Getting Away Without Going Too Far

I recently discovered a fun little “getaway” place that isn’t too far away. Because let’s be honest, sometimes “vacations” with kiddos are just exhausting.

Packing up enough gear (toys, clothes, diapers, entertainment, etc) and then driving or flying for hours on end is sometimes just not worth it.

My in-laws recently spent a weekend in Granbury, and my mother-in-law came back home excited to take the kiddos for a back-to-school celebration. I have to admit, at first I was skeptical. I didn’t know much about Granbury. I knew it had cute bed and breakfasts, fun shopping and an Opera House, but what was there to do with kids?

Y’all it was great! It’s close, there’s fun shopping, neat places to eat, hotels with indoor swimming pools and a BEACH!

It’s only a little over an hour drive from Dallas, so it’s really easy to get to! The kiddos watched one movie in the car and we were there! The town is super cute and was great for both the kids and the adults.

The best part for the kids was the hotel and beach. There’s a nice Hilton Garden Inn that we stayed at and since it was raining the day we got there, the kids headed to the indoor pool. What kids don’t LOVE swimming inside?!?! I think they could have stayed there all day!

The other unique thing that Granbury offers is a beach. Yes, there’s a white, sandy beach in Granbury. The kids had a blast! It’s right next to the Hilton so after breakfast, we just walked out the front door and were ready to play. It’s a nice, big beach on Granbury Lake. There’s also a small spray park for the kids, some tiki huts, a pavilion, a boardwalk and the ever-important restrooms.

Armed with some water noodles, buckets, shovels and other sand toys, we had a great time digging in the sand and playing in the water. It’d be a great place to spend the day with a picnic lunch and close enough to the hotel for naptime for the younger kiddos.

There’s a square in downtown that has lots of cute shops. Of course shopping with kiddos can be interesting, but we promised the girls they could each find one souvenir, and so we actually did get to do a little shopping. Fun!

I would also suggest planning a meal at Stumpy’s Lakeside Grill while you’re there. The food was great and you can eat outside near the water. The kids also loved it because you can feed the fish. They loved throwing the fish food in the water and seeing the fish (the fish were HUGE!). We also got to see turtles, ducks and even a snake (it was down in the water…far away from us thank goodness, but still fun for them to get to see). It was a great, entertaining night for everyone.

We were only there one night, but there are tons of other things to do. A drive-in theater, a couple of wineries, the Opera House, art galleries, golf courses, and a city trolley. Lots of fun to keep the adults and kids busy!

So if you’re looking for a weekend getaway with your family, or trying to figure out how to take your kiddos to the beach (but dreading the long drive or flight), skip Florida and head over to Granbury for a weekend of fun!