Huffines Hyundai McKinney has proudly served the area around McKinney, Texas, for years. We offer competitive prices on all our vehicles and stand behind every sale with our world-class service center. But we also want you to enjoy life here in Texas, so we thought we’d offer you some road trip ideas.
Everything’s bigger in Texas, and so should your road trips. Living in the McKinney area, you have Dallas and Fort Worth at your fingertips. You also have Houston and San Antonio to the south and Lubbock and Amarillo to the West and Northwest. There are so many great places to see and things to do around Texas, the only problem is deciding where to go. With that in mind, we asked around the office for some of the best road trip ideas. Here’s what we found.
Mineral Wells to Marble Falls to Waco
We love this road trip idea for its quirky destinations and distance. If you were to drive straight from McKinney through Mineral Wells and then to Marble Falls, it would take four and a half hours. But that doesn’t give you time to enjoy these incredible locations and pit stops along the way. Therefore, we recommend you make a long weekend out of it.
Get an early start on a Saturday morning, and your trip through Dallas and Fort Worth will take about an hour. You live in the area, so you’ve probably driven this way before. Once outside Fort Worth, you want to take the 405 exit off the I-20. Then you’re only 30 minutes along Highway 180 from Mineral Wells.
Mineral Wells was named after the hot springs in the region that purported to have healing powers. One hundred years ago, this was believable. People such as T.B. Baker invested in the area, building the Baker Hotel in 1929, known as the “Grand Lady” of Mineral Wells, to capitalize on the town’s famed waters. For decades, the Baker Hotel was the premier destination for the rich and famous and those who sought respite from their ailments.
Unfortunately, the hotel closed in 1972, but it had a good run. It hosted everyone from Bonnie and Clyde to Hellen Keller and even Ronald Reagan. Currently, the hotel is under renovation, with plans to reopen in 2024. Until then, you can wander around the grounds on a paid ghost walk, hunting for the spirits of those storied guests from the past hundred years.
When it’s time to leave, head south on State Road 281. You’re less than three hours from Marble Falls, but it’s worth the drive. There are plenty of hotel options (that are open and aren’t haunted) to fit any budget. You get to explore the best Texas outdoor adventures in Marble Falls on Sunday morning. We’re talking about rock climbing, hiking, swimming, and more.
Longhorn Cavern State Park, Enchanted Rock State Natural Area, Inks Lake State Park, and Colorado Bend State Park are conveniently reached from Marble Falls. So, take the day and enjoy exploring the shimmering lakes, iconic rock formations, and spectacular swimming holes.
After a day outdoors, you’ll need another night in the hotel. Then, on Monday morning, you can head back the way you came or take an alternate route through Waco. It’s a two-hour drive, so start early.
Now there’s more to see in Waco than you might imagine. For starters, there’s the Waco Mammoth National Monument, an active dig site for Chilean Mammoths. It’s presumed that a herd of these mammoths died in a flood thousands of years ago.
If you’re a baseball buff, the Texas Sports Hall of Fame in Waco is your next stop. The TSHOF offers plenty of family-friendly activities and room for the kids to run. In addition, hands-on games and historical artifacts from noteworthy Texas athletes make this a fun and informative destination.
Science fans of all ages love the Mayborn Museum, located at Baylor University. The museum has lots of interactive exhibits exploring Texas’ natural history and science. You also have the Texas Ranger Hall of Fame in Waco — no, not the baseball team. We’re talking about the legendary law-enforcement unit responsible for tracking down bad guys. You can spend an hour or all day, depending on your level of interest.
We suggest staying for dinner in Waco. You have some great dining destinations, such as the Magnolia Table, where you can fill up before you leave. You’re only two hours from McKinney, but you’ll fight rush-hour traffic on a Monday if you go too soon.
Piney Woods
If you love the pastoral forest and lake scenes, the Piney Woods adventure is for you. From McKinney, go through Dallas and head east to Daingerfield State Park, where you can take in all of nature’s glory. Fall is the best time to go and enjoy the stunning foliage in the park. It’s quiet around there but great for fishing, hiking, and camping.
At this point, we recommend you head south to Jefferson, Texas. You need some rest from your outdoor excursions, and Jefferson is Texas’ bed and breakfast capital. So, relax comfortably and let someone else cook before you get on the road the following day.
When you get up the next morning feeling refreshed, twenty minutes southeast you’ll find Caddo Lake State Park, another excellent location for wandering woodland landscapes. Caddo Lake is the state’s only natural lake and offers spectacular sights.
We recommend renting a canoe or boat and paddling through this majestic region. You’ll see the world’s largest Bald Cypress tree among the many other sights, including alligators.
We hope you found this blog informative and helpful as you plan your next adventure. At Huffines Hyundai McKinney, we know our customers love the great state of Texas and are always looking for new and exciting ways to explore it.
Of course, there’s no way to include every great road trip in a single blog. So, if you feel like we missed an adventure, please contact us. We’ll do our best to update our road trip ideas so everyone can enjoy the best that Texas has to offer. And if your vehicle needs an upgrade to help get you through your next road trip, we hope you think of us. You can browse our online inventory or visit us anytime.