Book a night at this massive tree house listed on Airbnb. Your kids will thank you.

Check out Hamilton Pool Preserve near Austin. Hamilton Pool is a great day trip location for San Antonio that offers beautiful views, swimming and hiking. You can swim under the waterfall or hike along the trails around the pool and it will have you wondering if you’re still in Texas. You must have cash for the entrance fee, credit and debit cards are not accepted at the entrance. For more information on Hamilton Pool Preserve, to make a reservation, or to get more information about the fees click here.

Approaching the East Texas hamlet of Carthage, I tune the car radio to KGAS-FM, which broadcasts country music, farm shows, and local news. A quiet viewing of the statue begins a day dedicated to Carthage’s country music heritage. Reeves, the late Tex Ritter, and Willie Nelson were in Texas Country Music Hall of Fame’s 1998 inaugural class. Afterward, the nearby Esquire Theater hosts the Country Music Hayride, which features local musicians and guests jamming on the second and fourth Saturdays of each month for $8 admission. Sunday8 A.M.Country Roads or a RiverDuring the spring, the Panola County backroads navigate forests blooming with native wildflowers and dogwoods, redbuds, and Carolina jessamine.

Attention, unique Airbnb aficionados! We’ve got quite a listing for you: It’s a giant beehive.

We’ve got quite a quirky listing for you: It’s a clothing-optional yacht docked in the desert. Ok, so here’s the skinny on the listing: This BiG Bend adjacent yacht boasts one bedroom, a kitchen, an upper deck perfect for stargazing, and loads of privacy (thank goodness). The yacht is far enough away from the main area that you truly feel like you’re by yourself. If you are wanting to visit Big Bend - Rondas place is about 80mins from the park. West Texas Airbnb listing (Airbnb)West Texas Airbnb listing (Airbnb)West Texas Airbnb listing (Airbnb)West Texas Airbnb listing (Airbnb)

Do you harbor a deep-seated desire to sleep the night away in a covered wagon? Fulfill a Texas rite of passage and glamp it up in style at a Texas Airbnb so Texas it can actually contain your overbrimming love for the Lone Star State. Ok, so here’s the skinny on the listing: The 220-square-foot wagon is a replica of a Conestoga wagon that made its way to Fredericksburg about 150 years ago. As if by magic, this wagon contains a King-size bed, a bunk bed, chairs and a small table. Just steps from the wagon sits a small cabin boasting a private shower and commode.

Magnolia Filling Station opened on the corner of Fiorella and Lafayette streets in the 1920s, after automobiles displaced horse-drawn carts. She got to know baristas in the region and, despite having no previous small-business experience, acquired the keys to the old filling station in December 2017. “I knew I had to bring it back as the Filling Station,” Mackie says. They serve as mementos of the building’s past enterprises: The Old Highway Filling Station, Painter Bus Line stop, beauty shop, antiques store, and café. “But the coffee’s good, too.”Magnolia Filling Station, 1101 Fiorella St., Castroville.

But these days, visitors stop by the bakery for more than pastries and breakfast; it’s the first stop on a tour of a whimsical edifice outside of town known as Newman’s Castle, a full-scale replica of a medieval castle replete with five corner turrets, a 3,000-pound drawbridge, moat, and trebuchet. A fifth-generation Texan, Newman had spent time abroad, where he admired the palatial residences inhabited by the European elite. The communal dining table and high-backed chairs in the Great Hall were crafted from East Texas pine according to period specifications. Our tour concluded with a simple lunch brought from the bakery: deli sandwiches, donuts, cake, and cookies, served buffet-style. Hours: Mon-Fri 4 a.m.-5:30 p.m., Sat-Sun 4 a.m.-5 p.m.To reserve a tour of Newman’s Castle, call 979-865-9804.On the day of the tour, guests meet at the bakery at 10:30 a.m. to buy tickets and receive directions.

Port Aransas, TexasDistance from Downtown Houston to Port Aransas: 195 milesFor those looking for a beach vacation, pack up your car and journey three hours up to Port Aransas. The Port Aransas Museum painted by Flint Reed. Courtesy of Port Aransas Museum Facebook. The Port Aransas Museum was founded with the Port Aransas Preservation and Historical Association and the City of Port Aransas as a historical museum, which showcases and preserves the town's history. The Port Aransas Museum holds over 12,000 photos and documents pertaining to the history of the city in their publicly accessible database.

