Overview
The Prairies and Lakes Region is located in the north central part of Texas. It is home to the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, the fourth largest metropolitan area in the United States. This region also has a beautiful countryside with ranches, "bed and breakfasts", and many recreational lakes. Whether you're looking for the excitement of a big town (shopping, dining, nightlife), or for a more leisurely time in the rural areas, you'll find it here in the Prairies and Lakes Region.
1 things to do
Updated from Wikivoyage on 1 October 2026 · Something wrong or missing? Improve it on Wikivoyage
Best things about Prairies and Lakes
Monolithic Dome Institute Open House
Many of the buildings and features at the Institute complex will be open for viewing. Refreshments will be served.
Plan your trip
Best time to visit & weather
Most comfortable: Mar–May, Sep–Nov. Summer highs reach about 96°F; winter lows dip to about 35°F. Very hot (Jun, Jul, Aug) — plan outdoor time for mornings. Wettest: Oct and May. (climate data from nearby Fort Worth)
Blue bars: average daily high and low (°F). Purple columns: average monthly rain and melted snow (inches).
Getting there
- From you: to see whether to drive or fly, and how long it takes.
- ACT Waco Regional Airport, Waco — 6 mi away. Directions
- GRK Killeen Regional Airport / Robert Gray Army Airfield, Fort Cavazos — 52 mi away. Directions
- DAL Dallas Love Field, Dallas — 91 mi away (major hub). Directions
Sample 3-day trip
- Day 1: Bastrop — Bastrop County Historical Society Museum, Lost Pines Art Center, Bastrop Opera House.
- Day 2: Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex — explore the town.
- Day 3: Post Oak Savannah — Palmetto State Park, Washington-on-the-Brazos State Historic Site, Prairie View Cricket Complex.
Built from the best-covered destinations in this region; open each for its own day plan.
Photos
Places in Prairies and Lakes
Map
Every listing with a location. Tap a pin for its Google Maps link.
Regions
The Prairies and Lakes region of Texas is divided into 3 bands which run roughly northeast to southwest, plus the metropolitan area of Dallas-Fort Worth.
- Cross Timbers - from the Oklahoma border west of Lake Texoma to southeast of Fort Worth, including areas north, west, and southwest of the Metroplex.
- Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex - wedged between the Cross Timbers and the Blackland Prairie, includes Dallas and Tarrant Counties.
- Blackland Prairie - from the Oklahoma border east of Lake Texoma to just north of Austin, covers the northeast, east, and south sides of the Metroplex.
- Post Oak Savannah - from the edge of the Piney Woods down into the cradle between Austin and Houston.
Cities
- Addison - Over 170 restaurants in 4 square miles (10sqkm).
- Arlington - Amusement parks and the Texas Rangers. "Fun Central"
- Bastrop - Home of Texas' Lost Pines.
- Bryan-College Station - Brazos Valley. Home to Texas A&M University.
- Denton - University town with a vibrant music scene and easy access to the Texas Motor Speedway.
- Dallas - The Arts, the dining, the nightlife... Dallas has it all.
- Fort Worth - "Where the West begins".
- Gonzales - "The Birthplace of Texas Independence" Historical sites, festivals, good eats, and shopping
- Irving - Home of the Las Colinas Urban Development Center, and (until 2009) the Dallas Cowboys.
- Mesquite - The Mesquite Championship Rodeo.
- Waco - Cattle, cotton, corn, collegians, and culture.
Other destinations
- Bastrop State Park - home of Texas' "Lost Pines" forest
- Dinosaur Valley State Park
- Fort Worth Nature Center & Refuge
Do
Many rivers and lakes are in this area. Camping and RV'ing is very popular here.
Hike, bike or ride the Northeast Texas Trail from Farmersville northeast of Dallas to New Boston, just west of Texarkana.
Events
Nearby
Waco
City / town · 57 listings · 0 mi away
Clifton
City / town · 30 mi away
Temple
City / town · 16 listings · 34 mi away
Milford
City / town · 41 mi away
Harker Heights
City / town · 44 mi away
Killeen
City / town · 8 listings · 45 mi away
Cameron
City / town · 7 listings · 49 mi away
Corsicana
City / town · 12 listings · 55 mi away
My experience
Write about your trip here. Notes save automatically in this browser as you type; back them up from My journal.