Visit Fort Worth, Austin, Texas Hill Country, Bandera, San Antonio, Galveston Beach, Houston & Dallas.
The Lone Star State is BIG, more than 261,000 square miles BIG. So, we thought this incredible State deserves a road trip all to itself. With such diversity, this two-week Texas road trip explores flourishing cities and southwestern cowboy culture around every turn. Everything is larger than life in Texas, so expect to be amazed as you cruise from place to place. And don’t even get us started on the Texas barbecue!
Key road trip highlights:
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We’ll suggest properties to match your preferred budget, be it low-cost, mid-range or high-end luxury that you’re looking for. We can also mix it up so you’ll experience a range of standards and experiences along your road trip.
All of our American road trips can be tailored to meet your requirements. Do you have more or less than 14 days for your road trip? No problem, we can bolt on extra nights to allow more time to explore or shorten the number of destinations as required.
Texas is practically its own country – it’s so huge and independently minded it deserves a full two-week road trip to explore its key cities and destinations. The Lone Star State introduces you to a culture obsessed with Rodeos, Longhorns and Cowboys, and nowhere does this better than the first stop on our road trip… Fort Worth. After collecting your wheels at Dallas Fort Worth Airport, you’ll have a short 25-minute drive to your first hotel in Fort Worth.
Fort Worth Stockyards National Historic District is home to the world’s only twice-daily cattle drive. The Stockyards is also home to a rodeo and the world’s largest Honky Tonk, Billy Bob’s. Western heritage is at its most vivid in Fort Worth, and it is the first place you should go to get your fix of cowboy culture. Don’t forget your boots and a ten-gallon hat.
Welcome to the Capital of the Lone Star State – Austin. Why not start by exploring the Texas State Capitol grounds? Or discovering Austin’s notable galleries and museums? If the weather is hot during your stay, then how about a refreshing swim in Barton Springs Pool, in Zilker Park to cool off? Finish your day off enjoying the fun atmosphere of lively Sixth Street after checking out the nightly flights of the free-tailed bats that call Congress Avenue Bridge home.
Austin is the self-proclaimed live music capital of the world. It has a legendary food scene, and the city loves anything that’s a little offbeat – its unofficial motto is “Keep Austin Weird”. Multiple breweries offering the highest quality beers are also found in Austin, complementing the delicious cuisine served by the vast number of food trucks and restaurants in this fast-growing and trendy city.
Between Austin and the “Cowboy Capital of the World”, Bandera, you’ll find Texas Hill Country, which is filled with charming small towns like Driftwood, Fredericksburg, and Luckenbach. Another essential stop for some is Hamilton Pool Preserve in Dripping Springs. Why not cool off under the 50-foot waterfall at this picturesque swimming hole?
In the words of one of our clients visiting Texas Hill Country for the first time “In particular, our stay at the ranch was the standout. We had the whole place to ourselves and had a great time with the team there. We even ended up going round the bars in Bandera with the gang one afternoon/evening”. Horse riding, campfires and hay rides this is where cowboy dreams are made a reality.
The Alamo in San Antonio draws more than 2.5 million visitors annually to this UNESCO World Heritage site. Absorb the indigenous, Spanish and Mexican influences that helped form Texas into what it is today. San Antonio is also home to theme parks such as Six Flags, or learn about marine life at SeaWorld.
San Antonio’s Riverwalk makes for a lovely stroll, lined with cafes, bars and restaurants. The mad-made river runs through the city’s centre, making for a lively, vibrant place to enjoy the year-round warm weather. San Antonio has numerous world-class hotels, and many of them line the Riverwalk.
It’s time for a few days of rest and relaxation. Galveston Island, on the Gulf of Mexico, offers 32 miles of beautiful beaches. Hit the beach and top up your tan, or chill by the hotel pool if you prefer. Top tip: On the way to Galveston, stop for lunch in Luling for some delicious Texan Barbeque.
A second day to recharge those batteries and relax on the beach or at the hotel. Make sure you check out Galveston’s Historic Pier, waterfront amusements and attractions for some good old fashioned fun!
Houston’s number one visitor attraction is the excellent Space Centre; this is a must for any road-tripper visiting Houston. The NASA Johnson Space Center literally provides you with an out of this world experience. Witness the thrills of being an astronaut, gaze at gigantic space rockets or stand in the location which oversaw the moon landings and Apollo 13.
The forever-growing and cosmopolitan metropolis of Houston has excellent museums, dining and shopping options. The fourth largest city in the US, Houston is recognised for its towering skyscrapers that dominate the skyline of Magnolia City.
Return to the iconic city of Dallas today. The ‘Big D’ is recognised worldwide for its contributions to popular culture – notably in the form of Dallas Cowboys and Dallas, the TV series that was a worldwide phenomenon in the 80s. Visit AT&T Stadium, home to the Cowboys American Football team, or South Fork, the iconic TV home for the Ewings. End the day with a visit to Reunion Tower to enjoy 360-degree city views from its observation deck.
Put on your cowboy boots and explore this great city; highlights include The Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza, chronicling JFK’s assassination and its aftermath. Check out Deep Ellum; this former warehouse district is home to live music, brewpubs and restaurants with incredible barbecue and Tex-Mex. Lastly, suppose you have an extra few days to spend away. In that case, this road trip can be extended to visit western Texas, including Big Bend National Park and Marfa, the high desert town with a contemporary art scene.
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You’ll find answers to most of your questions right here. If you still need assistance, Feel free to get in touch, and we’ll be sure to get back to you promptly!
Not a problem. If you are lucky enough to have extra time to explore more places or add more rest days, then just let us know and we’ll adjust your trip to match your preferred timescale.
We strongly advise that you purchase travel insurance for your holiday to cover you against medical expenses, theft and other financial costs. Should you need to cancel before travelling, some insurance policies may pay out for any loss of funds that have been paid to us and which cannot be refunded under our cancellation policy.
Many of our trips have a different end destination than the starting point, so this is not a problem. Please note a fee sometimes applies for one-way rentals between other regions or states, which will be paid to the supplier directly when collecting the vehicle. We’ll endeavour to inform you of this charge within your quote.
No, far from it. We work with a range of properties from 3* to 5*, so we can adapt the trip to match most budgets. We have access to rooms in more than 800 hotels, motels, lodges and B&Bs across North America.
The minimum age to rent a car is 21 in the United States or Canada, although, in addition, any drivers under 25 years of age will generally incur a surcharge.
Please use the form below to request a quote from our team. Fields marked with an * are mandatory. Please note that we currently only serve customers based in the UK & The EU.
Not quite what you’re looking for? Get in touch to discuss your Bespoke Road Trip plans, or check out these similar road trip itineraries…
ARTCo customers can be confident that we only work with the very best service providers, such as Virgin Atlantic, British Airways and Alamo. Any payments made to us are fully protected via the government’s ATOL scheme (Flight packages) or Financial Failure Insurance (Non-Flight Packages).
