There are a lot of reasons to pack your loved ones in the car and head to Granbury for a quick weekend. With plenty to do and it being a short drive away, Granbury makes for a great, and quick, weekend get-a-way.
First, if you can get out of Dallas-Fort Worth early enough, you can make the 7:30 departure of the Granbury Riverboat, where you will not only get to see a stunning sunset in hilly Hood County, but take in a murder mystery dinner as well. If you're bringing kids, they must be age 16 and older to take part. If you don't arrive in time, a moonlight dinner cruise departs at the same time Saturday. Or, if your looking for something to do Sunday morning before heading home -- hop on board for the 11 a.m. brunch cruise. See a full schedule and price sheet here.
Traveling with the kids? Drive over to The Brazos theater, out one of the few drive-in theaters left in America showing first-run movies. For the rock-bottom price of $18 per carload, up to six people per car, you get a double-feature of family entertainment. This weekend, the drive-in is showing Despicable Me and The Karate Kid. A full concession stand is available offering the typical treats as well as a few souvenirs. The box office opens at 7:30 p.m. and the show starts at 8:55. Patrons are advised to get their early to get a good spot and to only bring cash because they don't cater to customers with plastic.
If you're looking for indoor entertainment, Granbury offers that too in the form of The Promise and Granbury Live. The former, a musical drama set in Granbury about a conversation about God between a grandfather and his grandchildren has become a Texas staple during its 20-plus year run. At nearby Granbury Live, the theater hosts nostalgia concerts from the golden age of Rock 'n Roll and other Christian-based, family-friendly entertainment.
Then, there's always the lake. The 30-mile long Lake Granbury offers watersports, fishing, scuba diving and four parks for family fun. There are plenty of boat docks and camping facilities available for groups of all sizes.
If you're not sleeping on the ground, you'll need a place to stay. There are traditional hotels and inns in the city, but Granbury also has a number of B&Bs available for rent -- some of which are in more rural, relaxed locations such as the cabins at The Windmill Farm Bed & Breakfast. Additionally, The Inn on Lake Granbury comes with incredibly high marks from an NBCDFW.com staffer.
When checking out downtown, you may find yourself with a hankering for a great dessert. When this happens, check out Hank's on the Square. It's a very casual place with friendly service and good food. But if your appetite isn't big -- order dessert first. The Dr Pepper cake is to die for.
If Granbury isn't offering you enough excitement on its own, head south a few miles to Glen Rose where you can find some of the best-preserved dinosaur tracks in the world on the river-bottom of Dinosaur Valley State Park. A treat for kids and adults alike, the park has plenty of tracks to see and even offers hiking and bike trails for those seeking a bit more adventure. If you want to see living animals, head over to the 1500-acre Fossil Rim Wildlife Park, where zebra, antelope, giraffe and more than 800 other animals roam free.
Granbury is about halfway between Fort Worth and Stephenville straight out U.S. 377. Drive time is between 45 minutes and an hour from downtown Fort Worth, depending on traffic.
