Denton, TX (1600 miles and a car show)

Paper Maps and Coffee
Sep 15, 2025
2 min read

Route map from Illinois to Fort Worth, Texas, via St. Louis, covering 809 miles in 12h 52m. Landmarks marked. Blue route line. — From home in Metamora to Denton, TX is only 809 miles

What to do when you need some time to think? Drive 1600 miles in 3 days.

Lately, our routine has been disrupted, and true to our style, Ryan and I felt the need for a road trip. It would give us a chance to chat, laugh, play "would you rather," and generally get away for a while. The catch is, we only have three days. So, it makes perfect sense to jump into the Fiat 124 Spider and drive 809 miles, doesn't it? Absolutely.

But why Denton, TX?

We discovered Denton, TX through family ties and visited last year out of curiosity, instantly falling for the downtown atmosphere of this college town. With two universities, the University of North Texas and Texas Woman’s University, the area boasts a youthful, artistic, and welcoming vibe, along with fantastic music! (Be sure to check out @TheDentonTarantinos on Instagram or YouTube).

Also, the shopping! Denton favorites:

Norman Roscoe for the best screen print tees
Recycled Books for the best vintage music & books (and more)
The Union Bear for award-winning beer
Beth Marie's Old Fashioned Ice Cream - always a win
and of course, coffee is a must at:
Jupiter House for such a fun & funky java (and tea and much more) fix

Events near (or soon to be near) me

Before embarking on one of these spontaneous trip ideas, I usually check what events are taking place during our visit. To be honest, since we're somewhat introverted, this helps us decide whether we want to go or not.

This time, we were fortunate. The Arts & Autos Extravaganza in Denton was scheduled for that Saturday, and as car enthusiasts, this was perfect for us.

Arts & Autos in Denton, TX

Starting in 1999, Denton is the host of Arts & Autos Extravaganza on the downtown square. Highly recommend this as one of the best hometown square car shows around. And we've been to quite a few. Check out some of my favorite pics from the show on our Instagram.