Any recommendations for a good 4 day road trip from D/FW for the wife and I? Would like to keep it within 5-6hrs or so. Want to just spend some time relaxing. Doing some walking/hiking and seeing some Christmas decorations would be ideal.

Have considered Hot Springs, AR and maybe Galveston. I've never been to Hot Springs and don't know what there is to do in the area really.

Any other areas with nice downtown areas that do Christmas well? Have also thought of Marshall/Longview but not sure if we would get bored to tears there after looking at the lights.

Thanks!

Stay in Fredericksburg and do short trips out to Wimberley and Boerne. Between wineries, downtown boutiques/shopping, restaurants, etc it should be plenty to keep you busy for a few days.

As for Hot springs. The national park is one of the worst in terms of scenery. It is basically the bathhouse row and the hot spring nearby and that is it

As for other things Lake Hamilton and Lake Quatchia are nice but better in the spring summer.
Golf is excellent for the retirement community nearby that my parents retired to years ago

As for the lights that have a great display at the Galvan gardens that is really really nice for a good stroll and one of the better lights for the time/money that we have done
Hiking is more along the lines of Pinnacle Mountain, Devils Den State Park and Petite Jean State Park which are anywhere from 1-3 hours from Hot Springs in some nice windy roads.
Other than Galvan Gardens I would pass during Christmas time but the spring would be ideal. Now if willing to go further to say NW Arkansas with Eureka springs and bentonville/Fayetteville area by way of Oklahoma and then come back thru Hot Springs would be much better IMO and worth it for XMAS time
Edit: if you end up going I can suggest some good solid places to eat in Hot Springs area

OldAg92 said:

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Stay in Fredericksburg and do short trips out to Wimberley and Boerne. Between wineries, downtown boutiques/shopping, restaurants, etc it should be plenty to keep you busy for a few days.

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We love that area, but trying to try somewhere new.

Looks like Galveston has a pretty good Christmas scene?

I wouldn't recommend Marshall-even coming from Longview we were pretty bored to tears within an hour.

Player To Be Named Later said:

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OldAg92 said:

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Stay in Fredericksburg and do short trips out to Wimberley and Boerne. Between wineries, downtown boutiques/shopping, restaurants, etc it should be plenty to keep you busy for a few days.

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We love that area, but trying to try somewhere new.

Looks like Galveston has a pretty good Christmas scene?

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austin. Zilker Park. 37th street lights. Etc

Grew up in Austin.... and used to go to the Zilker tree all the time. But that was when you could drive up and park right next to it. It isn't the same anymore.

Do NB then

Eureka Springs, AR

Go to Broken Bow, OK and rent a cabin. My wife and I did this for a long weekend last February and had a great time. We got this particular one:

http://www.brokenbowvacationcabins.com/2012/08/hidden-agenda/

We bought groceries in town and had fun cooking at night and enjoying wine in the hot tub. It was a really relaxing time. There are also some fun things to do nearby with cute restaurants, wine tasting, etc.