Spirit of the Season

Celebrate the season with 5 Texas holiday road trips from Houston

The holidays are upon us once again. In addition to hitting up the usual Houston haunts like Discovery Green's ice skating, the Galleria tree lighting, or The Nutcracker at The Wortham, consider taking a holiday road trip to really get into the spirit of the season.

These five spots feature everything from an old fashioned Christmas tree farm to a life-sized ice sculpture display. A short drive away from Houston (well, mostly) these Texas towns will have you feeling merry and bright in no time.

Elgin
The Elgin Christmas Tree Farm, located approximately two-and-a-half hours west of the city, is the perfect family-friendly road trip destination. There’s nothing better than picking out that 8-foot Frasier fir, enjoying the petting zoo with the kids (alpacas, donkeys, and goats, oh my!), and sipping hot chocolate while strolling around the property. Don your brightest holiday sweater and listen to Christmas carols on the drive. The farm is open for Christmas tree sales beginning November 23.

Galveston
From the 45th annual Dickens on the Strand to ice skating at Moody Gardens to the downtown lanterns and lights display, Galveston is holiday central this December. The hour-plus drive is great for a spur-of-the-moment trip; make a weekend of it at The Treemont, get those last-minute stocking stuffers from the Strand, and indulge in some holiday cheer by sea.

Grapevine
A road trip to Grapevine, the official Christmas Capital of Texas, is sure to be a family favorite. Head to "Ice! at Gaylord Texan" for an impressive display of life-sized ice sculptures, ice slides, and an over-the-top light show. Prefer something a bit less chilly? Downtown’s historic Palace Arts Center Theatre offers classic Christmas movies and holiday concerts throughout the month of December.

Gruene
Historic Gruene, some three hours from Houston, is its most charming during the holidays. Spend a day shopping at the Gruene Christmas Market, sign up for the 26th annual Jingle Bell Run on December 8, or catch the town’s Christmas tree lighting. Swing by Gruene Hall, the oldest dance hall in Texas, to end a (holi)day well spent.

McAllen
McAllen, approximately a six-hour drive from Houston, is the furthest road trip destination by far but worth it for the true holiday enthusiasts. The city is famous for the McAllen Holiday Parade, the largest illuminated holiday parade in the state.

Galveston shares its holiday spirit by the seashore.

Historic Galveston Island/Facebook

Galveston shares its holiday spirit by the seashore.

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Houston rises on new list of best summer travel destinations

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Not even triple-digit heat will deter tourists from visiting Space City this summer: The Houston metro has climbed into the No. 35 spot on WalletHub's list of the "Best Summer Travel Destinations" in 2025.

The report annually ranks 100 U.S metros based on attractions, safety, activities, weather, local costs, and travel costs and hassles. Factors that determine each city's ranking include flight costs, the number of affordable restaurants with high ratings, crime rates, and more.

The Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford metro area in Florida is the No. 1 most sought after summer travel destination this year.

Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land moved up 10 spots from its 2024 rank, and it previously ranked 38th in 2023.

Here's how WalletHub broke down Houston's ranking in each of the six main categories:

No. 7 – Attractions rank
No. 16 – Local costs rank
No. 26 – Activities rank
No. 50 – Weather rank
No. 88 – Safety rank
No. 89 – Travel costs and hassles rank

Houston ranked the highest in the attractions and local costs categories, proving that the city's affordability is a major benefit for visitors as well as locals. There's surely no shortage of things to do in the city, from dining at a new steakhouse, to checking out a local bookstore, or enjoying a summer concert series at Meow Wolf.

But there's so much more that goes into choosing the right place for a memorable summer trip, says WalletHub analyst Chip Lupo. Creating and sticking to a vacation budget that considers all costs of a trip, such as meals and local transportation costs, is a good place to start.

"[C]hoosing a destination that’s not only entertaining but also affordable is important when travel, dining, and activity costs have surged so much in recent years," Lupo says. "It can also allow you to have a longer, more relaxing trip."

The study's scope isn't just limited to just Houston proper, which also means tourists may flock to suburbs like The Woodlands to explore its inviting new restaurants. It also includes Conroe, where tourists can relax with a drink in hand at the popular Margaritaville resort.

Other top Texas summer travel destinations
Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown (No. 5) and Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington were the only two Texas metros to earn spots in the top 10 summer travel destinations.

Surprisingly, El Paso (No. 31) ranked four spots ahead of Houston. The final two Texas metros that earned spots in the study are Corpus Christi (No. 80) and McAllen-Edinburg-Mission (No. 97).

The top 10 best summer travel destinations in 2025 are:

No. 1 – Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, Florida
No. 2 – Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Alpharetta, Georgia
No. 3 – Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-Virginia-Maryland-West Virginia
No. 4 – Urban Honolulu, Hawaii
No. 5 – Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown, Texas
No. 6 – Cincinnati, Ohio-Kentucky-Indiana
No. 7 – Salt Lake City, Utah
No. 8 – Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, Pennsylvania-New Jersey-Delaware-Maryland
No. 9 – Miami-Fort Lauderdale-Pompano Beach, Florida
No. 10 – Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, Texas

wallethub rankings summer vacation travel san antonio