East Texas Guide: Things to Do and Places to See

The Texas featured in popular culture is usually centered around cowboy culture and sprawling ranches, such as the iconic King Ranch in South Texas or the legendary 6666 Ranch in the rolling plains near the Texas Panhandle. Contrarily, we see the Lone Star State of West Texas with its rough-and-tumble boomtown attitude and love of Friday Night Lights.

It might be surprising to some that East Texas is the land of the Pineywoods region with its dense pine forests and the majestic swamplands of Caddo Lake State Park, where bald cypress trees draped in Spanish moss rival the setting of a Disney theme park ride.

“Nestled in the lush, pine-covered hills of the Lone Star State, East Texas is a region that boasts an abundance of natural beauty, rich history, and an unmatched sense of hospitality,” says Texas Time Travel. “From the quaint small towns to the serene landscapes, a journey through East Texas is an unforgettable exploration of the lesser-known treasures this area has to offer.”

Let’s look at things to do and places to see on your next visit to East Texas:

•     Caddo Lake State Park (Karnack): Explore this mystical swampland with its towering cypress trees spread across almost 500 acres on the Big Cypress Bayou. This park sits west of the 25,000+ acre Caddo Lake, which straddles the Texas-Louisiana border.  You can paddle through the bayous by canoe or kayak and spot alligators, birds, and other wildlife in this unique ecosystem. Fun fact: Caddo Lake is generally considered the only natural lake in Texas.
•     Tyler Rose Garden (Tyler): Tyler is the self-proclaimed “Rose Capital of America” thanks to its municipal rose garden that features over 38,000 rose bushes representing 500+ varieties from classic hybrid teas to vibrant floribundas. As a bonus, the nearby Tyler State Park offers hiking trails, fishing, and camping among beautiful pine forests. Check out the Whispering Pines Natural Trail, laid out almost 100 years ago by the Civilian Conservation Corps. 
•     Jefferson Historic District (Jefferson): Charming Victorian town offers historic home tours, antique shopping, and ghost tours in a setting of 19^th-century architecture. This formerly bustling riverport featured steamboats chugging up the Big Cypress Bayou. The area is for history lovers with more state-registered historic structures than anywhere else in Texas.  
•     Texas Country Music Hall of Fame/Tex Ritter Museum (Carthage): Country fans will love this facility that opened in 2002. Each August, the Hall of Fame celebrates its newest members with the Annual Classic Country Music Festival Weekend. The hall of fame and museum also keep an eye on the future with its annual John Ritter Tribute Showcase, an opportunity for young talent to shine. 
•     Oldest Town in Texas (Nacogdoches): The oldest town in Texas is considered to be Nacogdoches by many, as it was founded in 1779. While Texas has famously been home to “six flags,” Nacogdoches has been under nine flags in its storied history: The flags included the Spanish, French, Gutierrez-Magee Rebellion, Dr. James Long Expedition, Mexican, Fredonia Rebellion, Lone Star, Confederate Stars & Bars, and the United States of America. 
•     East Texas Oil Museum (Kilgore): Pine trees and swamps aside, East Texas has some things in common with the rest of the state, such as its rich oil history. Since its discovery in the 1930s, the East Texas Oil Field (located in the east-central part of Texas in Rusk, Gregg, Smith, Upshur, and Cherokee counties) has produced 6 billion barrels of oil. The museum, located at Kilgore College, pays tribute to the oil producers and wildcatters of East Texas. 
•     Lake Sam Rayburn (Jasper area): This is the largest lake completely within Texas and one of the 10 biggest lakes in the U.S., with a surface area of 114,500 acres and approximately 750 miles of shoreline. Located on the Angelina River, about 80 miles north of Beaumont, Lake Sam Rayburn offers boating, swimming, camping, and world-class bass fishing. Nearby Angelina National Forest is known for its hiking and wildlife viewing. 
•     First Monday Trade Days (Canton): Held Thursday through Sunday before the first Monday of each month, this get-together is called the largest and oldest continuously operated flea market in the U.S. Pickers, thrifters, creators, and makers all rub elbows with some weekends drawing nearly 100,000 shoppers. Tracing its roots back to the 1850s, today you can find food, live entertainment, and an array of collectibles, furniture, home décor, arts and crafts, vintage clothing, and other items spread across 450 acres. 
•     Martin Creek Lake State Park (Tatum): This park offers excellent bass fishing, peaceful camping, and serene hiking trails around a scenic 5,000-acre lake, surrounded by pine and hardwood forests. A bonus for some is that this state park can be less crowded than others in East Texas, and the power plant on Martin Creek Lake keeps the waters warm year-round. 
•     Texas State Railroad (Palestine to Rusk): Vintage steam and diesel locomotives take passengers across the timeless rails of the Piney Woods Route between the quaint East Texas towns of Palestine and Rusk on a 50-mile round trip adventure. This is a bucket list item for kids of all ages and train enthusiasts. 
•     Big Thicket National Preserve (Kountze): Called by some the “biological crossroads of North America”, this national preserve protects a diverse ecosystem where desert, swamp, and forest meet. Hiking trails and waterways meander through 100,000+ acres. What you see today was once an area measuring roughly 3.5 million acres!
•     East Texas Arboretum (Athens): Enjoy 100 acres of wooded beauty including trees, flowers, and wildlife. There are two miles of woodland trails to traverse, including a 115-foot suspension bridge.
•     Davy Crockett National Forest (Kennard): This 160,000-acre national forest is a fine example of the Piney Woods ecosystem. Enjoy hiking, camping, and fishing in this expansive forest. The Four C National Recreation Trail is a popular 20-mile hike from Ratcliff Lake Recreation Area to the Neches Bluff Overlook.
•     Cherokee Trace Drive-Thru Safari (Jacksonville): This wildlife park is home to over two dozen exotic and endangered species that you can view via a self-guided drive through a 300-acre preserve. Animals you might spot include the African crested porcupine, bison, capybara, camels, emus, llamas, kangaroos, zebras, yaks, and a wide variety of deer and antelope. 
•     Beaumont Museums and Downtown: Tour the Fire Museum of Texas, home to the world’s largest fire hydrant. Explore the Texas Energy Museum, and learn more about the 1901 Spindletop gusher that ushered in the U.S. oil age. Visit the St. Anthony Cathedral Basilica, a Texas Historic Landmark. Beaumont blends Cajun influences, lively festivals, and Texas history near the Gulf.

Of course, this is just a brief taste of what East Texas has to offer, as the area, like most of Texas, is huge, stretching roughly 230 miles west from the Louisiana border and 250 miles North to South from the Red River to the Gulf Coast. In all, there are more than 200 cities and towns to visit in the region, along with 20+ state parks, four national forests, and dozens of wildlife management areas. 

Visit East Texas today to enjoy its blend of history, culture, and natural beauty.