A 2-day East Texas Piney Woods and bayou loop from Dallas via Tyler, Jefferson, and Mineola.
Estimated cost
$395estimated total
Stays
$180
Fuel
$35
Food
$140
Other
$40
Estimates generated at planning time — your actual costs may vary.
Day-by-day itinerary
Day 1
178 km1h 47mDepart 21:30
Start
Estates on Frankford
Drive 178 km in ~1h 47min via US-80 E and I-20 E from Estates on Frankford to downtown Tyler, watching suburban lights give way to dense pine woods.
178 km1h 47m
1
Attraction
Tyler City Square
Tyler, United States
23:17–23:4225m here
Historic brick-lined plaza featuring the illuminated Smith County Courthouse.
Park free around the square perimeter after dark. Take a night stroll past the courthouse to see brick store facades lit up before settling in for the night.
Drive 400 meters in ~2min east along West Erwin Street from the courthouse square directly to the hotel entrance.
200 m1m
2
Overnight
The Thomas Hotel
Tyler, United States
23:45–23:598h 40m here$180
Boutique historic hotel located right on the downtown Tyler square.
Use the self-parking spaces behind the hotel building off Erwin Street. Grab your room key via digital check-in for an effortless late arrival in Tyler.
Day 2
429 km4h 34mDepart 08:32
Check out of The Thomas Hotel after packing the sedan and walk 250 meters west along East Erwin Street into the heart of the downtown square.
800 m3m
3
Food
Crema Coffee Company
Tyler, United States
08:35–09:2045m here$30
Artisan coffee bar and cafe serving specialty toasts and espresso.
Order the avocado sourdough toast and signature lavender vanilla latte at the counter. Grab a shaded sidewalk table to watch morning life on the square.
Drive 3 km in ~8min west via West Front Street to the free visitor parking lot outside the Rose Garden Center.
2 km5m
4
Attraction
Tyler Rose Garden
Tyler, United States
09:25–10:401h 15m here
Sprawling public rose garden showcasing hundreds of blooming cultivars.
Park in the free main lot off Rose Park Drive. Walk through the central Heritage Rose collection to catch peak early autumn blooms and quiet morning paths.
Drive 20 km in ~23 min north along FM 14 to the park entrance booth beneath towering loblolly pine canopies.
20 km23m
5
Activity
Tyler State Park
Tyler, United States
11:03–12:181h 15m here$14
Piney woods park featuring a tranquil spring-fed lake and forest trails.
Pay the entry fee at the gatehouse and park near the lake store. Hike the Lake Shore Trail under giant loblolly pines for crisp lakeside forest views.
Drive 122 km in ~1h 15min northeast via US-271 N and TX-49 E through rolling pine woods into historic Jefferson.
122 km1h 15m
6
Food
McGarity's Restaurant & Saloon® -- Jefferson, TX
Jefferson, United States
13:35–14:3055m here$60
Historic tavern serving upscale Southern classics and pub fare.
Park along Austin Street and ask for a booth in the saloon room. Order the bourbon-glazed pork chops or blackened catfish for hearty local heritage flavor.
Walk 200 meters north along brick-paved Austin Street past antique shops to the historic federal courthouse museum building.
100 m1m
7
Attraction
Jefferson Historical Museum
Jefferson, United States
14:31–15:411h 10m here$14
Four-story museum in an 1890 federal courthouse detailing riverboat history.
Leave the car on Austin Street and purchase museum tickets in the lobby. Browse four floors of riverboat artifacts and walk to Jay Gould's private railcar.
283 km2h 46m
Finish
Estates on Frankford
Before you go
Local tips
- 1Book Texas State Park day passes online ahead of arrival to guarantee park entry if lots fill
- 2Watch for sudden speed limit drops to 30 mph when entering small towns along US-80 like Hawkins and Mineola
- 3Stroll Jefferson's Austin Street antique shops on foot right after lunch to take in the preserved 19th-century architecture
- 4Aim for late afternoon light at Caddo Lake when sun rays backlight the hanging Spanish moss
Good to know
- 1Cell service can drop along heavily canopied rural stretches of FM 2198 and TX-49 near Caddo Lake; download offline maps
- 2White-tailed deer frequently cross rural two-lane highways like US-80 and FM 14 around dusk and dawn
- 3Night driving on unlit East Texas country roads requires vigilance for slow-moving agricultural vehicles and log trucks
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