The 8 Most Overrated Places To Go In Texas
Texas is known for it’s heat, Tex-Mex and the famous Texas BBQ. Since it’s the second largest State in America, you can find many places to go. There are definitely some nice spots, but there are also some cities and places which are interesting to visit, but also a little bit overrated. Here you can find some of them.
Austin
The capital of Texas is definitely one of the trendy places to go in Texas and enjoy life music, eclectic creative scene and some weird looking people walking down the streets. ”Keep Austin weird” is the motto of one of the fastest growing cities in America, but it seems like the live music capital of the world is trying too hard, instead of actually being that different and weird place it wants to be. Back in the days, the capital of Texas used to be strange and weird, they say. Today, ”the little slice of Cali in the middle of Texas”, turned into endless roads full of traffic, higher prices, and bars full of tech dudes. Austin definitely failed to stay ”weird”, but also it’s still far from being like California. So, for the moment Austin stays in that middle zone between ”being cool” and ”being weird”.
Houston
This large metropolis is the fourth biggest city in America and one of the most overrated places to go in Texas. But the truth is that despite of its size, there is not much to do there. A lot of noise for nothing. One of the few things you could do when in Houston is visit the NASA’s astronaut training and flight control complex. You can also check the Aquarium, the Theater district and that’s about it. The nightlife is nothing compared to Dallas, especially for the size of the city, the food in Austin is much better, there are also not so many activities and places to go when in Houston. So, if you are planning a trip there, think twice. Unless you really want to see that space center.
San Marcos
Called the most hippie town in Texas, San Marcos is definitely one of the places which are pretty overrated. All these sugar coated words about this small place, are a little bit unnecessary and texans tend to say how amazing this place is, while in reality, San Marcos is not as exciting. This college Hill country town has some weirdness of its own, trying to be different. Maybe not as hard as Austin though. One of the main activities in San Marcos is studying (because of the Texas State university), drinking beer in one of the dive bars, tubing on the river and camping. So, if you are not interested in any of those experiences, San Marcos is not one of the places you should visit while in Texas.
Marfa
This cute little town in West Texas is an absolute gem for some folks looking for unique destinations, strange Prada art installations in the middle of the desert, or some extreme situations which include scorpios. It has a lot of art stores, cute spots for Instagram pictures, the famous Marfa lights and if you like crystals, you can definitely find plenty of them around town. Originally, the town was founded in the early 1880s as a water stop. For sure not a very exciting start. But recently Marfa became one of the most popular places to go in Texas. Especially after Beyonce, The Weekend and some other celebrities paid a visit to this little Texas town. The reality is that Marfa is definitely an interesting place, but it is also one of the most overrated places in Texas.
Lockhart
This small town in Texas which is about 35 miles southwest of Austin, is called the BBQ capital of Texas. If you are a big fan of barbecue and you like greasy fingers and lack of beautiful interior, Lockhart is definitely your place. There is not much to see as it’s a really tiny town with a population of 13, 788 people. But barbecue capital of Texas? This is a bit exaggerated, considering the fact that for example, Austin has amazing BBQ spots and honestly I did not see much of a difference between the two (taste wise).
Galveston
This seaside island city on the Gulf Coast of Texas, has been promoted as a ”Vacation paradise for all ages” and one of the places to go. Well, after spending a week there, I can definitely say that it’s not. There are some cool historical places. But if you are planning on going there for the beach, you are choosing the wrong place to go to. Galveston’s beach is far from the expectations and there is not much to do there. Most of the restaurants are pretty low scale and the food is not exciting. Hotel Galvez only place which is actually pretty cool, older and more worth it to visit. But unfortunately, you should be a guest of the hotel in order to use the pool and the other facilities.
Corpus Christi
Corpus Christi is a Texas city on the Gulf of Mexico. It’s tucked into a bay and its beaches are sheltered by Padre and Mustang islands. The activities at this little coastal town revolve around water and one of the main attractions there is the Texas State Aquarium where the visitors can see dolphin shows and other entertainment, mostly for kids. It’s definitely more of a family place. Besides the water activities, there is not much to do there except for a few museums and the Whataburger field. Despite the fact that it’s not a very attractive destination, Corpus Christi attracts over 6 million visitors per year and is the sixth-largest port in the United States.
South Padre
South Padre Island is a resort town on a barrier island of the same name, off the southern coast of the State of Texas. It’s known for its beaches and calm waters and the beach itself is definitely nicer here than in Galveston or Corpus Christi. It seems like South Padre also has more attractions to go to and things to do like paddleboarding, horse riding on the beach, going on a dolphin-watching cruise and…that’s it. In general, if you are choosing the Texas coast over the one in Florida, there are maybe two possible reasons – it’s closer to you or because it’s cheaper.
At the end of the day, Texas is a Southern State. A bit more conservative and strange for some people visiting from another state or country. But it does have its own charm and culture which is worth seeing. Have you been to any of these places in Texas. If so, you can share your opinion in the comments below.
Featured image source: https://www.pinterest.com/
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