Day Trips from Dallas: Fort Worth, Waco, Glen Rose, Denton

The best day trips from Dallas are Fort Worth (about 30 minutes away), Waco (about 1 hour 30 minutes), Dinosaur Valley State Park in Glen Rose (about 1 hour 30 minutes) and Denton (about 45 minutes to an hour). We rank them below by how much of a full day each one deserves, and every stop was checked against its own official site.

Drive times are typical figures from mapped sources, not promises. Dallas traffic at rush hour can add a lot, so leave after 9 a.m. and head home before 4 p.m. when you can.

How we chose

We started from the four destinations most Dallas residents actually drive to for a day, then picked stops inside each that are known for that destination and confirmed against their official sites or official social pages. We ranked the trips by how much a full day they fill, not by distance. Anywhere we could not confirm a place was open, we left it out. Hours, prices and tour times change, so check each official site before you go.

These places are outside the city by design. Everything in Dallas itself lives in our guides to the best things to do in Dallas and a family day in Dallas.

1. Is Fort Worth worth a full day? Yes, it is the best use of one

Fort Worth is about 30 minutes from Dallas by car, and it holds enough to fill a whole day: a working cattle-drive tradition, free art, gardens and a zoo. It is the easiest trip on this list and the one we would do first.

What to do in Fort Worth

Fort Worth Stockyards National Historic District. The Stockyards run a cattle drive every day at 11:30 a.m. and 4:00 p.m., with longhorns walked down the street. Plan your morning so you arrive before 11:30 a.m. and find a spot along the route. On Thursdays at 7:30 p.m. the Stockyards also host a PBR bull-riding showcase, per the official Stockyards site (fortworthstockyards.org).

Amon Carter Museum of American Art, 3501 Camp Bowie Blvd. Admission is free and the museum has a free parking lot. It is typically open Tuesday through Sunday, with late hours on Thursday until 8 p.m., and closed Mondays. It is the easiest cultural stop in Fort Worth if you are watching your budget.

Fort Worth Botanic Garden, 3220 Botanic Garden Blvd. The garden typically opens at 8 a.m. with last entry at 4 p.m. Check its calendar first, because private events occasionally close it for part of a morning.

Fort Worth Water Gardens, 1502 Commerce St. The city runs this downtown park, typically open daily from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. Swimming and wading are not allowed.

Fort Worth Zoo, 1989 Colonial Pkwy. The zoo lists daily hours of roughly 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Adult admission is typically $22, with parking at $5 per vehicle, and Wednesdays are half price. Check the Fort Worth Zoo site for how tickets are being sold before you leave.

Where to eat in Fort Worth

Joe T. Garcia's Mexican Restaurant, 2201 N. Commerce St., North Side. This Tex-Mex institution serves a set dinner built around two of its family recipes. Lunch and brunch have their own menu. It is typically open for lunch and dinner every day, with the kitchen running later on Friday and Saturday. Bring cash: Joe T. Garcia's in Fort Worth is cash only.

Heim Barbecue, River location, 5333 White Settlement Rd. Heim Barbecue's River location in Fort Worth is typically open daily for lunch and dinner and has a big outdoor deck and garden. Use this White Settlement Road address when you navigate.

When not to go to Fort Worth

Skip the Stockyards on a hot summer afternoon, and skip the Amon Carter on a Monday. Weekend evenings in the Stockyards are crowded. For a calmer visit, go on a weekday morning.

2. Is Waco worth a day trip from Dallas? Yes, if you start early

Waco is about 1 hour 30 minutes from Dallas, and it is a full-day trip with four very different stops: a Pleistocene fossil site, a soda museum, a historic bridge and a ranger museum. It rewards an early start.

What to do in Waco

Waco Mammoth National Monument, 6220 Steinbeck Bend Dr. The National Park Service calls this the nation's only recorded discovery of a nursery herd of Columbian mammoths. The monument is typically open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Guided tours run every 30 minutes, need no reservation, and last 45 to 60 minutes. A small tour fee applies; check the NPS page for current rates. It is the single most memorable stop in Waco.

Dr Pepper Museum, 300 S. 5th St. The museum is typically open seven days a week, from about 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Admission is $12, free for ages 4 and under, and your ticket includes a complimentary Dr Pepper. Tickets are paid on arrival rather than sold online.

Waco Suspension Bridge. Completed in 1870, it was the longest single-span suspension bridge west of the Mississippi River when it opened, according to the City of Waco. It sits between Indian Spring Park and Martin Luther King Jr. Park along the river and makes an easy free walk between other stops.

Texas Ranger Hall of Fame and Museum, 100 Texas Ranger Trail. It is typically open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., with last entry at 4:30 p.m. Adults pay $10.50, seniors 60 and over $8.50, children 6 to 12 $4, and under 6 are free. Parking is free. It closes on Easter Sunday, Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and New Year's Day.

Mayborn Museum Complex at Baylor University, 1300 S. University Parks Dr. The Mayborn is typically open Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Adults pay $12. It is a good fit if you are traveling with kids.

Cameron Park Zoo, 1701 N. 4th St. Typical admission is $18 for adults and $14 for children and seniors. Cameron Park Zoo in Waco is typically open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and closes on Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day and New Year's Day.

Magnolia Market at the Silos, 601 Webster Ave. The shops at the Silos in Waco are typically open Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and closed on Sundays, apart from some special weekends. Some seasonal events are ticketed, so check Magnolia's visit page before you go.

