Texas region guide
Things to do in Central Texas
Plan a trip around 26 published destinations in Central Texas. Compare parks, waterways, historic places, trails, caverns, wildlife areas, and visitor attractions, then connect the places that fit your route.
Explore Central Texas
Use this guide as a starting point for discovering public lands, natural features, heritage sites, and visitor attractions across Central Texas. Each destination page brings together location details, activities, amenities, current source information, and nearby stops so you can build a realistic itinerary instead of a disconnected list.
Before leaving, confirm operating hours, reservations, fees, weather, water conditions, closures, and access rules with the destination’s official source. Distances and services can vary considerably across Texas, so allow extra time between remote stops.
Popular activities in Central Texas
Destinations in Central Texas
Open a guide for visitor information, things to do, maps, planning notes, and related places.
Barrington Living History Farm
Washington · Washington County County · Central Texas
Experience the home and working farm of Anson Jones, the final president of the Republic of Texas, through demonstrations and living-history programs.
Barton Springs Pool
Austin · Travis County County · Central Texas
A three-acre, spring-fed public swimming pool in Zilker Park supplied by the Barton Springs system and known for year-round cool water.
Bastrop State Park
Bastrop · Bastrop County · Central Texas
Lost Pines scenery, CCC architecture, trails, camping, cabins, and a scenic drive connecting to Buescher State Park.
Buescher State Park
Smithville · Bastrop County · Central Texas
A quiet Lost Pines park with a small lake, wooded trails, camping, cabins, fishing, paddling, and a scenic road to Bastrop State Park.
Colorado River Scenic Segment — Colorado Bend
Burnet County, Lampasas County, San Saba County, Mills County, Brown County, McCulloch County County · Central Texas
A rugged Colorado River reach associated with Colorado Bend State Park, rare mussels, native wildlife, and limestone canyon scenery.
Confederate Reunion Grounds State Historic Site
Mexia · Limestone County County · Central Texas
Walk wooded grounds along the Navasota River that hosted large reunion gatherings and now preserve historic structures and landscapes.
Fanthorp Inn State Historic Site
Anderson · Grimes County County · Central Texas
Tour a restored stagecoach inn that served travelers, politicians, and communities along an important 19th-century Texas route.
Fort Parker State Park
Mexia · Limestone County · Central Texas
A peaceful park on the Navasota River and Fort Parker Lake with paddling, fishing, swimming, hiking, cabins, camping, and CCC history.
French Legation State Historic Site
Austin · Travis County County · Central Texas
Visit one of Austin's oldest residences and learn about diplomacy, domestic life, and the capital city during the Republic of Texas era.
Kreische Brewery State Historic Site
La Grange · Fayette County County · Central Texas
Explore the ruins of an early Texas commercial brewery and the bluff-top home and landscape of German immigrant Heinrich Kreische.
Lake Brownwood State Park
Brownwood · Brown County · Central Texas
Historic CCC facilities and Lake Brownwood recreation with boating, fishing, swimming, hiking, cabins, lodges, and camping.
Lake Somerville State Park — Birch Creek Unit
Somerville · Burleson County · Central Texas
The north-side Lake Somerville unit offers boating, fishing, swimming, hiking, camping, equestrian trails, and access to the Trailway.
Lake Somerville State Park — Nails Creek Unit
Ledbetter · Lee County · Central Texas
The south-side Lake Somerville unit provides boating, fishing, swimming, hiking, camping, equestrian facilities, and Trailway access.
Lake Whitney State Park
Whitney · Hill County · Central Texas
Clear-water lake recreation with boating, fishing, swimming, scuba diving, hiking, birding, cabins, and camping.
Lockhart State Park
Lockhart · Caldwell County · Central Texas
A compact CCC-era park with a nine-hole golf course, seasonal swimming pool, trails, camping, fishing, and creek scenery.
McKinney Falls State Park
Austin · Travis County · Central Texas
Upper and Lower Falls on Onion Creek, swimming holes, hiking and biking trails, camping, fishing, and Texas history within Austin.
Meridian State Park
Meridian · Bosque County · Central Texas
A wooded CCC-era park around a small lake with fishing, paddling, swimming, hiking, birding, cabins, and camping.
Monument Hill State Historic Site
La Grange · Fayette County County · Central Texas
Visit the tomb and monument honoring Texans killed in the Dawson and Mier expeditions, with sweeping Colorado River views.
Mother Neff State Park
Moody · Coryell County · Central Texas
Texas's oldest state park features prairie and woodland trails, a limestone rock tower, CCC history, camping, cabins, and family recreation.
Palmetto State Park
Gonzales · Gonzales County · Central Texas
A lush, tropical-feeling park along the San Marcos River with dwarf palmettos, paddling, fishing, hiking, camping, and CCC history.
San Marcos Springs at Spring Lake
San Marcos · Hays County County · Central Texas
A large aquifer-driven spring system forming Spring Lake and the headwaters of the San Marcos River, interpreted through public ecological tours and programs.
Star of the Republic Museum
Washington · Washington County County · Central Texas
Discover the people, government, material culture, and international story of the Republic of Texas at Washington-on-the-Brazos.
Texas State Capitol
Austin · Travis County · Central Texas
The historic seat of Texas government with public grounds, tours, and exhibits.
Waco Mammoth National Monument
Waco · McLennan County County · Central Texas
An active paleontological site preserving Columbian mammoths and other Ice Age animals in a climate-controlled dig shelter beside wooded trails.
Washington-on-the-Brazos State Historic Site
Washington · Washington County · Central Texas
The site where delegates declared Texas independence in 1836.
Washington-on-the-Brazos State Historic Site
Washington · Washington County County · Central Texas
Visit the birthplace of the Republic of Texas, where delegates declared independence in 1836, with museums, reconstructed buildings, trails, and living history.