Camping for Christmas

Texas parks beckon with festive events and outdoorsy escapes through the holidays

Deck the tent with boughs of holly.

Photo courtesy of Texas Parks & Wildlife

If fa-la-la-ing in forest and caroling around a campfire sound way better than battling crowds at a mall or facing "out of stock" icons online, maybe you need to gift yourself an outdoorsy getaway.

State parks around Texas have packed the holiday season with special events — specifically, 80 events at 47 parks and eight historic sites — from Christmas light boat tours to New Year's Eve hikes in the dark. Most events are family friendly, but some sound ideal for solo adventurers who might want to pack a tent and escape to the woods for a night or two (tipping our cap to you, retail workers).

Reservations fill up quickly, so be sure to visit an individual park's website before you head out. And check the Holidays in the Parks page for many more fun options, pricing information, and more information.

Houston-area parks

Brazos Bend State Park
Holiday in the Park is an all-day affair on December 11. Events include a self-guided "Elf Hike," Christmas crafts, "Pup Parade," s'mores, and more.

Goliad State Park & Historic Site
Every night in December, visit the “History in Lights” exhibit and experience how lights and shadows tell the story of the historic site by walking the same path taken by Native Americans and Spanish Franciscan priests so long ago.

Sea Rim State Park
Santa and Mrs. Claus will ride in on an airboat, then invite visitors to join them for hot cocoa, Christmas crafts, and photo opportunities as part of A Very Marshy Christmas, 3-5 pm December 18.

Dallas-Fort Worth-area parks

Tyler State Park
Head out December 10-11 for A Pineywoods Christmas, when you can stroll or drive through the Lakeview and Big Pine campgrounds to take in campers' elaborately decorated sites and take a Nature Wonderland Hike.

Lake Tawakoni State Park
Drive through or stay there and decorate your campsite with your favorite Christmas decorations to receive your second night of camping free during your stay. There will be a decorating contest, complete with awards, as well as a reading of The Night before Christmas — all part of Twinkle Tour 2021, 5-8 pm December 4.

Daingerfield State Park
The annual Christmas in the Park drive-thru lights tour takes place December 15-18 (times vary). Take a drive through the park lit up like Santa Land and marvel at the decorated campsites and lights. Santa himself will be there, but there'll be no picture-taking with him this year.

Eisenhower State Park
The second annual Light Up the Park drive-thru lights event takes place December 10-11 and will feature candy canes and DIY treats for the kiddos and a certain visitor from the North Pole.

Cleburne State Park
Enjoy a Pancake Breakfast with Santa, hosted by Cleburne Veterans of Foreign Wars, 9-11 am December 11.

Cedar Hill State Park
Explore Christmas at Penn Farm on December 11: Learn about the history and pioneers the Penn Family and the farm they built 150 years ago. The event will conclude with an evening of caroling around a campfire with sweet treats and hot chocolate.

Lake Mineral Wells State Park
Experience Christmas, cowboy style, at Cross Timbers Cowboy Christmas, December 11. Park ranger and cowboy poet David Owens will gather guests around the campfire for an evening of cowboy culture through songs, stories, and poems. It'll be held at the Lone Star Amphitheater.

Dinosaur Valley State Park
As a little twist on the New Year's Day "First Day" hikes that many parks host, Dinosaur Valley is doing a First Day Midnight Countdown Hike on New Year's Eve. The group will hike (in the dark) to the scenic overlook in the park and ring in the new year outdoors. It takes place 11 pm-1 am.

Austin/San Antonio-area parks

Buescher State Park
On the Fa La La in the Forest Scavenger Hunt, you can follow the ornaments with clues through the park to secure a prize at the end, December 1-January 1.

Enchanted Rock State Natural Area
Christmas in the Park, 10 am-1 pm December 5, brings a holiday-themed scavenger hunt, as well as a chance to create a holiday greeting card to send to family, friends, or someone in need. Return for Campfire Carols, 6-7 pm December 11, which includes hot cocoa, stories and music with park rangers.

Hill Country State Natural Area
Play games, make festive crafts, listen to a Christmas story, and learn about the Hill Country at Holiday in the Hill Country, 1-4 pm December 11.

South Llano River State Park
At Christmas at the Ranch, 2-5 pm December 4, guests can warm up with hot chocolate and cider, listen to live entertainment, enjoy crafts and cookie decorating, and anticipate Santa's visit while taking in the twinkling lights and Christmas decorations at the historic Ranch House that now serves as Park Headquarters.

holidays vacation parks texas

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