Things to Do 3–4 Hours from Dallas–Fort Worth with Kids

74 kid-friendly adventures about 3 to 4 hours from Dallas–Fort Worth, nearest first.

About these times. Each estimate is a straight-line measurement from the middle of the DFW metroplex, roughly Grand Prairie, padded by 17% for winding roads and divided by a 55 mph average — so “about 3 to 4 hours” means roughly that, not a routed time. Traffic, where in Dallas you start, and the last few miles of park road can all move it by half an hour. Check a map before you load the car.

about 3 hr drive

about 3 hr drive

Martin Creek Lake State Park

Tatum, TX

Fishing
Ages 3–18+ Paid

Year-round warm-water fishing with unique island campsites in East Texas - a hidden gem for family …

about 3 hr 15 min drive

about 3 hr 15 min drive

Colorado Bend State Park Camping

Bend, TX

Camping
Ages 5–18+ Paid

Rustic no-hookup river camping down six miles of gravel road, with Gorman Falls and guided wild cave …

about 3 hr 15 min drive

Beaver Lodge Nature Trail

Broken Bow, OK

Hiking
Ages 3–18+ Free

Easy 2-mile forest loop trail through towering pines in Beavers Bend State Park. Free. Best from …

about 3 hr 15 min drive

Beaver's Bend Mining Company

Broken Bow, OK

Nature
Ages 2–14+ Paid

Gem mining sluice and dinosaur mini golf in Hochatown. Paid entry. Works from toddler age. About two …

about 3 hr 15 min drive

Beavers Bend Depot & Trail Rides

Broken Bow, OK

Nature
Ages 2–18+ Paid

Miniature train rides and guided horseback rides through the Ouachita pines. Paid entry. Works from …

about 3 hr 15 min drive

Beavers Bend Marina

Broken Bow, OK

Kayaking
Ages 2–18+ Paid

Pontoon and boat rentals on crystal-clear Broken Bow Lake. Paid entry. Works from toddler age. A …

about 3 hr 15 min drive

Beavers Bend Safari Park

Broken Bow, OK

Nature
Ages 2–18+ Paid

Drive-through and walk-through safari with 350+ exotic animals near Hochatown. Paid entry. Works …

about 3 hr 15 min drive

about 3 hr 15 min drive

about 3 hr 15 min drive

Beavers Bend State Park Campgrounds

Broken Bow, OK

Camping
Ages 2–18+ Paid

Family campgrounds along the Mountain Fork River in Beavers Bend State Park. Paid entry. Works from …

about 3 hr 15 min drive

about 3 hr 15 min drive

Broken Bow Lake Paddleboarding

Broken Bow, OK

Paddleboarding
Ages 6–18+ Paid

Stand-up paddleboard rentals and lessons on crystal-clear Broken Bow Lake. Paid entry. Better for …

about 3 hr 15 min drive

Broken Bow Treehouse and Glamping Stays

Broken Bow, OK

Lodging
Ages 4–18+ Paid

Treehouses, A-frames, geodesic domes and canvas glamping tents scattered through the woods around …

about 3 hr 15 min drive

Broken Bow and Hochatown RV Parks

Broken Bow, OK

Camping
Ages 2–18+ Paid

Private full-hookup RV parks along the Highway 259 corridor near Beavers Bend, plus the hookup loops …

about 3 hr 15 min drive

Cedar Bluff Nature Trail

Broken Bow, OK

Hiking
Ages 3–18+ Free

Easy 0.8-mile river-view loop across from Dogwood Campground in Beavers Bend State Park - one of …

about 3 hr 15 min drive

David Boren Hiking Trail

Broken Bow, OK

Hiking
Ages 6–18+ Free

Premier 12-mile trail system with lake views and flexible routes in Beavers Bend State Park. Free. …

about 3 hr 15 min drive

Evening Hole Fishing Area

Broken Bow, OK

Fishing
Ages 4–18+ Paid

Popular family fishing pier on the Mountain Fork River with trout and bass. Paid entry. Best from …

about 3 hr 15 min drive

Forest Heritage Center Museum

Broken Bow, OK

Museum
Ages 3–14+ Free

Free forestry museum inside Beavers Bend State Park with wall murals, logging tools, and dioramas …

about 3 hr 15 min drive

Friends Trail Loop

Broken Bow, OK

Hiking
Ages 3–18+ Free

Popular 1.5-mile family loop with a river waterfall in Beavers Bend State Park. Free. Best from …

about 3 hr 15 min drive

about 3 hr 15 min drive

Hochatown Petting Zoo

Broken Bow, OK

Nature
Ages 2–12+ Paid

Rescue-based petting zoo with barnyard animals and exotics in Hochatown. Paid entry. Works from …

