9 Slow-Paced Towns to Visit in Texas
Far away from the fast-paced, chaotic lifestyle for most of you, get a blessed reprieve in the slow-paced towns to visit in Texas. Beyond the appeal of seeing the stars in Houston’s NASA or to familiarize yourself with the deep histories of the Alamo, these small-scale destinations are worthy of your calendar and your time. Lounge in the waters of the Gulf of Mexico at Port Isabel and Port Aransas. Get away from the heat of the Texan sun at Dripping Springs and Wimberley. Most of all, appreciate the cowboy’s life at Terlingua and Bandera. No need to feel alone in the Lone Star State of Texas, not when you are visiting not only the most popular communities in Texas but also some of the most slow-paced and breezy small towns in the Lone Star State.
Dripping Springs
Many of the homes and historic structures in Dripping Springs—dating from 1870 to 1940—have remained unchanged throughout the modern era. From Mercer Street to Old Fitzhugh Road, you can see how people used to go about in these differing periods, particularly at the Dr. Pound Historical Farmstead Museum. The Hill Country, situated halfway between Fredericksburg and the city of Austin, has much to offer, and Dripping Springs serves as the “Gateway to the Hill Country.”
For instance, one can go traipsing through Pedernales Falls State Park or simmer down from the Texan heat at Hamilton Pool Preserve and Reimers Ranch Park. When all is said and done, you can seek your accommodations at the Outpost Motel or Cedar Break at Howard Ranch.
Wimberley
Wimberley, approximately 14 miles from Dripping Springs, is the best place to acquire and savor the best bit of wine in the state of Texas. Within the orchards and fields of the Wimberley Valley Winery near the Blanco River and Cypress Creek, you can cherish all manner of sweet nectar. Other destinations, such as the Blue Hole Regional Park and Jacob’s Well, offer dozens of waterholes and artesian springs for you to go scuba diving in the middle of Texas.
On the other hand, the Wimberley Zipline Adventures promotes the scenic sights of the town and its humble surroundings from a soaring zipline. No need to worry about accommodations because Wimberley promises loads of lodgings such as the Wimberley Inn + Bar, Prow’d House Bed & Breakfast, the Bygone, or the Blair House Inn.
Terlingua
Terlingua offers a perfect atmosphere of the Wild West insofar as it is one of the most famous ghost towns in Texas. Formerly a mining district, Terlingua’s haunting structures—such as the Terlingua Trading Company building and the Starlight Theatre—exude an air of the old for those nostalgic for American adventure. There are two specific times when Terlingua is filled with new life—first, the Chili Cookoff championship every November, a daring challenge that attracts thousands of participants and viewers and has been around since 1967. And finally, Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead).
You ought to go exploring some of Terlingua’s surrounding landscapes, such as the Big Bend region, the Rio Grande, the Santa Fe de Los Pinos Mountain ranges, the Chisos Mountains, and Mule Ears. You might also consider touring the expansive landscapes of the Big Bend Ranch State Park and the Big Bend National Park. So feel like a cowboy in the atmospheric town of Terlingua, and stay a while in comfortable establishments such as the Casa Agave, Villa Terlingua, El Dorado Motel, Perry Mansion, or La Posada Milagro Guesthouse.
Fredericksburg
Take a close step into Germany vis-à-vis the small Texan town of Fredericksburg. Only about an hour and a half from the cities of San Antonio and Austin, Fredericksburg’s history—from when the town was christened after Prince Frederick of Prussia—at the Vereins Kirche Museum and the Pioneer Museum. Meanwhile, the National Museum of the Pacific War talks about a former local named Chester W. Nimitz, a commander of the United States Pacific Fleet during World War II.
When it comes to festivities, Fredericksburg offers a plethora of them, such as Oktoberbest, a Knights of Columbus Bestfest, and a Fredericksburg Food & Wine Fest. Head down to the Marktplatz—the town square—to admire the Vereins Kirche, a replica of a German church from the 19th century. Afterward, go traipsing through the Enchanted Rock State Natural Area, the Lyndon B. Johnson State and National Historical Parks. Finally, get your much-needed reprieve at the Barons CreekSide, Hoffman Haus, Chuckwagon Inn, or Onera Fredericksburg.
Marfa
Marfa is a magnificent little town 100 miles away from Terlingua. It was named after a character in the existentialist novel The Brothers Karamazov. Fortunately for you, there is only enthusiasm instead of existentialism to be found in Marfa, particularly during the Marfa Lights in the fall and the Agave Festival in June. For recreation, you can ascend the many mountains surrounding Marfa, such as the Davis Mountains, the Chisos Mountains, and the Chinati Mountains.
