Memphis, Hot Springs, Fort Worth, Granbury, Dinosaur Valley State Park, Buc-ee’s, and teepees in Oklahoma
There’s something about a family road trip that always turns into a mix of unforgettable memories, random roadside stops, snack explosions in the car, and at least one child asking “how much longer?” every twenty minutes.
This road trip took us from Indiana down through Tennessee and Arkansas before making our way into Texas for cowboy boots, cattle drives, dinosaur tracks, and our very first Buc-ee’s experience. On the way home, we ended the trip sleeping in teepees at Orr Family Farm in Oklahoma City while roasting marshmallows around a fire.
Our Road Trip Route
Indiana → Memphis, Tennessee → Little Rock, Arkansas → Hot Springs, Arkansas → Fort Worth, Texas → Granbury, Texas → Dinosaur Valley State Park → Buc-ee’s → Oklahoma City → Indiana
Day 1: Indiana to Memphis, Tennessee
We started our road trip from Indiana and drove to Memphis, Tennessee for our first overnight stop. Memphis sometimes has a reputation that makes families wonder about safety, so we planned carefully and paid attention to where we stayed.
We stayed at La Quinta Inn & Suites by Wyndham Memphis Downtown and personally felt comfortable where we stayed and while exploring the main tourist areas. We did not go out past dark, and like we would in any larger city, we stayed aware of our surroundings and planned ahead.
Overall, we had a very positive experience visiting Memphis as a family.
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Day 2: Exploring Memphis
Walking Around Beale Street During the Day
We also spent time walking around Beale Street during the day. Since we were traveling with kids, daytime felt like the best fit for us. We were still able to see the famous music signs, blues clubs, and downtown Memphis atmosphere without being out late at night.
Bass Pro Shops at the Pyramid
One of our favorite Memphis stops was the giant Bass Pro Shops at the Pyramid. It is hard to explain until you see it in person because it is part outdoor store, part tourist attraction, part aquarium, and part lodge all rolled into one giant pyramid.
We rode the elevator to the top, saw the massive fish tanks and displays, and had lunch upstairs. It ended up being a really fun stop for the kids and a great way to break up the trip before heading farther west.
The Arcade Restaurant
We also ate at The Arcade Restaurant in downtown Memphis. It has that classic old-school diner feel and made a fun, local food stop during our Memphis day.
We also drove past some of the famous music and record label areas, which gave Memphis such a cool historic music feel.
National Civil Rights Museum
One of the most meaningful stops of the entire trip was the National Civil Rights Museum at the Lorraine Motel, where Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated.
Walking through the exhibits, seeing the Rosa Parks displays, and learning more about the Civil Rights Movement made a lasting impact on all of us. This was one of those stops that added depth and importance to the trip beyond just fun attractions.
After exploring Memphis, we drove to Little Rock, Arkansas and stayed overnight there before spending the next day exploring Hot Springs.
Night 2: Little Rock, Arkansas
We stayed overnight at Holiday Inn Express & Suites Little Rock-West. This worked well as a comfortable stopping point before heading to Hot Springs for the Arkansas portion of our trip.
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Day 3: Hot Springs, Arkansas
After spending the night in Little Rock, we made our way to Hot Springs, Arkansas for one of the prettiest and most unexpected parts of the trip.
Garvan Woodland Gardens
Garvan Woodland Gardens was absolutely beautiful. We walked through the gardens, saw the tulips, explored the treehouse area, and visited the stunning wood chapel tucked into the trees.
The chapel photos were some of my favorites from the entire trip. It was peaceful, scenic, and such a pretty contrast to the busier city and western stops later in the itinerary.
Arkansas Alligator Farm & Petting Zoo
Another unexpected stop we loved was the Arkansas Alligator Farm & Petting Zoo. The kids got to pet baby alligators, bottle feed baby goats, see wolves, and spend time with baby bunnies. It had that old-school roadside attraction feel in the best possible way.
This was one of those quirky family road trip stops that kids remember because it is hands-on, unusual, and totally different from a standard sightseeing stop.
After our Arkansas adventures, we drove toward Texas for the main part of the trip.
One thing we did not expect during this trip was just how beautiful Texas would be in the spring. Between the bluebonnets, wide open skies, tiny farm stops, and western towns, it ended up feeling like one long movie scene the kids could run through.
Our Texas Home Base: Granbury, Texas
During the Texas portion of the trip, we stayed at Comfort Suites Granbury. Granbury worked well as a home base for our family because it gave us access to Fort Worth, Dinosaur Valley State Park, and the charming historic downtown Granbury area.
For families planning a similar trip, I think both Granbury and Fort Worth can make sense depending on the type of trip you want.
Stay in Fort Worth if you want to be closer to the Stockyards, restaurants, and western nightlife.
Stay in Granbury if you want a slower pace, charming downtown, and easier access to Dinosaur Valley State Park.
