Far Out West

6 totally unusual roadside attractions on your way to West Texas

When it comes to traveling out to West Texas, chances are you're destined for famous spots like Marfa, the McDonald Observatory, and Guadalupe Mountains National Park. But what else is there to see along that long drive? Whether you need a reason for a pit stop or simply prefer to visit places a little off the beaten path, here are some unusual attractions worth a stop on your way to West Texas.

Buggy Barn Museum
Get ready to go back in time. Dedicated to preserving the history of horse-drawn transportation, the Buggy Barn Museum in Blanco has over 140 buggies, carriages, and wagons dating from the 1860s through the 1900s. You are welcome to have a look around yourself or take part in a guided tour. Fun fact: Some of the buggies and wagons have been used in movies like True Grit and There Will Be Blood, and the museum even offers buggy rides by appointment. The museum is open Monday through Friday, 8 am-5 pm, and Saturday, 9 am-4 pm. While you're there, consider checking out the nearby Pine-Moore Town, which will have you feeling like you've stepped into the Wild West.

Old Tunnel State Park
The "old tunnel" of Old Tunnel State Park is a relic from the Fredericksburg and Northern Railway, which helped connect Fredericksburg to San Antonio and stopped operations back in 1942. After the trains left, the bats moved in, and now over 3 million of them call it home. In the evenings during May through October, you can see them emerging from the tunnel. It's worth noting that this colony is double the size of the one that lives under Austin's Congress Avenue Bridge, and watching that many bats spiral upwards in a massive cloud is truly a sight to behold. Besides the draw of the bats, there is also a short, half-mile trail for hikers.

Stonehenge II and Easter Island Heads
Can't make it to England to see Stonehenge or Easter Island to see the famous moai? Luckily, Texans can see replicas of both in one place out in Ingram, near Kerrville. Stonehenge II and the Easter Island Heads were created as an art project by Al Shepperd and Doug Hill, and they're now managed by the Hill Country Arts Foundation. The stones are 90 percent the height and 60 percent the width of the real deal, while the two heads are 13 feet tall. The site is free and open to the public, and you're welcome to visit from dawn until nightfall.

Devil's Sinkhole State Natural Area
We're not done with bats just yet. The Devil's Sinkhole in Rocksprings is a giant vertical cavern that is thought to be the largest single-chamber cavern in the state. It also happens to house one of Texas' largest colonies of Mexican free-tailed bats. The cavern opening is around 50 feet wide, eventually reaching over 320 feet in diameter, and it extends to a depth of over 350 feet. Besides evening bat flight tours in the late spring and early fall, visitors can arrange tours in advance with the Devil's Sinkhole Society. You can only access the natural area with a reservation, so don't forget to plan ahead.

Alley Oop Fantasyland and Museum
Out in Iraan, there's a quirky little park dedicated to one of the city's most famous residents: V.T. Hamlin, the creator of the popular 1930s comic strip Alley Oop. The attractions you'll spot first will likely be the giant recreations of Alley Oop and Dinny, the caveman and his pet dinosaur from the comic. When you're done with the photo ops, pop into the museum which has displays on local history, geology, and archeology. The theme of the exhibits is "From Fossils to Fossil Fuels," fitting as the city of Iraan was once an oil boomtown. You can visit Alley Oop Fantasyland and Museum from 1-5 pm, Thursday through Sunday (excluding holidays).

Million Barrel Museum
No, this is not a museum with a million barrels. It's actually a giant, cement oil storage tank in Monahans from the 1920s that was built to hold 5 million barrels worth of oil. Despite this grand vision, it ended up cracking under the weight of just 1 million barrels worth, which, needless to say, resulted in leakage. For a good while, this concrete reservoir remained abandoned until its brief stint as a manmade oasis for boating, swimming, and fishing, where similar issues with leaking led to its demise. Today, it serves as a venue for local events, and the property also includes the Rattlesnake Bomber Base Museum.

You don't need to go to England to see this Stonehenge.

