These 7 Towns Are Texas's Best-Kept Secrets
Texas is an exciting place to explore once you have the bearings. The second-largest state, in terms of both area and population, makes its towns feel even smaller, not to mention the best-kept secrets. Home to fewer than 5,000, from popular to undercover, each manages to keep an authentic feel, revealing the beauty of the surrounding area. Lost amid natural splendor, these seven dots on the map are little magnets despite the vast reaches of the state.
Texas is one of the most history-rich states in the country, which you can get a good grip on in Goliad. Both nearly abandoned, Terlingua and Luckenbach remain popular destinations for a real escape with very different vibes. Offering immense natural gifts of the state to explore, experience coastal beauty in Matagorda, cathedral cypresses in Uncertain, or the mysterious lights of Marfa. As varied as the state's landscapes, all as one burst with scenery and Lone Star spirit.
Goliad
Home to 1,706 Goliad's epic name is enough to make one curious about its hidden charms. Founded by the Spanish in 1749, it was at the epicenter of a major conflict during the 1812 Mexican War of Independence. A bloody battleground during the Texas Revolution, the Goliad Massacre of 1836 was one of its most notorious events. The execution of over 400 Texan prisoners of war by the Mexican Army is honored today by the Goliad Massacre Monument. Goliad proudly wears its heritage through the historic district with antique architecture. After a stroll poking in and out of preserved 19th-century storefronts, Spanish missions and military installations await history buffs preserved nearby.
Goliad State Park & Historic Site offers scenic riverfront green for camping, hiking, fishing, and swimming in the San Antonio River. A hop from the white 1750s Mission Espiritu Santo, take the Angel of Goliad Hike and Bike Trail, and drop by Goliad Memorial Auditorium. The Presidio Nuestra Señora De Loreto De La Bahia fort and Mission Nuestra Senora del Rosario are minutes south and southwest. The small town's central role in some of the biggest historical events that shaped Texas history captures hearts. Stop by the General Ignacio Zaragoza Statue, the Markethouse Museum at the heart, and commemorate your visit with the Angel of Goliad: Francita Alavez statue.
Luckenbach
Under an hour and a half west of Austin in southcentral Texas, Luckenbach is "outlaw to the core." Offering an escape from the money-driven life in the city, it was romanticized by country singers Waylon Jennings and Willie Nelson in their 1970s hit song. Home to just a few residents, the town still draws some of the best artists and curious tourists, crooning about it as a place to have fun on a real getaway. South Grape Creek laces the town with charm in the east. The energy remains potent along the main street of the town with its own rules and only two buildings, a rustic general store, and one very friendly dance hall.
Don't miss this Old West-style spot with a saloon and a souvenir shop, still featuring country artists. Once booming with some 500 locals, the critically acclaimed and Grammy-nominated Texas singer-songwriter Jack Ingram said that without Luckenbach, he, among other "Outlaw" musicians, "would not be here today." Take a stroll through the creekside park, while just 15 minutes south, there is no other like the Old Tunnel State Park, with three million bats flying out periodically out of an old railroad tunnel, plus a hiking trail. Overlooked for the nearby Fredericksburg, the "best-kept secret" in the state, is just 15 minutes northwest.
Marfa
West of Alpine, beneath Mount Livermore, Marfa is a contesting compilation of rustic and modern attractions. Home to 1,637, Marfa offers a hidden enclave for artists on reprieve. Many established themselves through a plethora of galleries, like Marfa Open or Moonlight Gemstones. From the Blackwell School National Historic Site, it is a stroll south to the Chinati Foundation. Founded by the late New York artist Donald Judd, this sprawling contemporary art center encompasses 15 buildings on 340 acres. Strolling around eccentric installations in town by Judd, don't miss Robert Irwin's "Untitled": Dawn to Dusk, then break for java at the Sentinel Marfa or the quirky beer garden, Planet Marfa.
The only Prada store along a desert highway marks this town, in the middle of the Texan desert, where even the town greens aren't so green. Marfa's urban legend seems fitting, as do the mysterious orbs called "Marfa Lights." Could it be a connection to the site of Stone Circle Activation? While no one knows what they are, some call them inspiring, glowing in the night sky, and the town's artistic spirit is all the proof needed. Observe the phenomenon sighted regularly in the area from a special viewing platform. Heading west to the Prada store, the boutique is a whimsical work of art by none other than Judd. Commemorate your visit with the Giant Marfa Mural or the old-school Stardust Motel sign.
Matagorda
Matagorda, the only community between the vast Matagorda Bay and East Matagorda Bay, is secreted away at the end of Hwy 60. Home to roughly 300 just east of the Colorado River, near the mouth, where it flows into the gulf, plus lodgings for every budget and taste—think of it as a ticket to lose yourself in the beauty of coastal Texas. Browsing small-town boutiques and gift shops, don't miss the island-inspired Matagorda Outfitters and High Tide Imports for souvenirs. Among a number of bait shops and local fishing charters, Matagorda Bay Fishing Team guarantees a catch for a fry-up at dinnertime.
