48 hours in Waxahachie

Leave Dallas after work on Friday and you can be on a quiet porch, looking out over 1,800 acres of Texas farmland, in time for sunset for much of the year. Waxahachie is close enough for a weekend and different enough to feel like you actually went somewhere.

Here's how we'd spend 48 hours, based on the town we live in.

Why Waxahachie instead of a Dallas hotel

• It's quiet. Farmland out back and no neighbors crowding in. Crickets, wind, and a freight train rolling along the far edge of the fields now and then.
• You can see the stars. Far enough from city lights that the sky actually fills in at night.
• A whole home, not a room. A full kitchen, a washer and dryer, a covered porch, and room for up to seven.
• Parking is easy. Free parking at the house, and small-town parking downtown.
• A real historic downtown. Waxahachie calls itself the Gingerbread City for its Victorian houses, and the courthouse square is worth the trip on its own.
• Close enough. About 35 minutes to Dallas if you want to pop back up for a game or a museum.

Friday: get out of the city

• After workHead southAbout 35 minutes from downtown Dallas. Grab groceries in town on the way.
• ArrivalSelf check-inLet yourself in on your own schedule and drop the bags.
• SunsetThe porchThe main event. Rocking chairs, a big sky, and golden light over open farmland.
• NightDinner in, stars outCook in the full kitchen, turn on the LED fireplace, then step back outside once it's dark.

Saturday: downtown Waxahachie

• MorningBreakfast or coffeeCountry Cafe on US-77 is our family's pick for a home-cooked breakfast. For coffee, Fresh Market Coffee has been pouring in the historic MKT Depot since 2014 and does breakfast and pastries too.
• Late morningThe courthouse squareThe Ellis County Courthouse went up between 1895 and 1897 in granite and stone. Walk around it slowly. According to the state historical marker, the sculptor carved the face of a local girl he admired over the east door. Then browse the boutiques and antique shops around the square.
• LunchThe Dove's NestOur family's favorite lunch downtown, on West Jefferson, with sandwiches, soups, homemade pies, and a gift shop attached. Open Monday through Saturday, 10 to 5.
• AfternoonPick oneWalk or bike the paved Waxahachie Creek Hike & Bike Trail, about 4 miles linking Lions Park, Getzendaner Park, and Brown-Singleton Park. In warm weather, head to Lake Bardwell, about 10 miles southeast of town, with swim beaches at High View Park and Mott Park. Or go back to the porch for a nap. No judgment.
• DinnerSeafood or SouthernAtkins Seafood on West Main, another family pick, is a seafood market and restaurant with po' boys, platters, and gumbo, open until 9. Or try The Emory Bar & Kitchen in the historic Rogers Hotel for Southern food made from scratch (dinner Wednesday through Saturday).
• After dinnerWine, a show, or a beerCork House Winery on East Main has live music Friday and Saturday nights. The restored Texas Theater on West Main hosts music, movies, and comedy with a full bar. Railport Brewing on West Madison has live music on weekends.
• LateBack for the starsIt's darker out here than in town. Give your eyes a few minutes to adjust.

Sunday: slow morning, easy drive

• MorningCoffee on the porchMake breakfast, take your time, and watch the fields.
• CheckoutHead homeAbout 35 minutes back to Dallas.

Make it seasonal

• Spring: Scarborough Renaissance Festival runs weekends from April through Memorial Day, and Tulipalooza brings tulips to town each spring.
• Summer: Lake Bardwell for swimming and fishing. White bass fishing there is rated excellent.
• Fall: Scarborough's Hollow, a fall festival with a pumpkin patch and haunted attractions, on the Scarborough grounds.
• Any time: Sunsets. The crops out back change with the seasons, and every one looks different at golden hour.

What to pack

• Groceries for at least one dinner and breakfast in
• A layer for the porch after dark
• A blanket for stargazing
• Walking shoes for the square

Questions we get