. It is home to the endangered Barton Springs salamander.
- 2-3 hrs
- Year-round
- Admission (free until March 2027)
Photo: mr_t_77, CC BY-SA 2.0
Zoo · 2 hr 8 min west
Abilene Zoo
A family zoo with giraffe feeding, a train and a carousel.
- Half day
- Year-round
- Admission
Photo: Michael Barera, CC BY-SA 4.0
Museum · 2 hr 9 min west
Frontier Texas
A modern western heritage museum in downtown Abilene that uses modern technology to tell stories of Comanches, cowboys, buffalo hunters and forts.
- 1-2 hrs
- Year-round
- Admission
Photo: Atownbman, CC BY-SA 4.0
Town · 2 hr 12 min west
Abilene
The Storybook Capital of America, where dozens of bronze characters from classic children's books fill downtown streets and gardens.
- Half day
- Year-round
- Free
Photo: Larry D. Moore, CC BY 4.0
State park · 2 hr 36 min east
Daingerfield State Park
Pine and hardwood park around Little Pine Lake with swimming, paddling, the 2.4-mile Rustling Leaves Trail and fine fall color.
- Half day
- Year-round
- Texas State Parks day-use fee (per person; kids 12 and under free)
Photo: Margaretwmiller, CC BY-SA 3.0
Family fun · 2 hr 52 min south
Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center
284 acres of native Texas gardens and trails in south Austin, run by the University of Texas.
- 2-3 hrs
- Year-round; wildflowers best in spring
- Admission (higher Friday to Sunday)
More 2 to 3 hours from Fort Worth, by type
- History
- Fort Griffin State Historic Site (2 hr 25 min), Bullock Texas State History Museum (2 hr 41 min), Texas State Capitol (2 hr 43 min), Caddo Mounds State Historic Site (2 hr 47 min), Sam Houston Memorial Museum (2 hr 51 min), Mission Tejas State Park (2 hr 57 min)
- Hikes
- Inner Space Cavern (2 hr 19 min), McKinney Falls State Park (2 hr 52 min), Longhorn Cavern State Park (2 hr 58 min)
- Beaches & lakes
- Abilene State Park (2 hr 33 min), Martin Creek Lake State Park (2 hr 37 min), Inks Lake State Park (3 hr)
- Biking
- Ann and Roy Butler Hike-and-Bike Trail (2 hr 44 min), Onion Creek Hike and Bike Trail (2 hr 52 min)
- Wildlife
- Balcones Canyonlands National Wildlife Refuge (2 hr 44 min), Austin Zoo (2 hr 58 min)
- Family fun
- Texas State Railroad (2 hr 31 min)
- Small towns
- Jefferson (2 hr 56 min)
3 to 4 hours from Fort Worth 50 places
Photo: Larry D. Moore, CC BY 4.0
State park · 3 hr 3 min east
Caddo Lake State Park
Paddle Big Cypress Bayou under bald cypress draped in Spanish moss at the edge of 26,810-acre Caddo Lake, with 2.5 miles of trails and historic CCC cabins.
- Half day
- Year-round
- Texas State Parks day-use fee (per person; kids 12 and under free)
Photo: Eric in SF, CC BY-SA 3.0
Swimming · 3 hr 18 min south
Hamilton Pool Preserve
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.
- 2-3 hrs
- Year-round; swimming only when water tests allow
- Reservation fee per vehicle plus cash entry fee per adult (kids 12 and under free)
Photo: Renelibrary, CC BY-SA 4.0
Town · 3 hr 23 min south
Gruene Historic District
A 15-acre historic district on the Guadalupe River in New Braunfels, with old township buildings, local shops, food and free live music daily.
- 2-3 hrs
- Year-round
- Free to walk around
Photo: ljpelletier, CC BY-SA 2.0
Theme park · 3 hr 27 min south
Schlitterbahn New Braunfels
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.
- Full day
- Summer waterpark season
- Admission
- Confirm fees and hours before you go
Photo: Liveon001 ©Travis Witt, CC BY-SA 3.0
Historic site · 3 hr 56 min south
San Antonio Missions National Historical Park
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.
