Idabel, OK
Museum of the Red River
Idabel museum forty minutes from Broken Bow with a full mounted Acrocanthosaurus and Native American art of the Americas.
- Museum
- Ages 4+
- ~2h
- Free
Things to Do 3–4 Hours from Dallas–Fort Worth with Kids
76 kid-friendly adventures about 3 to 4 hours from Dallas–Fort Worth, nearest first.
- Under 1 hour (56)
- 1-2 hours (15)
- 2-3 hours (10)
- 3-4 hours (76)
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
Tatum, TX
Martin Creek Lake State Park
Year-round warm-water fishing with unique island campsites in East Texas - a hidden gem for family fishing trips and peaceful lake paddling
- Fishing
- Ages 3+
- ~4h
- Paid
about 3 hr 15 min drive
Bend, TX
Colorado Bend State Park
70-foot Gorman Falls waterfall with spring-fed swimming holes. Paid entry. Best from about age 4. Easily a full day. Dogs welcome.
- Hiking
- Ages 4+
- ~5h
- Paid
about 3 hr 15 min drive
Bend, TX
Colorado Bend State Park Camping
Rustic no-hookup river camping down six miles of gravel road, with Gorman Falls and guided wild cave tours for older kids
- Camping
- Ages 5+
- Overnight
- Paid
about 3 hr 15 min drive
Broken Bow, OK
Beaver Lodge Nature Trail
Easy 2-mile forest loop trail through towering pines in Beavers Bend State Park. Free. Best from about age 3. About an hour.
- Hiking
- Ages 3+
- ~1h
- Free
about 3 hr 15 min drive
Broken Bow, OK
Beaver's Bend Mining Company
Gem mining sluice and dinosaur mini golf in Hochatown. Paid entry. Works from toddler age. About two hours. Stroller-friendly.
- Nature
- Ages 2+
- ~2h
- Paid
about 3 hr 15 min drive
Broken Bow, OK
Beavers Bend Depot & Trail Rides
Miniature train rides and guided horseback rides through the Ouachita pines. Paid entry. Works from toddler age. About two hours.
- Nature
- Ages 2+
- ~2h
- Paid
about 3 hr 15 min drive
Broken Bow, OK
Beavers Bend Marina
Pontoon and boat rentals on crystal-clear Broken Bow Lake. Paid entry. Works from toddler age. A half-day trip. Easy going.
- Kayaking
- Ages 2+
- ~3h
- Paid
about 3 hr 15 min drive
Broken Bow, OK
Beavers Bend Safari Park
Drive-through and walk-through safari with 350+ exotic animals near Hochatown. Paid entry. Works from toddler age. About two hours.
- Nature
- Ages 2+
- ~2h
- Paid
about 3 hr 15 min drive
Broken Bow, OK
Beavers Bend State Park
Oklahoma's premier family state park with trails and river access in the Ouachita Mountains. Paid entry. Works from toddler age.
- Hiking
- Ages 2+
- ~4h
- Paid
about 3 hr 15 min drive
Broken Bow, OK
Beavers Bend State Park Cabins
Rustic and modern state park cabins in the pines at Beavers Bend, minutes from Broken Bow Lake and the Mountain Fork River
- Lodging
- Ages 1+
- Overnight
- Paid
about 3 hr 15 min drive
Broken Bow, OK
Beavers Bend State Park Campgrounds
Family campgrounds along the Mountain Fork River in Beavers Bend State Park. Paid entry. Works from toddler age. Plan to stay overnight.
- Camping
- Ages 2+
- Overnight
- Paid
about 3 hr 15 min drive
Broken Bow, OK
Broken Bow Lake
Crystal-clear 14,000-acre mountain lake with calm swimming coves and 180 miles of shoreline. Free. Works from toddler age.
- Swimming
- Ages 2+
- ~3h
- Free
about 3 hr 15 min drive
Broken Bow, OK
Broken Bow Lake Paddleboarding
Stand-up paddleboard rentals and lessons on crystal-clear Broken Bow Lake. Paid entry. Better for ages 6 and up. About two hours.
