ROAD TRIPS WITHIN 100 MILES OF HOUSTON

Road Trips are great! Especially when you and the family are cooped up in the city. Taking a day trip into the countryside within 100 miles of Houston is incredibly rewarding because there is so much to see and do.

Within two hours of Houston, you can experience castles, delightful little towns with historical buildings, breweries, painted churches, BBQ Joints, stately courthouses, beer joints and dance halls, creameries, bakeries, wineries and vineyards, state parks, museums, antiques, meat markets, rolling pastures with herds of cattle and horses, restaurants serving any type of fare you want and the list goes on.

Let’s hit the road. Who knows, after a couple of these trips, you might just decide to move to the country.

Beautiful Churches

Painted Churches Tour in Schulenburg. These country churches are listed in the National Registry of Historic Places due to their uniqueness and fantastic painted interiors. Great road trip, especially in the bluebonnet season, and an excuse for visiting the Original Country Bakery in Schulenburg.

Wendish Community in Serbin. Serbin is a community located just outside of. Giddings in Lee County. It is best known for being the site of Saint Paul’s Lutheran Church and School. Wendish settlers founded Serbin in the 1850s. The grounds house a beautifully painted church, a school, a historic cemetery, and the Texas Wendish Heritage Museum. This is my personal favorite road trip destination. After your visit, head for BBQ at the Giddings City Market.

Neat Little towns

Anderson. Anderson is the county seat of Grimes County and is located about 10 miles north of Navasota on SH 90. The town is basically a beautiful courthouse with a little business district attached to it. The business district is listed on the national registry of Historic Places. The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department operates the Fanthrop Inn State Historic Site featuring a hotel built-in 1850. Call 936-873-2633 for tour information.

Fayetteville. This great little town is located on SH 955 just east of SH 71 between Houston and Austin (turn just north of Ellinger). According to www.fayettevillecitytx.com, the town center is listed on the National Registry of Historic Places and has 345 historic structures. A great day trip from Houston would be driving west on IH 10 to Sealy, then north on SH 36 to Bellville and then west on FM 159 past Industry and then on to Fayetteville. Eat lunch in the town center, then head out to Round Top for antique shopping. Return to Houston via Burton and Brenham on US 290 back to Houston.

New Ulm. New Ulm is a neat little town situated at the confluence of Colorado, Austin, and Fayette Counties. It is a great “jumping off place” for expeditions to Bellville, Frelsburg, Industry, Fayetteville, and Round Top. Before you take off, you might stop at the Texas Star Cafe for the best hamburger steak for miles around. The most efficient route to New Ulm from Houston is to travel west on IH10 to Sealy, exit on SH 36 and proceed north through town across the railroad tracks and then left (west) on FM 1094. Travel west for about 20 miles through the beautiful countryside to New Ulm. At the intersection of Hwy 949 and FM 1094 you will see the Cat Spring Country club (actually a bar and grill). Still, the hamburgers are great, and the folks are friendly. The Agriculture Society Hall is next and then vineyards and equine facilities. Another amenity of New Ulm is the Falls resort and Country Club, consisting of a golf course community.

Round Top. This is probably the best know community in the area, especially as an antique center. Visit www.roundtoptexasantiques.com for information about things to do. The Royers Round Top Cafe is outstanding if you can get in. If not, there are plenty of other great places to eat. You can approach Round Top from the north via US 290 or via Fayetteville from the south.

Surfside Beach. If you are in the mood for some Gulf breeze and all things coastal, drive south on SH 288 to Freeport and cross over the Intracoastal Canal Bridge to Surfside. Enjoy walking on the beach and eating some of the best seafood on the Texas Coast at the Red Snapper Inn.

Historical State Parks

Monument Hill and Kreische Brewery State Historic Sites Park. Located just off SH 77 south of La Grange. The park is situated on a chalk bluff overlooking the Colorado River. Monument Hill is a crypt and memorial to the men who died in the Dawson Massacre and the Black Bean Episode of the ill-fated Mier Expedition.

