Photo credit: Balmorhea State Park

What to know: With the first day of school just around the corner, there’s still time to squeeze in one last family getaway before summer ends. Balmorhea State Park is an easy day trip from Midland, or families can turn it into a relaxing weekend by adding nearby Fort Davis, just 45- 50 minutes away.

The big picture: Balmorhea State Park is home to the world’s largest spring-fed swimming pool, covering about 1.3 acres. The crystal-clear spring-fed pool stays a comfortable 72-76 degrees year-round, making it one of West Texas’ best places to cool off during the summer. You can even swim with the native fish and turtles, though feeding or catching them is strictly prohibited.

Day-use admission is $7 for ages 13 and older, while children 12 and under are free. Reservations are strongly recommended because the park reaches capacity throughout the summer. Visitors choose either a morning (8 a.m.) or afternoon (3 p.m.) entry window and cannot enter before their reserved time. The park closes at 7:30 p.m. or sunset, whichever comes first, and bathrooms close half an hour before.

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Bring swimsuits, towels, sunscreen, water shoes (the steps are slippery), pool floats (as long as they are soft-sided, inflatable, and no larger than 8 ft. long and 4 ft. wide), plenty of drinking water, and a cooler with food. There are some shaded picnic table areas, or you can bring your own shade canopy. There is no lifeguard on duty, and while part of the pool is shallow enough for adults to stand, other sections reach 25 feet deep.

After swimming, families can grab lunch or dinner at La Cueva de Oso, cool off with ice cream at Brothers Ice Cream, or enjoy a picnic inside the park. You know what they say: most foods somehow taste better when eaten outside.

Go deeper: For those wanting a longer getaway, Fort Davis is less than an hour away and offers the Fort Davis National Historic Site, one of the best-preserved frontier forts in the West. Walk the grounds, see restored buildings, and learn about Buffalo Soldiers and 19th-century army life. The site is open from 8 a.m.–5 p.m. You can expect to spend 1 to 2 hours exploring the grounds, and admission is $20 per vehicle.

You can also explore Davis Mountains State Park, which offers a handful of interconnected trails between 1 and 6 miles long, so you can determine how much hiking you want to do. Don’t miss the McDonald Observatory, one of the world’s leading centers for astronomical research thanks in part to its position under some of the darkest skies in the U.S. You can tour the telescopes, take in a solar viewing, an evening star party, and more.

Staying in Fort Davis allows families to enjoy the mountains one day and Balmorhea the next without feeling rushed. Hotel Limpia is an historic hotel in the heart of town with charming rooms and a great porch for sitting. Stone Village Tourist Camp, a renovated 1935 motor court with adjacent food market and deli, or the Indian Lodge in the Davis Mountains State Park that offers a pool, restaurant, and mountain views.