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
-
Bandera, Texas: How to Spend a Day in the ‘Cowboy Capital of the World’
Bandera’s free Saturday cowboy shows, frontier museum, honky-tonks and Hill Country State Natural Area add up to a real Western day trip.
-
Albany, Texas: An Art Museum in an 1878 Jail, a Historic Courthouse and Longhorns Up the Road
Albany, Texas packs in a free art museum in an 1878 jail, a restored 1883 courthouse and the state longhorn herd at…
-
Denison, Texas: Eisenhower’s Birthplace, a Prize-Winning Main Street and a Railroad Past Worth the Drive
Ike was born in a small frame house in Denison. Here’s how to tour it, walk the award-winning Main Street and plan…
-
Kerrville, Texas This Fall: Riverside Nature Center, Downtown and a River Trail Update
Kerrville’s River Trail is closed after the July 2026 flood, but Riverside Nature Center and downtown are open. Here’s what to know.
-
Enchanted Rock This Fall: Day Pass Reservations, Hunt Closures and Tips for Hiking the Summit
Enchanted Rock day passes go fast in fall, and the park closes for several hunts. Here’s how to reserve, when not to…
-
Texas Renaissance Festival 2026 in Todd Mission: Weekend Themes, Dates, Hours and Ticket Tips
TRF runs weekends Oct. 10 to Nov. 29, 2026 in Todd Mission. Here are the weekend themes, hours and how to save…
-
Autumn at the Dallas Arboretum 2026: Pumpkin Village Dates, Ticket Prices and the Harvest Hues Theme
Autumn at the Dallas Arboretum runs through Nov. 1, 2026, with 100,000+ pumpkins in an art-inspired Pumpkin Village. Here’s how to go.
-
Hico, Texas: The Little Town That Claims Billy the Kid, and the Shops and Pie That Bring Folks Back
Did Billy the Kid really die in Hico? Here’s the legend of Brushy Bill Roberts, plus the downtown shops, chocolates and pie…
-
Paris, Texas: The Eiffel Tower in a Cowboy Hat and the Downtown Plaza Worth Staying For
Paris, Texas has a 65-foot Eiffel Tower wearing a red cowboy hat. Here’s how to see it, plus the downtown plaza and…
-
Clifton, Texas: The Norwegian Capital of Texas and Its Bosque County Back Roads
Norwegian settlers put down roots around Clifton in the 1850s. Here’s how to explore the museum, the Norse back roads and FallFest…
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.