DragonSoul

Thinking of travelling to Dallas for the 2024 eclipse but would want to get to Hillsboro for better viewing (max. eclipse, totality).

Won't be driving so was wondering whether there will likely be day tours by reliable local companies to such spots? Or local astronomy groups that will do tours/transport for visitors? Not looking for a multi-day tour of the state. Flying in from overseas only for the eclipse.

Know these things can get booked quickly so would like to get things sorted soonest.

Any help/assist appreciated. Thanks.

aztimm

I haven't heard of any special tours because of the eclipse, but it is still early so they might not be set up yet.

Hillsboro is close to the I-35 split, where it branches into I-35E and I-35W from the south as you approach Dallas and Fort Worth. I've stopped there a few times while driving; there's a Starbucks with easy access to I-35 north, and Hampton Inn. There are several Kolache shops in the area (central Texas is known for them). There is also an outlet mall, but I don't remember what shops are there.
Otherwise, I can't imagine spending any significant amount of time there.

There will be decent views of the eclipse from Waco, which does have Baylor University, the Wooly Mammoth National Monument, and if you're into Chip and Joanna (of HGTV fame) the Magnolia Market. Our local PBS station has a program called, "Texas Daytripper," which dedicated a full episode to Waco.

I would highly advise getting a rental car for any exploring in this area. You might be able to survive with a bus / coach, or even Amtrak, and using rideshare, but your own vehicle would give you much more flexibility.

DragonSoul

Thanks for the info. There won't be any sightseeing. We'll be flying into DFW and just want to be there for the eclipse (except a day or two in Dallas to allow for flight delays). Self drive isn't a possibility unfortunately.

Perhaps Ennis is a better option, and it's closer to Dallas. Maybe a taxi?

djp98374

if you are not driving there are better places too fly to and see it….

indy
Cleveland
buffalo
rochester

all those citues are close to peak line.

DragonSoul

Thought that further south there might be less likelihood of cloud cover. We're flying 8,000+ miles for it so wanting to maximise totality and minimise cloud.

(Mexico is another logistics issue.)

djp98374

At that time of year texas can get thunderstorms and thry can be severe.

on any given it’s about equal chances. You need to be flexible the few days before it so you can shift yo get to see it once you have better weather forecast asts

aztimm

I'm quite biased, but out of this list, I'd definitely recommend Cleveland. There is a decent transit system, that connects the airport to the city, so there's no need to rent a car. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame is there, and easily walkable from downtown. There's some great restaurants and bars in The Flats (since it won't be winter). And my brother lives there, so there's that for me

I'm not quite sure about the other cities, but I've personally found that I can find places to explore and have fun almost anywhere. Even Boise, Idaho surprised me (an awesome memorial to Anne Frank).

As to cloud cover....yes, that could happen almost anywhere. We can get major storms in Texas almost anytime year-round, but especially late summer. The DFW area (and I'll include Hillsboro in that) seems to get them more severe. The storms travel along the I-10 and I-20 corridors, the latter leads them straight into the DFW area. At least in Austin, we have the Hill Country to the west, which sometimes breaks up storms a bit.

djp98374

my hometown is buffalo. Two friends of mine live very close to the maximal line. One is in suburban buffalo and the other lives between buffalo and Rochester in one of the small towns.

2017 I was at grand Teton. Thr location I was at had a small group of about 25-30 peop,e. A couple people had their telescopes.
this time I’m going to have multiple flights booked between different locations depending on the closer weather forecast.

there is an annular one on Oct 14 this year that goes from central oregon to Corpus Christi thrn down into Brazil.

i have relative in Dallas and metro Houston I can meet up with to view it besides heading to buffalo.

i expect most schools to be closed. 2017 totality covered nashville so my nephews were out of school.

swag

I have friends in Dallas, so that's my plan A for the eclipse. Totality in Dallas is around 1:42 pm. That should put it ahead of springtime pop-up late-afternoon thunderstorms. But of course, you're right, weather is not guaranteed, so I'll look to a plan B & C as well. Probably cancelable award tickets on different airlines to different cities...

DragonSoul

The various colors indicate the average cloud coverage at 2 p.m. Eastern time between April 3 and 13 based on ERA-Interim data from 1979 to 2016 collected by the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasting (ECMWF).


YMMV of course... sigh.

DragonSoul

Flights/hotels at such a peak time don't always offer the flexibility we might need.

DragonSoul

Different approach - does anyone know a very reliable, professional car service (car/driver) that can 'ferry' us around the Dallas area for the day? Perhaps we can find a good spot (from Hillsboro up to Sulphur Springs) along the line, but would need car/driver. There may be coach tours, but nothing showing yet, although some RV places along the line are already booked.

juliehh

I live in the Dallas area and I’m going to the Mexican desert 😊. Take a look at Astrotrails - an English company that specialises in eclipses. I did Anarctica Dec 2021 with them and am doing Australia this April with them as well as 2024.

djp98374

im sure dallas metro area will have some buses to see the eclipse.

im certain there will be special aircraft flying through the eclipse when it occurs.

Dallas would be a place who could generate some flights to NE cities thst di the eclipse.

a few years ago there was one over the open pacific and alaska airlines did a flight to hit the eclipse and the pilot flew through the shadow for an extended time in the eclipse shadow

stndrdSDF

I would look into other cities with viable transit options, as others have suggested. Texas is so individualistic than I doubt any bus tours will be offered. It will be assumed that anyone who cares enough to get to the path of totality will do so on their own.

The University of Texas *might* offer some sort of programming, but it would be out of Austin. Their astronomy presence is mainly at Fort Davis observatory, which is 8 hours away in West Texas, and not in the path of totality.