Most people visit Texas to see our popular, big cities, such as Austin, Dallas, and San Antonio.
While these are all great Texas vacation destinations, you are missing the best part of the state: our Texas small towns!
Texas has everything from quirky attractions to rolling vineyards dotted with wineries.
Honesty, it would be amiss not to include some small towns on your Texas itinerary, as many of these are some of the top places to visit in Texas!
Let’s check out some of our favorite small towns in Texas!
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Canyon
It is named Canyon because it is the gateway to Palo Duro Canyon, the second largest canyon in the United States.
Most people visit the town of Canyon to visit Palo Duro Canyon, also known as the Grand Canyon of Texas.
While in Canyon, explore the Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum, the largest history museum in Texas, and the Buffalo Lake National Wildlife Refuge.
Granbury TX
One of the most charming small towns in Texas, Granbury will win your heart the moment you see it.
Granbury Lake makes Granbury popular. Located just outside Dallas-Fort Worth, Granbury is a great place to plan a weekend getaway.
Here, you can walk around the historic downtown square, home to several boutique shops and restaurants.
In addition, a couple of great wineries in the downtown area are well worth seeing, such as City Beach Park on Granbury Lake, one of the best lakes in Texas.
There are so many things to do in Granbury, TX, that you can stay busy for months!
Dripping Springs
If you enjoy visiting distilleries and wineries, add Dripping Springs to your list of small towns in Texas!
Dripping Springs is home to several distilleries and wineries.
We love visiting Dripping Springs Vodka, Frog Pond Distillery, and Deep Eddy Vodka when visiting.
Of course, we can’t forget the wineries here.
You want to check out Bell Springs Winery, Solaro Estate, and Driftwood Estate Winery.
In addition, several boutique shops, as is Hill Country Olive Co, are just waiting to welcome you.
Salado
Salado is one of the charming small towns to make our list. Visiting Salado truly makes you feel as though you have stepped back in time to the 19th century.
You can tour the many Salado places listed on the National Register of Historic Places, such as the George Washington Baines House and the Stagecoach Inn.
This small town has 40 historical sites, art galleries, and boutique shops!
Read Next: 23 Fabulous Things to Do in Corpus Christi.
Fredericksburg, TX
Fredericksburg, Texas, is one of the oldest German settlements in the State. It has numerous wineries and Enchanted Rock State Park.
Enchanted Rock State Park is one of Texas’s most popular state parks and a huge draw for Fredericksburg.
Here, you can hike, camp, and explore Enchanted Rock State Park in this historic town.
While visiting Fredericksburg, Texas, explore the many wineries and check out the great shopping along its main street.
The town square has a cute little museum devoted to Fredericksburg’s German heritage.
Nacogdoches
Nacogdoches started as a Spanish settlement and was one of the oldest towns in Texas.
The Missionaries that settled here wanted to convert the American Indians to Christianity.
Today, this east Texas city welcomes tourists to explore its historic downtown and learn about the town’s heritage.
At Stone Fort Museum, you can tour a fort that never served as a fort. Instead, it was a trading post, a private home, a jail, and even a saloon—but never a fort!
A trip to Nacogdoches offers outdoor enthusiasts the opportunity to play disc golf, go fishing, try out horseback riding, or walk around one of the many parks that call Nacogdoches home.
Marble Falls
Marble Falls is a great little town built around Lake Marble Falls, one of the Highland Lakes of Burnet County.
It is home to several great wineries, such as Flat Creek Estate and Spicewood Vineyards, which are well worth a visit.
You will also want to head into town to shop at all of the fabulous boutique shops on Main Street before grabbing a slice of pie from Bluebonnet Cafe.
Bluebonnet Cafe has been serving up delicious pies in Marble Falls since 1929.
Of course, this is also a great area to explore the bluebonnets in Texas if you visit during the springtime.
Port Aransas
Another one of the great coastal towns in The Lone Star State, Port Aransas, should be on your list of small Texas towns to visit.
Known for its sandy shores lining the Gulf Coast, Port Aransas is the perfect place to enjoy some downtime!
There are so many things to do in Port Aransas.
You can go fishing, try windsurfing, or take a relaxing dolphin-watching cruise from this town.
Ennis
Ennis, Texas, was settled in 1872, when the Central and Houston Railroads emerged on this spot.
One of the biggest draws to the small town of Ennis is its annual Ennis Bluebonnet Festival.
