The Most Underrated Spots In Texas

Texas offers nationally esteemed attractions, like The Texas Capitol building or Big Bend National Park. However, there are many more spots with equal, if not more, interesting aspects to them, they simply don’t get the attention they deserve. From stunning waterfalls and leafy lakes, to automobile graveyards and beach-side piers, Texas is dotted with locations ideal for your next excursion. Here are some of the most underrated places to explore.

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Cadillac Ranch

Art Gallery

Cadillac Ranch is a public art instillation created in 1974 by architects Chip Lord Hudson and Doug Michels, featuring different generations of Cadillac cars. You can now stop by this roadside attraction to make your own mark on the art instillation. Grab some spray paint and go to town contributing to the already colorful designs on each car.

Randol Mill Park

Park
This park is somehow incredibly peaceful and lively at the same time. You can play basketball, fish, visit the family aquatic center, or simply walk along the trails and enjoy the large trees lining the lake. If you’re in the area, it’s a great place to have fun or relax in the gorgeous Texas nature.

San Antonio Riverwalk

Building, Park
San Antonio is generally an underrated city, and consequently many of the city’s main attractions get less attention then they deserve. The Riverwalk in San Antonio is a great Texas attraction. Along the river you’ll find local artisans, live music coming from a variety of upscale and casual dining places, high-arched bridges connecting the opposing riverside walkways, riverboats, occasional river parades, and a beautiful lights display during the holidays.

Pleasure Pier

Amusement Park
In the 1940s the Pleasure Pier in Galveston served as a recreational facility for the US Military. After a long period of different uses, in 2012 the Pleasure Pier was finally opened. The pier is promised to be a blast, holding 16 rides, retail shops, cafés and restaurants, including the famous Bubba Gump Shrimp Co.. After a day of fun and rides, you can enjoy your dinner or cocktail while soaking up the view of the sea – something you can’t get anywhere else in Texas.

Balmorhea State Park

Park
In the middle of the desert sits Balmorhea State Park, an oasis if ever there was one. Featuring a 25-foot deep spring-fed pool, with waters coming from the San Solomon Springs, it’s a truly refreshing location – especially nice during the 100°F degree Texas summer days. The water temperature naturally remains between 72-76°F degrees year-round and the pool was actually built around the springs, thus allowing for freshwater fish to roam the pool right along with you!

Caddo Lake

Park
Caddo Lake State Park lies on the border between Texas and Louisiana. It’s the second largest lake in the South. You can kayak or take a steam paddler along the waters and through the bayous and cypress trees, however swimming is not recommended as there are alligators lurking beneath the lily-pads! If you’re looking for Southern charm, then look no further than Caddo Lake.

Gorman Falls

Perfect for outdoor enthusiasts and nature lovers alike, Gorman Falls is located in Texas’ Colorado Bend State Park. The hike up to the falls is fairly short, at only 1.5 miles round trip. Imagine cascades falling onto the moss-covered limestone rocks. Below the falls is a grotto. You can take tours of both the falls and the wild caves surrounding it. This is truly an underrated but magnificent experience.

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.