In a giant city that has no shortage of diverse food, things to do, and festivals, it's hard to find a reason to leave Houston. But sometimes life is better with a little bit of spontaneity—and Texas is full of wonders that are waiting to be explored. So you can justify it sometimes, I guess. So if you are going to leave Houston, you have to do it right. Here are 7 great places that are less than 3 hours away to still be back in town in time to eat dinner at your favorite local hot spot. Surfside Beach Time To Get There: 1 hour Why you need to go: Relax on the beach, or even take a cool horseback ride along the beach for an unforgettable experience and view. View this post on Instagram The ocean never ceases to amaze me. I go back to work next week but for today I am relaxing with my family 💕 I also found my favorite swimsuit of all time on the clearance rack (it’s only sold online and someone had returned it I think). #target #sharemytargetstyle #targetstyle #targetgirl #targetfinds #targetclearancefinds #surfsidebeachtx #beachlife #targetswim A post shared by A L I (@alicatshops) on Jul 28, 2019 at 5:52pm PDT Website Rusk, TX Time To Get There: 2 hours and 37 minutes Why you need to go: In this quaint small town of Texas, you can visit the second-longest footbridge in the country and take a magical train ride through the scenic land. View this post on Instagram #texasfarmandhome #historic, #rusktx, #parks How awesome is this historical footbridge and park in Rusk,Tx. A post shared by Texas Farm and Home Magazine (@texasfarmandhome) on Jul 12, 2019 at 7:30am PDT Website Kemah, TX Time To Get There: 41 minutes Why you need to go: To walk the beautiful boardwalk, ride the Kemah attractions, and even check out this super eccentric restaurant. View this post on Instagram Picture this: stunning bright fireworks lighting up the Texan sky 🎆 Lucky for you, this happens every Friday night in June and July. Come join us this week! - - #kemahboardwalk #kemah #kemahtexas #cottoncandy #cottoncandyrush #visitkemah #houstoncity #visithouston #flyaway #letsflyaway #fridayfireworks #TGIF #Friyay A post shared by Kemah Boardwalk (@kemahboardwalk) on Jun 17, 2019 at 1:00pm PDT Website Austin, TX Time To Get There: 2 hours and 30 minutes Why you need to go: It's the next best thing to Houston, just a little weirder. Visit the Capitol, check out some cool places, or even get serenaded while floating a river in August. View this post on Instagram España , Francia , México, la República de Texas , la confederación, USA 🇺🇸 Texas!! = 6 países 🤨⭐️#sixflags #austintexas #newpost #capitol #building #historic #jump #architecture #cool #memories #travelgram #😎 A post shared by Luis HH ⛰ (@luis_h87) on Jul 29, 2019 at 8:20pm PDT Website Port Arthur, TX Time To Get There: 1 hour and 25 minutes Why you need to go: See what the cajun food hype here is all about and even take a Port Arthur ghost tour if you dare. View this post on Instagram Bb girls A post shared by Kaleigh Combs (@kaleighcombs) on May 23, 2019 at 4:45pm PDT Website Davy Crockett National Forest Time To Get There: 2 hours Why you need to go: This forest is a whopping 160,000-acre wonderland with hammock spots and a stunning swimming hole. View this post on Instagram First overnight hiking trip ✔️ #texas A post shared by Samantha Jo Lewis (@sjolewis) on Mar 17, 2017 at 12:24pm PDT Website San Antonio, TX Time To Get There: 2 hours and 55 minutes Why you need to go: Explore the riverwalk for a nice date, see the Alamo again so you never forget it, and visit the exciting Six Flags: Fiesta Texas. You also have to check out their stunning Japanese Tea Garden. View this post on Instagram Highway to hell⚡️🎸 A post shared by Andres Maldonado (@andymaldonado77) on Jul 29, 2019 at 1:33pm PDT Website Alright, so now you have plenty of things to do and see without straying too far from home for a last-minute trip to end your summer. For now at least.
