Gruene is a small Texas Hill Country town with German roots that can be found inside the city of New Braunfels, roughly halfway between Austin and San Antonio. The town, which was once a significant cotton-producing community along the Guadalupe River, now relies almost entirely on tourism to sustain its economy. The famous Gruene Hall is just one of the historic structures you'll see as you stroll through the charming town square. Gruene Hall, the oldest dance hall in Texas, was constructed in 1878. During your trip, you might even run into Willie Nelson himself.

You should go to Gruene if you want to find anything old, retro, or antique. This town is definitely historic, with much of it being included on the National Register of Historic Places. You can take in the atmosphere at the Gruene Hall, one of the oldest open-air dance halls in Texas, or even stay at the Greune Family Home, an utterly charming Victorian-style structure that was built in 1872. If the tourist crowds become too much, leave the city and observe the Guadalupe River raging by.

Perusing the vintage goods is always enjoyable, and there are plenty of kitschy keepsakes for the whole family. Oh, and be sure to take some of their homemade fudge with you! Maybe it's the best in Texas. The pristine Guadalupe River runs directly through the town and is a major hotspot for fly fishing and tube riding. Old Gruene Market Days, which take place the first weekend in December and the third full weekend of every month from February through November, brings together close to 100 artisans who sell a variety of handmade goods. While shopping, you can enjoy wine tastings, dining options, live entertainment, and everything from furniture to food. All that exploring sure works up an appetite, and there's no better place to indulge your hunger than the Gristmill.

Fredericksburg, named after Prince Frederick of Prussia, was established in 1846 by German immigrants and is the center of German culture in America. There are a few locations in Fredericksburg where beer lovers can sip on a few steins of the good stuff. These include the Auslander, which is also a restaurant where you can tuck into pretzels and sausages, the Altdorf Biergarten, the Fredericksburg Brewing Company, where you can take a tour, and others.

This quaint small town, tucked away in the beloved Texas Hill Country, is the ideal location for a weekend getaway. There is always something to do here thanks to the numerous award-winning wineries, outstanding restaurants, events for each season, and stunning scenery. The best part is that Fredericksburg has a ton to offer without any of the chaos found in big cities where people are constantly on the go. You might want to move here after learning that the area has a strong German heritage that is evident everywhere. You're about to learn why Fredericksburg has a good quality of life as well as experience it for yourself.

Fredericksburg is unique in that each season brings new activities that you can include wherever you see fit in your itinerary. For instance, the Marktplatz comes to life in a display of traditional German Christmas cheer during the holiday season. The most wonderful time of the year is especially magical here, from the holiday shopping on Main Street to the 30-foot tree and genuine German Christmas pyramid. Since you'll already be exploring the Marktplatz on your first night, a holiday stroll around the town square would be ideal!

Texas is home to many old, sleepy towns, but Jefferson might be the most unique of them all. Nearly 100 historic structures can be found in this pre-Civil War community, which is tucked away in the eastern Piney Woods. The National Register of Historic Places has listed many of them. Jefferson is a quaint, pre-Civil War small town tucked away in the eastern part of the state and is arguably one of the best-kept secrets in Texas. Nearly 100 historical sites make up this hidden gem, which is encircled by the lush Piney Woods and many of which are also included on the National Register of Historic Places. The majority of the town's historic structures are residences, Victorian mansions that have been passed down through generations of local families.

You can get a detailed look at how the earliest residents of Jefferson lived by visiting one of the many homes that are available for public tours. The tour is especially magical during the holidays when the homes are decorated for the season and visitors stroll the streets by candlelight. The Jefferson General Store, which dates back to the 1860s, is another important landmark. It started out as a hardware store before changing into a five-and-dime with all the essentials. The store's shelves are stocked with reminiscence-inducing candies, toys, five-cent coffee, and other vintage goods, making a visit like stepping back in time.

One of the strangest places in all of America is Terlingua, located in Far West Texas about 12 miles from the Rio Grande and the Mexican border. Jackson Hole is not this town, despite being blatantly a tourist destination. Only a few hundred people call Terlingua their home; depending on the time of year, there are miles and miles of unspoiled natural beauty and this area. It was established in the 1880s as a quicksilver mining community, but by 1942 the mines had been shut down, making it a true ghost town. A small but thriving community still exists today, and the river guides, retirees, artists, lost souls, seekers, prickly introverts, park rangers, and ardent desert enthusiasts who make up the local community play a significant role in what makes Terlingua such a singular, fascinating place to visit.

