With Texas being so big, it only makes sense that there would be some teeny tiny towns we've never heard of. However, these towns are more than just a general store and tumbleweeds blowing across the road - they actually have redeeming qualities that make them worth a visit. Here are 8 of our top picks:
1. Ennis
Ennis, south of Dallas, is known for motorsports, Czech heritage, and one of the most beautiful wildflower displays in all of Texas. The highest drag racing speed so far in the world, 333.95 MPH, was set here, and the National Polka Festival is held here annually.
2. Turkey
Turkey is located far up in the Panhandle and was the childhood home of famed swing musician Bob Wills. The town hosts a celebration every year in his honor complete with a parade, cook-offs, dancing, and a fiddling contest. There's also an old general store that's been in operation since 1927. You'll feel like you've traveled back in time to the Old West - maybe the ghosts of Bonnie and Clyde hang out here. It would definitely be the perfect town for them.
3. Poteet
Poteet, south of San Antonio, is one of those towns that never lets you forget you're in Texas. They host the annual Strawberry Festival every April with live country music concerts, livestock auctions, a rodeo, carnival, and every strawberry food you can think of with a heaping side of Texas charm.
4. Hico
Hico is a quaint little town southwest of Fort Worth whose motto is "Everybody is somebody in Hico!" It's true - with a population just over 1,000, it's a rarity when locals see new faces. There are tons of outdoor attractions like fishing, hunting, and golfing, but the main attraction is the pie at Koffee Kup Cafe. Their homemade pie "fixes everything," so they say, and it's definitely an experience not to be missed.
5. Marathon
Marathon is another town that seems like it belongs in a Pecos Bill story rather than real, present-day life. It's known as the "gateway to Big Bend," and consists mostly of cute little motels and RV parks for travelers to stop at before the last leg of their journey. There are ruins of old buildings like the town bank and jail that are still intact enough to tour and imagine residents going in and out many years ago. Plus, that view of the approaching mountains is undoubtedly one for the books
6. Alpine
I actually did an article on Alpine a while back because I think it's just that cool. It's a little diamond in the rough (the brutal West Texas desert, that is) with shops, good food, a brewery, and the historic Holland Hotel.
7. West
West is a little Czech community north of Waco. This bakery easily has the best kolaches in the entire state, and the annual Westfest, a Czech festival with polka dancing, music, and a carnival is an event that belongs on your bucket list for sure.
8. Glen Rose
Do you wanna see some dinosaur tracks? Glen Rose is home to Dinosaur Valley State Park, where you can stand on the exact spots that those majestic creatures stood on millions of years ago. How cool is that?
Have you ever visited one of these towns? What was your favorite thing about it?
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