From Davis Mountain specifically, you can go windsurfing and gliding via the Marfa Gliders. Art connoisseurs will certainly admire the indoor and outdoor installations of Donald Judd at the Chinati Foundation. Uncover more wonders in this little town in close to the Chihuahuan Desert and its many hardy peoples, and get yourself comfortable in fine establishments like El Cosmico, Hotel Saint George, or The Lincoln Marfa.
Port Isabel
On the coast of the Gulf of Mexico lies the small harbor town of Port Isabel. The Port Isabel Lighthouse shepherds many a ferry from across the Gulf of Mexico basin, while the Lighthouse Keeper’s Cottage shelters the marine histories of the Laguna Madre region. The Port Isabel Historical Museum offers insightful glimpses into the tumultuous moments of the US-Mexican War, whereas the Treasures of the Gulf Museum tells of a local legend about three Spanish ships perishing off the Texas Gulf Coast and disposing much of its gold and other contents somewhere near Port Isabel.
For more insights into the past, see the graveyards of ancient mariners and Spaniards at the Port Isabel Cemetery. Roam the ruins of Port of Matamoros and Fort Polk. Then, when all is said and done, you can take a break in resplendent lodgings like the Queen Isabel Inn.
Jefferson
Close to Arkansas and Louisiana, the small town of Jefferson entreats visitors to the waters of the Lake O’ the Pines, wide lands of the Caddo Lake National Wildlife Refuge, and the lush body of Caddo Lake. Only about two and a half hours from the city of Dallas, travelers can explore one of the most haunted places in Texas, The Grove. Even more exhilarating, the Texas Bigfoot Research Conference highlights which places in Jefferson have the most sightings of the enigmatic Bigfoot than anywhere else in America.
For a more relaxed tour of Jefferson, learn all about the movie Gone With the Wind at Scarlett O’Hardy’s Gone with the Wind Museum. The Jefferson Historical Museum, on the other hand, features Caddo Native American trinkets and relics from the American Civil War, just as the Museum of Measurement and Time contains vintage clockwork. Should you ever need a place to spend your evenings, then look no further than the Old Mulberry Inn & Cottages or Carriage House Bed & Breakfast.
Port Aransas
Port Aransas, about 40 miles from the seaside city of Corpus Christi, campaigns itself to be the “Fishing Capital of Texas.” With its location on Mustang Island, Port Aransas is fortunate to have beaches about 18 miles long and bays plentiful with fish and other marine wildlife. From an observation tower in Roberts Point Park, you can even get a glimpse of some of these aquatic locals, like dolphins. There are other animals to be found in the Leonabelle Turnbull Birding Center, particularly birds in the trees and alligators in the marshes.
Meanwhile, the Amos Rehabilitation Keep ensures the preservation of thousands of sea turtles and marine birds. Structures such as the Port Aransas Museum and the Chapel on the Dunes are great destinations to learn all about Port Aransas’ past. However, the fine establishments of the Seaside Boutique Hotel, Seashell Village Resort, and The Island Hotel will make you enthusiastic about staying a while in the Fishing Capital of Texas.
Bandera
Bandera, the “Cowboy Capital of the World,” was where some of the Wild West’s most famous outlaws and bandits often bypassed on their way to glory, loot, and adventure. Founded by 16 Polish families in the year 1855, Bandera has withstood several conflicts during the violence of the Wild West. In particular, it survived the clashes from the nearby Bandera Pass, when Spanish soldiers and Apache and Comanche battled to win over the land. These days, you can preach your faith at the Saint Stanislaus Catholic Church, the second oldest Polish church in the US, built by the founding families from Poland. Elsewhere, the National Rodeo Champions’ bronze monument symbolizes the last great cattle drive in the 1800s that passed through Bandera.
As the largest state in the United States after Alaska, Texas offers vast distances to explore that harken to the olden days of the gung-ho cowboys. From Terlingua’s eerie and chilly atmosphere to Marfa’s captivating and mysterious lights, these destinations are a slow-paced respite from all the noise and bedlam that most big cities and bigger towns have in store. Do not feel corralled as mustangs and sheep often were in Texas, because you will be shining and blazing like a star in the Lone Star State. This year, take things slow and easy in the slow-paced towns to visit in Texas.
