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
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Lockhart, Texas: A Guide to the Classic Joints in the Barbecue Capital of Texas
Lockhart is the official Barbecue Capital of Texas. Here’s a guide to Kreuz Market, Smitty’s, Black’s and how to plan a tasty…
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Visiting Blue Bell Creameries in Brenham: What You Can Do, Hours and Downtown Stops
Blue Bell’s Brenham visitor center offers an observation deck, museum and ice cream parlor. Here are current hours, a fall closure and…
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Gruene, Texas: Visiting Gruene Hall, the General Store and the Historic District
Gruene Hall, built in 1878, anchors a charming historic district in New Braunfels with an old general store, river views and live…
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Granbury, Texas: A Historic Square, an 1886 Opera House and Lake Views an Hour From Fort Worth
Granbury’s 1890s courthouse square, 1886 Opera House and lakeside City Beach make one of North Texas’s easiest small-town day trips.
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Waxahachie, Texas: Gingerbread Homes and One of the State’s Most Striking Courthouses
Waxahachie’s Victorian gingerbread homes, carved-stone courthouse and lively square make an easy day trip south of Dallas.
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Jefferson, Texas: The Old Riverport Town Where East Texas History Still Lines the Streets
Jefferson was once one of Texas’ busiest river ports. Today it’s a quiet, brick-street town of old hotels, museums and historic homes.
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Mineola, Texas: A Small-Town Weekend of Trains, a 1920 Theater and a 2,900-Acre Nature Preserve
Mineola packs a historic theater, an Amtrak depot, a walkable downtown and a nearly 3,000-acre nature preserve into one easy East Texas…
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Nacogdoches, the “Oldest Town in Texas”: What the Claim Means and What to See When You Visit
Nacogdoches proudly calls itself the oldest town in Texas. Here’s the history behind the claim, plus the museums, gardens and brick streets…
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Salado, Texas: A Small-Town Guide to Shopping, Glassblowing and Stagecoach History
Salado’s creekside shops, Salado Glassworks, the historic Stagecoach Inn and free museum make it a perfect I-35 stop between Austin and Waco.
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Comfort, Texas: A Quiet Hill Country Town With a Big Story on High Street
Skip the crowds: Comfort, Texas, offers a walkable 1850s historic district, a powerful Civil War monument and easygoing small-town eats.
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.