There’s a lot to enjoy and see when driving from Dallas to Austin. With many scenic places and various routes to choose from, you can make the most out of this short journey. It’s undoubtedly a loss to travel this route without stopping at least once along the way.
There are more amazing things to view between these two cities. You can take the I-35 direct route from Dallas to Austin with plenty of more than scenic views or choose the back roads that require the addition of time to your trip but offer you sprawling views and charming town areas to drive through.
In ceteris Paribus takes about 3 hours to travel from Dallas to Austin. The distance is 200 miles, but you can spend about 5 hours stopping by different places enjoying the picturesque views.
Dallas is an amazing big city. There’s no limitation of scenic views. You can spend time along Turtle Creek or wind up your time at the Dallas Arboretum, watching the eye-catching botanical perfection. Dallas has everything unique, including the Lakeside Park, the Rocky quarry, Nasher sculpture garden, etc. Since you will be traveling to Austin, you cannot spend much time in the city as you have a lot of views to capture along the route.
From Dallas to Waco Mammoth National Monument
Table Of Contents
Drive a few miles from Dallas and pass through Oakleaf into Waxahachie. Waxahachie is complete with fantastic historic architecture, art galleries, and museums. You cannot miss taking a few photos at the Ellis County Courthouse, one of the best-known photographed places. In love with fishing, take a visit to Lake Waxahachie and enjoy some catfish and bass fishing. Get fascinated with a lot of historical elements at Ellis County Museum. Find a lot of historical exhibits at the Museum and get to view a structure built around 1889.
Tour the Munster, a spooky recreation not forgetting the Sims library, which has white stone pillars and a neoclassical style of architecture. There’s a lot to see when you reach Waco. Driving through route 35, pass through lacy lake view, which holds a lot of beautiful trails and places. Stop by Waco Mammoth National Monument and save some time viewing the fantastic natural areas. Swing by Waco National monument and watch the fossilized remains of the 21 mammoths discovered in 1978. Waco is a well-known central city in Texas. It is complete with major attractions.
Discover the homestead craft village where quality artisans reside. You can watch artisans crafting wood and distinctive stoneware. Take a visit to the Magnolia market full of gardening supplies and flower growing kits. It is a home decor wonderland and buys a few local farmers’ produce, especially when you travel on Wednesday and the weekend.
From Waco to Lyndon B Johnson National Historical Park
From Waco, pass through Mcgregor and enjoy visiting the most famous parks: Amsler, Legacy, Bewley, Kasting, and LaunchPad Park. You can enjoy a lot of fun at Lake Belton, including fishing and boating. I love the Ballfields in McGregor; it consists of LaunchPad Park and the three-field complex, Lechler Field, Ardell Field, and Hackney field. Have you ever heard of Tonkawa Falls Park? It is an excellent park with waterfalls and a river flow.
Enjoy the Waco wine tour and visit Magnolia, and you will never forget the exciting moments. Leave McGregor and Drive through to Gatesville. I love Splash Park, it is full of fun things to do, and most people enjoy doing fun sports and relaxing. Gatesville is also known for detailing the history of the lives of the earliest horse soldier regiments at the 1st Cavalry Division Museum. You can watch a live historical Civil War reenactment of mounted Cavalry.
You cannot get enough of all the scenic places along the Dallas-Austin route. Found along the way is Lampasas, located in the middle of Texas. The small city has the most historic downtown square. Found in the downtown area is the recently refurbished Lampasas County Courthouse. You can bang into Campbell Park and Cooper Springs park, just one block away. Enjoy the beautiful sculpture views at the Hanna Springs Sculpture garden located in Campbell Park. Head over to Lampasas County Museum and purchase books full of the city’s history and exciting stories.
Amongst all the places, you cannot forget Burnet, the Bluebonnet Capital of Texas. It is popularly known for being a tourist destination and vacation spot with amazing lakes such as Lake Buchanan and Inks Lake. There are several things to do along the lakes: boating, fishing, and camping activities. Pass by one of its wineries and taste the tasty well-brewed wines. Close by is Marble Falls, surrounded by many prestigious lakes and natural wonders. Take a short walk at Lake Marble falls and enjoy many activities that include swimming, fishing, and kayaking. If you love nature, this is the city to explore.
Finally, get to Lyndon B. Johnson Historical National Park, found just 50milews west of Austin. If you love historical tourism, this is the place to wind around. You can drive around the vast Range viewing the home of the great President LBJ. There’s also a great pool and picnic tables if you want to spend some time.
Austin, TX
Arriving at the LBJ National Park, you are already in Austin! A few miles and about an hour’s drive, you are in Austin. The city is well known for its Music capital of the world. It has unique attractions and beautiful outdoor activities. Trust me; you cannot get enough of its adventurous places, including Lake Travis Waterloo, Zilker botanical garden, and Henry museum. If you love adventuring, you have just started because Austin has plenty of these fantastic places.
The route from Dallas to Austin might be short, but it is incredible to travel. Remember, you can make a trip a memorable one with thrilling moments. You will not forget the brief but long trip to Austin if you make the most out of it by stopping by the places mentioned in this article.