Things to do in my local area?
August 20, 2006 11:11 AM

Where can I find obscure and interesting attractions in my corner of Texas? We often can't think of anyplace to go.

The only place I know of is roadsideamerica, but their listings are woefully short. In East Texas all they can come up with is the Shorty the Squirrel monument. I'm looking for something that has odd museums, zoos, attractions, and whatnot. Pluses for science stuff and factory tours, minuses for malls.
posted by rolypolyman to Travel & Transportation (7 answers total)
The AAA guidebooks usually list a huge number of things to go see. Many are boring, but it's at least a list to work from.
posted by Nelson at 11:30 AM on August 20, 2006


Bingo... why didn't I think of that? Thanks, I'm heading to my home library to look for it. (Additional ideas are welcome.)
posted by rolypolyman at 11:38 AM on August 20, 2006


The Texas Monthly Guidebooks were great, and much better than the AAA TourBooks. Unfortunately I believe they are out of print, but finding an old edition would be great for ideas, even if you have to double-check that the places still exist.
posted by grouse at 11:40 AM on August 20, 2006


I use Texas Escapes.

Good for ghost towns and the like.
posted by Lord_Pall at 1:24 PM on August 20, 2006


plug in a zip code to geocaching.com and see what comes up. I have found lots of interesting places this way. People tend to hide caches in places that they find interesting.
posted by busboy789 at 3:54 PM on August 20, 2006


Also take a look at the DeLorme Atlas and Gazeteer for Texas. A bookstore will have it, and you can look through the Attractions in the front. I don't have that state's Atlas, but all the ones I do have include tons of stuff.
posted by Kirth Gerson at 5:20 PM on August 20, 2006


Get hold of a copy of Watch it Made in the USA. We have had one for several years and always check for factory tours when we are planning vacations. You don't say what part of TX you live in, but in reading the index of my (old) copy, I see stuff in Ft. Worth, Brenham, Corsicana, Dublin, Fredricksburg, Sugar Land, Buda, Plano, Dallas, Kerrville and Nocona.
There is also the Factory Tours USA site, which has some overlap, but also some stuff not on the Watch it Made site or book.
posted by jvilter at 11:52 PM on August 28, 2006


« Older How to get experts to answer my questions?   |   Widescreen Wacom on a 4:3 screen? Newer »
This thread is closed to new comments.