where to travel right now

Texas waterparks make a splash + more top travel ideas for May

Hopefully all of the recent April showers will bring us May flowers, and maybe a chance to explore more of Texas. Travelers on the hunt for a springtime adventure outside of Houston can visit one of three Austin-area art festivals or vendor markets, visit a rustic cowboy wine castle in the Hill Country, or head down to the coast for a music-filled weekend in Galveston.

Ahead of Mother's Day, we've also tossed in a relaxing experience catered toward the mothers in our lives at an indoor waterpark near Houston.

Here are CultureMap's top picks for a May vacation around Texas.

Around Texas

The Underground Donut Tour has launched — you guessed it — doughnut tours in Austin, San Antonio, and Dallas for pastry and sweet treat enthusiasts. The tours pair food with history and iconic local sights during a two-hour guided experience of each city. The Austin tour encompasses South Congress, the San Antonio tour is along the River Walk, and the Dallas tour runs through the Lowest Greenville neighborhood. Tickets are $65 for adults and $55 for children 10 and under, and can be booked online.

Three Texas Hawaiian Falls waterparks in Roanoke, Mansfield, and Waco will open to the public for the 2026 season on Saturday, May 9, unveiling some snazzy upgrades like new amenities, enhanced food and beverage offerings, and special events. Hawaiian Falls will additionally celebrate America’s 250th birthday with a season‑long patriotic theme, including interactive photo opportunities, surprise giveaways, and more. 2026 Season Passes are on sale starting at hfalls.com.

In the Hill Country

Houston-based bootmaker Republic Boot Company is opening its new Republic Wine Castle in Johnson City on Friday, May 1, combining a classic cowboy atmosphere with delicious Hill Country wines. The 12-acre estate has been extensively renovated and boasts ranch-chic furniture, big buck mounts, and plenty of regal personality. In celebration of the castle's grand opening weekend, Republic will unveil its new Texas wine made with fruit grown right in Johnson City. The celebration will also include live music and custom boot fittings.

The long-running Pecan Street Festival is heading back to the Hill Country Galleria in Bee Cave from May 9-10, marking the second year since its relocation from downtown Austin. The sprawling festival takes a state fair-like form, with rides and activities for kids, as well as long rows of vendors, including plenty of packaged and fried foods to eat along the way. Live music will fill the afternoons into the evenings starting at 12 pm both days. Admission is free, and festival hours are Saturday from 11 am to 9 pm and Sunday from 11 am to 8 pm.

Pecan Street Festival clothing vendor Visitors shop for clothing, jewelry, home goods, and more at the festival every year. Photo courtesy of the Pecan Street Festival

Austin

Austin's iconic artisan vendor market, Blue Genie Art Bazaar, is hosting its annual May Market from May 1-31 featuring over 200 regional artists and their handmade artworks, jewelry, home decor, clothing, pottery, and other art pieces. Free maker activities will be offered each weekend in May, and there will be a special make-your-own-bouquet bar of dried flowers in celebration of Mother's Day on May 10. Admission is free.

Over 55 local, national, and international galleries will gather at the Palmer Events Center from May 14-17 for the third annual Affordable Art Fair, a contemporary art extravaganza created by emerging and established living artists. Attendees can pick up some new paintings, prints, sculptures, and photography with works ranging from $100-$12,000. This year's event will also feature four artists who will be live painting each evening, and visitors who donate to the fair’s charity partner (Dell Children’s Hospital) will be entered to win one of the live-painted artworks. General admission starts at $24.22 after taxes and fees, and tickets can be purchased on Eventbrite.

Houston

Great Wolf Lodge Webster is rolling out the red carpet for moms on Sunday, May 10 with a special Mother's Day Morning Oasis Experience package offering a relaxing morning float on the lazy river, a private cabana with an elevated brunch, and a private chair massage. The experience offers mothers a chance to enjoy the water park before it opens to the public, and they can float the river with a drink in hand from the build-your-own mimosa bar. Cabana rentals are $500, have an eight guest maximum occupancy, and can be reserved by calling 888-981-9653.

Mother's Day Morning Oasis Experience at Great Wolf Lodge Webster Let Mom relax while floating the daisy-filled lazy river with a mimosa in hand.Photo courtesy of Great Wolf Lodge

Along the Gulf Coast

Hotel Lucine in Galveston recently revealed the lineup for its third annual Sunset & Sounds summer rooftop music series. The live music events will run every Friday and Saturday night from May 31 through Labor Day weekend, and showcase talent from Texas musicians like Mobley, Aruba, Tyson Webb's Outlaw Boogie, The Point, and more. All events are free and open to the public, and seating is first come, first served. Reserved seating for specific performances can be booked for $42.42-$59.75 after taxes and fees via Eventbrite.

