Welcome to Texas
The Great Migration
Until recently, it could be stated that the biggest migration pattern in the United States was to the West Coast. Silicon Valley, Hollywood, the Pacific Ocean, and Napa Valley were just a few of the things driving people to California. However, that trend has drastically changed and now Texas leads the U.S. in population growth for 2021. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Texas added 310,288 citizens between July 2020 and July 2021. A years-long trend of residents trading the West Coast for the Lone Star State is likely continuing, especially as companies relocate to Texas in droves. This has meant a lot of opportunity for cities big and small in Texas, as nearly 850 new Texans arrive every day knowing very little about their new home.
Exploration and Discovery
While most of the population boom has been centered around the major cities, small towns have been the obsession of long-time Texans. A state as big as Texas has so much to offer and roadtrips, day trips, camping, and travel are in the DNA of Texans. This curiosity and desire for new and unique experiences drive Found. Our team are travelers, foodies, live music fans, and recently we decided that promoting Texas small towns was the perfect match for our team’s abilities as marketing professionals. So we hit the road to visit towns all over Texas and find some of the best places to eat, drink, sleep, and visit all around the state. Here are some of our favorite finds that we discovered on the road for Texans old and new.
Diversity of Regions
There is some debate about this issue, but according to Travel Texas, there are seven identifiable regions in Texas, which is pretty amazing for one state, but there is a lot of mileage in Texas. These diverse environments allow for a wide range of activities, interests, and experiences.
- Big Bend Country
- Hill Country
- South Texas Plains
- Panhandle Plains
- Gulf Coast
- Piney Woods
- Prairies and Lakes
Texas Treasures
Alpine
Boerne
Galveston
In the Big Bend Country region, Alpine, Texas was one of our favorite destinations. Located in Brewster County, Alpine is not as famous as its neighbor Marfa, but has more than its fair share of interesting places to explore including the next level hospitality of The Holland Hotel, the fresh-made pizzas at Guzzi Up, sit back and relax for a fantastic meal at The Century Bar and Grill, and enjoy your favorite drink at Harry’s Tinaja. Friendly hospitality and a slower pace of life make this West Texas town a must-see destination.
The corridor between Austin and San Antonio is a fast-growing region, and Boerne is a town with strong German roots and a lot of history. The Kendall is a great place to stay with a wide range of types of rooms from cottages to suites, we also loved breakfast at The Dienger Trading Co., the nearby caverns are a cool feature of the South Texas Plains region including Cascade Caverns and The Cave Without a Name, shoppers will enjoy the Hill Country Mile, and you can finish the day off with a drink at Cibolo Creek Brewing Company.
The coastal region is a destination for many Texans during the Spring and Summer. While Galveston may not be a small town, we did find a lot of character off the beaten tourist path. The Tremont House has incredible rooms and a wonderful rooftop bar. Favorite restaurants were the eclectic Gypsy Joynt and the Mosquito Cafe. Maybe one of the most interesting cocktail bars we discovered was Daiquiri Time Out with some out-of-this-world creativity. Galveston also has a rich history to explore with the Tall Ship Elissa and Bishop’s Palace. Of course, the beach, local fishing piers, and endless seafood restaurants are also part of what makes Galveston fun.
Contact Us
Our team visited many more cities and will share some of them in the future as well. If you would like Found to visit your community, contact us at foundtx.com. We love to work with tourism boards, economic development committees, city councils, and all things Texas travel.