- Paddleboarding
- Ages 6+
- ~2h
- Paid
about 3 hr 15 min drive
Broken Bow, OK
Broken Bow Treehouse and Glamping Stays
Treehouses, A-frames, geodesic domes and canvas glamping tents scattered through the woods around Hochatown and Broken Bow Lake
- Lodging
- Ages 4+
- Overnight
- Paid
about 3 hr 15 min drive
Broken Bow, OK
Broken Bow and Hochatown RV Parks
Private full-hookup RV parks along the Highway 259 corridor near Beavers Bend, plus the hookup loops inside the state park
- Camping
- Ages 2+
- Overnight
- Paid
about 3 hr 15 min drive
Broken Bow, OK
Cedar Bluff Nature Trail
Easy 0.8-mile river-view loop across from Dogwood Campground in Beavers Bend State Park - one of Broken Bow's best quick family hikes
- Hiking
- Ages 3+
- ~0.5h
- Free
about 3 hr 15 min drive
Broken Bow, OK
David Boren Hiking Trail
Premier 12-mile trail system with lake views and flexible routes in Beavers Bend State Park. Free. Better for ages 6 and up.
- Hiking
- Ages 6+
- ~3h
- Free
about 3 hr 15 min drive
Broken Bow, OK
Evening Hole Fishing Area
Popular family fishing pier on the Mountain Fork River with trout and bass. Paid entry. Best from about age 4. About two hours.
- Fishing
- Ages 4+
- ~2h
- Paid
about 3 hr 15 min drive
Broken Bow, OK
Forest Heritage Center Museum
Free forestry museum inside Beavers Bend State Park with wall murals, logging tools, and dioramas for a rained-out cabin day.
- Museum
- Ages 3+
- ~1h
- Free
about 3 hr 15 min drive
Broken Bow, OK
Friends Trail Loop
Popular 1.5-mile family loop with a river waterfall in Beavers Bend State Park. Free. Best from about age 3. About an hour.
- Hiking
- Ages 3+
- ~1h
- Free
about 3 hr 15 min drive
Broken Bow, OK
Hochatown Cabin Rentals
The private cabin market around Hochatown and Beavers Bend, where hot tubs, bunk rooms, game rooms and fire pits are the family standard
- Lodging
- Ages 1+
- Overnight
- Paid
about 3 hr 15 min drive
Broken Bow, OK
Hochatown Petting Zoo
Rescue-based petting zoo with barnyard animals and exotics in Hochatown. Paid entry. Works from toddler age. About an hour.
- Nature
- Ages 2+
- ~1h
- Paid
about 3 hr 15 min drive
Broken Bow, OK
Mountain Fork River Kayaking
Kayak and canoe rentals on the crystal-clear Mountain Fork River near Beavers Bend. Paid entry. Best from about age 5. About two hours.
- Kayaking
- Ages 5+
- ~2h
- Paid
about 3 hr 15 min drive
Broken Bow, OK
Mountain Fork River Tubing
Gentle family river float through the Ouachita Mountains on the Mountain Fork River. Paid entry. Best from about age 3. About two hours.
- Tubing
- Ages 3+
- ~2h
- Paid
about 3 hr 15 min drive
Broken Bow, OK
Outlaw's Guided Adventures
Guided off-road UTV trail rides through 75+ miles of Ouachita Mountain trails. Paid entry. Best from about age 3. A half-day trip.
- Nature
- Ages 3+
- ~3h
- Paid
about 3 hr 15 min drive
Broken Bow, OK
Riverman Trail Rides
Guided horseback riding through the Ouachita Mountains overlooking the Glover River. Paid entry. Best from about age 3. About an hour.
- Nature
- Ages 3+
- ~1h
- Paid
about 3 hr 15 min drive
Broken Bow, OK
Rugaru Adventures
Top-rated six-line forest canopy zipline tour in the Ouachita Mountains. Paid entry. Better for ages 7 and up. About two hours.
- Aerial Adventure
- Ages 7+
- ~2h
- Paid
about 3 hr 15 min drive
Broken Bow, OK
The Maze of Hochatown
Giant 29,000 sq ft wooden maze in Hochatown near Broken Bow - tickets sold at the gate, with checkpoint towers and stamp collecting kids love
- Nature
- Ages 3+
- ~1h
- Paid
about 3 hr 15 min drive
Clayton, OK
Clayton Lake State Park Camping
Small quiet state park in the Kiamichi Mountains with lakeside campsites, a few cabins and some of the darkest skies in Oklahoma
- Camping
- Ages 2+
- Overnight
- Paid
about 3 hr 15 min drive
Georgetown, TX
Cedar Breaks Park
Spacious lakeside campground with swim beach near Georgetown. Paid entry. Works from toddler age. A half-day trip. Dogs welcome.