Stephen F. Austin State Park. 120 Main Street, San Felipe. 979-885-3613. Located on the banks of the Brazos River. 12-mile nature trail and 5 miles of hiking and biking trails. Visit San Felipe de Austin State Historic Site nearby. The townsite was the headquarters of Stephen F. Austin’s original colony. Visit their webpage for more information, Click Here.

Varner-Hogg Plantation State Historic Site. 1702 North 13th Street, West Columbia. 979-345-4656. 66 acres situated on the banks of the Brazos River. Widely considered one of the best historical venues in the state. While in West Columbia, also visit the Columbia Historical Museum. 247 East Brazos Avenue. 979-345-6125. Visit columbiahistoricalmuseum.com for more information.

Washington on the Brazos Historic State Park. Located just south of SH 105 between Brenham and Navasota on the Brazos River. It is situated in a 239-acre park and is where the Texas Declaration of Independence was signed in 1836. Awarded Trip Advisors Travelers Choice 2020. Visit their webpage for more information, Click Here.

Museums

1914 Burton Farmers Gin. Located in Burton just west of Brenham on US 290. It is home to the Official Cotton Museum of Texas. This historic cotton gin hosts thousands of visitors annually. See www.texascottonginmuseum.org for information. After visiting the museum, head south on SH 237 to Round Top and bite at Royers Round Top Cafe.

Austin County Jail Museum. 36 South Bell Street, Bellville. 979-8814. Guided or self tours. Includes gallows and residence. You will have plenty of time to go to Newman’s Castle after seeing the County Jail Museum.

El Campo Museum of Art, History and Natural Science. 2350 North Mechanic Street, El Campo. 979-543-6885. Visit elcampomuseum.org for more information. An impressive collection of mountings and spectacular exhibits tom include 600 seashells, bears, arctic species, etc. Drop by Mikeska’s BBQafter the visit.

George Ranch Historical Park. 10215 FM 762, Richmond. 281-343-0218. Visit georgeranch.org for more information. Trip Advisor Certificate of Excellence. Fantastic educational tours for students.

Sam Houston Memorial Museum Complex. 1836 Sam Houston Avenue, Huntsville. 936-295-1832. Trip Advisor Certificate of Excellence. Visit samhoustonmemorialmuseum.com for more information. Several historic buildings are located on the grounds. You could spend days at this incredible museum.

Restaurants

Blessing Hotel and Coffee Shop. 817 FM 616. 831-588-6623. Built in 1906 and restored in 1977. Entered in the National Register of Historic Places. Home cooking and boarding house style service. Take SH 71 south from El Campo to SH 35 then west on SH 616. Head south to Palacios for some fishing. Visit www.hotelblessing.com for more information.

Dairy Cone. 836 Walnut Street, Columbus. 979-732-5500. Go back in time at a Mom and Pop burger stand with a fabulous menu. Take out or sit at tables outside and listen to old fifties and sixties music.

Dozier’s BBQ. 8222 FM 359. 281-346-1411. Ed Dozier founded the business in 1957. Visit doziersbbq.com for more information. Trip Advisor Certificate of Excellence. President G. W. Bush often had Dozier’s send slabs of smoked bacon to the White House.

Kloesel’s Steakhouse and Bar. For a great steak, head south on Hwy 95 from Flatonia to Moulton. See www.kloesel.com for information. Keep heading south on Hwy 95 to Shiner for a visit to the Spoetzl Brewery.

Peter’s BBQ. 301 W. SH 71, Ellinger. 979-378-9115. Trip Advisor Certificate of Excellence. Visit Peters BBQ on Facebook, Click Here.

Red Snapper Inn. 402 Blue Water Hwy, Surfside Beach. 979-239-3226. Visit www.redsnapperinn.comfor more information. Trip Advisor Certificate of Excellence. Lin Bair has operated the business since 1991while surviving five named storms at Surfside. Enjoy the great atmosphere and some of the finest seafood on the Texas Gulf Coast.