Where to eat in Waco

Helberg Barbecue, 7809 Hwy 6, Woodway. Just west of Waco in Woodway, Helberg Barbecue serves brisket, burnt ends, hand-made sausage and a smash burger. It is typically open Tuesday through Sunday and closed Mondays, and it closes earlier on Tuesday and Sunday, so check its official site before you plan dinner there.

When not to go to Waco

Avoid summer afternoons if you plan to be outside at the zoo or the mammoth site. Skip Sunday if Magnolia Market at the Silos is on your list, since it is usually closed, and skip Monday if you want Helberg Barbecue. Holiday closures matter too: the Texas Ranger museum, the zoo and the mammoth site all close on Thanksgiving.

3. Is Dinosaur Valley State Park worth the drive? Yes, for the tracks

Dinosaur Valley State Park in Glen Rose is about 1 hour 30 minutes from Dallas, and it is the only stop on this list where you can stand in a riverbed beside real dinosaur footprints. It deserves most of a day, not a quick stop.

What to do near Glen Rose

Dinosaur Valley State Park, 1629 Park Rd. 59. The park is open daily, with the gate typically open 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. and the office open 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Day-use entry is $8 for adults and children 12 and under are free. The tracks are in the Paluxy River riverbed and are not always visible, so check the park's page for current conditions. Texas Parks and Wildlife recommends reserving day use online or through the state parks reservation line at (512) 389-8900 because the park often fills.

Dinosaur World, 1058 Park Rd. 59. This is a separate, privately run park with hundreds of life-sized dinosaur models in a wooded setting. It is typically open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and closed Christmas Day. A daily pass is $18.95 for adults and $14.95 for children.

Fossil Rim Wildlife Center, 2299 County Road 2008. Fossil Rim Wildlife Center near Glen Rose lets you take a self-guided drive through the park in your own car, which takes about two hours. In fall and winter the gates typically open at 8:30 a.m. with the last vehicle in at 3:30 p.m. It closes on Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Pricing is on its official ticket page.

Where to eat in Glen Rose

Loco Coyote Grill, 1795 County Road 1004. This oak-smoked barbecue and chicken-fried-steak spot sits about a mile off US 67 outside Glen Rose. It typically serves dinner Wednesday through Friday, lunch and dinner on Saturday and lunch on Sunday, so call (254) 897-2324 before you count on it. On a weekday trip, pack a lunch for the state park.

When not to go to Dinosaur Valley

Skip it after heavy rain, when the river can cover the tracks, and avoid peak summer weekends when the park fills. Reserve before you leave Dallas.

4. Is Denton worth a day trip from Dallas? Yes, as a half day

Denton is about 45 minutes to an hour from Dallas and works best as a relaxed half day around its historic square. It is the shortest of the four, and the one most worth pairing with a Saturday market.

What to do in Denton

Denton County Courthouse-on-the-Square Museum, 110 W. Hickory St. The 1896 courthouse was restored in 2004 from its original blueprints. It is free and typically open Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Denton County lists slightly different weekday hours on some pages, so check before you go.

Recycled Books, Records, CDs, 200 N. Locust St. The store fills three floors of the historic Wright Opera House and holds about half a million books. It typically opens at 9 a.m. and closes at 9 p.m. daily.

Denton Community Market, 317 W. Mulberry St. It runs Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. between March and December, and closes at noon if the temperature tops 100 degrees.

Where to eat in Denton

Beth Marie's Old Fashioned Ice Cream and Soda Fountain, 117 W. Hickory St. Founded in 1998, Beth Marie's started at this shop on the south side of the Denton courthouse square, in an 1876 building. Check its official site for current hours.

When not to go to Denton

Skip the market in a triple-digit week, and do not count on the courthouse museum on a Sunday, when it is closed.

Save this: the one-line plan

• Fort Worth: be at the Stockyards by 11:30 a.m. for the cattle drive, then free art at the Amon Carter.
• Waco: mammoth tour first, Dr Pepper Museum second, walk the suspension bridge last.
• Glen Rose: reserve Dinosaur Valley State Park online, go early, bring water shoes.
• Denton: Saturday morning market, then books and ice cream on the square.

For weather and packing, see our Dallas weather guide, and for places to stay, browse travel and lodging.

Last verified: November 2026.

Frequently asked questions

What is the closest day trip from Dallas?

Fort Worth is the closest, at about 30 minutes by car. Denton is next at about 45 minutes to an hour.

How far is Waco from Dallas?

Waco is about 1 hour 30 minutes from Dallas by car. Leave early to fit the Waco Mammoth National Monument, the Dr Pepper Museum and the Waco Suspension Bridge into one day.

Can you see dinosaur tracks near Dallas?

Yes. Dinosaur Valley State Park in Glen Rose, about 1 hour 30 minutes from Dallas, has tracks in the Paluxy River riverbed. They are not always visible, so check the park page, and reserve day use because the park often fills.

What time is the Fort Worth Stockyards cattle drive?

The cattle drive runs daily at 11:30 a.m. and 4:00 p.m., according to the official Fort Worth Stockyards site. Arrive early to get a spot along the route.

Is there a free museum in Fort Worth?

Yes. The Amon Carter Museum of American Art on Camp Bowie Boulevard has free admission and a free parking lot. It is closed Mondays.