about 3 hr 15 min drive

Mountain Fork River Kayaking

Broken Bow, OK

Kayaking
Ages 5–18+ Paid

Kayak and canoe rentals on the crystal-clear Mountain Fork River near Beavers Bend. Paid entry. Best …

about 3 hr 15 min drive

Mountain Fork River Tubing

Broken Bow, OK

Tubing
Ages 3–18+ Paid

Gentle family river float through the Ouachita Mountains on the Mountain Fork River. Paid entry. …

about 3 hr 15 min drive

Outlaw's Guided Adventures

Broken Bow, OK

Nature
Ages 3–18+ Paid

Guided off-road UTV trail rides through 75+ miles of Ouachita Mountain trails. Paid entry. Best from …

about 3 hr 15 min drive

Riverman Trail Rides

Broken Bow, OK

Nature
Ages 3–18+ Paid

Guided horseback riding through the Ouachita Mountains overlooking the Glover River. Paid entry. …

about 3 hr 15 min drive

about 3 hr 15 min drive

The Maze of Hochatown

Broken Bow, OK

Nature
Ages 3–18+ Paid

Giant 29,000 sq ft wooden maze in Hochatown near Broken Bow - tickets sold at the gate, with …

about 3 hr 15 min drive

Clayton Lake State Park Camping

Clayton, OK

Camping
Ages 2–18+ Paid

Small quiet state park in the Kiamichi Mountains with lakeside campsites, a few cabins and some of …

about 3 hr 15 min drive

Cedar Breaks Park

Georgetown, TX

Camping
Ages 2–18+ Paid

Spacious lakeside campground with swim beach near Georgetown. Paid entry. Works from toddler age. A …

about 3 hr 15 min drive

Garey Park

Georgetown, TX

Hiking
Ages 2–18+ Paid

525-acre river park with trails and splash pad in Georgetown. Paid entry. Works from toddler age. A …

about 3 hr 15 min drive

Good Water Trail

Georgetown, TX

Hiking
Ages 5–18+ Free

26-mile lakeside trail with canyon overlooks and Hill Country terrain. Free. Best from about age 5. …

about 3 hr 15 min drive

Inner Space Cavern

Georgetown, TX

Nature
Ages 3–18+ Paid

Walk through an Ice Age cave 30 minutes from Austin. Paid entry. Best from about age 3. About two …

about 3 hr 15 min drive

San Gabriel Park

Georgetown, TX

Biking
Ages 2–18+ Free

Award-winning playscape and river trail in Georgetown. Free. Works from toddler age. About two …

about 3 hr 15 min drive

Balcones Canyonlands National Wildlife Refuge

Bertram, TX

Hiking
Ages 3–18+ Free

Free federal refuge with birding trails and Junior Rangers. Free. Best from about age 3. About two …

about 3 hr 30 min drive

about 3 hr 30 min drive

about 3 hr 30 min drive

Longhorn Cavern State Park

Burnet, TX

Nature
Ages 4–18+ Paid

Kid-friendly guided cave tour near Burnet TX - walk a mile through cathedral-sized underground rooms …

about 3 hr 30 min drive

Reveille Peak Ranch

Burnet, TX

Rock-Climbing
Ages 5–18+ Paid

Granite bouldering and mountain biking near Burnet. Paid entry. Best from about age 5. Easily a full …

about 3 hr 30 min drive

Caddo Lake State Park

Karnack, TX

Kayaking
Ages 4–18+ Paid

Kayaking through a moss-draped cypress swamp on Texas' only natural lake. Paid entry. Best from …

about 3 hr 30 min drive

Huntsville State Park

Huntsville, TX

Camping
Ages 3–18+ Paid

Pine forest camping with lake paddling and a sandy swim area. Paid entry. Best from about age 3. A …

about 3 hr 30 min drive

Brushy Creek Regional Trail

Cedar Park, TX

Biking
Ages 2–18+ Free

14-mile paved trail with playgrounds connecting Cedar Park and Round Rock. Free. Works from toddler …

about 3 hr 30 min drive

Lake Pflugerville Park

Pflugerville, TX

Swimming
Ages 2–18+ Free

Free lake beach with swim area and 3-mile paved loop. Free. Works from toddler age. A half-day trip. …

about 3 hr 30 min drive

Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History

Norman, OK

Museum
Ages 2–16+ Paid

Norman natural history museum with a record-holding Pentaceratops skull, an Apatosaurus mount, and a …

about 3 hr 45 min drive

Abilene State Park

Tuscola, TX

Swimming
Ages 2–18+ Paid

Spring-fed swimming pool under pecan trees in West Texas. Paid entry. Works from toddler age. A …

about 3 hr 45 min drive

Lake Somerville State Park & Trailway

Somerville, TX

Camping
Ages 2–18+ Paid

Two-unit park connected by 21-mile trail with lake swimming. Paid entry. Works from toddler age. A …