- Half day
- Year-round
- Free
Photo: jdeeringdavis from San Francisco, CA, USA, CC BY 2.0
Zoo · 3 hr 41 min south
Natural Bridge Wildlife Ranch
A drive-through safari park where you drive your own car through 500 acres and feed animals from about 40 species. It sits next to Natural Bridge Caverns.
- 2-3 hrs
- Year-round
- Admission
More 3 to 4 hours from Fort Worth, by type
- Hikes
- Huntsville State Park (3 hr 1 min), Bastrop State Park (3 hr 9 min), Atlanta State Park (3 hr 13 min), Pedernales Falls State Park (3 hr 30 min), San Angelo State Park (3 hr 38 min), Natural Bridge Caverns (3 hr 42 min), Lake Livingston State Park (3 hr 43 min), Big Spring State Park (3 hr 43 min) and 3 more
- History
- Fort Concho National Historic Landmark (3 hr 33 min), Lyndon B. Johnson State Park and Historic Site (3 hr 34 min), Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park (3 hr 37 min), Witte Museum (3 hr 49 min), National Museum of the Pacific War (3 hr 50 min), The Alamo (3 hr 51 min), Houston Museum of Natural Science (3 hr 56 min), Museum of Fine Arts Houston (3 hr 56 min)
- Beaches & lakes
- Copper Breaks State Park (3 hr 8 min), Lake Colorado City State Park (3 hr 17 min), Krause Springs (3 hr 18 min), Blue Hole Regional Park (3 hr 22 min), Comal River Tubing (3 hr 26 min), Blanco State Park (3 hr 31 min)
- Family fun
- Spring Lake Glass-Bottom Boat Tours (3 hr 9 min), International Waterlily Collection (3 hr 32 min), San Antonio Botanical Garden (3 hr 51 min), The DoSeum (3 hr 51 min), Japanese Tea Garden (3 hr 52 min), Hermann Park (3 hr 58 min)
- Small towns
- Nacogdoches (3 hr 13 min), Luckenbach (3 hr 48 min), Fredericksburg (3 hr 52 min), San Antonio River Walk (3 hr 52 min)
- Biking
- Park Road 1C (Bastrop to Buescher) (3 hr 15 min), Lake Houston Wilderness Park (3 hr 48 min), Buffalo Bayou Park (3 hr 52 min), Mission Reach Hike and Bike Trail (3 hr 57 min)
Questions about places within 4 hours of Fort Worth
What are the best places within 4 hours of Fort Worth?
Our picks, by drive time, include Perot Museum of Nature and Science (34 min), Cedar Hill State Park (38 min), Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden (43 min), Granbury (43 min) and Dallas Zoo (36 min). The full list on this page has 100 places, each with its drive time and direction from Fort Worth.
How many places are within 4 hours of Fort Worth?
26 places within 2 hours, 50 within 3 hours and 100 within 4 hours of Fort Worth, by road from ZIP 76102.
Are there free places within 4 hours of Fort Worth?
25 of the 100 places need no pass or fee, such as Granbury, Katy Trail and Magnolia Market at the Silos. Fees and passes change, so check each place before you go.
What can I do with kids within 4 hours of Fort Worth?
96 places are marked good for kids, including Cameron Park Zoo, Cedar Hill State Park and Cleburne State Park.
How are the drive times worked out?
They are by real roads on a typical day, from the middle of ZIP 76102 to each place (OpenStreetMap data with the OSRM route planner). Traffic, weather and closures can change them. Places under 25 minutes from the city center count as in town, not a day trip, so they are left out.
Can I see places within 4 hours of my own home?
Yes. Type your ZIP code into Day Trippin' and it shows everything by drive time. Your ZIP is used for that one search and is not saved.
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Drive times are by road on a typical day from ZIP <class 'zip'> (OpenStreetMap data with the OSRM route planner). Facts checked against official sites; passes and hours change, so check before you go.