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Fort Worth Stockyards
Fort Worth felt like stepping into a real western movie. Between the cowboy boots, longhorn cattle drive, bull riding, shops, restaurants, and western atmosphere, this ended up being one of the most fun stops of the trip.
Watching the cattle drive in person was such a classic Texas experience. Seeing the longhorns walk right through the Stockyards felt surreal, especially for the kids.
The kids also got to try bull riding, which quickly turned into one of those hilarious family travel moments we will probably talk about forever.
Where to Eat in the Fort Worth Stockyards
We ate lunch while visiting the Stockyards. There are several family-friendly restaurants in and around the Stockyards, so this is a great area to plan lunch or dinner around your cattle drive or rodeo-style activities.
Restaurant we ate at: Riscky’s Steakhouse
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Historic Granbury, Texas
Granbury ended up being one of the biggest surprises of the trip. The historic downtown square had such a fun small-town Texas feel with shops, restaurants, ice cream, and western charm.
We stopped to shop for cowboy hats and cowboy boots, and I believe we visited Boot Barn in Granbury. This was one of those simple road trip moments that felt very Texas in the best way.
Silver Saddle Saloon Ice Cream Stop
While exploring historic downtown Granbury, we stopped for ice cream at Silver Saddle Saloon on the square. It ended up being one of those simple little family moments that somehow becomes a favorite memory from the trip.
After walking around the shops, shopping for cowboy boots and hats, and meeting up with grandparents, sitting outside with ice cream in the middle of historic Granbury just felt like classic small-town Texas.
We also learned that parts of the Yellowstone prequel 1883 were filmed around Granbury, which made the western atmosphere feel even cooler while walking around downtown.
We also ate at a great barbecue place in Granbury that had chickens running around, outdoor tables, and a stage out back for live music. It was one of those fun, memorable food stops that gave the trip even more personality.
Granbury barbecue restaurant: Brock’s Food & Drink
Dinosaur Valley State Park
One of the coolest stops of the Texas portion of the trip was Dinosaur Valley State Park near Glen Rose, Texas. We got to see actual dinosaur tracks preserved in the riverbed, which was such a wild experience for the kids.
It is one thing to learn about dinosaurs in a museum, but it feels completely different when you are standing near real dinosaur footprints in the rock.
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Our First Buc-ee’s Stop
On the way home from Texas, we stopped at Buc-ee’s for the first time.
If you have never been to Buc-ee’s before, imagine a gas station crossed with a convenience store, barbecue restaurant, shopping mall, and roadside fever dream. That was basically our first reaction.
The snacks, the giant store, the drinks, the candy, the brisket sandwiches, and the clean bathrooms made it feel more like a tourist attraction than a gas station.
Even if you are not normally excited about gas stations, Buc-ee’s somehow turns into a full family road trip experience.
Oklahoma City: Cattlemen’s Steakhouse & Teepees at Orr Family Farm
On the way home, we stayed overnight in Oklahoma City and added one more memorable experience to the trip.
Cattlemen’s Steakhouse
We ate at Cattlemen’s Steakhouse in Oklahoma City, which is one of the classic, historic steakhouse stops in the Stockyards City area. It fit the western road trip theme perfectly and felt like one final cowboy-style meal before heading home.
Orr Family Farm Teepees
Instead of staying in a standard hotel, we stayed in teepees at Orr Family Farm in Oklahoma City. This ended up being such a fun and memorable way to end the trip.
We visited in April, and it was chilly at night, but the teepees had heaters inside so we stayed warm. At night, we could hear coyotes or wolves in the distance, which made the whole experience feel even more adventurous.
The kids roasted hotdogs and marshmallows by the fire, swam, played on the playground, saw animals, and fed animals at the farm. After days of driving and sightseeing, this was the perfect slow-down stop before heading home.
Scissortail Park
We also stopped at Scissortail Park in Oklahoma City, and it ended up being such a great kid-friendly break on the way home. After so much driving, the kids needed space to run, climb, slide, and burn off energy.
The playground here was incredible. It had giant bird-shaped play structures, huge slides, rope bridges, and climbing areas that felt more like an outdoor art installation than a regular playground.
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Final Thoughts
This trip reminded us that family road trips are rarely perfect.
Somebody spills snacks. Somebody gets tired. Somebody asks “how much longer?” at least nineteen times. But somehow, those are the trips that become the stories your family talks about for years afterward.
Between Memphis history, Arkansas gardens, baby alligators, Texas cattle drives, cowboy boots, dinosaur tracks, Buc-ee’s snacks, and Oklahoma teepees, this road trip ended up becoming one of our favorite family adventures yet.
Those simple little moments — ice cream in Granbury, marshmallows by the fire, dinosaur tracks in the riverbed, and bluebonnets in Texas — ended up becoming the memories we still talk about most.
And honestly? We would do it all over again.
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