Stonehenge II/Facebook

You don't need to go to England to see this Stonehenge.

museums vacation

Now hear this

New Texas museum shines spotlight on Tejano music history

Totally Tejano Hall of Fame and Museum, San Antonio, tejano music

Photo by Edmond Ortiz

Roger Hernandez serves as board president of the Totally Tejano Hall of Fame and Museum.

For a city that proudly calls itself the capital of Tejano music, San Antonio has long been missing a permanent place to honor the genre’s pioneers and preserve its history. That gap officially closed In December with the opening of the Totally Tejano Hall of Fame and Museum at 1414 Fredericksburg Rd.

The music couldn’t have found a better steward than its founder and board president. Roger Hernandez has had his finger on the pulse of Tejano music for decades. His company, En Caliente Productions, has provided a platform for countless performing artists and songwriters in Tejano, conjunto, and regional Mexican music since 1982.

Hernandez says his wife, who ran a shop at Market Square years ago, would often get questions from visitors about the location of a physical Tejano music museum, a thing that simply did not exist. In 2022, he banded together with friends, family, and other local Tejano music supporters to make the nonprofit Hall of Fame a reality.

“I decided I've been in the music scene for over 40 years, it's time to do a museum,” Hernandez recalls.

Hernandez says a brick-and-mortar Tejano music museum has long been needed to remember musical acts and other individuals who grew the genre across Texas and northern Mexico, especially those who are aging. Recently, the community lost famed Tejano music producer Manny Guerra and Abraham Quintanilla, the renowned Tejano singer/songwriter and father of the late superstar Selena Quintanilla-Perez. Both deaths occurred roughly one week after the Totally Tejano museum opened to the public.

“They're all dying. They're all getting older, and we need to acknowledge all these people,” Hernandez says.

The Totally Tejano Museum — named after Hernandez’s Totally Tejano Television Roku streaming — has 5,000 square feet of space packed with plaques, photos, promotional posters, musical instruments, and other memorabilia honoring the pioneers and stars of the beloved genre. Mannequins wear stage outfits from icons like Laura Canales and Flaco Jimenez, and a wall of photos remembers late greats. Totally Tejano Television plays legendary performances on a loop, bringing the exhibits to life.

The newly opened Totally Tejano Hall of Fame and Museum includes a growing collection of memorabilia. Photo by Edmond Ortiz

Hernandez says the museum will soon welcome permanent and rotating exhibits, including traveling shows, a Hall of Fame section, and an area paying homage to Chicano music crossovers, such as the late Johnny Rodriguez, the South Texas singer-songwriter who blended country with Tex-Mex music. Plans call for the organization to hold its inaugural Hall of Fame induction in February 2026.

Eventually, a 2,000 square feet back room will be converted into additional display space and host industry gatherings, community symposiums, and record and video release parties. The museum also plans to add a gift and record shop and a music learning room where visitors can listen to early Tejano music and browse archival photos. Hernandez is already talking with local school districts about educational field trips.

Much like Tejano itself, the museum is a grassroots production. Hernandez and fellow board members have used their own money to rent, renovate, develop, and maintain the museum space. The board also leads the selection of the Hall of Fame honorees and curates the exhibits.

Hernandez has been heartened by the museum’s reception, both from media outlets and music fans around Texas and beyond.

“We had a radio station come in this morning from Houston to interview us,” he says. “People have come in from Lubbock, Texas. We have had people from Midland, Texas. We have another person who emailed us who’s coming in from New York. People are learning all about us.”

That includes many of the musicians who helped shape the genre. Johnny Hernandez, Sunny Ozuna, Elida Reyna, and Danny Martinez from Danny and The Tejanos are among the luminaries who have already graced the halls.

The Totally Tejano Hall of Fame and Museum is now open 10 am-6 pm, Tuesday-Sunday, and closed Monday. Admission is free, but donations are encouraged. Fans can call 210-314-1310 for more information.

san antonio tejano music museums hall of fame music openings