Beyond the bright lights and skyscrapers of Dallas and Houston, and the music-filled streets of Austin, the Lone Star State is dotted with gems in the form of its small towns and cities. Some places are all about the music, others are tiny towns with huge reputations for art or fashion, and some are laid-back places by the water. Here’s our pick of just some of the small towns and cities well worth visiting across Texas. Be sure to check state travel advisories and any local restrictions before visiting.
Dublin, in central Texas, is best known for its production of Dr Pepper, the mysteriously flavoured fizzy stuff was bottled here from 1891, though the town’s Dublin Bottling Works lost the rights to use the name after a dispute in 2012. The company now sells “the world’s best sodas” made with pure cane sugar. The town was founded by an Irish settler and the heritage is tangible – particularly on St Patrick’s Day, when a sea of people dressed in green flows through the streets.
This adorable town is that rare thing: a hugely popular tourist spot that’s staunchly retained its independent spirit and sense of community. Granbury, in northern Texas, sits prettily by the reservoir of the same name, with piers and parks exploiting the waterside location. Otherwise, life centres around the historic town square, dominated by Hood County Courthouse with its hand-wound clock dating back to the 19th century. Surrounding streets have restaurants, B&Bs, an opera house and even a winery.
Goliad is known as the location of the 1836 Goliad Massacre, when around 350 Texan rebels were executed. There’s much more to the historic town than its macabre past, though. Goliad’s downtown is rich in Victorian-era architecture and landmarks like Presidio-La Bahia, a fort dating back to 1747, while the beautifully restored and sparkling white Mission Espíritu Santo houses fascinating historic exhibits.
Canyon is best known for, well, canyons – the rock formations of Palo Duron Canyon State Park, to be precise. The park lies to the east of the small city and is where the sweeping history musical, TEXAS, is performed in the summer. Yet, as gateway towns go, this one’s a charmer and is worthy of visitors' time. Among its attractions are the impressive Randall County Courthouse and the Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum, which tells the region’s story through art, archaeological objects, fossils and transport exhibits.
With a population of fewer than 3,000 people and a small scenic centre surrounded by ranches, Wimberley’s blend of chilled-out charm and natural beauty make it a popular day trip destination from nearby Austin. The downtown area is very much committed to cowboy culture, with apparel and gift shops, bars and BBQ restaurants centred around the square. There's a wonderful beer garden near the centre too, The Shady Llama, with hammocks, street food, sunset views and said llamas (and donkeys). Throw in natural swimming spots such as the sparkling Blue Hole and it’s a done deal.
A former mining community near Big Bend National Park, Terlingua is now a ghost town – albeit one with a general store, still-operating saloon and annual international chilli cook-off (usually each November). The town, named after a creek by Mexican herders, became known as the world’s quicksilver capital in the late 19th century and is now more famous as a fascinating place to wander around. Some visitors even spend the night in a mansion that belonged to mining magnate Howard E Perry.
Georgetown lies just a little north of Texas and is worth a visit for the town square alone, dubbed the most beautiful in the state. The appeal is concentrated largely in the Downtown Historic District, with Victorian-era buildings and storefronts. Behind their pretty façades are highly rated farm-to-table restaurants, fascinating museums and cute boutiques. Wineries and a lagoon park, just outside the centre, add a couple of cherries on top.
The Downtown Historic District of this border town in southern Texas feels like a standalone destination. One that’s just stuffed with small-town charm and history. Laredo lies on the north bank of the Rio Grande River with a bridge linking it to Mexico. The town's museum traces the fascinating story of the short-lived independent nation, the Rio Grande, while its notable architecture includes the 19th-century Cathedral of San Augustin (pictured) and 1940s Plaza Theatre.
A short drive west of Austin, Dripping Springs is (as the name suggests) a great place for a refreshing dip. It boasts several stunning swimming spots including Hamilton Pool, which formed thousands of years ago when an underground river collapsed due to erosion. It’s a beautiful spot, surrounded by cliffs and overhung by ferns, and the town itself is lovely, too. Its well-regarded restaurants are focused on local produce from sustainable farms, while wineries, distilleries and breweries only add to the town's appeal.
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This tiny town (population around 2,000) was named after Henry B Shiner, who donated land for the railway to pass through. Yet it’s best known as the home of Spoetzl Brewery, which has been producing Shiner Beer since 1909. Shiner’s heritage is a mix of German and Czech, which (ahem) shines through not only in the beer but also in the food, architecture and music. Bratwurst-style sausages and polka-style dancing abound, as does a general sense of fun.
