Published
Most weekend getaways from Austin point west into the Hill Country, and so does everyone else in Austin. Go north instead. About 3 hours 40 minutes up US 183 is a quiet river weekend in Eastland, at our I-20 weekend RV park. It is too far for a quick overnight, so we plan it as a 3-day weekend: leave Friday, two full days on the water, home Monday.
Quick answer: For a weekend getaway from Austin that skips I-35, drive US 183 north about 194 miles, roughly 3 hours 40 minutes, to Inez Spring Riverfront RV Park at Exit 343 on I-20 in Eastland. The Leon River runs through the park with a private kayak launch, Lake Leon is about 10 minutes away, and RV sites start from $40 a night. Plan it as a 3-day weekend.
A 3-day weekend getaway is a trip of three nights that uses a Friday or Monday off, so a 3 to 4 hour drive costs half a day each way instead of half the trip. From Austin, that is the right size for Eastland.
Take US 183 north out of Austin through Cedar Park and Leander, then Lampasas. From there US 183 carries on north through Brownwood and Rising Star to Cisco, where you pick up I-20 east for about 11 miles to Exit 343. If you would rather pass through Stephenville, US 281 north through Lampasas and Hamilton reaches I-20 east of us; turn west to Exit 343. Both routes are two lane and four lane state highways through small towns, so watch the speed limit changes.
| Starting point | Distance to Eastland (about) | Drive time (about) | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Austin | 194 miles | 3 hours 40 minutes | how-far.net |
| Fort Worth | 95 miles | 1 hour 35 minutes | how-far.net |
| Dallas | 126 miles | 2 hours | how-far.net |
| Abilene | about 55 miles (est.) | 50 minutes | I-20 exit numbers |
| Houston | 320 miles | 5 hours 40 minutes | how-far.net |
Distances and times read October 10, 2026. Your map app will show the best route on the day. For the full breakdown from the Metroplex, see how far Eastland is from Dallas.
Here is a plan that keeps the driving to two half days and leaves the middle for the river.
All three are in the same park. RV sites start from $40 a night with full hookups, 30 and 50 amp, and pull-throughs up to 100 feet, so a truck and trailer can stay hitched. Tent sites start from about $31. For a family or two couples traveling together, the barndominium sleeps 11 across 4 bedrooms and 4 baths, and its rates are on the booking page. We wrote a full guide to it in cabin rentals near Dallas, and it works just as well for an Austin group.
The park has a laundry, a rebuilt shower house and park Wi-Fi. Pets are welcome, leashed and up to two. If you are bringing the dog, our pet friendly RV park page has the rules.
Three honest reasons. First, crowds: popular Hill Country towns are busy on weekends, and Eastland is quiet. Second, water you can launch from your site: the Leon River runs through the park, and Lake Leon is close. Third, it is a different kind of Texas: small courthouse towns, Cross Timbers country and long views.
The trade offs are just as real. It is a longer drive than Fredericksburg or Wimberley. There are fewer restaurants and shops. And in winter it is colder than Austin. Abilene averages its first freeze around mid November, per the National Weather Service, and Eastland gets hard freezes and the occasional ice day. Pack warm layers from November to February.
Some guests come for a weekend and start asking about a month. If you are working a contract near Abilene, between homes, or just want a quieter base for a while, our monthly RV sites are $500 for a back-in or $650 for a pull-through, plus your own metered electric at 17 cents per kWh. The deposit is $200 and refundable, and terms are month to month. Your total is site rent plus what your own meter records.
About 194 miles, or about 3 hours 40 minutes by car, per how-far.net. That is why we suggest a 3-day weekend from Austin rather than a 2-night dash. Leave Friday, get two full days on the river, drive home Monday.
Yes. The usual back road route is US 183 north through Cedar Park, Leander and Lampasas, then on through Brownwood to Cisco and I-20 east to Exit 343. US 281 north through Lampasas, Hamilton and Stephenville to I-20 is another option. Check your map app for road work before you leave.
Kayak or fish the Leon River from our private launch, fish Lake Leon about 10 minutes away, walk the Old Zoo Nature Trail near Lake Cisco, see Old Rip the horned toad in Eastland, and visit the Conrad Hilton Center in Cisco, where Hilton bought his first hotel in 1919.
Nightly RV sites start from $40 with full hookups. Tent sites start from about $31. The barndominium sleeps 11, and its rates are on the booking page. Three nights on an RV site start from $120 before taxes and fees.
It can be, if you pack for it. Eastland is colder than Austin, with hard freezes some nights and the odd icy morning. In exchange you get quiet weekends, open sites and long nights by the fire pit. Check the forecast before you leave.
Yes. Pets are welcome on RV and tent sites, leashed and up to two per site. Call before booking if you want to bring a dog into the barndominium.
The best weekend getaways from Austin are the ones where you stop watching the clock. Drive US 183 north on Friday, spend two full days on the Leon River and Lake Leon, and come home Monday without touching I-35.
Pick a site and dates on the booking page, or call (254) 629-1197 and tell us your rig length or group size.
