The best day trips from Longview, Texas are Tyler (about 50 minutes west) for the Caldwell Zoo and the Tyler Rose Garden, historic Jefferson (about an hour northeast) for its old river-town streets, and Caddo Lake State Park (a little over an hour) for paddling through cypress trees. Kilgore's East Texas Oil Museum is the quick one, about 25 minutes away, and Shreveport is about an hour and 20 minutes east.
Drive times below are from Grace Pointe Apartments in north Longview, rounded up a little for traffic. Hours and prices are from each attraction's own page as of Oct. 26, 2026.
1. Tyler (about 50 minutes west)
Tyler is the biggest city near Longview and an easy half-day.
- Caldwell Zoo, 2203 Martin Luther King Blvd, Tyler. Open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., last entry at 4, and closed Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Day, per the zoo. Check the site for ticket prices.
- Tyler Rose Garden, 420 Rose Park Dr. Free, open dawn to dark every day, per the City of Tyler. The Texas Rose Festival was Oct. 15 to 18 this year, per the festival, and it returns each October.
- Tyler State Park, 789 Park Road 16. A 64-acre spring-fed lake for swimming, paddling and fishing, plus more than 13 miles of trails, per Texas Parks and Wildlife. Adults pay $6. Kids 12 and under are free.
Make a day of it: zoo in the morning, rose garden after lunch, done by dinner.
2. Jefferson (about an hour northeast)
Jefferson is a pre-Civil War river town with nearly 100 historical landmarks, many on the National Register of Historic Places, per Visit Jefferson. The visitor site offers a self-guided historic walking tour and a riverfront history tour, plus a list of historic homes you can tour by contacting each one directly. Expect antique shops, old hotels and bed-and-breakfasts.
Make a day of it: walk the downtown tour, eat lunch in town, and drive about 25 minutes east to Caddo Lake for the afternoon.
3. Caddo Lake State Park (a little over an hour east)
Address: 245 Park Road 2, Karnack, TX 75661
One of the most distinctive places in Texas. Bald cypress trees draped in Spanish moss line Big Cypress Bayou, and you can rent a canoe at the park office to paddle Saw Mill Pond and the bayou, per Texas Parks and Wildlife. Caddo Lake covers 26,810 acres. The park has about 2.5 miles of forest trails, historic cabins, and a fishing pier. Adults pay $4, and kids 12 and under are free. Check the park's alerts page before you go.
4. Kilgore (about 25 minutes southwest)
East Texas Oil Museum, 1301 S Henderson Blvd, Kilgore. Open Monday through Saturday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., with last admission at 4, per the museum. Tickets are sold only at the museum. Plan at least an hour and a half. It tells the story of the East Texas oil boom that shaped Longview too. Call 903-983-8295 for current prices.
5. Martin Creek Lake State Park (about 45 minutes south)
Address: 9515 County Road 2181D, Tatum, TX
A power-plant lake where the water stays warm year-round, with shore and pier fishing that needs no license inside the park, per Texas Parks and Wildlife. Adults pay $4. It often hits capacity, so reserve ahead. More in our parks and trails guide.
6. Marshall (about 35 to 40 minutes east)
Marshall's Wonderland of Lights is its big draw in winter, usually opening Thanksgiving week, per KLTV's 2025 coverage. 2026 dates are usually announced in November.
7. Shreveport, Louisiana (about 1 hour 20 minutes east)
The nearest big city to the east. The Shreveport Aquarium, 601 Clyde Fant Pkwy on the downtown riverfront, is the easiest family-friendly anchor for a day. Check shreveportaquarium.com for current hours and tickets. Across the river, Bossier City has more shopping and dining.
Day trip tips
- Check hours the day before. Several of these close one or two days a week.
- Buy state park passes ahead. Texas state parks can sell out day passes on nice weekends.
- Pack bug spray for Caddo. It's a swamp lake, and the park notes alligators live there.
Grace Pointe Apartments at 113 Magnolia Ln is in north Longview, close to Loop 281, which makes it easy to get onto US 259 or I-20 for any of these trips. If you're planning a move, you can schedule a tour or call 903-414-6336.
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