Arranged prettily by the banks of the Llano River at the centre of beautiful Texas Hill Country, this small city blends architectural heritage and a warm welcome with a landscape that makes you want to get out and play. In its downtown, 19th-century landmarks include hotels and the Llano County Courthouse and Jail, while Llano County Museum is, brilliantly, set inside a vintage drugstore. The most recognisable landmark, though, is the Roy B Inks Bridge, built in 1936 and spanning the river.
Founded in the 1840s by German farmers, the tiny town of Luckenbach was purchased in the 1970s by John “Hondo” Crouch and friends with one aim: to create a hub of country music. Since then superstars including Willie Nelson and Lyle Lovett have plucked their guitars and exercised their lungs here, as have many other musicians from Texas and beyond. There are only around a dozen official residents in the ramshackle town, with original buildings including a saloon and general store.
This resort town sits on a barrier island of the same name, and it’s this fortunate setting that makes it so special. A favourite spot for spring break and family vacations, South Padre Island is also just a lovely place for some sun and sand. The skinny spit wraps around Laguna Madre Bay on one side and is lapped by the Gulf of Mexico on the other, with fun cocktail bars aimed squarely at the sunset and, next to the town, a nature preserve that’s a haven for birds and migrating sea turtles.
Sand in your toes as seabirds swoop overhead. That’s just a hint of the charms that await visitors to the beach town of Rockport, which juts out between Copano and Aransas Bay. It has all the seaside fun you could want, plus a little extra in the form of inspiring local art and Queen Anne-style architecture. The main attraction, though, is Rockport's long sandy beach, which sweeps around the bay and is the perfect spot for spotting herons.
Describing itself as “the little city with the big heart” and, more famously, the “Barbecue Capital of Texas”, this is not a place to come without an appetite. A destination for barbecue pilgrims, fans of food history and food lovers in general, the small city has several historic and influential food joints including Kruez Market and Black’s (one of the state’s oldest family-owned BBQ houses, operating since 1932). It also has a decent number of saloon-style bars and craft breweries to help wash down all that delicious brisket. It’s also a very picturesque town, so visitors can stroll off all that food, too.
Ennis is short drive south of downtown Dallas and makes a refreshing change of pace from the big city. Known for its polka dance celebrations and bluebonnets in spring, when a 40-mile (64km) driving trail slices through meadows carpeted with the lilac blooms, visitors can also feast on delicious food all year round. The town was settled by Czech farmers and revels in its heritage from the cuisine to the shops and music festivals.
New Braunfels may be a little bigger than most places on this list, with a population of around 80,000, but it oozes small-town charm just as the two rivers that weave through it ooze good old-fashioned fun. Floating or tubing along the Guadalupe River are the things to do in summer. On dry land, the town is known for its 19th-century architecture, patchwork of green spaces, and the underground limestone caves of Natural Bridge Cavern.
The only town on Mustang, a skinny barrier island edged with pale-sand beaches and lapped by the Gulf of Mexico, Port Aransas has a population of fewer than 3,500 people. The relaxed pace of life on the island is alluring, as are the beautiful beaches, bright beach homes and boats bobbing in the marina. It’s especially popular for deep-sea fishing, though birdwatching, parasailing or just padding along the sand, scouring the horizon for dolphins, are worthwhile ways to spend days here too.
Round Top is one of those small, charming towns where people love to take photos of the population sign on arrival (just 90, by the way). Still, this isn’t a place to drive straight by or through. It’s just lovely, from the pretty town squares and delicious pie shops to the antiques stores – its thrice-yearly antiques fair is huge, especially considering the town’s size. Don’t miss the world’s smallest active Catholic church, St Martin’s, either.
The air in Alpine is appropriately crisp and clear, even on hot days, and the landscape is equally uplifting. The small city, with a population of around 6,000, is tucked in a glorious valley at 4,500 feet (1,372m) and ringed by mountain peaks. Within this setting is a delightful downtown with its endearingly old-fashioned shops and movie theatre. Alpine is home to an unusual pilgrimage site too – an old desk (now scribbled with messages) mysteriously awaits hikers up Hancock Hill. The wonders of Big Bend National Park are an easy drive away, too.