The cut-off vibe of this town without leaving the mainland is everything a free spirit desires on a much-needed escape from the city, not too far southwest of Houston. Boasting a marina and a real family-friendly resort just east, take a scenic drive south via the Beach Road.
Across the iconic Intracoastal Waterway Bridge, you have landed in the funky town's number one attraction, Matagorda Beach, and a nature park. Clink your glasses and mugs to the best escape after a fulfilling meal at the popular Waterfront Restaurant downtown or Snappers Bar & Grill just south next to an RV Park should you wish to utilize on a budget getaway.
Terlingua
Traveling into the vast Chihuahuan Desert, you will be surprised how popular this deep-southwest Texas town on the border with Mexico is. Once a quicksilver-mining town, Terlingua only feels desolate amid rusted-out cars and derelict buildings. Starlight Theater is a destination on its own for eclectic Texas eats, and live music in the funky digs of an old movie palace turned eatery. Hidden in the southwestern nook of the state along with its number one natural attraction, plus the international chili cook-off festival every November, it is a real outdoorsman's paradise. Big Bend Ranch State Park offers over 300,000 acres of scenic desert, mountain, and river wilderness for backpacking, biking, and rafting. Make it a new and exciting family adventure or a zesty couple's escape.
Explore without imposing on other groups along multiuse trails and catch celestial dance by night under some of the state's darkest skies. Unlike many ghost towns, when the resources run out, Terlingua makes you contemplate the vastness of the state and the different types of wilderness. Feel one with the desert, explore the park's deep river gorges, and then enjoy everything a comfort creature desires next door in town to the mountain ranges, desert, and hiking trails. Though mostly a tourist destination, meet kind locals running tasty restaurants like Chili Pepper Café for a hearty breakfast and friendly barkeeps at The Porch.
Uncertain
Opposite the desertscape, there is no other town quite like Uncertain in the US. Nudging into the chest of the one-of-a-kind, Chinese-dragon-shaped lake, it is a hauntingly beautiful place. Holding dearly onto its small-town charms, "Uncertain is not on the way to anywhere," according to a local sheriff. Dripping in Spanish moss for birdwatching, kayaking, and fishing in the otherworldly realm of cathedral cypresses, its beauty is enough to make you feel unhinged, and the name could not be more apt. There is plenty of room to explore along Caddo Lake, near the border with Louisiana.
Hodgepodge Cottages is a great stay north of "downtown." There is the whole Caddo Lake National Wildlife Refuge at the backdoor with its popular Magazine Trail for hiking and biking. You can dine at Shady Glade Cafe or embark with Caddo Lake Guide Service to catch your own dinner. From Mystique Tours on Caddo Lake and Billy Carter's Go to Devil Caddo Lake Swamp Tours, Johnson's Ranch Marina offers high-demand, in-depth lake exploration and islands.
Wimberley
Between San Antonio and Austin, Wimberley, tucked along the Blanco River, is the best-kept secret in Texas Hill County. Along with its spectacular swimming holes and a nearby underground cave system, the artsy town feels like a real reprieve to discover at your pace for any taste. Home to under 3,000, the locals host a myriad of charming shops, antique stores, and galleries. Browsing for hand-blown glassworks, paintings, and weavings by local artists, it is a perfect girls' getaway and a lovely couples' escape, touring the nearby vineyards. The thrill seekers enjoy Wimberley Zipline Adventures, which offers epic zip line crossings for panoramic views after a guided nature walk. Replete with lodging, stop by the Cowboy Museum, part of the eccentric Pioneer Town at the heart.
Blue Hole Regional Park is perfect for a family day in a lush park setting around a swimming area with rope swings, plus a basketball court and trails. Next door north, Cypress Falls Swimming Hole asks for a $10 entrance fee, with kayak and paddleboard rentals, plus a bar and food trucks. Jacob's Well Natural Area is another popular swimming spot along a creek. After a day by its artesian spring and exploring underwater caves, it is just eight minutes back to Wimberley Cafe, which is an all-day favorite, serving breakfast, sandwiches, and homestyle entrees in an old-timey vibe and counter seats. Next to Old Baldy Park in the northern quadrant, EmilyAnn Theatre is a family-friendly performing arts theater in the outdoors with gardens, a life-size chessboard, and picnic spaces.
Texas is perfect to see on a road trip, along the Gulf, the country roads, desertscapes, and even mountains. Offering easy access to its huge airports throughout, experience the Lone Star flavors for your taste. Having switched hands from Spain to Mexico and the US since the 18th century, fewer know that it was also part of the Confederate States of America and its own independent country.
Ripe for exploration, from Native American history to European colonization, this state feels almost too large in both time and space to handle. Away from major cities like Houston and Dallas, find lush nature just a hop away in these communities that are Texas' best-kept secrets.
