Enjoy Every Minute of the 90 Days of Your Texas Summer

Your family and friends have a lot to pack in this summer. From spending a day in the sun at the beach or the water park to taking in a sport or a festival, your summer bucket list is full! Here are 90 great ways to enjoy your Texas summer.

Even if you’re stuck at home or inside on a wet day, consider an activity from Patten Title’s #MakingMemories list to ensure a single day isn’t lost to the weather.

Let the summer fun begin!

1. Go swimming at Barton Springs Pool in Austin. The 358-acre underground spring runs between 68 and 70 degrees year-round and draws visitors from all over the state.
2. Visit Big Bend National Park in West Texas. You and your crew can see flocks of different bird species and dozens of plant and cactus types, and the naturally rugged terrain makes for a magical environment.
3. With a visit to the Texas State Aquarium in Corpus Christi, you and your family can see aquarium animals, enjoy presentations about dolphins, sharks, and turtles, or take a self-guided “aquaventure” (perfect for tweens and teens).
4. Circle your calendar to spend a day discovering one of Patten Title’s 25 favorite swimming holes in Texas. You can find one nearby or make road trip plans for a fun weekend.
5. Enjoy the Fort Worth Water Gardens, a spectacular water garden oasis that can be found adjacent to the Fort Wayne Convention Center.
6. See the Texas Freshwater Fishery Center, home to dozens of native fish, alligators, and amphibians in 300,000 gallons of indoor water.
7. Swim, fish, tube, canoe, or hike down the beautiful Guadalupe River at Guadalupe State Park. The park loans fishing gear to those who need it.
8. Get close to the alligators at Gator County Adventure Park, an alligator sanctuary in southeast Texas. Roughly 90% of the animals there have been surrendered or rescued. Visitors are allowed to interact with the alligators in a controlled way.
9. Schlitterbahn New Braunfels Waterpark & Resort is the “world’s best waterpark,” according to Adventure Travel. Kids will enjoy trying every kind of slide, ride, and pool imaginable. If you’re looking for something closer to home (or smaller), consider one of Patten Title’s favorite water parks across the state.
10. Swim at Rockport Beach, the first Blue Wave beach in Texas and one of just four in the state. “Blue Wave” beaches have been certified clean and safe with handicap accessibility and swimmable waters.
11. Head down to the Padre Island National Seashore, where you can enjoy 66 miles of one of the few undisturbed coastal prairie habitats in the United States.
12. Take a float trip tour of the Rio Grande. Consider one of the multiple options for launching your canoe or kayak to mosey down one of the state’s most beautiful stretches of water.
13. Learn how to scuba dive and snorkel at Athens State Park, an all-inclusive diving resort that offers classes, training, and a diving store. Kids as young as 10 can be junior certified to dive.
14. Take a dolphin tour in the Gulf of Mexico. There are multiple charters in Galveston to choose from, with options close to restaurants or that include other sightseeing opportunities.

