Coppell, Texas, has plenty of exciting things to see and do, but sometimes it’s nice to get away and explore new places. Fortunately, Coppell’s location means it’s an easy drive from a variety of destinations in the area. The next time you’re interested in taking a day trip from Coppell, consider checking out a few of these outstanding places.
Turner Falls Park
Image via Flickr by anyjazz65 Licensed CC BY 2.0
Located about an hour and 45 minutes north of Coppell in Davis, Oklahoma, Turner Falls Park is home to the state’s largest waterfall. It also offers a variety of activities for all outdoor lovers. The park is located in the Arbuckle Mountains, which are some of the oldest mountains on the planet. The highlight of the park is its 77-foot-tall picturesque waterfall. When the weather is hot, the clear water that feeds the waterfall is the perfect place to splash around and cool down.
You can also hike the nature trails, investigate the three caves in the park, explore Collings Castle, and fish the trout-stocked streams from November through March. Please keep in mind that children under 13 must wear a Coast Guard-certified life jacket to enter the water. The park is open daily from 7 a.m. to sunset. There are different admission prices for both summerand winter seasons, and you can purchase your tickets online in advance.
Fort Worth, Texas
If you’d rather spend less time driving to your destination and more time enjoying everything it has to offer, Fort Worth is the ideal city to visit. Located just 30 minutes southwest of Coppell, Fort Worth has something for everyone in the family to enjoy. The animal lovers in your family will enjoy visiting the Fort Worth Zoo. In addition to being home to 5,000 animals, the zoo also features several other exciting attractions, including a train ride, carousel, splash pad, climbing wall, and petting zoo.
For a true Wild West experience, check out the Fort Worth Stockyards National Historic District. Here you can shop for cowboy boots and 10-gallon hats, dine on some of the best Tex-Mex cuisine in the region, listen to live music, check out the world’s only twice-daily longhorn cattle drive, and more.
Tyler, Texas
If you happen to be planning a day trip in the fall, the colorful foliage on the two-hour scenic drive to Tyler is magnificent. Of course, Tyler offers a variety of activities to enjoy no matter what time of year you visit. The city is known as the Rose Capital of America because of its long history of rose cultivation. It’s home to the Tyler Rose Garden, which is the largest rose garden in the country. The 14-acre garden has over 32,000 rose bushes with at least 600 different varieties.
If you’re looking for some kid-friendly activities to enjoy around Tyler, you can check out the animals at Caldwell Zoo, discover the hands-on activities at The Discovery Science Place, or see a planetarium show at The Earth and Space Science Center. You can even learn something new by visiting the Cotton Belt Depot Museum or Historic Aviation Memorial Museum.
Ray Roberts Lake State Park Isle Du Bois
For those times when you’re interested in enjoying some outdoor fun near Coppell, travel about 50 minutes north of the city to Ray Roberts Lake State Park Isle Du Bois. Located on Lake Ray Roberts, this park lets you reconnect with nature with a variety of fun activities. On land, you can hike, backpack, rollerblade, bike, camp, ride your horse, or go geocaching.
On the water, you can fish the 29,000-acre lake, let the kids try their luck at the fishing pond, rent a boat at the marina, go paddling, or swim at one of the beach areas. Just remember that there are no lifeguards on duty at the beach area, so everyone needs to practice water safety. The park is open daily from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. Admission is $7 for adults and children 12 and under are free.
Athens, Texas
Athens is located about an hour and a half southeast of Coppell. Although it’s a small town, it’s big on adventure. It’s said that the first hamburger was made in a small cafe in downtown Athens in the late 1880s before being introduced at the 1904 St. Louis World Fair. If you’re looking for a place that serves the best hamburgers in town, visit Callaway’s Coffee and Bistro. The pedestrian-friendly downtown area also features a variety of restaurants, shops, and galleries that are fun to explore.
If you’re visiting between May and October, the Athens Farmers Market is open from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. every Saturday and offers seasonal produce from local farmers, baked goods, handcrafted artisanal items, and more. Another unique attraction in Athens is the Athens Scuba Park, which lets you scuba dive 37 sunken wrecks and 10 diving docks around the town’s lake.
Lake Whitney State Park
Lake Whitney State Park is a 755-acre park located about an hour and a half southwest of Coppell. If you’re interested in stretching your legs on a hike, the park has miles of trails open to hikers and bikers. Since the park is located on the shores of Lake Whitney, you’ll also find plenty of water activities to enjoy.
You can go swimming, boating, paddling, and fish for largemouth bass, striped bass, white bass, or blue catfish. If you don’t have fishing gear to bring on your trip, the park has loaner gear available. Plus, you don’t need a fishing license to fish from the shore. Lake Whitney State Park is open daily from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. The entrance fee is $5 for adults and children 12 and younger are free.
When those of us at Crème de la Crème of Coppell want to enjoy a day trip from Coppell, these are a few places we like to go. Did we forget to mention one of your favorite destinations? If so, please be sure to contact us and let us know so we can include it on this list.