The big cities of Dallas, Fort Worth, and Austin come to mind when many people think of Texas, but there are plenty of smaller towns that can represent the Lone Star state just as well. Eight of the top underrated small towns were compiled by KXAN, each with unique features that warrant a visit.
These eight towns are Amarillo, Dublin, Gruene, Dripping Springs, Rockport, Granbury, Fredericksburg, and Marfa.
The town of Amarillo can be found along Route 66, KXAN reported, and it is home to some uniquely Texas attractions. Visitors of Amarillo can stop by Cadillac Ranch and The Big Texan Steak Ranch. At Cadillac Ranch, people are able to spray paint on Cadillacs.
Those who eat at The Big Texan Steak Ranch are given the chance to have their meal for free, if they can successfully eat a 72-ounce steak in less than 20 minutes, according to KXAN.
The city of Dublin can be reached through just a two-hour drive from the DFW region, the city’s official website shares. Right under 4,000 people live in the town, and around 9,000 live across the entire zip code.
“Legendary golfer Ben Hogan lived here as a child, Dublin Bottling Works continues to produce a robust line of pure cane sugar sodas (after bottling Dr. Pepper for 120 years), and, in 2005, Governor Rick Perry signed a bill designating us the official Irish Capital of Texas,” the Dublin website shares.
Gruene is a rustic Texas town that is located on the Guadalupe River. Restaurants, fishing opportunities, and more make it easy to enjoy the southern charm when visiting. This small town is one of the best places to experience Texas life, according to KXAN.
One of the best places for enjoying Texas nature is the small town of Dripping Springs, found about 25 miles away from Austin. In addition to the state parks, visitors can also stop by a number of wineries and distilleries, KXAN reported.
The coastal town of Rockport has been a special vacation spot for many Texans since it was first incorporated, according to the city’s official website,
“The charming fishing village of Rockport has been a favorite coastal hideaway for wealthy Texans since the 1800s. It was named for the rock ledge underlying its shore and was founded just after the Civil War as a cattle slaughtering, packing and shipping port,” the website shares.
The town of Granbury has plenty of attractions for visitors to take in, according to KXAN, including the Granbury City Beach off Lake Granbury, Granbury Opera House, and the Historic Granbury Square, which boasts more than 40 unique stores.
Fredericksburg is considered a great town to escape to for a relaxing trip. There are deep German roots in the town, KXAN reported, which was founded in the mid-1800s. The town also hosts Oktoberfest every year. Nestled in Texas Wine Country, visitors can also do tastings on foot by following the Urban Wine Trail.
Marfa is a small Texas town in the Big Bend region of West Texas. It is home to just around 2,000 people. It has been called “America’s Coolest Art Town,” according to KXAN. In addition to having a look at the various art installations, visitors also enjoy watching the strange spectacle of the Marfa Lights dancing across the horizon.