This post has been sponsored by Apparent Insurance. All opinions are 100% our own!
Looking for summer adventure but also trying to navigate COVID-19 and make sure your risks are “calculated”? It’s time to plan a day trip! I’ll confess that I’m pretty conservative on how much we are getting out and about with our four-year-old and soon-to-be two-year-old. But, as for many of us, the bounce house is starting to lose its luster and the screen time battle wages on, so we’ve turned to day trips from Dallas to spice things up.
Some of our most fun days this summer have been when we’ve loaded up the kids and spent some quality time in the car on a drive short enough to keep them from going crazy, but long enough for plenty of “I Spy” and a spin through the Frozen 2 soundtrack. It’s been great to have adventures while still staying socially distant.
Davis, Oklahoma
A few Sundays ago, everyone woke up early so on a whim and the recommendation of a friend, we decided to drive up to Arbuckle Wilderness Park. I packed a quick picnic lunch for us and away we went. The drive is just shy of 2 hours from Dallas. No reservations are required, so it’s nice for a spontaneous trip. If your kids are fans of Llama, Llama they’ll love it. You can purchase animal food when you enter the park and feed a variety of animals such as zebras, camels, and horses as you drive through. As you enter and leave there are a few picnic tables and a gift shop with facilities.
If you want to make a weekend out of it, plan ahead and swim or camp out just a few minutes away at Turner Falls.
Glen Rose
Because of our successful and easy trip to Arbuckle Wilderness, a few weeks later we decided to reserve tickets to Fossil Rim Wildlife Center in Glen Rose, which is only an hour and a half away from the Metroplex. Animals are always a hit in our family!
Your advanced ticket allows you a window of when you can arrive, which is a must when road tripping any distance with kids. Clean Porta-Potties are available at the entrance parking lot. Tickets are scanned from your device and you receive a free bag of animal food along with a species guide.
The Overlook Café is a great place to stop for a break before you begin the trek out of the park. While their menu is currently limited, they are serving lunch and seating is available outside. Feeding the giraffe was definitely the highlight of our trip. We also loved the species guide and it gave us an easy way to have a scavenger hunt from the car.
Next time we go to Glen Rose, I’m hopeful we can also hit up Dinosaur World.
Fort Worth
Speaking of animals… If you want more time to stretch your legs (and have kids who understand how far six feet away actually is), head to Fort Worth! We have only made the trip to the Fort Worth Zoo once over the winter, but it’s next on my list for a day trip since it’s only 45 minutes away.
Our kids are big fans of the black bears and the alligators. Reservations can be booked online and masks are required for guests 10 years or older. You can print or scan your tickets at the entrance for touchless arrival. Some restaurants are closed due to attendance capacity limits, so make sure to plan ahead or bring a picnic!
These easy day trip ideas are brought to you by our friends at Apparent Insurance, the company designed for parents, by parents with a mission to bring clarity and empathy to the insurance world.
Apparent utilizes a diverse Parent Panel, who advise and consult on what we want from our auto insurance. They offer really helpful features like Smart Roadside Assistance and YourMechanic (car service and repairs at home). Highly recommended checking those out. Get your quote, then pack some juice boxes and crackers, create a fun playlist on Spotify, and go enjoy some new scenery!
Want to win a Texas Parks Pass?
Head over to our Facebook Post HERE to enter to win! A Texas State Parks Pass is valued at $70 and is issued to one person in the household.
The Texas State Parks Pass is good for one year and includes: Unlimited free entry to 89 state parks for you and your guests, discounts on camping, park store purchases and equipment rentals, and other special offers.
*Giveaway ends August 5, 2020 at 12:01 AM CST. Giveaway is not endorsed by Facebook.
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