- Camping
- Ages 2+
- ~4h
- Paid
about 3 hr 15 min drive
Georgetown, TX
Garey Park
525-acre river park with trails and splash pad in Georgetown. Paid entry. Works from toddler age. A half-day trip. Stroller-friendly.
- Hiking
- Ages 2+
- ~3h
- Paid
about 3 hr 15 min drive
Georgetown, TX
Good Water Trail
26-mile lakeside trail with canyon overlooks and Hill Country terrain. Free. Best from about age 5. A half-day trip. Dogs welcome.
- Hiking
- Ages 5+
- ~3h
- Free
about 3 hr 15 min drive
Georgetown, TX
Inner Space Cavern
Walk through an Ice Age cave 30 minutes from Austin. Paid entry. Best from about age 3. About two hours. Easy going.
- Nature
- Ages 3+
- ~2h
- Paid
about 3 hr 15 min drive
Georgetown, TX
San Gabriel Park
Award-winning playscape and river trail in Georgetown. Free. Works from toddler age. About two hours. Stroller-friendly.
- Biking
- Ages 2+
- ~2h
- Free
about 3 hr 15 min drive
Bertram, TX
Balcones Canyonlands National Wildlife Refuge
Free federal refuge with birding trails and Junior Rangers. Free. Best from about age 3. About two hours. Stroller-friendly.
- Hiking
- Ages 3+
- ~2h
- Free
about 3 hr 30 min drive
Burnet, TX
Inks Lake State Park
Spring-fed lake swimming and cliff jumping at Devil's Waterhole. Paid entry. Best from about age 3. A half-day trip. Dogs welcome.
- Swimming
- Ages 3+
- ~4h
- Paid
about 3 hr 30 min drive
Burnet, TX
Inks Lake State Park Camping and Cabins
Waterfront campsites and small cabins on a constant-level lake with pink granite shoreline and the Devils Waterhole swimming cove
- Camping
- Ages 2+
- Overnight
- Paid
about 3 hr 30 min drive
Burnet, TX
Longhorn Cavern State Park
Kid-friendly guided cave tour near Burnet TX - walk a mile through cathedral-sized underground rooms formed by an ancient river, great for ages 4+
- Nature
- Ages 4+
- ~2h
- Paid
about 3 hr 30 min drive
Burnet, TX
Reveille Peak Ranch
Granite bouldering and mountain biking near Burnet. Paid entry. Best from about age 5. Easily a full day. Moderate effort.
- Rock Climbing
- Ages 5+
- ~5h
- Paid
about 3 hr 30 min drive
Karnack, TX
Caddo Lake State Park
Kayaking through a moss-draped cypress swamp on Texas' only natural lake. Paid entry. Best from about age 4. A half-day trip.
- Kayaking
- Ages 4+
- ~4h
- Paid
about 3 hr 30 min drive
Huntsville, TX
Huntsville State Park
Pine forest camping with lake paddling and a sandy swim area. Paid entry. Best from about age 3. A half-day trip. Dogs welcome.
- Camping
- Ages 3+
- ~4h
- Paid
about 3 hr 30 min drive
Cedar Park, TX
Brushy Creek Regional Trail
14-mile paved trail with playgrounds connecting Cedar Park and Round Rock. Free. Works from toddler age. About two hours.
- Biking
- Ages 2+
- ~2h
- Free
about 3 hr 30 min drive
Pflugerville, TX
Lake Pflugerville Park
Free lake beach with swim area and 3-mile paved loop. Free. Works from toddler age. A half-day trip. Stroller-friendly. Dogs welcome.
- Swimming
- Ages 2+
- ~3h
- Free
about 3 hr 30 min drive
Norman, OK
Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History
Norman natural history museum with a record-holding Pentaceratops skull, an Apatosaurus mount, and a hands-on discovery room.
- Museum
- Ages 2+
- ~3h
- Paid
about 3 hr 45 min drive
Tuscola, TX
Abilene State Park
Spring-fed swimming pool under pecan trees in West Texas. Paid entry. Works from toddler age. A half-day trip. Dogs welcome.
