I'll be in Dallas for 3 weeks this spring for a training seminar. My wife will be joining me for a 3-day weekend, and we'd like to get out of Dallas and explore for a few days. We enjoy the outdoors, exploring smaller, quaint towns, and enjoying the "blue highways".

Our leading candidate is a trip to Austin with some hill country camping. Is that the best option, or should we add others to the list?

Don't miss San Antonio, if you've never been there. From there, drive to the hill country and go to the LBJ ranch.

I hadn't thought of San Antonio. Is that a drivable weekend distance from Dallas? I'll be able to leave around 3pm on Friday.

Without traffic, San Antonio is probably 5 hours by car. Southwest has extended its fare sale, so that may be an option from DAL (Love Field).
M

Cargilman, you might try the small, quaint towns of Granbury and Glen Rose, southwest of the area.

Glen Rose is a small town with antique shops and several bed-and-breakfasta. But its real claims to fame are an animal park called "Fossil Ridge", and a state park called "Dinosaur Valley State Park".

Fossil Ridge has accommodations for overnight stays, a sort of safari-like experience, and tours through the park that contains many African animals.

Dinosaur Valley is a typical high-quality state park with provision for tent camping and RV camping as well. Its main attraction are the hiking trails around the Paluxy River, and the river itself, with dinosaur footprints embedded in the river bed. They are very visible when the river is low.

Granbury is another quaint small town, a few miles north of Glen Rose. It has a picturesque town square on a small lake, with an "Opera House" that stages musical shows. Many people visit.

Good suggestions. I think we want to get further away from Dallas than Glen Rose, although that state park that you mention would be a good place to stop for a bit.

Yahoo is telling me that Austin would be a 4-hour trip. Does that sound accurate?

You can get to Austin in 3 - 3 1/2 hrs. A lot to do: you're into nature? Many caves to explore: Inner Space, Longhorn Caverns, Cave Without a Name. Westcave Nature Preserve. Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center. Drive out to the Salt Lick for BBQ. Look at Yahoo's Citysearch for other ideas.

Austin has horrible traffic on so don't expect to make great time driving to/from there. I have had consistently bad luck driving there on Friday afternoons from DFW.
But still go - If you have never seen the famous Texas bluebonnets, you will be delighted with the Spring drive.