Small Town Road Trip Through East Texas

CLN on the Road presents, “Small Town Road Trip Through East Texas”! It shouldn’t shock you that there are several adorable, charming small towns in Texas, well today we wanted to visit some of the best East Texas has to offer! This trip is 790 miles and just under 14 hours, so you’ll want to pick your favorite spots to spend a night or two to get the full feel of these small towns. While we do encourage you to visit these small towns, we also know that there are mandates in certain towns, so please be cautious and do your due diligence before visiting.

Jasper

Our small-town road trip starts in Jasper, Texas. This is a great seasonal stop with tall pine tree-lined roads. It is also known as the “Butterfly Capital of Texas”, full of southern charm and small-town atmosphere Jasper also offers several modern amenities for its visitors.

Hemphill

If you’re looking for the definition of a quaint, charming Southern town in Texas, Hemphill is the best place for you! Complete with a town square full of shops, restaurants, and the Old Sabine County Jail that’s now a museum, this small town won’t disappoint! A fun fact about this town is that a huge piece of the Space Shuttle Columbia was found here after it crashed, and you can visit the Patricia Huffman Smith Museum that commemorates the tragedy and features the real remnants of the shuttle.

Jefferson

Known as one of the most historic towns in Texas, Jefferson makes for a great stop on this road trip! This pre-civil war town is chock-full of history! Some of the most popular landmarks include the Jefferson General Store and the Carnegie Library. If you’re feeling brave and love a good ghost story, then you can consider staying at the Excelsior House Hotel, known as the longest operational hotel in Texas!

Fredericksburg

Fredericksburg is what we like to call a big-small town. Settled in 1846 by German settlers, Fredricksburg is rich in history and culture. There are so many things to do that give you a great experience of hill country including picking ripe peaches at the Marburger Orchard, visiting the largest wildflower farm in America, or explore their national park!

Luckenbach

You’ve heard about this town in several country songs, but what about experiencing the real thing? This is definitely one of the smallest towns on our trip today, but it doesn’t lack in history or true Texas culture. If you caught on by the name, this town was also settled by German immigrants way back in the day but it didn’t end up flourishing like other small towns.

Wimberley

If you are a nature lover, then Wimberley is a must-see for you. Some of the clearest swimming holes in Texas are in this small town. If you’re up for a hike then you can stroll up Mount Baldy or take a walk alongside the river walk. So many things to do in this small, charming town! We recommend staying at least a night to get the full experience of all this town has to offer!

Matagorda

End your road trip on the coast of Texas! This small historic town was once the third-largest port in Texas. Known as the “Hidden Treasure of the Texas Gulf Coast”, there are several things to enjoy in this quaint, coastal town. There are about 22 miles of beach accessible by vehicles and 35 miles only accessible by boat, which makes this a perfect destination for a quiet getaway. Not to mention, there are several wonderful shops and restaurants in town to keep you busy after a day at the beach.

We hope you enjoyed this feature on East Texas, if you have a town you’d like to see mentioned, drop a comment below and maybe it will make our next write up for “CLN on the Road”.