- Swimming
- Ages 2+
- ~3h
- Paid
about 3 hr 45 min drive
Somerville, TX
Lake Somerville State Park & Trailway
Two-unit park connected by 21-mile trail with lake swimming. Paid entry. Works from toddler age. A half-day trip. Dogs welcome.
- Camping
- Ages 2+
- ~4h
- Paid
about 3 hr 45 min drive
Talihina, OK
Talimena State Park Camping
Small wooded creekside campground at the western end of the Talimena Scenic Drive, the ridge-top highway through the Ouachitas
- Camping
- Ages 2+
- Overnight
- Paid
about 3 hr 45 min drive
Wilburton, OK
Robbers Cave State Park Camping and Cabins
Classic Oklahoma state park with campgrounds, cabins and a real outlaw cave in the sandstone bluffs of the San Bois Mountains
- Camping
- Ages 2+
- Overnight
- Paid
about 3 hr 45 min drive
Spicewood, TX
Grelle Recreation Area
Uncrowded Lake Travis cove with wooded trails and swimming. Paid entry. Best from about age 4. A half-day trip. Dogs welcome.
- Hiking
- Ages 4+
- ~4h
- Paid
about 3 hr 45 min drive
Spicewood, TX
Krause Springs
Spring-fed pools under ancient cypress trees with camping. Paid entry. Best from about age 3. A half-day trip. Easy going.
- Swimming
- Ages 3+
- ~3h
- Paid
about 3 hr 45 min drive
Spicewood, TX
Krause Springs Camping
Camp above a spring-fed swimming hole and rope swing on a family-owned Hill Country property, with the water to yourself at dawn
- Camping
- Ages 3+
- Overnight
- Paid
about 3 hr 45 min drive
Spicewood, TX
Muleshoe Bend Recreation Area Camping
Primitive lakeside campsites, family-friendly singletrack and a famous spring bluebonnet field on the upper end of Lake Travis
- Camping
- Ages 3+
- Overnight
- Paid
about 3 hr 45 min drive
Spicewood, TX
Pace Bend Park
Rocky limestone coves and cliff jumping on Lake Travis. Paid entry. Best from about age 3. A half-day trip. Dogs welcome.
- Swimming
- Ages 3+
- ~4h
- Paid
about 3 hr 45 min drive
Spicewood, TX
Pace Bend Park Camping
Drive-up primitive camping right on the Lake Travis shoreline, with sheltered swimming coves on the east side of the peninsula
- Camping
- Ages 3+
- Overnight
- Paid
about 3 hr 45 min drive
Austin, TX
Austin Aquarium
Hands-on north Austin aquarium where kids feed stingrays, touch sea stars in shallow pools and walk into a bird aviary with nectar cups.
- Aquarium
- Ages 2+
- ~2h
- Paid
about 3 hr 45 min drive
Austin, TX
Austin Bouldering Project
Indoor bouldering gym in south Austin with colour-graded routes, padded floors and day passes with rental shoes for first-time kids.
- Rock Climbing
- Ages 5+
- ~2h
- Paid
about 3 hr 45 min drive
Austin, TX
Austin Yacht Club
Lake Travis summer sailing camps on Picos, Sunfish and Flying Juniors, with a published non-member rate. Paid. Ages 8 to 16.
- Sailing
- Ages 5+
- ~8h
- Paid
about 3 hr 45 min drive
Austin, TX
Barton Creek Greenbelt
12 miles of creek trails with swimming holes and bouldering in Austin. Free. Best from about age 5. A half-day trip. Dogs welcome.
- Hiking
- Ages 5+
- ~3h
- Free
about 3 hr 45 min drive
Austin, TX
Barton Springs Pool
Iconic 3-acre spring-fed pool in Zilker Park at 68 degrees year-round. Paid entry. Best from about age 3. A half-day trip.
- Swimming
- Ages 3+
- ~3h
- Paid
about 3 hr 45 min drive
Austin, TX
Blanton Museum of Art
UT Austin art museum whose Ellsworth Kelly stone chapel floods the floor with shifting colored light that kids instantly respond to.
- Museum
- Ages 4+
- ~2h
- Paid
about 3 hr 45 min drive
Austin, TX
Bull Creek Greenbelt
Shallow limestone creek pools perfect for toddler wading. Free. Best from about age 3. About two hours. Dogs welcome. Easy going.
