by Ester Harrison

Years ago, I read about a little retreat three hours west of Dallas called Rancho Loma. The articles completely captivated me. I knew that somehow, someday I had to experience this place. Last month, we finally found a rare free weekend and set off west.  Using the Roadtrippers app and website to plan an itinerary, I decided to make this a discovery trip of West Texas. 

Honestly, I thought there would be very little to see except great expanse between Dallas and Valera, Texas. Boy, was I wrong. In fact, we had a hard time deciding on whether to stop at Dinosaur Valley State Park for a energetic hike, at Fossil Rim Wildlife Center for an animal adventure, or at the Dr. Pepper Museum for a cultural stop. All different types of activities and all 1 1/2 to 2 hours west of Dallas.