under the texas sky

Affordable West Texas park stuns as 2nd best RV destination in U.S.

RoadRunner Travelers RV Park is the No. 2 best RV destination in America.

Photo by The Dyrt camper Allison

Expert travelers won't let the Texas heat deter them from heading to the No. 2 best RV destination in America: RoadRunner Travelers RV Park in rugged Terlingua.

The desert camping park earned its prestigious ranking in the new report "2024 Best Places to RV," prepared by campground review platform The Dyrt in partnership with State Farm. Published June 25, the report examined the top 10 best RV parks and resorts around the U.S. based on the highest ratings and reviews on The Dyrt's website.

Anchor Down RV Resort in Dandridge, Tennessee was ranked the No. 1 best RV park in the U.S.

RoadRunner Travelers RV Park – located 650 miles west of Houston – provides 57 affordable RV sites for visitors of all kinds, such as "minimalist" boondocking sites, electric-only sites, and deluxe full hookups that include a gravel site pad, wifi, a private picnic table, and fire pit. Rates start at $33 per night, plus fees.

Though the park is currently closed for summer, the next camping season begins September 1, 2024 and will run through June 15, 2025, making it an appealing destination for campers who prefer trips during the breezy (and generally less hot) fall through spring seasons.

The park is situated just four miles away from Big Bend National Park and Big Bend Ranch State Park, meaning it's a great home base for hikers and nature enthusiasts, according to The Dyrt. The Ghost Town of Terlingua is a must-see attraction that's been featured in film and TV, boasts a delicious barbecue restaurant, and a quaint gift shop.

But for those who just want to stay and explore the 40-acre RoadRunner park, they'll get the most enjoyment out of a nightly "galactic lightshow."

"The region is home to some of the darkest skies in the Lower 48, and its status as an International Dark Sky Reserve means RoadRunner’s well-maintained sites double as front-row seats to some of the best stargazing in the U.S.," the report's author wrote.

RoadRunner Travelers RV Park, Terlingua There's something about those West Texas sunsets that look so much more beautiful than any sunset in the city.Photo by The Dyrt camper Allison

Reviews of RoadRunner on The Dyrt's website praised its dog park area, the friendliness of fellow campers, and the breathtaking views of the wide Texas sky.

"The sunset and Bee Mountain were beautiful to look at," said reviewer Marie B. "It was dark sky-friendly, so we pulled out our telescope and saw some beautiful stars. Easy drive to Big Bend National Park and the Santa Elena canyon hike which is the most famous in Big Bend."

RoadRunner Travelers RV Park was the only Texas resort to make The Dyrt's list in 2024.

The top 10 best places to RV in the U.S. are:

No. 1 – Anchor Down RV Resort in Dandridge, Tennessee
No. 2 – RoadRunner Travelers RV Park in Terlingua, Texas
No. 3 – Dark Sky RV Park & Campground in Kanab, Utah
No. 4 – Colter Bay RV Park at Colter Bay Village in Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming
No. 5 – Tom Sawyer's RV Park in West Memphis, Arkansas
No. 6 – Lake Pleasant RV Park in Bothell, Washington
No. 7 – Landry Vineyards Grape Escape RV Sites in West Monroe, Louisiana
No. 8 – The Views RV Park & Campground in Dolores, Colorado
No. 9 – Lake George RV Park in Lake George, New York
No. 10 – Ruby's Inn RV Park and Campground in Bryce Canyon City, Utah

The full list of campgrounds can be found on thedyrt.com.

Don't want to make the 10-hour drive to West Texas? Avid campers looking for great new places to go can make a shorter trek to explore the newly opened Camp Landa in New Braunfels, or Oak Forest RV Resort in Austin, which was declared a top spot to camp in a separate report earlier this year.

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The Hot List

Houston shines among best summer vacation destinations for 2026

Photo by © Debora Smail Greater Houston Convention and Visitors Bureau

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Nearly three quarters of Americans are planning on going on vacation this summer, and Houston is climbing up the national hot list of the best summer destinations of 2026.

The Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land metro ranked as the No. 20 best summer travel destination in WalletHub's annual study, which compared 100 of the largest U.S. metro areas across 41 metrics based on travel costs and hassles, local costs, attractions, weather, and activities and safety.

The U.S. metros that scored the top three spots are Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Alpharetta, Georgia (No. 1); Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, Florida (No. 2); and Texas neighbor Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos (No. 3).

Houston's 2026 ranking is up 15 spots from last year's report when the city was the 35th best summer travel destination.

Here's how H-Town stacked up in the six main categories:

No. 7 – Attractions
No. 13 – Local costs
No. 24 – Activities
No. 50 – Weather
No. 84 – Travel costs and hassles
No. 90 – Safety

Summer activities may draw in more tourists, but that shouldn't stop Houstonians from exploring their own city. From Fourth of July celebrations, to a one-night only hip-hop show , there are plenty of things to do to keep occupied and beat the summer heat in the city. And a trip to the Johnson Space Center, Houston Museum of Natural Science, or the Houston Zoo are always options for locals that want to pretend to be tourists for the day.

Other top Texas summer travel destinations
The Austin metro ranked as the third-best summer travel destination in the U.S., and it's the most conveniently located neighbor from Houston that's less than three hours away.

The study found air travel to Austin — though not entirely cheap — has plenty of short nonstop flights from other major cities, making it an easily reachable destination compared to most other U.S. cities. Austin's reputation as foodie city and its outdoor recreational activities also bring in a lot of summer tourism.

"One reason why Austin is a great destination is that it’s really easy to find affordable restaurants that are rated at least 4.5 stars out of 5 on Yelp," the report's author wrote. "Austin offers a mix of culture and outdoor fun, boasting a high number of attractions including the Bullock Texas State History Museum as well as shopping centers, music venues, food festivals and hiking trails."

The suburbs also attract tourists looking for fun things to do that aren't just in central or downtown Austin, like checking out new restaurants in Round Rock and Georgetown.

Visitors taking an extended trip to Texas can also visit San Antonio-New Braunfels and Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, which also ranked among the top 25 and landed in the No. 11 and No. 21 spots, respectively.

The top 10 best summer travel destinations in 2026 are:

No. 1 – Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Alpharetta, Georgia
No. 2 – Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, Florida
No. 3 – Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown, Texas
No. 4 – Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-Virginia-Maryland-West Virginia
No. 5 – Urban Honolulu, Hawaii
No. 6 – Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, Florida
No. 7 – Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, Pennsylvania-New Jersey-Delaware-Maryland
No. 8 – Salt Lake City, Utah
No. 9 – Cincinnati, Ohio-Kentucky-Indiana
No. 10 – Richmond, Virginia

wallethub reports summer vacation travel

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The Hot List

Houston shines among best summer vacation destinations for 2026