Dallas-Fort Worth

The African American Museum, Dallas is expected to reopen on Friday, May 1 after a temporary closure for renovations. The museum will debut a new special exhibition, "People Who Make the World Go ‘Round: The Legacy of Sepia Magazine," showcasing historic photos of the most influential Black icons from the 20th century, such as Aretha Franklin, Ray Charles, Maya Angelou, and many more. Museum admission is free, and operating hours are Tuesdays through Fridays from 11 am-5 pm, and Saturdays from 10 am-5 pm.

A fan-favorite park in Glen Rose, Dinosaur Valley State Park, has recently earned national acclaim as one of the five best places to camp with kids in 2026, according to camping website The Dyrt. The park offers many activities for families to enjoy, such as exploring the dinosaur tracks in the Paluxy River bed, and 20 miles of trails for hiking, mountain biking, and horseback riding tours. There are various campsites for visitors to book, and nightly rates for camping trips range from $16-$60, plus the $8 daily entrance fee.

Photo courtesy of Hawaiian Falls

Hawaiian Falls in Mansfield and Roanoake will open for the season on May 9, 2026.

travel vacations hill country austin dallas houston galveston wineries art festival waterparks great wolf lodge live music museums state parks

New Parks

54,000-acre Hill Country ranch to become Texas' 2nd largest state park

Photo from property listing by Icon Global

Silver Lake Ranch adds 54,000 acres to Texas' public lands.

Texans will soon have a massive new state park to explore, second only to Big Bend Ranch State Park in size. Silver Lake Ranch, the 54,000-acre plot of land spanning Edwards and Kinney counties, was owned by the Moody Foundation, and now, largely thanks to a major philanthropic gift, it's headed into public hands.

The Moody Foundation gifted its 87.5 percent ownership interest in the ranch to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD), with TPWD purchasing the remaining interest for $11.85 million. The funds come from the Centennial Parks Conservation Fund and Sporting Goods Sales Tax — both approved by Texas voters.

“The Moody Foundation is proud to help preserve this remarkable stretch of Texas Hill Country and make it accessible for generations to come,” said Ross Moody in a press release. “Silver Lake Ranch represents the natural beauty, history, and spirit of our state, and we are honored to make this gift to Texas Parks and Wildlife to ensure it remains protected and enjoyed by all Texans for years ahead.”

The property will officially become Silver Lake State Park, named for the spring-fed 30-acre lake at its heart. Sitting roughly 350 miles west of Houston, nestled between Rocksprings and Uvalde, the land is home to some beautiful hill country wildlife and nature at a Texas manageable drive of about two hours from San Antonio.

Currently the park is in its most rugged and undeveloped form: steep limestone canyons drop into rolling hills lined with live oaks and juniper trees, with miles of river frontage tracing the West Nueces River. Several creeks wind through the property, including Sycamore Creek, Lost Creek, and North Spring Creek, along with Blue Waterhole and Dutch Waterhole.

Caves and other landmarks dot the landscape, and wildlife includes white-tailed deer, turkey, javelina, and dove. Portions of the property have even been identified as a potential habitat for the endangered golden-cheeked warbler.

According to the press release, this land, previously used for sheep and cattle ranching, will be developed in phases over the next several years, also using the Centennial Parks Conservation Fund. Initially, access to the park might look like guided tours and limited day-use opportunities while planning and infrastructure are underway. Later, trails and basic visitor facilities will be added, and ultimately, the park will include expanded recreational amenities like camping and paddling access.

Now that the acquisition is complete, TPWD staff and private contractors plan to gather feedback from the public and surrounding communities to help map out recreational opportunities. This may take "many months to complete," says the press release. TPWD will communicate any upcoming milestones, including a potential opening date, at TexasStateParks.org

"This is an exciting addition to our state park system, and we are grateful to our partners at the Moody Foundation for their philanthropy and for bringing this slice of the hill country to the people of Texas," TPWD Executive Director David Yoskowitz says in the press release.

And as folks are pointing out on TPDW's reel announcing the new park: it's "Better than any subdivision."

silver lake ranch state parks parks nature wildlife animals