9 Gorgeous Texas Towns To Visit In 2023
Texas is the second-largest state in the US after Alaska in size and in population after California. With over 268,000 square miles, the Lone Star State is a fun place to roam through its seven different regions and diverse topography. From towering pine forests in the swampy Piney Woods to the rolling hills, grasslands, and natural springs in Hill Country and Big Bend's vast canyons and desert mountains, it offers a life's worth of adventure. Visit just one of its gorgeous towns in 2023 to see what the hype is about, and don't forget the hundreds of coastal miles of beach fun and setting off for estuaries and barrier islands along the Gulf Coast! With Mexico to the south, New Mexico to the West, Oklahoma to the north, Arkansas to the northeast, and Louisiana to the east, you can expect a lot of good food and authentic southern hospitality, particularly in the small, welcoming towns.
Dripping Springs
Particularly popular among drinking fans and friends on a weekend escape from the city, the small town just 25 miles from Austin is a mecca for group activities of any taste. Speaking of tastings, take a go at the renowned spirit scene full of distilleries, like the popular Dripping Springs Vodka for small-batch vodka and gin, Deep Eddy Vodka, or whiskey at Treaty Oak Distilling. Dripping Springs delivers fun times for everyone's hype, like boutique shopping, live music, and dining at each step.
Find your favorite reds and whites in lush vineyards dotted between orchards, like the favorite Texas Hill Country Olive Co., for walking tours and olive mill tours, as well as tastings for the entire family. Head nature side into the spectacular Pool Preserve to see thousands of years of evolution through water erosion in the collapsed grotto, canyons, and 50-foot waterfall for strolls, climbing, and picnics. Take pictures and trek another quarter-mile birding trail to a pool, with sights like golden-cheeked warblers and other species along the way.
Fredericksburg
The Central Texas town of Fredericksburg is a must-visit, even if it means crossing the border. Despite being a tourist favorite, the small town in the Texas Hill Country holds tight to its roots from its founding in 1846 by Prince Frederick of Prussia, and with the sister city of Montabaur in Germany, the name starts making sense. Stop by the Pioneer Museum and the National Museum of the Pacific War for complete history before diving into the modern scene in town that encourages you to capture each moment. With everything meticulously thought out, you can choose from plentiful, quality b&bs with restaurants at each corner to feel rested for venturing outdoors.
Take a relaxing stroll through historic Cross Mountain Park, with recreation spots and some hilly trails, to rid yourself of the energy after weeks of work. The Enchanted Rock is the county's second-largest pink granite monolith—a must-see, just under 20 miles north. Soak in this unique experience over a picnic by the pluton formation and take photos for memories. Find a blend of cultural influences at every step in this quaint town on the National Register of Historic Places in Texas, thanks to its numerous Germanic sights. In between eclectic shops, boutiques, and antiquing with museum visits, you can spend an entire cultural weekend shopping without even touching the dining or nature side yet, which would be sinful.
Gonzales
Like many charming towns in Texas, this one's name alone emanates authentic cultural vibes. Gonzales' modern attractions and old-time charm are much to get excited about for every member of your group in this southeast region of the state. Escape the mundane city on a fun weekend getaway to a small historic town wrapped in enchanting nature for a change in pace and scenery. Feel the stress melt away on a refreshing paddle down the Guadalupe River waterways or come in October for a special local celebration of the state's fight for independence, the Come and Take It Festival.
Choose a homey bed and breakfast or a lovely inn with plentiful perusals, sights, and cute engagements on your doorstep, including a nice selection of museums. Check out the cool Old Jail Museum and the Pioneer Village Living History Center, and dive into the impressive shopping scene of antique and specialty shops for sweet home decor or homeware items. Nature lovers will find the wonderful Palmetto State Park to their liking, with trails and picnics by a small lake along the bank, along with more spots to spread out by barbecue pits like along the beautiful, through-running San Marcos River.
Jefferson
This town of just over 1,800 people, between Caddo Lake and Lake o' the Pines in East Texas, offers a thriving tourist scene with a bounty of nature for outdoor recreational activities, architectural sights, and exciting family events. Visit in time for the Holiday Trail of Lights and the Barbecue Cook-Off with fresh air fun like paddle steamer trips and lake tours, as well as horse-drawn carriages, antiquing, and ghost tours away from the water. Meander on a self-guided stroll around the notable homes, century-old churches, and other vintage buildings.
Under its distinct air of history, the pre-Civil War town is your ticket to the forever-gone charm of the past, with a concentration of some 100 historical landmarks, including many on the National Register of Historic Places. Choose the Excelsior House Hotel for a memorable stay, and stop by the Jefferson General Store from the 1860s after browsing through the Jefferson Carnegie Library. Grab some old-fashioned candy or a summer's day root beer float before heading to the former federal courthouse and post office, turned into the Jefferson Historical Museum.
Johnson City
The loudly named Johnson City, of just over 1,600 souls, is a homey town and the former home of President Lyndon B. Johnson from age 5 to his graduation in 1924. Take a great Hill Country escape encased in nature's beauty and history to bond and find something that excites everyone, like the young lad's home with 1920s-era furnishings for a step back into rural Texas in its heyday. The wonderful Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park offers nature trails with passing bison and longhorn sightings and other discoveries in the fresh air.