1. Take in a game at Minute Maid Park, home to the current world champion Houston Astros. If you want to avoid game day crowds, you can tour the park when the Astros are on the road. If the Texas Rangers are your favorite team, check out their home schedule at Globe Life Field.
2. Rodeo season is in prime time in Texas in February and March, but summer is still a great time to check out one of the state’s great past times.
3. Play a round of golf at Black Jack’s Crossing Golf Course, rated as the best course in Texas. Bring your RV or camping gear to spend the weekend in this beautiful location.
4. Collect seashells and build a sandcastle on the coast.
5. Plan an outdoor family game night or set up BBQ and games with your friends.
6. Spend a weekend camping at Enchanted Rock State Natural Area and revel in the beauty of the natural rock formations and the scenery.
7. Visit the Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden, one of the top botanical gardens in the world. Make it a date night and register for an upcoming cooking class.
8. A great adventure for families with teens or as a girls’ trip is to hike up Guadalupe Peak, the highest point in Texas. The views are breathtaking from 8,571 feet, and this 8.4-mile round-trip hike will take the whole day.
9. One of the most beautiful show caves in the world, the Caverns of Sonora, is located in the Texas Hill Country. See the unique rock formations on a tour that covers two miles of the caves.
10. See a new or cult flick at a drive-in movie theater. In Houston, check out Moonstruck Drive-In Movie, which shows first-run movies, classics, and even live events. Meanwhile, the Blue Starlite Drive-In Theater has three locations in the Austin area.
11. Unravel the mystery of the Marfa Lights, which appear in different colors randomly through the night. You can enjoy them at any time or wait until the end of the summer to take in the Marfa Lights Festival.
12. Head to South Texas to The King Ranch, 825,000 acres of Texas desert with spectacular foliage and rich history. Take a guided tour of the nature area or learn more about the ranch’s operations.
13. Hike along the banks of the Paluxy River for clues and Sauropod and Acrocanthosaurus tracks at Dinosaur State Park in Glenrose.
14. Explore 90 miles of trails and enjoy the scenery at Caprock Canyons State Park in the Pan Handle. In addition to viewing bats and bison, you can hike, ride horses and swim.
15. Escape technology with a weekend in a treehouse at HoneyTree Hideaways. Parents and kids will have to stow the screens because there is no cell service or cable TV.
16. Climb the 1,825-foot peak at Enchanted Rock, which has a pink granite batholith at the top. The view from the peak is spectacular, and it draws visitors from all over Texas.
17. Don’t miss the start of the Great Texas Balloon Race in Longview. Attracting some of the best balloon pilots in the world, the US Nationals Hot Air Balloon Championships and the Great Texas Balloon Race occur on back-to-back June weekends.
18. Anglers from across the state head to Falcon Lake to fish for bass. Your family can also swim in the freshwater lake or enjoy the area for camping, boating, water skiing, and hiking.
19. Hike the Lone Star Trail, the longest wilderness footpath in Texas at 128 miles. The trail winds through a diverse ecological region, and you can camp and hike the entire length or take on your favorite portions.
20. Instead of going to the Grand Canyon, head to Palo Duro Canyon State Park, which boasts the second-largest canyon in the country. Located in the Texas Panhandle, Palo Duro recently installed glamping sites if you prefer not to “rough it.”
21. For a more local getaway, Pedernales Falls State Park, a 30-minute drive from Austin, is a prime hiking spot. You can also take a picnic for the day or bring your swimsuits to relax in the water hole open for swimming, hiking, bird watching, and horse riding.
22. There are more than 500 species of birds to be viewed at The World Birding Center in the Rio Grande Valley. The center boasts nine sites on a 120-mile stretch, including wetlands, bluffs, and more for both serious and novice birders.
23. Hike Sam Houston National Park to see parts of Texas that date back 12,000 years.
24. The Austin Nature & Science Center has a regular rotation of exhibits, permanent workshops, and seasonal displays.
25. Learn more about geocaching. Your family and friends can join the world’s largest treasure hunt, which can be as intricate as you’d like and is also promoted in most state parks.
26. Hike up Mount Bonnell and take in the beautiful view of Austin. Make plans to see a spectacular sunset at the top.
27. Take the three-mile Gorman Falls hike to check out the spring-fed waterfall at the top. This is an excellent trip for couples, friends, or families with teens because the trek near the top can be treacherous.
28. For a free evening of entertainment, experience Austin’s bats from the Congress Avenue Bridge. Park in a nearby lot and watch them flood the air between 7:45-9 p.m.

1. Try a bottle of something new with a wine tasting at one of our favorite wineries. Some of these have breathtaking views, while others are family or pet friendly.
2. Hop on a shuttle and make the rounds on the Hill County Craft Beer Trail to check out 19 breweries and a host of restaurants. Or pick one of our favorite breweries across Central Texas.
3. Visit Seabrook on the coast to explore the multiple fresh seafood stands and markets. You can sample the fresh gulf shrimp, Red Snapper, and oysters that arrive dripping out of the ocean water.
4. Try new recipes and flavors, or simply pack sandwiches to take for a picnic at your local park.
5. A summer trip through Texas is incomplete without a barbecue stop. Established in 1967, the Salt Lick is one of Texas’ most famous barbecue stops.
6. Enjoy live music, blueberry picking, restaurants, retail shops, and auto exhibits at the Texas Blueberry Festival in Nacogdoches.
7. Take on the 72-ounce steak challenge at the Big Texan Steak Ranch in Amarillo. If you eat your steak in less than an hour, dinner is on the house!
8. Experience dozens of different culinary options with a food tour of Houston. Pick between pub crawls, multi-day tours or dine-around tours among the many options to get a taste of the Houston food scene.
9. Shop for souvenirs and sample Mexican cuisine at San Antonio’s Historic Market Square. This Mexican market also boasts El Mercado shops, specialty farmers market booths, and working artisans.
10. There’s no age to stop listening for the ice cream truck. Snag your favorite summer flavor to relive memories or build new ones with your family.
11. Sample some Round Rock Donuts, which are hand-rolled, cut, fried and iced each day from the original recipe. The yellowish donuts have been a Texas institution since 1926.
12. Visit your favorite farmers market to make a fresh-market dinner for your family. Or pick out ingredients and trade with your partner as you both have to develop a recipe on the fly — like on Food Network’s Chopped — with the other person’s picks.