It would be a shame to visit Terlingua without taking in the breathtaking natural magnificence that Big Bend National Park and it's even more remote neighbor, Big Bend Ranch State Park, have to offer. There are many geological wonders in the area, including the vast Chihuahuan Desert and steep, dramatic canyons as well as rough mountains. The South Rim offers the best views in the national park (and all of Texas) if you're up for a 12-mile hike, but it's a challenging ascent. If you're not up for the challenge, the Lost Mine Trail is a miniature version of the South Rim and offers breathtaking views of Mexico's Sierra del Carmen, Juniper Canyon, and Casa Grande.

Additionally, you must visit the Boquillas Hot Spring and Santa Elena Canyon (the latter, a natural hot spring pressed up against the Rio Grande, is an especially welcome activity after an all-day hike). And in the state park, which, depending on when you visit, may be largely to yourself, you'll find pristine, untamed wilderness. Both the Cinco Tinajas Loop and the stunning slot canyon hike known as Closed Canyon are under three miles round-trip.

Located less than an hour from San Antonio in the untamed Texas Hill Country is the town of Bandera. You might believe you have entered a movie set when you see the hitching posts dotted throughout the town. But it isn't, so be clear about that. At neighborhood watering holes, it's common to see motorcycles parked next to horses tied to hitching posts or a horse-drawn wagon blending in with Main Street traffic. With fewer than 1,000 residents, Bandera is a small town by any measure, but it has one of the strongest cowboy cultures you'll find anywhere.

The moniker "Cowboy Capital of the World" given to Bandera is not boastful. You can learn more about Bandera's role as the Great Western Cattle Drive's starting point in the 1800s by visiting the Historical Plaza. A memorial honors the numerous world champion rodeo cowboys who have called Bandera home on the lawn of the courthouse. You can enjoy an eight-second ride during the summer while watching young cowboys hone their skills at weekly rodeos. Learn more about these cowboys by going to the Frontier Times Museum. The Bandera Cattle Company performs historical recreations of these bygone eras every Saturday afternoon.

Many dude ranches, according to some, make Bandera the Cowboy Capital of the World. Since the 1930s, local ranches have welcomed visitors and introduced people from all over the world to the cowboy way of life. Many newcomers have come here and within a day or two have learned how to toss a lasso, perfect their swagger, and sit tall in the saddle. The wranglers converse with their guests in Yee-Haw while they sit around the campfire under the stars and tell tales.

Consider this to be a timeless myth. There once was a town in Texas, specifically the unincorporated community of Dripping Springs. With its limestone cliffs and rolling hills, this small town over time gained a growing number of local visitors. In fact, Dripping Springs eventually began compiling lists of the top small towns in Texas, which confused some Texans who lived outside of the state. However, it was simple to understand how this small town rose to become one of the coolest in Texas for those who had traveled to Dripping Springs and had actually spent time at the Hamilton Pool Preserve or the numerous brewpubs and distilleries.

Hamilton Pool is Dripping Springs' most well-known landmark, but the tiny community of fewer than 10,000 residents also have a lesser-known attraction. A wide range of options are created by light, darkness, and everything in between. There is something for everyone with more than a dozen beers available on tap. Whether you prefer a traditional IPA or notes of sweet potato and marshmallow, you can be sure to find your preferred brew here. With a delicious meal to go along with it, good alcohol tastes even better. Massive hamburgers and other greasy favorites are excellent at soaking up alcohol.

Dripping Springs is a small town with much more to offer than just tasty craft beer and distilleries. In actuality, this tiny community is the key to one of Texas' most stunning locations. The town's rolling hills are home to the Hamilton Pool Preserve, a real gem. You simply have to see it in person to believe it's real, but this 232-acre park is complete with a waterfall swimming hole built right into the limestone cliffside.

