Map view
Zilker Park, Austin
Best time to visit: March-May, Sept-Nov
Cost: $
- Recreational area in Austin, at the juncture of Barton Creek and the Colorado River
- The land was developed into a park during the Great Depression in the 1930s
- Today the park serves as a hub for many recreational activities and the hike and bike trail around Lady Bird Lake, both of which run next to the park
- The large size of the park makes it a capable venue for large-scale events such as the Austin City Limits Music Festival and the Zilker Park Kite Festival
Twin Falls and Sculpture Falls Via Barton Creek Greenbelt Trail
Best time to visit: March-May, Sept-Nov
Cost: $
- The Barton Creek Greenbelt is located in Austin, and is characterized by large limestone cliffs, dense foliage, and shallow bodies of water
#93 in Best Attractions in the USA
Hamilton Pool Park Trail, Hamilton Pool Preserve
Walk difficulty: Moderate
Best time to visit: March-May, Sept-Nov
Cost: $
- Recreational destination located in the Texas Hill Country, and it is open for hiking and sight-seeing
- Hamilton Pool is a natural pool that was created when the dome of an underground river collapsed due to massive erosion thousands of years ago
- Hamilton Pool Preserve featurs a jade green pool into which a 50-foot (15 m) waterfall flows
Prada Marfa
Best time to visit: March-May, Sept-Nov
Cost: $
- Permanent sculptural art installation located along U.S. Route 90, northwest of Marfa
- The installation, in the form of a freestanding building, specifically a Prada storefront, was inaugurated in 2005
Mission San José, San Antonio Missions National Historical Park
Walk difficulty: Easy
Best time to visit: Jan-April, Nov-Dec
Cost: $
- Historic Catholic mission in San Antonio, founded in 1720, because Mission San Antonio de Valero had become overcrowded shortly after its founding with refugees from the closed East Texas missions
- Mission San José is part of the San Antonio Missions National Historical Park, along with The Alamo and Mission Concepción
Alamo Mission
Best time to visit: Jan-April, Nov-Dec
Cost: $
- The Alamo is a historic Spanish mission and fortress compound founded in the 18th century by Roman Catholic missionaries in what is now San Antonio
- It was the site of the Battle of the Alamo in 1836, a pivotal event of the Texas Revolution in which American folk heroes James Bowie and Davy Crockett died
- Today it is a museum in the Alamo Plaza Historic District
#22 in Best Landmarks in the USA
Lost Mine Trail, Big Bend National Park
Walk difficulty: Moderate
Best time to visit: Jan-April, Nov-Dec
Cost: $
- Big Bend National Park is located in West Texas, bordering Mexico
- The park has national significance as the largest protected area of Chihuahuan Desert topography and ecology in the United States
- The park protects more than 1,200 species of plants, more than 450 species of birds, 56 species of reptiles, and 75 species of mammals
- Additional park activities include scenic drives, programs led by Big Bend park rangers, and stargazing
Houston Museum of Natural Science
Best time to visit: Feb-April, Sept-Nov
Cost: $
- Natural history museum located in Houston, established in 1909
- The museum complex consists of four floors of natural science halls and exhibits, a planetarium, a butterfly center, and a giant screen theater
- The museum is one of the most popular in the United States, much of the museum's popularity is attributed to its large number of special or guest exhibits
Buffalo Bayou Loop, Buffalo Bayou Park
Walk difficulty: Moderate
Best time to visit: Feb-April, Sept-Nov
Cost: $
- 2.3 mile long municipal park located along the banks of the Buffalo Bayou near Downtown Houston
- Opened in 2015, the park features a variety of recreational activities including a skate park, picnic area, children's play area, dog park, cultural events hall, and miles of bike and hiking trails
Museum of the American GI, College Station
Best time to visit: Feb-April, Sept-Nov
Cost: $
- Military history museum featuring vehicles, weapons, and uniforms, plus historical reenactments
The Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden
Best time to visit: Sept-Nov
Cost: $
- Botanical Garden which, the majority of the grounds were once part of a 44-acre (18 ha) estate, built for a geophysicist and his wife
- The 22,000-square-foot (2,000 m2) Spanish-style home was completed in 1940
- Since 1976, the estate has formed a portion of the Dallas Arboretum & Botanical Gardens
- Also located on the grounds is an outdoor concert stage, and the 8-acre (3.2 ha) Rory Meyers Children's Adventure Garden with 17 indoor and outdoor galleries
San Antonio River Walk Mission Reach Trail
Walk difficulty: Easy
Best time to visit: Jan-April, Nov-Dec
Cost: $
- City park and pedestrian street in San Antonio, one level down from the automobile street
- The River Walk winds and loops under bridges by two parallel sidewalks lined with restaurants and shops, and the city's five Spanish colonial missions, which have been named a World Heritage Site, which includes the Alamo
- During the annual springtime Fiesta San Antonio, the River Parade features flowery floats that float down the river
Hillview and Yucca Nature Trail Loop, Eisenhower State Park
Walk difficulty: Easy
Best time to visit: Jan-April, Nov-Dec
Cost: $
- State park located in Grayson County, on the shores of Lake Texoma
- The park offers nature programs throughout the year, and offers facilities for picnicking, hiking, biking, fishing, swimming, boating, water skiing, wildlife observation, All-terrain vehicle (ATV) use, and camping
Lost Draw Cellars, Fredericksburg
Best time to visit: March-May, Sept-Nov
Cost: $$
- Winery serving award-winning local wine, offering different types of wine tastings and experiences
Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth
Best time to visit: March-May, Sept-Nov
Cost: $
- Art museum of post-World War II art in Fort Worth, with a collection of international modern and contemporary art
- Founded in 1892, The Modern is located in the city's cultural district, opened to the public in 2002
- The museum holds a permanent collection with more than 3,000 works of art
#26 in Best Museums in the USA
Panther Canyon Nature Trail, Landa Park
Walk difficulty: Easy
Best time to visit: Jan-April, Nov-Dec
Cost: $
- Park considered a New Braunfels icon, featuring the over 50 acres of parkland, including the headwaters of the Comal Springs, a miniature train, paddle boats, miniature golf, playscapes, and the Panther Canyon hiking trail
Padre Island National Seashore
Walk difficulty: Easy
Best time to visit: Sept-Oct
Cost: $
- Seashore located on North Padre Island and consists of a long beach where nature is preserved
- Most of the park is primitive, but camping is available, and most of the beach is only accessible to four-wheel-drive vehicles
- PAIS is the fourth designated national seashore in the United States
- North Padre Island is the longest undeveloped barrier island in the world
- PAIS hosts a variety of pristine beach, dune, and tidal flat environments
#30 in Best Beaches in the USA
Arbor Hills Tower Trail, Arbor Hills Nature Preserve
Walk difficulty: Easy
Best time to visit: Sept-Nov
Cost: $
- 200-acre park in Plano that has several amenities including 3 miles of paved hiking trail, 3 miles of unpaved hiking trail, a 2.8 mile off-road bike trail
- An observation tower provides a bird's eye view of the park
- Many other wildlife such as deer, coyotes, snakes, bobcats, turtles, fish, and rabbits also live in the park
Port Aransas Beach
Best time to visit: Sept-Oct
Cost: $
- 6-mile, sandy beach area popular with locals for surfing, swimming, and sunbathing
#28 in Best Beaches in the USA
Six Flags Fiesta Texas
Best time to visit: Jan-April, Nov-Dec
Cost: $
- Theme park located in Northwest San Antonio, opened in 1992
- The park's landmark is the Scream drop tower ride which stands 205 feet tall and can be seen from all around the park as well as outside the property
LBJ Walking Trail, Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park
Walk difficulty: Easy
Best time to visit: March-May, Sept-Nov
Cost: $
- Park in the Texas Hill Country, that protects the birthplace, home, ranch, and grave of Lyndon B. Johnson, 36th president of the United States
- During Johnson's administration, the LBJ Ranch was known as the Texas White House because the President spent approximately 20% of his time in office there
Lake Woodlands Trail, Northshore Park
Walk difficulty: Easy
Best time to visit: Feb-April, Sept-Nov
Cost: $
- Waterfront space with volleyball courts, playgrounds, picnic spots, and a field, plus outdoor concerts & other events
White Rock Lake Trail, White Rock Lake Park
Walk difficulty: Easy
Best time to visit: Sept-Nov
Cost: $
- Reservoir located in north-east Dallas
- The lake was formed by damming White Rock Creek, which today widens into the lake before continuing south out of the spillway and emptying into the Trinity River
- Current recreational activities on the lake include sailing, kayaking, canoeing and standup paddleboarding, available by rental
The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston
Best time to visit: Feb-April, Sept-Nov
Cost: $
- Art museum located in the Houston Museum District
- It is the 12th largest art museum in the world based on square feet of gallery space
- The permanent collection of the museum spans more than 6,000 years of history with approximately 70,000 works from six continents
Smith Spring and Manzanita Spring Loop, Guadalupe Mountains National Park
Walk difficulty: Moderate
Best time to visit: March-May, Sept-Nov
Cost: $
- National park in the Guadalupe Mountains, east of El Paso,
- The ruins of a stagecoach station stand near the Pine Springs visitor center
- The restored Frijole Ranch contains a small museum of local history and is the trailhead for Smith Spring
Dallas Museum of Art
Best time to visit: Sept-Nov
Cost: $
- Art museum located in the Arts District of downtown Dallas
- The museum collection is made up of more than 24,000 objects, dating from the third millennium BC to the present day
- With 159,000 square feet (14,800 m2) of exhibition spaces, it is one of the largest art museums in the United States
The Lighthouse Trail, Palo Duro Canyon State Park
Walk difficulty: Moderate
Best time to visit: Sept-Nov
Cost: $
- Canyon system of the Caprock Escarpment located in the Texas Panhandle near the cities of Amarillo and Canyon
- As the second-largest canyon in the United States, it is roughly 120 mi (190 km) long and has an average width of 6 mi (9.7 km), but reaches a width of 20 mi (32 km) at places
- Palo Duro Canyon has been named "The Grand Canyon of Texas" both for its size and for its dramatic geological features, including the multicolored layers of rock and steep mesa walls, which are similar to those in the Grand Canyon
Cadillac Ranch
Walk difficulty: Easy
Best time to visit: Sept-Nov
Cost: $
- Public art installation and sculpture in Amarillo, created in 1974
- The installation consists of ten Cadillacs (1949–1963) buried nose-first in the ground
- The cars were either older running, used or junk cars – together spanning the successive generations of the car line – and the defining evolution of their tailfins
- The cars are inclined at the same angle as the pyramids of Giza
River Legacy Park, Arlington
Best time to visit: Sept-Nov
Cost: $
- 1,300-acre park housing miles of hiking and biking trails, picnic areas and a hands-on science center