As airline travel becomes more and more difficult and more and more expensive, many families are looking for vacation destinations within easy driving distance. Here are the top five destinations in Texas for families and, the best part is that they're all accessible on one tank of gas!

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New Braunfels, Texas (DFW 285 miles, Houston 175 miles, Austin 49 miles)

• Schlitterbahn Water Park - has over 3 miles of tubing adventures, 7 children’s water playgrounds,17 water slides, the world’s first surfing machine, and 3 uphill water coasters spread over 65 acres of fun!

San Antonio, Texas (DFW 277 miles, Houston 197 miles, Austin 48 miles)

• Six Flags Fiesta - Six Flags Fiesta Texas offers the best in family fun and entertainment with thrilling rides and exceptional live shows. The park features over 50 rides and attractions, including Goliath, our eighth roller coaster, which sends you soaring through five inversions, two loops and a heart-pounding 80-foot drop! A favorite attraction for little ones is KIDZOPOLIS, a section featuring children's rides for kids and families.
• Sea World - San Antonio is the world's largest marine life adventure park and family entertainment showplace. It presents a splashy lineup of more than 26 sensational shows, thrilling rides, animal attractions and educational experiences for all ages. It's actually four parks in one on 250 acres: a show park, a rides and slides park, a water park and an amazing animals park

Arlington, Texas (DFW 20 miles, Houston 255 miles, Austin 199 miles)

• Six Flags Over Texas - Six Flags Over Texas opened for the first time in August of 1961 and will celebrate its Fiftieth Anniversary in 2011. Six Flags Over Texas is the first successful regional amusement park; the first major amusement park to adopt a one ticket for all attractions policy; home of the world's first log flume ride, first free fall ride and first mine train style roller coaster. The centerpiece of the anniversary season is the opening of the new Texas Giant, the world's steepest wooden coaster drop.

Canton, Texas (DFW 81 miles, Houston 223 miles, Austin 245 miles)

• 1st Monday Trade Days - Billed as the world's largest flea market, there is truly something here for everyone. If you can think about it, it's probably for sale during 1st Monday Trade Days. During the 1850s when the circuit judge stopped in Canton on the first Monday of each month to hold court, people from across Van Zandt and surrounding counties came to the Courthouse square to watch court proceedings and take care of business. Many brought their own goods to sell or trade, including produce, farm equipment and livestock. For over 160 years people have met in Canton to buy, sell and most importantly socialize. Plan on taking a couple of days to see it all! 

Houston, Texas (DFW 255 miles, Houston 20 miles, Austin 165 miles)

• NASA's Johnson Space Center - has been home to the U.S. human space flight program from the final Mercury flight to today's space shuttle and International Space Station missions. The history of the center is the history of America's human space flight program. Both illustrate the determination and the vision of people to rise to unexpected challenges and to work together to attain success. Numerous galleries, museum, and theatre exhibits will keep you and your children busy.