10 Historic Sites in Texas That You Shouldn't Miss

July 8, 2021 Flossie Demartino

Texas has great beaches for bird watching, boating, and fishing. Plus golf courses, cowboy and high art culture, and a rich history. Bask on the beach and bird watch between golf games before, during, or after spring break in Corpus Christi, Port Aransas, Crystal Beach, or South Padre Island. Explore East Texas from Dallas to Tyler, Texarkana, Jefferson, and Nacogdoches. Enjoy golf and big city life in Dallas or Houston. Visit Galveston's coastal Strand. Tour West Texas and Hill Country from San Antonio, New Braunfels, Austin, and Fredericksburg to Amarillo and El Paso.
Restaurants in Texas

1. National Ranching Heritage Center

3121 4th St, Lubbock, TX 79409-4103 +1 806-742-0498 [email protected] http://nrhc.ttu.edu
Excellent
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5.0 based on 455 reviews

National Ranching Heritage Center

Open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. except 1 to 5 p.m. on Sunday. Visitors should plan to visit the 19-acre historic park early enough to complete their outdoor tour by 4 p.m. The indoor galleries close at 5 p.m. It takes 45 to 90 minutes to see the 53 ranch structures in the historic park and walk the 1.5 mile pathway. The outdoor park is both wheelchair and stroller accessible. Admission is free.

Reviewed By Outofthewayismyway

Covers several acres plus the indoor museum. Old west stagecoach was a real show piece. Old homesteads and bunkhouses from all over Texas were brought in and rebuilt to period specs. Amazing how people lived in the 1700-1800’s. If you’re in Lubbock it is a must see.

2. The Grove

405 Moseley St, Jefferson, TX 75657-2307 +1 903-665-8018 [email protected] http://www.thegrove-jefferson.com
Excellent
89%
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5.0 based on 162 reviews

The Grove

A one-hour tour of one of Jefferson's most historic - and haunted - locations. The Grove is an 1861 home that uniquely mirrors the history of the riverport city... and the ghost stories there go back over 100 years. The history of the home is fascinating; it is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and is a Recorded Texas Historic Landmark. Along with the history, though, you'll hear ghost stories from the owners and find out just what it's like to live in a haunted home. Come visit The Grove for a peek into Jefferson's past... and a few residents who may still be hanging around!

Reviewed By 807leight - Dallas, United States

We did 4 guided tours in Jefferson and while they were all awesome, this one was my favorite. I loved hearing the history of the house and the feeling of happy spirits who are attached to it. Mitchell is a great story teller and historian. Make sure to put this one in your travel plans!

3. Top O'Hill Terrace

3001 W Division St, Arlington, TX 76012-3425 +1 817-461-8741 [email protected] http://topohillterrace.com
Excellent
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5.0 based on 542 reviews

Top O'Hill Terrace

"Known As Vegas Before Vegas" Decorative wrought iron gates flanked by native sandstone guard towers lend an aura of mystery of mystery and intrigue to the location of what was in the 1930s and 40s, a gambling ground rich and adventurous, mischievous,famous and infamous.

Reviewed By DAC1054

If you come to Arlington, you MUST go to Top O'Hill! Who knew such interesting history happened in this very place .... Bonnie & Clyde and Frank Sinatra??? Oh, my! Vicki does an incredible job of sharing the history with humor and stories told to her by those who were at Top O'Hill in its glory days! Riveting. It's two hours well spent and a place you will be talking about to all of your friends!

4. The Alamo

300 Alamo Plaza, San Antonio, TX 78205-2606 +1 210-225-1391 [email protected] http://www.thealamo.org
Excellent
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4.5 based on 19,155 reviews

The Alamo

Established in 1718 as Mission San Antonio de Valero, for over 300 years the former mission now known as the Alamo has been a crossroads of history. Having existed under six flags of independent nations and served as a garrison for five different armies, the Alamo has a rich history and a heritage to inspire Texans and people around the world. Although the Alamo is best known as the site of the 1836 Battle of the Alamo, all 300 years of Alamo history are vital to our story. Visitors can take a guided battlefield tour, rent a self-guided audio tour, walk through the historic Alamo Church and Long Barrack Museum, listen to a history talk given by an Alamo Interpreter, participate in living history demonstrations, watch a documentary on the history of the Alamo, and much more. Admission to the Alamo is free, but there is a charge for guided and audio tours.

Reviewed By 532stephena - Las Vegas, United States

The Alamo is to Texans what Washington D.C. is to Americans, a historical landmark that definitely deserves a look see. There are several great exhibits, beautifully landscaped grounds, a great little gift shop, and all within walking distance of other attractions such as the River Walk and the Hemisphere grounds and tower. This is where Texas history began!

5. King William Historic District

1032 S Alamo St, San Antonio, TX 78210-1110 +1 210-271-3247 [email protected] http://ourkwa.org/
Excellent
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4.5 based on 773 reviews

King William Historic District

Settled by wealthy German merchants in the late 1800s, San Antonio's first suburb consists of 25 blocks of historic mansions set amid lovely landscaping.

