You know what’s really big in Texas? State pride. There’s a unique regard for our state’s deep-rooted history and place in the nation, and we wear that pride like badge of honor. Here, we’re counting 10 of the most Texan things to do in Texas, where you and the kids can celebrate all the legend and lore.
The Alamo
A must-see for every Texan, here you can literally walk through history. The mission is perhaps the most recognizable structure on the grounds of this centuries-old site. Entry is free but requires a timed ticket. To get the full experience, book a 45-minute guided tour that takes you through the original footprint of the Spanish mission complex, Alamo Plaza, and describes the events leading up to and including the Battle of the Alamo.
Behind the church, the Alamo’s living history encampment is where you’ll get a real taste of life in 1830s. Costumed historians give hands-on demonstrations about daily life at the time of the Texas Revolution, including fire-starting, leather working and taking care of their firearms. Come on a Friday, Saturday or Sunday for musket firing demonstrations at 11:30am and 1:30pm. The sight, sound and smell of firing flintlock firearms—the weapons used during the Battle of the Alamo—are sure to impress the kiddos. // San Antonio, 210/225-1391; thealamo.org
Tip: For a real adventure, visit on the Fourth of July and meet Spanish Colonial soldiers from the 1700s, watch black powder firing demonstrations, learn about weapons of yore, missionaries and more. There’s plenty of hands-on fun for the kids, too—weaving, leatherwork, corn husk doll-making and interactive drills.
Fort Worth Stockyards & Cattle Drives
If you’ve never seen the Cattle Drive through the Fort Worth Stockyards, put it on your summer bucket list. Cowhands drive a herd of Texas longhorns—17 to be exact, with each steer representing one decade from Fort Worth’s history—down East Exchange Avenue every day at 11:30am and 4pm. The past comes to life before your eyes; every little detail is historically accurate.
Offering a real glimpse into the Old West, the district is a Texas experience in and of itself. You can explore the lore of cowboy culture at the Stockyards Museum and Texas Cowboy Hall of Fame, shop for a hat and boots, or cheer on professional bull-riders at Cowboy Coliseum every Thursday. Stars of the Stockyards offer daily walking tours along the Texas Trail of Fame to walk along the filming sites hits like 1883 and Walker, Texas Ranger. On weekends, catch the Stockyards Championship Rodeo or re-enacted gunfights of the ol’ wild West. // Fort Worth, 817/625-9715; fortworthstockyards.com
Tip: The Cowtown Cattlepen Maze is open daily during the afternoons for families to solve their way through an elaborate maze. You can cheer on loved ones winding through the labyrinth from a second-story observation deck.
Dude Ranches
There’s no better place to get a taste of the Wild West than a real-life Dude Ranch where cattle wrangling, lasso tossing and roaming wide-open spaces are always on the agenda. If you’re up for a trip, take the drive to Bandera, the Cowboy Capital of the World. The tiny town in the Texas Hill Country boasts seven Dude and Guest Ranches including Dixie Dude Ranch, a 725-acre working stock ranch. Here you’ll enjoy daily horseback rides, cowboy breakfasts and bonfires. Then head into town for Saturday afternoon “gunfights,” nightly music and big sky views.
Closer to home, Beaumont Ranch in Grandview is another working ranch where you’ll get the authentic experience. Its 800 acres are home to cattle, a herd of Texas longhorns, horses, llamas, goats and various wildlife. You’ll learn to rope and ride with real cowboys, plus try out ATV riding, shooting and archery. // Dixie Dude Ranch, Bandera, 830/796-7776; dixieduderanch.com // Beaumont Ranch, Grandview, 817/866-4000; beaumontranch.com
Tip: Sample ranch life without committing to an overnight trip with a one-hour horseback trail ride at Beaumont, for ages 9 and up.
National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame
Talk about (cow)girl power. This is the only museum in the world dedicated to honoring women of the West, offering a look at the contributions of bold, trailblazing ladies. The 33,000-square-foot space holds rare photos and artifacts and interactive exhibits. See sharpshooter Annie Oakley’s gun, Western leading lady Dale Evans’ saddle, and ranch artifacts from the childhood of a cowgirl who grew up to be a Supreme Court Justice, Sandra Day O’Connor. At this modern museum you can even digitally design your own boot, shirt or horse or superimpose yourself into rodeo footage. // Fort Worth, 817/336-4475; cowgirl.net
Tip: Make a day of it: The Museum is within walking distance of the Dickies Arena, Amon Carter Museum, Kimbell Art Museum, Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth and the Fort Worth Museum of Science and History, where you can score a half-price ticket when you visit the Cowgirl Museum on the same day.
