Travel
10 Texas travel destinations for your next road trip
Texas is a big state with plenty to see outside of the big cities. These road trips to less traveled destinations range from an hour or so from San Antonio to a six-to-seven-hour drive, depending on along-the-way meandering.
In each town, we dug in to find arts and culture-related doings and points of interest, from historical Fort Phantom Hill and the Grace Museum in Abilene to the cinematic streets of Bartlett and homegrown Texas wine in Denison to the massive public library in a former Walmart Supercenter in McAllen.
Take your time roaming through these stories, each a record of adventure and a map toward adventures awaiting.
Bartlett
Just 30 minutes northeast of Georgetown, Bartlett is home to quaint shops, hometown cooking and haunting ghost tours. With an infusion of planned revitalization by Robert Zalkin, a developer from the town of Liberty, New York, what was once considered a ghost town is experiencing a revival.
Before you go, be sure to watch the 1998 Hollywood movie The Newton Boys, starring Matthew McConaughey and a shy Dwight Yoakam, to glimpse downtown Bartlett at its cinematic best.
A new liquor store heralds the beginning of a major revitalization for the small town of Bartlett, 30 miles northeast of Georgetown.
Driftwood
A conversation at the Vista Brewing taproom, formerly on San Antonio’s West Side and now in its new location on the near East Side, led us to the Vista headquarters in Driftwood, one among a handful of “dark skies” communities in the Hill Country offering breathtakingly star-filled nights.
Nearby Dripping Springs offers dining and shopping options, and places to stay include a campground with 10 reservable tipis, along with more traditional boutique hotels.
Vista Brewing is one reason to visit Driftwood and nearby Dripping Springs, then return to the new Vista taproom and beer garden in San Antonio.
West Texas
Marfa who? Though the contemporary art town of West Texas has become hipster central, a trio of other towns in the region fulfill tastes for scenic high desert drives, homespun dining and drinks, upscale hotels and Texas wines, and murals bountiful enough to rival downtown San Antonio.
Intrepid hikers can take to the trails of the mini-mountains behind Sul Ross University to seek out a mysterious metal desk once lugged to a scenic overlook by students and left there as a lofty landmark.
Marathon, Alpine, and Fort Davis are charming alternatives to the better-known West Texas town of Marfa.
Llano
The Llano River plays host to a cozy town along its banks, known as a popular stop for hunters during deer season and home of the original Cooper’s pit barbecue restaurant.
Perhaps lesser known are a lively sculpture garden built around a historic train engine and station, a vinyl record aficionado’s paradise, a well-stocked used bookstore and an annual World Rock Stacking Championship.
Situated on the Llano River, the town of Llano is known for its rocks, art, deer hunting, barbecue and an unfortunately named cemetery.
Lockhart
If you wonder what Austin used to be like before the state capital was overrun by developers and rampant gentrification, head to Lockhart a half hour to the southeast. Though empty storefronts are still visible, the quaint town square has come alive with Austin expats looking for small-town charm and closeness.
The iconic courthouse made famous (or comedically infamous) by the Christopher Guest movie Waiting for Guffman overlooks lively contemporary art galleries, a clock museum, Michelin-recognized barbecue, quality coffee shops and adventuresome antique stores.
Art-centric Lockhart is booming with new galleries, restaurants, taverns, cafes, antiques and local history.
Rockport
Some Gulf Coast communities were devastated by Hurricane Harvey in 2021, including Rockport. But the art-centric town has built itself back up with a brand new waterfront art center, restored artist’s studios and a 1,000-year-old tree that has somehow withstood storm after storm.
Birdwatchers will enjoy a dedicated multi-species sanctuary just south of downtown and a rookery on the North Side.
The new Rockport Center for the Arts rises along the coast of Aransas Bay, a symbol of the seaport’s resilience and recovery from Hurricane Harvey.
Laredo
The dual towns of Laredo and Nuevo Laredo have been down and out since the North American Free Trade Agreement compromised their status as the biggest land port in the southern U.S. Nonetheless, residents persist, and a downtown revival continues in fits and starts with new dining, coffee and cocktail options, old-school holdovers hanging on optimistically and lively arts programming.
A 2019 visit by world-renowned cellist Yo-Yo Ma drew attention to the border cities and revived interest in community events such as a traditional riverfront pachanga and open-air concerts in the shadow of Laredo’s plentiful outlet stores.
An infusion of new businesses, including coffee shops, restaurants and luxury hotels, is helping revive Laredo’s downtown, despite some obstacles.
Denison
Fun fact: Texas saved the worldwide wine industry. No mere exaggeration, a Denison resident by the name of T.V. Munson grew hybrid wine varieties resistant to a bug that had decimated France’s once overflowing crop. His efforts to graft his Texas grape varieties onto French vines saved that country’s pride and economy and he is honored in the city of Cognac.
A winery just south of town continues Munson’s tradition with wines made from his grapes, and a distillery named in his honor produces award-winning whiskeys.
Famous personalities Denison claims include President Dwight D. Eisenhower, Reba McEntire and a little-known savior of the worldwide wine industry, Thomas Volney Munson.
West RGV
The Rio Grande Valley region, taken as a whole, rivals the San Antonio and Austin metroplex in population. The area is thriving in the care of long-term residents and new transplants who are seemingly reviving the RGV one town at a time.
We visited McAllen, Edinburg, Pharr and Reynosa for an immersive experience of nature, history, fun cuisine and coffee and a deep dive into Mexican family culture just across the border.
The Rio Grande Valley offers the comforts, tastes and adventures of a metropolis, while retaining small-town charm and proximity to parks and nature.
Abilene
Abilene’s status as a hub for children’s literature initially drew attention, but its deeper literary connections, art museums, antique stores and focus on Texas history, including Black history, revealed deeper textures to this gateway to the Panhandle and West Texas.
Renowned author and state biographer Stephen Harrigan even offered a few don’t-miss tips on the city’s local culture.
A visit to Abilene reveals a local love of literature, a riveting exhibition of Black Texas artists and a deep respect for frontier history.
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