Reviewed By mouchtd - Cincinnati, United States

stumbled across this area while walking from the riverwalk to The Guenther House what an awesome collection of historic home a must see

6. Fort Worth Stockyards National Historic District

2501 Rodeo Plaza, Fort Worth, TX 76164-8212 1-800-433-5747 [email protected] http://www.fortworthstockyards.org/
Excellent
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4.5 based on 5,287 reviews

Fort Worth Stockyards National Historic District

Home to cowboys in addition to historic hotels and western-style shopping.

Reviewed By Millroe - Hitchin, United Kingdom

A great day out visiting the Historical Stockyard district in Fort Worth. A visit to the Wild West Show is also worth considering, we did, and thoroughly enjoyed seeing the different aspects of the Wild West, from lassoing and shooting demonstrations, horsemanship, long horn cattle, Bison and much much more. One of the horse riders was a 8 year old girl and she was brilliant. Afterwards there was a excellent parade of horses through the streets which included a Father Christmas in cowboy gear riding on a stagecoach pulled by Mules. And finally a visit to the actual stockyards is well worth doing to see the different long horns, and for $5 dollars you can be pictured sitting on one. A great day out.

7. Fort Worth Botanic Garden

3220 Botanic Garden Blvd, Fort Worth, TX 76107-3420 +1 817-392-5510 [email protected] http://www.fwbg.org/
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4.5 based on 1,161 reviews

Fort Worth Botanic Garden

Enjoy all four season in the Fort Worth Botanic Garden. No matter the season there is always something spectacular to see, our most popular gardens are the Fuller, Rose, and Japanese. Guest also enjoy the Native Texas Boardwalk, Rock Springs, Four Season, and Back Yard Vegetable Garden. We recommend​ you bring comfortable shoes and bottled water.

Reviewed By cuinthemoon - York, United States

A wonderful way to spend an afternoon. I stopped here on my way to Abilene, the price is very fair. I spent 2 Hours strolling the grounds, I would highly suggest purchasing the fish food because the koi in the ponds are huge and follow you around and were sorely disappointed when I had nothing to give them. Because of covid the only option is to purchase it for $2 in the lobby, they do not take Apple Pay and I left my money in my car because I did not anticipate needing it. Also all the fountains are covered and again they have water in the lobby and there is a cafe at the other end but nothing in between so plan accordingly. Loved the turtles.

8. Texas State Capitol

1100 S Congress Ave, Austin, TX 78704-1728 +1 512-463-0063 http://www.tspb.state.tx.us/
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4.5 based on 7,840 reviews

Texas State Capitol

If it's in Texas, it must be bigger and better. That is the motto that architects followed with the Capitol Building in Austin. At one time, it was the tallest capitol building in the nation. Others might be taller now, but this is still a beautiful building that shows off many of the natural resources which are so prevalent in Texas, such as limestone and the landscapes.

Reviewed By Wanderer776418 - Dublin, United States

A must even if you have little time. Lots of history, recommend you take a tour it’s free if you stop in or with tour company ( shortened version) just to learn some of facts that make it special!

9. Mission San Jose

6701 San Jose Dr, San Antonio, TX 78214-2715 +1 210-932-1001 http://www.nps.gov/saan/planyourvisit/sanjose.htm
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4.5 based on 3,402 reviews

Mission San Jose

Founded in 1720, this Spanish frontier mission, the largest of the five San Antonio missions, is best known for its rose window. On Sundays, this Texas and U.S. National historic site offers a mariachi mass.

Reviewed By GroverR - Pensacola, United States

Of all the Missions in San Antonio, this is the largest, most detailed, and most intact grounds. This mission yard allows you to see what a fully developed mission looked like to provide a community, safety and place to congregate for worship. Here the entire courtyard is in tact and you can see how people lived in the mission walls. You also see a beautiful and large church that has a rose window and incredible carves and details around its entrance. It does of the ruins of the Indian quarters attached to the church and only one bell tower. However, aside from these small imperfections, San Jose is an incredible Mission and now sits in the center of residential neighborhood. Still the site is well preserved and has the protection from the National Parks system. For me the Missions are the number one attraction in San Antonio and San Jose is the best, number one, Queen of the Missions.

10. Bayou Bend Collection and Gardens

1 Westcott St, Houston, TX 77007-7009 +1 713-639-7750 [email protected] http://www.mfah.org/a/christmas-village-at-bayou-bend
Excellent
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4.5 based on 447 reviews

Bayou Bend Collection and Gardens

Bayou Bend is the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston's house museum for American decorative arts and paintings. Displayed in the former home of Houston civic leader and philanthropist Ima Hogg (1882-1975), the collection is one of the finest showcases of American furnishings, silver, ceramics, and paintings in the world. The house is situated on 14 acres of organically maintained gardens in Houston's historic River Oaks neighborhood.

Reviewed By larryd1941

Comparing the Bayou Bend American furniture rooms to DuPont's Winterthur Museum is unfair, as they both have excellent collections of American furnihings but Bayou Bend has a less comprehensive view of 18th and 19th century furnishings than Winterthur. It is still high on my list of National "must see" Museums. Its grounds are enchanting and the Museum feels more like a visit to a wealthy friend's home (a la Marjorie Merriweather Post's Hillwood in Washington, DC) than to a major Museum of American furniture (Winterthur in Delaware)

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