1. Take a trip to The Alamo, the site of the most famous battle of the Texas Revolution. History buffs can learn firsthand about the larger-than-life characters and seismic events that shaped the Battle of the Alamo.
2. Visit the Kreische Brewery State Historic Site to see one of the first commercial breweries in Texas, which was started by the Kreische family in 1848. Families can step back in time in the three-story stone house or walk through the ruins of the original brewery.
3. See the canyon paintings at Seminole Canyon State Park in Comstock. You can also camp, hike, or bike along the canyon rim with a guide.
4. Take a zipline over Lake Travis for a one-of-a-kind view. You can reach speeds of 65 miles per hour while zipping down some of the longest lines in Texas, so everyone in your group must be at least 14 years old. Pick a night tour with headlamps and glow sticks provided!
5. Visit the restaurants, cypress trees, and shops along the San Antonio River Walk. A summer full of events has been planned, so be sure to check out the events page when making your plans.
6. See the epicenter of space exploration and education at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston. You can view more than 400 artifacts from space and see the permanent and revolving exhibits.
7. Ride the rides at the Galveston Island Historic Pleasure Pier. Families will also enjoy live music, games, retail shops, and many food options.
8. Step back in time with a trip to the Fort Worth Stockyards, a historical district that chronicles the original Old West. View the calendar of events in advance to remember the times of the daily cattle herding and the schedule of live music.
9. Whether your family is seeing the Texas State Capitol in Austin for the first time or the fifth time, there’s always something new. Schedule a tour with a docent or take a self-guided tour to see the legislative chambers, the rotunda, and the agricultural museum.
10. Learn more about the short life of singer Buddy Holly at the Buddy Holly Center in Lubbock. Live music is showcased every Thursday night.
11. The George H.W. Bush Presidential Library and Museum hosts permanent and rotating collections from the period of the 1989-93 Bush presidency as well as the history of the 41st president. Learn about his career in the military, his time in Congress, and the politics of his time in the White House.
12. Book an adventure at the Texas State Railroad. Trips range from a little more than an hour to four hours on historic rail cars. You can dine with friends or see nature with the whole family while on a railway adventure.
13. Exotic animals will visit you at your car at the Exotic Zoo Resort in Johnson City. Or, you can enjoy a guided safari expedition, then stay in one of the on-site cabins overnight.
14. No horse? No problem. Ride the trails with a horse from Bandera Historical Rides, which provides trail horses for one-hour rides up through Cowboy Campouts. Your family can also take riding lessons or enjoy an authentic Chuckwagon dinner on the ranch near San Antonio.
15. Learn how Sam Houston and his Texas revolutionaries freed Texas from Mexico in the “Battle of San Jacinto” at the San Jacinto Museum.
16. History buffs will love exploring the National Museum of the Pacific War in Fredericksburg. A Smithsonian affiliate, it’s recognized as a world-class authority on the Asian-Pacific battles of World War II.
17. Spend your day — and some money — at the Galleria, the seventh-largest mall in America and the biggest in Texas. With more than 400 stores, two hotels, and dozens of restaurants to enjoy, this upscale retail center in Houston even hosts events all summer long.
18. While in Corpus Christi, don’t miss the USS Lexington Museum, which chronicles the story of the WWII ship and its 21 months of fighting in the Pacific.
19. See the Science Behind Pixar, this summer’s exhibit at the Perot Museum in Dallas, and learn more about the STEM behind the animation.
20. The Texas Outdoor Musical tells the story of the bold and audacious settlers who arrived at the Texas panhandle in the early 1800s. You can see the outdoor production that runs Tuesdays through Sundays all summer at the Pioneer Amphitheater in the Palo Duro Canyon.
21. Two presidents lived at the Bush family home in Midland, Texas; you can see where — and how — they lived. Tours are given Thursdays-Sundays.
22. The Caddo Indians selected the site of the Caddo Mounds in Alto as their home more than 1,2000 years ago. Learn about their culture and explore the still-standing architecture of the Mounds site.
23. The Kerrville Folk Festival, 18 glorious days of celebrating folk music and “the art of songwriting,” kicks off the summer festival season.
24. Take your favorite gals or your bros to a weekend at the only casino in Texas: Lucky Eagle Casino in Eagle Pass.
25. See the site of “The Texas Chainsaw Massacre” with a visit to the Texas Gas Station, the original gas station/barbecue dive used for the horror film. To really immerse yourself in the movie’s lore, you can spend a night at an on-site cabin.
26. The iconic Bluebonnet House is one of the most photographed houses in the state, and you can see it off Hwy 281 in the Texas Hill Country.
27. Shop the unique stores and restaurants on South Congress Street in Austin.
28. See the best panoramic views of Dallas at the top of the Reunion Tower. The brave at heart can step outside onto the GeO-Deck to see the area from 470 feet in the air.
29. Take a walk through the Bishop Arts District in Dallas and visit the boutiques, restaurants, bars, restaurants, and art galleries in the area.
30. Snap a photo in front of the Greetings from Austin Mural. Afterward, score snacks at La Patisserie, located right next door.
31. Watch the sunset from The Oasis on Lake Travis.
32. Get the inside scoop on the production of Dr. Pepper at the Dr. Pepper Museum in Fort Worth. After your tour, stop at the soda fountain for a Dr. Pepper Float!
33. Take a trip back in time to Terlingua, a ghost town converted to a tourist stop. Started in 1903 by a Chicago industrialist, Terlingua closed in 1942 after the bankruptcy of the Chisos Mining company, which bankrolled the town.
34. See the items at the world’s smallest Prada store in Valentine. Keep your wallet in your pocket because the store is for window shopping only; the door is always locked.
35. Wander through the five mission sites at the San Antonio Mission. Architectural and archaeological structures here date back to the 19th century.
    Collect and mail postcards along the way.