Visit the nearby LBJ Ranch, Johnson's roaming grounds during his presidency with the Texas White House, and find more engagements up the road to the Historic Site. The German-built historic cabins are open for tours, while the Sauer-Beckmann Living History Farm recreates farm life from the 1800s with rangers in period costumes. Filled up on history and nature? Take another tour you will surely love through numerous wineries for Texas wines just down State Highway 290.
Port Aransas
Port Aransas is a year-round mecca in Texas for all anglers, beach crawlers, marine lovers, and romance seekers. Visit the small town with 18 miles of beaches for hand-in-hand strolls on waterfront strolls, the best sunset views, and cruising the open waters on Mustang Island on the Gulf Coast. The remote feel and the pristine environment call for nature interactions like casting a line from the beach and strolling the fishing pier or taking the vessel out to sightsee various fish in the waters. Come in the summer for some fun cheerleading on an angler's tournament, or learn to take on the tide with surfing, kayaking, and kiteboarding with a local guide.
The Farley Boat Works welcomes families over for a wholesome experience of shipbuilding—a memorable time spent in between nature ventures. Join a birding expedition along six whole sites of the Great Texas Coastal Birding Trail in one small town with hundreds of different winged species overhead. The port town has a thriving arts scene, with a pile of studios and galleries, as well as a concentration of beauty at the Port Aransas Art Center. Take in a performance at the Port Aransas Community Theatre, a hop from downtown for nightlife with bars and restaurants to enjoy a family meal or drinks with friends over more live music and shows.
Port Isabel
This beautiful town in the southern plains of Texas screams with pleasure through sensory overload unlike any other in the state. Get away from the Cowboy scene and the city sights in Port Isabel, the very southern part of the Texas Gulf Coast. The rolling tides steal the show, along with more of the Gulf Coast's best offerings, like the town's icon, the historic Port Isabel Lighthouse. This only publicly-open Texas Gulf Coast lighthouse on a hill right on the town square is a Texas Historical Commission State Historic Site.
Learn about this beautiful landmark at the Lighthouse Keeper's Cottage Visitor Center with artifacts and memorabilia before a stroll around the large grounds with picnic spots and events like the Lighthouse Establishment Cinema, Lighthouse Market Day, and Queen Isabella Market Day. The charming town on the banks of Laguna Madre Bay offers beautiful views at each corner, from the beaches and looking back while kayaking and parasailing through the fish- and dolphin-rich waters.
Salado
The small village in central Bell County is home to artists, natural springs, the best gelato in the area, and the oldest continuously operating hotel in the state. Choose from many b&bs or the Stagecoach Inn and explore more history around the town's 20 National Register of Historical Places. Take a self-guided stroll in a friendly atmosphere down the beautified streetscape, or head to the cooling springs on a hot summer day. Home to many artists, historians, and storytellers, you can experience the best of it all this fall around Halloween. Join the lantern-lit tour down Salado's historic Main Street with ghost stories, Indian and cowboy tales, Indians and legends about buried treasure.
Stop by the Salado Museum and College Park just south, where the scenic ruins and grounds of historic Salado College preserve the town's diverse heritage. Dig deeper with archaeologists who lead tours just 15 minutes out of Salado around archeological sites and the Williamson County and Bell County Museums. Sightsee the modern-day blend of cultures along Main Street, dotted with charming shops and tasty eateries for all styles of dining, browsing for art, clothing, furniture, and sweets, or a carriage ride. Needless to say, the town is a great family escape to bond, like on a stroll through the sculpture garden or find personal excitement, like at a nearby vineyard.
Wimberley
Wimberley, a wee bit of heaven in Texas, will blow your mind with spectacular natural scenery, a warm vibe, and a serene, all-inclusive atmosphere like nowhere else. Home to a friendly crowd of world-renowned authors, artists, and musicians, you will feel welcomed as they once did, finding a peaceful place to create and get inspired with a "come as you are" attitude. Take a stroll around one of "America's Ten Best Small Towns," according to a travel magazine, and wind up at The Square prepped for a shopping spree. With a wealth of chic clothing stores, art galleries, one of Hill County's best kitchenware stores, and restaurants, Wimberley also offers Market Days on the first Saturday of any month to shop for fresh finds and cool crafts.
Enjoy easy access just an hour outside of Austin into the peaceful town for some R&R you've been dreaming of on a real city escape. Complete with beautiful sightseeing, you will quickly fill up with mind pictures and your camera, and maybe buy a special housing piece to proudly display at home and reminisce about Wimberley. For now, just choose a quiet bed and breakfast for your gang, an atmospheric inn, a nature-side cabin, or a cozy cottage. Take a cultural stroll through countless studios and artists' galleries with views of the Blanco River and Cypress Creek that call for summertime swimming, fishing, camping, hiking, and horseback riding along the shores.
Come to the Lone Star State for Tex-Mex food, the Rodeo, or maybe the Alamo, but stay for the friendly small-town attractions and the serene atmosphere in the boundless nature around. One of the most visited states for its iconic monuments and landmarks, with over 250 million annual visitors, you can still enjoy peace and serenity in this big state made for bonding with your loved ones. Size-wise, Texas is bigger than France or Spain, almost twice as big as Japan, and more than twice the size of the United Kingdom. It takes nearly 14 hours to cross the state, which would be the 39th biggest country in the world!