HOUSTON – One-tank trips can take you from Houston to some pretty amazing places. Distance from Houston to Livingston: 74 milesAbout an hour outside of Houston, Livingston is a short and easy one-tank trip. This small town serves as a great pit stop if you are trying to break up your drive north or just escape the city for the day. Polk County Memorial MuseumIf you are looking for more of an educational experience, the Polk County Memorial Museum offers a unique perspective of the history of Polk County. Pit Row Pit StopFor those who want some fun and a hearty diner meal on the way through Livingston, be sure to stop at the Pit Row Pit Stop.

One-tank trips can take you from Houston to some pretty amazing places. Our ongoing series “One Tank Trips,” helps you discover what to do, and where to eat and stay in these places.

HOUSTON – One-tank trips can take you from Houston to some pretty amazing places. Our ongoing series “One Tank Trips,” helps you discover what to do, and where to eat and stay in these places. Beaumont, TexasDistance from Houston to Beaumont: 86 milesLocated about 90 minutes outside of Houston, Beaumont provides the quaint sense of southern charm that is commonly unseen in large Texas cities. With the popular Beaumont Craft Beer Fest quickly approaching on Sept. 14, here are some other spots and restaurants that visitors should be sure not to miss. Beaumont Craft Beer FestIf you already have tickets to this already sold out beer fest, it is an event that Texas residents should not miss.

Bastrop, TexasDistance from downtown Houston to Bastrop: 134 milesYou may pass by Bastrop every time you take the drive up to Austin. Hyatt Regency Lost Pines Resort & SpaAround 23 miles outside Austin, The Hyatt Regency Lost Pines is nestled along the Colorado River located on 405 acres. Bastrop State ParkLocated 32 miles east of Austin, Bastrop State Park has been attracting visitors for over 70 years. Different downtown attractions include the Bastrop Opera House, Dinosaur Park and Lost Pines Art Center. El Camino Real Paddling TrailPaddle the El Camino Real Paddling Trail.

It also attracts lots of “Fixer Upper” fans who are looking for a close getaway or lunch pit stop. Dr Pepper Museum & Free Enterprise InstituteDr. Pepper originated in Waco and serves as the oldest major soft drink in America. The museum celebrates this in the birthplace of Dr Pepper and allows visitors to view the historic Dr. Pepper collection along with showing Dr. Pepper science demonstrations at the liquid laboratory. Fixer Upper' tours“Fixer Upper” and “Fixer Upper: Behind the Design” are popular HGTV shows where Waco natives Chip Gaines and Joanna Gaines give client homes complete makeovers. Waco allows a handful of “Fixer Upper” fan tours that will take guests through the rich history of Waco and its sights, along with pointing out some notable “Fixer Upper” spots along the way.

One tank of gas can take you from Houston to some pretty amazing places. Our ongoing series "One Tank Trips," helps you discover what to do, and where to eat and stay in these places.

HOUSTON – One tank of gas can take you from Houston to some pretty amazing places. Our ongoing series "One Tank Trips," helps you discover what to do, and where to eat and stay in these places. If you are looking to cool down during the summer heat, Jacob’s Well Natural Area is a necessary spot to visit. It also operates the First Texas Olive Oil Company, a family-run business that specializes in olive oil and other complementary foods. Guests are able to sample fresh olive oil, hand-crafted wines and gourmet foods for $15 per person.

Our ongoing series “One Tank Trips,” helps you discover what to do, where to eat and stay in these places. Distance from downtown Houston: 75 milesOnly around an hour and 15 minutes from downtown Houston is the quaint town of Brenham. Located between Houston and Austin, the town is most famously known as the home of Blue Bell ice cream and a great spot to see bluebonnets. The local ice cream has been a Brenham staple since its opening in 1907. Creamery visitors can learn about the ice cream making process at the observation deck, stop in the visitors center, shop in the country store and of course get some of the famous ice cream at the ice cream parlor.