Southfork Ranch
In terms of Texas icons, Southfork Ranch ranks right up there. After all, to much of the nation, this historic mansion was Dallas, made famous by what was once the most-watched series in the world. The 6,000-square-foot white mansion, set on 200 sprawling acres, is located about 25 miles north of Dallas in Parker. For 356 episodes from 1978 to 1991 it was the TV home to the Ewing family, and the world was a weekly guest.
Today, Southfork Ranch welcomes visitors to tour the mansion and grounds and see memorabilia from the series such as the gun that shot J.R. and Lucy’s wedding dress. If the kids aren’t impressed by that, they’ll enjoy horseback riding through the Southfork Ranch trails, available daily for children 8 and up. // Parker, 972/442-7800; southforkranch.com
Tip: Come for Trade Days featuring local vendors selling jewelry, furniture, candles, food and more every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday preceding the third Monday of the month.
Texas Ranger Hall of Fame and Museum
If you have a little one enthralled by the mystique of the Texas Ranger, take a day trip to Waco to check out this home to more than two centuries worth of artifacts and culture relating to legendary icons of the American West. Browse the collection of badges, firearms, fine art and even pop culture artifacts. // Waco, 254/750-8631; texasranger.org
Tip: Ask about the Junior Texas Rangers Program in which kids get a badge, certificate and their name listed in the museum’s files. // Waco, 254/750-8631; texasranger.org
Dr Pepper Museum
Texas culture isn’t all cowboys and frontiersmen. If there was an official drink of the Lone Star state, it would undoubtedly be Dr Pepper.
Waco boasts an entire museum dedicated to the fizzy drink invented there in 1885. This century-old building listed in the National Register of Historic Places as the “Home of Dr Pepper” holds one of the largest collections of soft drink memorabilia in the world. And it’s not just Dr Pepper-related; from Pepsi-Cola to Kickapoo Joy Juice, the collections span the entire soft drink industry.
The museum is open seven days a week, year-round and offers experiences like Make-A-Soda, in which visitors choose from array of flavors to create, bottle and label their own unique drink, or Taste-A-Soda, which invites guests to blind taste test six unusual soda flavors and pick a fave. And, of course, you’ll want to top off a visit with a stop at the Soda Fountain for a signature Dr Pepper Float. // Waco, 254/757-1024; drpeppermuseum.com
Tip: What happens if you put Mentos in cup of Dr Pepper? Can you use soda to make cupcakes? These experiments can get a little sticky, but here’s how you can keep the mess out of your kitchen: On weekends only, the museum opens its Liquid Lab where staff share the science of soda in interactive performances.
Log Cabin Village
Step back in time at this village nestled in Fort Worth where you can walk through a piece of Texas from the mid-1800s. Here, the nine historic log cabins dating back to the 19th century include a one-room schoolhouse, blacksmith shop, and various homes. Step inside these structures to get a taste of what life was like and see demonstrations by costumed historical interpreters. // Fort Worth, 817/392-5881; logcabinvillage.org
Tip: Don’t miss the 1853 Tompkins cabin where you’ll see interpreters dipping candles. There’s a good chance they’ll let the kids try their hand at it too!
Big Tex
We all know Big Tex, the Tallest Cowboy in the World who towers at 55-feet-tall and greets visitors at the State Fair of Texas. But did you know that the original Big Tex wore a red suit instead of a cowboy hat? The statue was first created as a giant Santa to attract Christmas shoppers to the tiny town of Kerens. In 1951 Fair officials purchased the Kerens Santa Clause for $750 and brought him Big D where he stood until a fateful fire in 2012. A new Tex debuted in 2013. // Dallas, 214/565-9931; bigtex.com
John Neely Bryan Cabin & Old City Park
Just two blocks from the infamous Dealey Plaza is a significant piece of North Texas history, but unless you know what it is, you might walk right by. The tiny log cabin that sits at Main and Market streets—and seems a bit odd in the midst of the city’s hustle and bustle—is a replica of the city’s first house built in the 1840s near the Trinity River by John Neely Bryan, the founder of Dallas.
You’ll have to take it in from the outside, but not far away more interactive historical homes are at Old City Park, the largest collection of 19th century pioneer and Victorian buildings in Texas. You can tour these buildings, moved from throughout North Central Texas here to Dallas’ first city park, and see what life was like for Texans who lived over a 100 years ago. // John Neely Bryan Cabin, Main St. and Market St., Downtown Dallas // Old Park City, Dallas, 214/421-5141; oldcityparkdallas.org
Tip: In addition to its Barnyard Buddies program for littles, Old City Park offers programs that older kids will dig, like lantern-led nighttime tours discovering the more mysterious parts of history.
Top photo: iStock
