Caddo Lake, Texas

Caddo Lake

Caddo Lake makes a great day-trip from Dallas or a weekend get-away. With mangroves bathing their roots in its murky, steaming water, and Spanish moss dripping from the lush green branches of the trees,

Caddo Lake feels like a place a thousand miles away from Texas. In reality, it’s only about a 3-hour drive from Dallas.

When we went there, we did not stay overnight, but the lake is surrounded by a state park with cabins, picnic areas and marinas, so those wishing to get away for an entire weekend, can certainly do so. Apparently, it’s a big fishing spot for both people coming from Texas and Louisiana (the lake is on the border of both states).

We really enjoyed a ride on a local steamboat – the Graceful Ghost – which is while not very dramatic, offers a relaxing way to take in the beauty of the lake and the resident wildlife. The ride is about an hour-long and the tours are offered every couple of hours Wednesday through Sunday.

After the tour, we tried a whole lot of fried food at the Big Pines Lodge. The restaurant has a deck overlooking the lake, so the view is nice, but the food was not very good. We would recommend grabbing a snack or drinks there, but have dinner somewhere else.