come on down

Houston cozies up as a top winter travel destination for warm-weather lovers

Memorial Park Eastern Glades Boardwalk over Hines Lake

Memorial Park's Eastern Glades makes for a fun trip.

Photo courtesy of Memorial Park Conservancy

For Texans, winter in the Lone Star State brings a long-awaited respite from six months of unbearable heat. We're pretty content to finally leave the house without a double (or triple) layer of SPF. But for tourists, winter in Texas brings respite from the opposite problem: colder climates where locals actually experience things like rain and snow. A recent WalletHub study shows Texas taking three of the top 10 "best winter vacation destinations for warm-weather lovers," with Houston landing at No. 7.

Specifically, Houston scores top marks for lowest travel costs (No. 1) and most attractions (No. 9).

Comparing around 70 of the largest U.S. metro areas, the study groups cities by warm and cold weather. Rather than a subjective survey of each locale's scenic beauty (in which Texas cities would also sweep the top 10, of course), WalletHub focused on the cost and convenience of traveling to each city, as well as the number of attractions and variety of activities in each destination.

As a result, the two lists rank "the cheapest U.S. destinations that are also the easiest to reach," according to the study's landing page. To compile the data, WalletHub measured 37 key metrics, including two weeks of flight data, safety indicators, and weather predictions.

In the warm weather category, Nevada's Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise metro area nabbed the No. 1 spot with an overall score of 67.18 and high marks in the number-of-attractions category (No. 2) and number of warm-weather activities (No. 1).

In total, Texas took nine of the 37 spots in the warm weather category, with three cities in the top 5. Here's how other Texas metros fared on the list:

Austin — No. 2. Top marks for lowest travel costs (No. 2) and best weather (No. 6).
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington — No. 4. Top marks for lowest travel costs (No. 3) and best weather (No. 2).
San Antonio-New Braunfels — No. 5. Top marks for lowest travel costs (No. 6) and lowest local costs (No. 3).
Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land — No. 7. Top marks for lowest travel costs (No. 1) and number of attractions (No. 9).
Killeen-Temple — No. 21. Top marks for lowest travel costs (No. 6).
McAllen-Edinburg-Mission — No. 27. Top marks for lowest travel costs (No. 1).
Corpus Christi — No. 32. Top marks for lowest travel costs (No. 7).
Brownsville-Harlingen — No. 33.
Beaumont-Port Arthur — No. 35.

HAUTE PROPERTIES

Southern Living picks Texas Hill Country as location of 2026 Idea House

Southern Living Idea House Fredericksburg

Rendering by Jon Messer.

Southern Living Idea House will be open for tours beginning September 18.

Whether Texas is part of the South may still be an open question, but Southern Living is settling the debate with a big investment. The Birmingham, Alabama-based lifestyle magazine will build its newest Idea House in the Hill Country town of Fredericksburg.

For more than 35 years, Southern Living has drafted Southern builders, architects, and designers to build new homes that not only showcase the latest innovations in home design but are the epitomes of Southern style. This year, the magazine chose Fredericksburg's Friedën community, a 130-acre development featuring parks, nature trails, and lakes.

"We're excited to call Fredericksburg home for the year and to celebrate the distinct character of the Texas Hill Country,” says editor-in-chief Sid Evans in a release. “Surrounded by rolling hills and wide-open views, this home reflects the region's natural beauty and the relaxed spirit of the Lone Star State."

The design of the versatile home proves the modern farmhouse trend still has some legs. Southern Living’s designers update the look by ditching whitewashed everything for a more contemporary color palette that blends in with the Hill Country’s natural landscape. Floor-to-ceiling windows further “dissolve the boundaries” between the interior and the great outdoors.

To bring their vision to life, Southern Living drafted a local team, including builder Kurk Homes, architect Andrew Bray of Mustard Architects, landscape designer Melissa Gerstle, and interior designers Jean Liu, Marcus Mohon, and Paloma Contreras. But real estate gawkers will have to wait to see most of the details. The house won’t be unveiled until September 18, when public tours open and the October issue hits stands.

Southern Living, however, did tease a few details, saying the home is being built for “multi-generational” living with sustainable products and appliances, a motor court entry, and a private casita. No doubt, interior design buffs will also find inspiration in the decor's bold choices. Last year’s Idea House in Virginia mixed in everything from garden florals and African mudcloth to animal prints and kitchsy cottagecore art.

The Idea House will be open to the public for tours from September 18 through December 20, 2026. Tickets will be available beginning in April, with a portion of the proceeds supporting area charities. After the open house, the home will be available for sale at an undisclosed price.

homes home design interior design fredericksburg hill country southern living