Snow’s BBQ. 516 Main Street, Lexington. 979-773-4640. Texas Monthly gave them the best BBQ Joint in Texas shout out. Trip Advisor Certificate of Excellence. Kerry Bexler and Tootsie Tomanetz started the business in 2003. Visit snowsbbq.com for more information.

The Kenney Store. See www.thekenneystore.com for information about live music venues, bars, restaurants, and meeting rooms for private groups. The store is located just off Hwy 36 between Bellville and Brenham.

Wineries

Messina Hoff Winery. 4545 Old Reliance Road, Bryan. 979-778-9463. Founded in 1977 by Paul Vincent and Merrill Bonarrigo. See messinahof.com for more information. Trip Advisor Certificate of Excellence. They also operate a Hill Country winery in Fredericksburg.

Pleasant Hill Winery. 1441 Salem Road, Brenham. 979-830-8463. See pleasanthillwinery.com for more information. Bob and Jeanne Cottle bought the land in 1992 and began planting and building. They opened for business in 1997. Take a fun trip and enjoy their award-winning wines.

Texas Star Winery. 10587 Old Chappell Hill Road, Chappell Hill. 979-251-7282. See texasstarwinery.com for more information. Try their prickly pear and hibiscus wines.

Bakeries

Chappel Hill Bakery and Deli. 8900 Hwy 290 East, Chappell Hill. 979-836-0910. Trip Advisor Certificate of Excellence. Visit at chappellhillbakeryanddeli.com for more information.

Newman’s Bakery. 504 East Main Street, Bellville. 979-865-9804. Award-winning bakery located at the junction of Hwy 36 and Hwy 159. It opens at 4:30 am, which is great for early birds. Jumping off point for tours of Newman’s Castle. Visit newmanscastle.com for more information. Trip Advisor Certificate of Excellence.

Original Kountry Bakery. 110 Kessler Avenue, Schulenburg. 979-743-4342. Clarence and Evelynn started the business in 1979. Trip Advisor Certificate of Excellence. Visit kountrybakery.com for more information.

Other Cool Places

Antique Rose Emporium. Garden Center in Washington County north of Brenham at 10000. Mike Shoup started the nursery in 1976. See antiqueroseemporium.com for more information.

BeeWeaver Honey Farm. 16481 CR 319, Navasota. 512-535-2219. See beeweaver.com for more information. Enjoy tours, beekeeping lessons, and gift shop. They will assist landowners in gaining an agriculture exemption through beekeeping.

Huff’s Brewing Company. 9805 Koehn Road, Bellville. 979-270-1365. Visit huffbrewing.com for more information. The Huff Family has been brewing beer on this property for more than 10 years. They specialize in small-batch beers and a continually rotating portfolio that changes with the seasons.

Newman’s Castle. www.newmanscastle.com is all about an actual castle located not far from Bellville. Tours are six days a week and leave from Newmans Bakery in Bellville at FM 159 and SH 36. The court features a moat, drawbridge, portcullis, chapel, five-round corner turrets, courtyard, central keep, a perimeter wall.

Spoetzl Brewery. The Spoetzl Brewery is located in Shiner on Hwy 95 south of Moulton. See a lot more information at www.shiner.com. The Brewery was founded in 1909 by Kosmos Spoetzl. Daily tours are available.

SUMMARY. There are so many more places to see. I do hope you take a road trip through the beautiful countryside a couple hours from Houston. Maybe two or three-day trips. Who knows, you might decide to move out of the city or at least consider buying a weekend retreat.

Allen Realty Advisors represents buyers and sellers of fine quality rural land near Houston. Our market area is generally within 100 miles (two hours) of Houston.

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Allen Realty Advisors represents buyers and sellers of fine quality rural land near Houston. We specialize in weekend retreats, country estates, farms and ranches, recreational property and investment land. Our market area is generally within 100 miles (two hours) of Houston.