Buda is a small but rapidly growing city that’s a short drive from Austin. It’s so charming, in fact, that the population has almost trebled in the past decade: it's now home to around 15,000. Its attractions are instantly obvious. Considered among the best places to live in the state, it combines a cute downtown stretch lined with Old West–style storefronts with wide open spaces and a suburban feel. It’s also known for “wiener dog races”, where squat-legged dachshunds (along with their owners) are pitted against each other, just for fun.
Lake Marble Falls is the sapphire jewel in the crown of this cute, gallery-filled town in central Texas. Formed in a bend of the Colorado River and part of the Highland Lakes chain, the reservoir famously hosts the country’s biggest drag boat race event each summer and is a popular boating and water-sports hot spot year-round. Oh, and it’s pretty much a crime to leave town without trying a slice of homemade pie from the Blue Bonnet Cafe, established in 1929 (and also known for fabulous breakfasts).
Only around 1,200 people can call Fort Davis home, though we bet many more who’ve travelled here would quite like to. Perched at 5,050 feet (1,539m) above sea level and surrounded by mountains, it claims to be the highest town in Texas. It really packs in the attractions, too, including the huge Davis Mountains State Park and Fort David National Historic Site (pictured), a frontier military post in the latter half of the 19th century and home to many Buffalo soldiers.
Just across the causeway from South Padre Island, Port Isabel is even smaller and, typically, significantly quieter. The cute resort town dates from the 18th century, when Mexican ranchers settled here and created a small village, eventually abandoned and claimed by the US. Today, its attractions include the bright-white lighthouse, sea-themed shops around Lighthouse Square, fishing on the state’s longest pier, and just its general breezy seaside vibes.
The tiny Gruene Historic District is part of New Braunfels and technically a former town but it’s so lovely it deserves a separate entry. The German-settled town, on the Guadalupe River, was a cotton production hub though now the main industry is tourism. It’s a great place just to wander around, popping in and out of its antiques and gift stores and stopping for a freshly-brewed coffee, but the real must is catching a show at Gruene Hall. It is Texas’ oldest dance hall, dating back to 1878.
This tiny town has become globally famous thanks to the Prada boutique that appears, like a mirage, in the middle of an otherwise empty stretch of desert road. It’s actually an installation, created on US Route 90 in 2005 by Berlin-based artists Elmgreen and Dragset, with window displays of bottomless bags and right-footed shoes. The town has long been an art hub and often hosts music and film festivals. Then there’s its other claim to fame: the Marfa lights, bright orbs that regularly appear on the horizon and have baffled onlookers for more than a century.
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Bandera is dubbed “Texas Cowboy Capital of the World” and its downtown really does resemble a Western movie set, with gable-roofed buildings, a general store stuffed with cowboy garb, and ramshackle bars crammed with memorabilia. It has a clutch of little museums too while the surrounding area is given over to farmland and so-called dude ranches, built on land once used for driving Texas Longhorn cattle.
Jefferson, on the bayou in East Texas, ticks all the boxes of what visitors might expect – or at least hope for – from a small Texan town. There are rows of historic, pre-Civil War buildings, from the Old Post Office to the beautiful Carnegie Library. There are great BBQ restaurants, charming B&Bs, antiques shops and quaint features like the soda fountain at the Jefferson General Store. Oh, and to top it off, it’s said to be the state’s most haunted small town – ghost tours reveal stories of murder victims that haven’t quite departed.
This historic German-settled town, in the heart of Texas Hill Country, might look like a one-horse town, at least at first. But visitors soon realise there’s a whole herd, at least. Fredericksburg’s Main Street, known as “Magic Mile”, resembles an open-air museum but the 19th and 20th-century buildings are home to bars, restaurants and stores selling all kinds of delicious and pretty things. Just outside the town, Highway 290 slices through peach farms and wineries.
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Is this the way to..? Never mind, actually – Amarillo is pretty easy to find. It’s a hugely popular stop along the historic Route 66, in fact, whether for a 72-ounce steak at The Big Texan or a stroll around Cadillac Ranch, where classic cars have been transformed into street art canvases. Other attractions include Art Deco–style buildings and the American Quarter Horse Hall of Fame & Museum, dedicated to the breed of horse. The city, in the Texas Panhandle, is also a gateway to Palo Duro Canyon State Park.