This celebration welcomes the blooming of the Texas state flower, the bluebonnet. Guests can drive over 40 miles of mapped driving trails in Ennis to see the gorgeous flowers.
Gruene
The town of Gruene, Texas, was founded in 1872 by Ernst Gruene, a German farmer.
While the downtown area is home to several cute shops, including a general store, that isn’t what draws people to Gruene.
Gruene is home to the famous Gruene Hall, a Texas dance hall that dates back to 1878 and is the oldest continually operating dance hall in Texas!
The history of this dance hall includes performances from country music legends like George Strait and Willie Nelson.
Tubing the river is another popular activity in Gruene, as is eating at the Gristmill Restaurant.
The Gristmill serves great food and honors the town’s history. It is modeled after the original cotton gin that stood there before burning in 1922.
Boerne
Boerne is located on the Guadalupe River in the Texas Hill Country. Visitors to Boerne love shopping at the Hill Country Mile, the town’s historic downtown district.
Boerne has art galleries, eclectic home shops, boutiques, antique shops, and cute cafes to explore.
When you want to spend some time outdoors, you can relax at one of Boerne’s many breweries, distilleries, or wineries.
Boerne is also home to the Cibolo Nature Center and the Guadalupe Nation Forest, offering walking and hiking trails for visitors to enjoy.
New Braunfels
Another great Texas Hill Country town in Texas is New Braunfels.
People flock to New Braunfels to float the river and explore the quirky mix that makes up historic downtown New Braunfels.
In addition to floating the river, you can play at Schlitterbahn Water Park and the beautiful Canyon Lake to keep cool during the hot Texas summers.
You will also find Natural Bridge Caverns and a great drive-in theatre in town.
Be sure to eat at Naegelin’s, the oldest Texas bakery, during your time here. Trust us, you will be glad you did!
Brenham
Brenham is a small town celebrated by Texans.
This town offers the best ice cream in The Lone Star State, Blue Bell.
You can still visit the original Blue Bell Creameries and get a scoop of that delicious ice cream.
Take time to tour more of Brenham while you’re here.
The town has cute murals, an antique carousel, and fun little shops and restaurants.
Read Next: 19 State Parks Near San Antonio
Alpine
Alpine, Texas, is where many visitors to Big Bend choose to stay, but don’t forget to spend some time in Alpine also.
It is home to America’s most remote brewery, Big Bend Brewing Company. The Brewster County Courthouse, Jail, and the Big Bend Museum can also be seen.
Alpine is such a great little town in Texas and well worth a visit!
Wimberley
Wimberley is one of the best small towns in Texas for art lovers and outdoor enthusiasts.
The Wimberley town square is the perfect place to start exploring.
Visit this area’s art galleries, shops, and restaurants before visiting one of the region’s top attractions, the Blue Hole.
Wimberley’s Blue Hole is a popular swimming hole similar to Texas’s Hamilton Pool.
Visit the wineries and distilleries in the area and take a scenic drive down the Devil’s Backbone in the Wimberley area.
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Michelle Snell-Founder/Writer
Born and raised in Texas, Michelle Snell graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree from the University of Texas at Arlington and her Master’s Degree from Texas Wesleyan University. Her passion for travel has taken her all over the world. She has received multiple awards for her writing. She has been featured in numerous publications, including Travel Awaits, Fort Worth Magazine, Fort Worth Weekly, NewsBreak, Voyage Dallas, Ella Inspires Magazine, and more. You can view her complete profile on MuckRacks.
Anastasia Finch
Sunday 12th of May 2024
Thank you! I love tiny artsy towns, so I've added Marfa to my to-visit list.
texasonly
Monday 13th of May 2024
That is so great! Thanks for checking it out, Anastasia!
15 Free Things to Do in San Antonio - Totally Texas Travel
Saturday 4th of May 2024
[…] 30 Charming Small Towns in Texas […]
Shannon
Saturday 17th of June 2023
Great list! We visited Bandera last fall and really enjoyed it.
Anna Schaeffer
Saturday 17th of June 2023
I can't believe I've still never been to Texas AT ALL. Looks so lovely! And omg the FOOD!
texasonly
Saturday 17th of June 2023
You totally need to come!
Alanna
Saturday 17th of June 2023
Dripping Springs looks amazing! And I've heard such great things about Fredericksburg.