Must-see attractions in East Texas

Get a sense of the simple life led by less-affluent farmers at c 1835 Durst-Taylor house. Docents grow gardens appropriate to the period here and…

The local history museum is housed in a landmark 1915 building. Exhibits are well funded and include the life of a local man serving as a confederate…

Admire the talents of luminaries such as Rodin and Matisse in this tranquil sculpture garden, on the north side of the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston.

The Star of The Republic Museum tells a glossy story of early Texas through artifacts and exhibits.

The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston curates the impressive historical decorative arts collection (1600s to 1850s) displayed here. The 1928 home once belonged…

'Any day above ground is a good one.' That's the trademark of the National Museum of Funeral History. If you've ever wanted to see a coffin collection…

You never know which wildly decorated autos you’ll see in this small indoor museum, which honors the annual, not-to-be-missed Houston Art Car Parade…

Your place to frolic downtown. This 12-acre park has a lake, playground, fountains to splash in, outdoor art, restaurants and a performance space. The…

Gorillas, elephants and moon jellyfish are a few of the 6000 residents of the 55-acre Houston Zoo. Activities include wildlife talks catering to different…

An activity-filled museum, where little ones can learn how stuff works, create inventions, play games or draw in an open-air art studio. Admission is free…

In the countryside 4 miles northeast of Round Top look for the Winedale historic village, part of the University of Texas at Austin. Tours are by…

East Texas has four large national forests, the largest being Sam Houston National Forest, covering 255 sq miles just miles north of Houston between I-45…

Rehoused in a superb new facility 17 miles southeast of Houston, after its previous Galveston home was battered by Hurricane Ike in 2008, the Lone Star…

Oil is not the only kind of drilling Kilgore is famous for; the town also claims bragging rights as home to the world's oldest women's precision drill…

Over 102,000 fans pack behemoth Kyle Field for Aggie games. It's one of largest football stadiums in this football-crazed state – one notorious for…

El Camino Real, the royal road connecting missions between Mexico City and current-day Louisiana, ran right through Nacogdoches. At Mission Tejas State…

Trace the town's boom – and bust – at the evocative East Texas Oil Museum, with vivid exhibits that do an admirable job re-creating the pre-oil discovery…

A quick drive from San Jacinto park, the 1914 battleship USS Texas served in WWI and WWII. Now moored next to the busy Buffalo Bayou ship channel, the…

With 251 sq miles, Davy Crockett National Forest is one of the less developed forests and contains the Ratcliff Lake Recreation Area, and the picturesque,…

You can get a real feel for old Houston from the 19th-century buildings that line two sides of the square, the historical center of downtown. A few…