Late last month, my friend Brittany & I road tripped up to Dallas with our two little girls in tow. It was both of our first girl’s trips with the babies and we were so excited! We were both craving delicious food and a day or two poolside in the sun. At only a three(ish) hour drive from Houston, Dallas was the perfect spot to take the babes away for a bit of rest & relaxation. We had planned on heading up for just one night but after falling oh-so-in-love with the Omni Hotel in Downton Dallas, we extended our trip to two nights! (I mean you gotta see pics of their pool…you would too!!)
I’m sharing a recap of our getaway with our girls & a few of our favorite things we did in Dallas too! Oh & there are some snaps below from our stop in Waco at Magnolia Market! If you’re planning on visiting the Fixer Upper destination, I have some serious tips for you to read before your visit!
As soon as we checked into our room the view from the picture window above swept us right off of our feet. Even the little girls were intrigued! Brittany’s daughter Charlotte is already walking and she walked right up to the window and peered out, just as in awe as we were!
The Omni’s guest rooms had a swanky modern vibe but were also cozy at the same time. The room was spacious enough for both of our pack n plays too! It was easy for us to travel with ours because we drove up from Houston. But if you’re flying or didn’t bring yours, the Omni can bring a crib to your room in a pinch!
The first thing we wanted to do when we got to Dallas on that hot summer afternoon was skip on up to the rooftop pool! Another swoon-worthy view awaited us as well as plush lounge chairs, jalapeno avocado margaritas, and an infinity edge pool that was just the right temperature to cool us off and make us stay awhile.
That evening we were all so tuckered out from the sun that we ordered room service up to our rooms instead of exploring the city. Traveling with babies makes life a little bit different and we kind of had to adjust to their schedule as opposed to hitting the town like we would have done sans kiddos. But you know what, staying in with dinner in our PJs was seriously so much fun! Brittany and I chit-chatted for hours while munching on quesadillas with our sleeping angels at our feet.
One of our favorite parts of our stay was being able to hang our complimentary morning drink tickets outside of our door. We were able to pick what time we wanted our coffee & OJ to arrive each morning. Knowing our girls like to wake up EARLY, that 6:45am knock on the door with a tray of cafe au lait awaiting us was heaven sent!
Each morning during our visit we would have breakfast at The Omni’s Texas Spice restaurant. Upon walking in, we almost totally forgot we were eating inside of our hotel! The interior uses reclaimed wood, garage-style doors and is dotted with rustic accents throughout. The Southern cuisine was right up my alley and I couldn’t resist their “BDES” (Best-Damn-Egg-Sandwich) two mornings in a row!
When we weren’t lounging away at the pool, the four of us were out exploring the city. Our favorite spots were Highland Park Village and the shops on Henderson Ave. I was thrilled to finally make it to the Draper James boutique! It was also so much fun to window shop all of the fabulous high-end designers like Chanel and Dior.
The Gypsy Wagon was a cute little Southwestern-inspired boutique with amazing boho finds right across the street from our lunch spot, Sissy’s Southern Kitchen. Sissy’s blew us away with their fried chicken basket & sides! I’m still drooling as I daydream about that mashed potatoe & collard greens!
Shop the Look:
We both knew from past experiences that when you’re road tripping with a baby, lots of stopping is required! We planned ahead and decided to take a different route home to Houston that conveniently bypassed Waco and the famous Magnolia Market. A design lover’s dream, Magnolia Market looked as if it was plucked from my television screen and I felt like I was in an episode of Fixer Upper myself. The only thing missing was Chip & Joana!
With so much to do at Magnolia Market other than shop, you could really make an entire day out of it! We showed up right at noon and it was a hot & sunny day. Unfortunately, it was a little too hot for our girls and our visit was much quicker than we anticipated. If I were to go back, I’d definitely aim for a day in the middle of the week (the crowds were serious that Friday!) as well as try to go when the temperatures are a bit cooler. Mid-fall perhaps!? With all of the food trucks, outdoor space, and goodies to shop, I know I’ll be back soon!
Our first getaway with the girls was seriously SO much fun. There were many times Brittany and I remarked how proud of each other we were for getting out of our comfort zones and planning this trip. Sometimes with babies, it is so much easier to just want to stay close to home because – wow they are a handful! Our three day trip to Dallas was definitely worth the challenges that came with it and we can not wait to plan another girl’s getaway again soon! Thanks so much to The Omni Dallas for the wonderful weekend, we can not wait come back!
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xo, alice