- Swimming
- Ages 3+
- ~2h
- Free
about 3 hr 45 min drive
Austin, TX
Bullock Texas State History Museum
Three floors of Texas history in downtown Austin anchored by a real 1686 shipwreck hull, plus an IMAX theater and weekend family days.
- Museum
- Ages 4+
- ~3h
- Paid
about 3 hr 45 min drive
Austin, TX
Emma Long Metropolitan Park
Sandy Lake Austin swimming beach and lakeside camping inside Austin city limits - entry $5-$10 per vehicle, campsites reservable online
- Swimming
- Ages 3+
- ~4h
- Paid
about 3 hr 45 min drive
Austin, TX
Lady Bird Lake
Kayaking and paddleboarding on calm water through downtown Austin. Paid entry. Best from about age 4. About two hours. Easy going.
- Kayaking
- Ages 4+
- ~2h
- Paid
about 3 hr 45 min drive
Austin, TX
McKinney Falls State Park
Two limestone waterfalls with wading pools inside Austin city limits. Paid entry. Best from about age 3. A half-day trip.
- Hiking
- Ages 3+
- ~3h
- Paid
about 3 hr 45 min drive
Austin, TX
Mount Bonnell
102-step climb to panoramic views over Lake Austin. Free. Best from about age 4. About an hour. Dogs welcome. Moderate effort.
- Hiking
- Ages 4+
- ~1h
- Free
about 3 hr 45 min drive
Austin, TX
Thinkery
Austin children's museum built for hands-on play, with water tables, a light and shadow lab, a maker studio and a baby-only zone.
- Science
- Ages 1+
- ~3h
- Paid
about 3 hr 45 min drive
Austin, TX
Wild Basin Wilderness Preserve
Peaceful woodland trails with a waterfall and nature programs. Paid entry. Best from about age 4. About an hour. Moderate effort.
- Hiking
- Ages 4+
- ~1h
- Paid
about 4 hr drive
Bastrop, TX
Bastrop State Park
Lost Pines hiking with swimming pool and Junior Rangers. Paid entry. Best from about age 3. A half-day trip. Dogs welcome.
- Hiking
- Ages 3+
- ~4h
- Paid
about 4 hr drive
Bastrop, TX
Bastrop State Park Cabins
Historic 1930s CCC stone cabins among the Lost Pines east of Austin, among the hardest reservations in the Texas park system
- Lodging
- Ages 1+
- Overnight
- Paid
about 4 hr drive
Oklahoma City, OK
National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum
Oklahoma City Western museum with a full-scale indoor frontier town, a kids cowboy corral, and rodeo and Native American galleries.
- Museum
- Ages 4+
- ~3h
- Paid
about 4 hr drive
Oklahoma City, OK
OKC Sailing School
Week-long learn-to-sail camps for kids on Lake Hefner, open to non-members, plus a half-day Pirate Camp for ages 5 to 7. Paid.
- Sailing
- Ages 5+
- ~7h
- Paid
about 4 hr drive
Oklahoma City, OK
Oklahoma City Museum of Art
Oklahoma City art museum built around a fifty-five foot Chihuly glass tower, with weekend family art studios and a film theater.
- Museum
- Ages 4+
- ~2h
- Paid
about 4 hr drive
Oklahoma City, OK
Oklahoma History Center
Oklahoma City state history museum with hanging aircraft, a full oil derrick, a Route 66 section and a hard-hitting Dust Bowl gallery.
- Museum
- Ages 5+
- ~3h
- Paid
about 4 hr drive
Oklahoma City, OK
Science Museum Oklahoma
Huge Oklahoma City science museum with a high-wire bike, tinkering garage, planetarium, and daily explosive demonstrations.
- Science
- Ages 2+
- ~5h
- Paid
Towns in this drive-time band
- Broken Bow, OK (25)
- Austin, TX (14)
- Spicewood, TX (6)
- Georgetown, TX (5)
- Oklahoma City, OK (5)
- Burnet, TX (4)
- Bastrop, TX (2)
- Bend, TX (2)
- Bertram, TX (1)
- Cedar Park, TX (1)
- Clayton, OK (1)
- Huntsville, TX (1)
- Idabel, OK (1)
- Karnack, TX (1)
- Norman, OK (1)
- Pflugerville, TX (1)
- Somerville, TX (1)
- Talihina, OK (1)
- Tatum, TX (1)
- Tuscola, TX (1)
- Wilburton, OK (1)