Due to its distinctive round-topped tower, which can be seen from miles away, this town gained notoriety around the turn of the nineteenth century. This town might not even be visible from the highway, but it is worth stopping in any case. This would be the ideal town to make a pit stop or even spend the night if you are an antiques enthusiast. Round Top, Texas, is located in Fayette County's northern region. A small town with a reputation for its vintage arts and crafts. There are many different entertainment options in this small town for both local residents and tourists. If you're traveling through Texas, a stop in the safe community of Round Top would be ideal.

This tiny plot of land in Texas, halfway between Austin and Houston, has grown into a small town. The name of this small town was originally "Townsend", but it was later changed to "Round Top". The postmaster's residence was a circular tower, hence the name "Round Top". The Round Top Antique Show, which is held twice a year, is the most well-known thing about Round Top. This festival draws visitors from all over the country, and you can find a wide variety of classic antique souvenirs here.

Round Top and Austin are not directly connected by public transportation. There would be no other choice but to take two buses: one to San Antonio, and another to Schulenburg Weimar. The next step would be to take a taxi to Round Top. From Austin to Round Top, this is regarded as the most expensive and time-consuming method of transportation.

The teeny town of Luckenbach is tucked away right in the middle of Texas Hill Country. Don't be deceived by the small residential population that exists within the town's boundaries. The unincorporated area located about 60 miles north of San Antonio is much busier than you might think. Luckenbach is located just over nine acres away from the much larger Fredericksburg, at a distance of less than 20 kilometers. The Luckenbach Post Office (1850) and the former general store, which served as both a store and a saloon, are two charming old structures to admire in this area. If you enjoy country music, you should definitely check out a performance here since Luckenbach has a long-standing affinity for the genre.

However, Luckenbach quickly reinvented itself as a country music venue and vacation spot. To experience the laid-back atmosphere that supports the town's motto, "everybody is somebody in Luckenbach", visitors come from far and wide to the Luckenbach Dance Hall, one of Texas' most legendary venues. The legendary Willie Nelson, who held his renowned Fourth of July picnics in Luckenbach from 1995 to 1999, is one of the many, many talented Texas country music performers who have delighted the crowd at Luckenbach.

There are plenty of quaint little towns to discover in Texas, and Rockport should definitely be on your list of places to visit. Hurricane Harvey wreaked havoc on this charming little fishing town, but it recovered even better than before. You'll be spending a lot of time with your toes in the sand, so bring plenty of sunscreen. The Clean Beaches Coalition, a national group that advocates for clean beaches all over the world, designated Rockport Beach as the first Texas beach to be certified as a Blue Wave Beach. The pristine waters, fine white sands, and breathtaking views are unmatched.

After getting a good tan, spend some time cooling off at the Texas Maritime Museum. You can browse a variety of exhibits here that include equipment used for navigation and artifacts from the shipbuilding, oil, and gas industries. Additionally, there is an observation area where guests can take in the famous Texas sunsets. The Fulton Mansion State Historic Site, a restored house designed with 19th-century French Second Empire architecture in mind, is another well-liked indoor attraction. Tuesday through Sunday, tours are offered. By now, you must be starving, so proceed to the Boiling Pot for a delicious seafood meal. Although it may not appear to be much from the outside, the food is excellent.

Marfa is still widely regarded as a "ghost town" because it is largely empty and uninhabited. There are a few shops, a courthouse, and a tiny town square, but you hardly ever see people walking around or another car on the road. You might be wondering what caused the town's decline and why it has the reputation of being the spookiest deserted town in Texas. and the Marfa Lights are the fairly straightforward solution.

The kind of place you should visit is Marfa, Texas, if you haven't been there already. It's a Texas experience you simply won't find anywhere else. It's eerie and strange, beautifully abandoned yet in a way that has completely captured the nation. Folks, until you've visited Marfa, you haven't truly appreciated the great state of Texas. It symbolizes a level of complexity that the state, in all of its vastness, simply lacks elsewhere. For those who were bold enough to go outside at night and try to see the anomalies, Marfa even constructed a viewing center. You must acknowledge that Texas will own its peculiarities. Even the most bizarre elements of its deserted locations are on display. Apart from a few buildings, mostly artworks like this Prada store replica in the middle of the desert, the rest of the town is as ghostly as it gets.