Welcome to
The Texas Porch
Pull up a chair, y’all. We’re your front-porch guide to small towns, good eating, weekend road trips and the everyday stories that make Texas feel like home.
Fresh Off the Porch
-
Gonzales, Texas: Visiting the “Come and Take It” Town Where the Texas Revolution Began
See the famous cannon, a nightly light show and a quiet historic square in Gonzales, where the first shots of the Texas…
-
Texas State Railroad 2026: Fall Excursions and The Polar Express From Palestine
The Texas State Railroad runs fall lunch and dinner trains through October and The Polar Express from Palestine Nov. 13 to Dec.…
-
Southside Market in Elgin: A Road-Tripper’s Guide to the “Sausage Capital of Texas”
Elgin’s Southside Market has been smoking sausage since 1882. What to order, a bit of history and how to pair it with…
-
Seguin, Texas: Two Giant Pecans, a Historic Downtown and Pecan Fest on October 24
Seguin, the Pecan Capital of Texas, has two giant pecan statues, a spring-fed park and Pecan Fest on Oct. 24, 2026. Here’s…
-
Navasota, Texas: The Grimes County Railroad Town That Became the Blues Capital of Texas
Navasota honors bluesman Mance Lipscomb with a statue, a mural and a fall blues fest. Here is how to spend a day…
-
Washington-on-the-Brazos State Historic Site: What to See at the Birthplace of Texas After Its Big Renovation
Where Texas declared independence in 1836: Independence Hall, a new museum and townsite, Barrington Farm, hours, admission and fall events.
-
Fredericksburg Beyond Main Street: 5 Lesser-Known Stops Worth the Detour
Skip the Main Street crush for a frontier fort, a 1930s railroad tunnel full of bats, a wildflower farm and Luckenbach’s dance…
-
Texas Deer Season 2026–27: Opening Day, Youth Weekends and License Basics From TPWD
Texas general deer season opens Nov. 7, 2026. Here are TPWD’s official 2026–27 dates, youth weekends, and license and hunter ed basics.
-
State Fair of Texas 2026 Ends Oct. 18: Tickets, Hours, Big Tex and This Year’s Fried-Food Winners
The 2026 State Fair of Texas closes Oct. 18. Here are the hours, ticket deals, Big Tex’s new look and the Big…
-
Bonham, Texas: The Quiet Fannin County Town With a Restored Courthouse, a Frontier Fort and Sam Rayburn’s Home
Bonham pairs a restored 1888 courthouse with Sam Rayburn’s home, a frontier fort village and a CCC-built state park. Here’s how to…
Plan Your Texas Weekend
Day Trips
Scenic drives, hidden swimming holes and getaways within a tank of gas.
Events
Festivals, rodeos, fairs and what is happening around Texas this weekend.
Texas Life
News, history and everyday living for folks who call the Lone Star State home.