about 3 hr 45 min drive

Talimena State Park Camping

Talihina, OK

Camping
Ages 2–18+ Paid

Small wooded creekside campground at the western end of the Talimena Scenic Drive, the ridge-top …

about 3 hr 45 min drive

about 3 hr 45 min drive

Grelle Recreation Area

Spicewood, TX

Hiking
Ages 4–18+ Paid

Uncrowded Lake Travis cove with wooded trails and swimming. Paid entry. Best from about age 4. A …

about 3 hr 45 min drive

Krause Springs

Spicewood, TX

Swimming
Ages 3–18+ Paid

Spring-fed pools under ancient cypress trees with camping. Paid entry. Best from about age 3. A …

about 3 hr 45 min drive

Krause Springs Camping

Spicewood, TX

Camping
Ages 3–18+ Paid

Camp above a spring-fed swimming hole and rope swing on a family-owned Hill Country property, with …

about 3 hr 45 min drive

Muleshoe Bend Recreation Area Camping

Spicewood, TX

Camping
Ages 3–18+ Paid

Primitive lakeside campsites, family-friendly singletrack and a famous spring bluebonnet field on …

about 3 hr 45 min drive

Pace Bend Park

Spicewood, TX

Swimming
Ages 3–18+ Paid

Rocky limestone coves and cliff jumping on Lake Travis. Paid entry. Best from about age 3. A …

about 3 hr 45 min drive

Pace Bend Park Camping

Spicewood, TX

Camping
Ages 3–18+ Paid

Drive-up primitive camping right on the Lake Travis shoreline, with sheltered swimming coves on the …

about 3 hr 45 min drive

Austin Aquarium

Austin, TX

Aquarium
Ages 2–12+ Paid

Hands-on north Austin aquarium where kids feed stingrays, touch sea stars in shallow pools and walk …

about 3 hr 45 min drive

Austin Bouldering Project

Austin, TX

Rock-Climbing
Ages 5–18+ Paid

Indoor bouldering gym in south Austin with colour-graded routes, padded floors and day passes with …

about 3 hr 45 min drive

Barton Creek Greenbelt

Austin, TX

Hiking
Ages 5–18+ Free

12 miles of creek trails with swimming holes and bouldering in Austin. Free. Best from about age 5. …

about 3 hr 45 min drive

about 3 hr 45 min drive

Blanton Museum of Art

Austin, TX

Museum
Ages 4–18+ Paid

UT Austin art museum whose Ellsworth Kelly stone chapel floods the floor with shifting colored light …

about 3 hr 45 min drive

Bull Creek Greenbelt

Austin, TX

Swimming
Ages 3–18+ Free

Shallow limestone creek pools perfect for toddler wading. Free. Best from about age 3. About two …

about 3 hr 45 min drive

Bullock Texas State History Museum

Austin, TX

Museum
Ages 4–18+ Paid

Three floors of Texas history in downtown Austin anchored by a real 1686 shipwreck hull, plus an …

about 3 hr 45 min drive

Emma Long Metropolitan Park

Austin, TX

Swimming
Ages 3–18+ Paid

Sandy Lake Austin swimming beach and lakeside camping inside Austin city limits - entry $5-$10 per …

about 3 hr 45 min drive

Lady Bird Lake

Austin, TX

Kayaking
Ages 4–18+ Paid

Kayaking and paddleboarding on calm water through downtown Austin. Paid entry. Best from about age …

about 3 hr 45 min drive

McKinney Falls State Park

Austin, TX

Hiking
Ages 3–18+ Paid

Two limestone waterfalls with wading pools inside Austin city limits. Paid entry. Best from about …

about 3 hr 45 min drive

Mount Bonnell

Austin, TX

Hiking
Ages 4–18+ Free

102-step climb to panoramic views over Lake Austin. Free. Best from about age 4. About an hour. Dogs …

about 3 hr 45 min drive

about 3 hr 45 min drive

Wild Basin Wilderness Preserve

Austin, TX

Hiking
Ages 4–18+ Paid

Peaceful woodland trails with a waterfall and nature programs. Paid entry. Best from about age 4. …

about 4 hr drive

about 4 hr drive

Bastrop State Park Cabins

Bastrop, TX

Lodging
Ages 1–18+ Paid

Historic 1930s CCC stone cabins among the Lost Pines east of Austin, among the hardest reservations …

about 4 hr drive

about 4 hr drive

Oklahoma City Museum of Art

Oklahoma City, OK

Museum
Ages 4–18+ Paid

Oklahoma City art museum built around a fifty-five foot Chihuly glass tower, with weekend family art …

about 4 hr drive

Oklahoma History Center

Oklahoma City, OK

Museum
Ages 5–18+ Paid

Oklahoma City state history museum with hanging aircraft, a full oil derrick, a Route 66 section and …

about 4 hr drive

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