On the Road

Your dream itinerary for a 3-day vacation in Lufkin

In the forested lake country of East Texas, Lufkin is a picture-perfect destination for outdoor lovers.

Here's a dream itinerary of what you can pack into three days.

Day one

Check-in time
No matter what vibe you're seeking, you'll find it in Lufkin. Choosing the Courtyard Marriott as your home-away-from-home puts you in the middle of all the action, with a multitude of restaurants, shopping venues, parks, and businesses at your fingertips.

Explore the water
East Texas is blessed with an abundance of natural beauty, and outdoor family fun can be found around every bend.

Just minutes away from Lufkin rests the largest body of water wholly within the state of Texas. Covering 114,500 acres at normal capacity, Sam Rayburn is the most popular recreation area in the Pineywoods. Sam Rayburn Reservoir is also one of the top five bass fisheries in the United States, with the record for largemouth bass at 16.5 pounds.

With more boat ramps available than anywhere else in Texas, Sam Rayburn Reservoir is the very definition of accessible. Whether you desire the perfect fishing spot, relaxing sailing, or a safe place to waterski, Sam Rayburn Reservoir is the ultimate getaway.

Find Tex-Mex at its best
On your way back from the lake, stop at Cafe Del Rio to experience superior Tex-Mex in a festive atmosphere.

Try the award-winning, freshly marinated fajitas, hand-rolled-to-order enchiladas, and queso. If you are in the mood for seafood, you can't miss with the shrimp brochette — delicioso! Top it all off with a thirst-quenching signature Cafe Del Rio Swirl, voted the best margarita in town.

Day two

Roam the wilderness
The Neches-Davy Crockett Paddling Trail, a 9.2-mile designated Texas Paddling Trail, makes for a perfect half-day paddle with friends and family. Enjoy the beauty of East Texas as you serenely paddle through the Davy Crockett National Forest, and you may see alligators, otters, and many different species of birds.

Visit the informative Texas Parks and Wildlife website for more information about how to get there, fishing, wildlife and ecology, nearby events and attractions, and other exciting information about this paddling trail.

Enjoy a Cajun twist
Savor dinner on the patio and listen to live music at Pelican Point, which specializes in authentic Southwest Louisiana Cajun cooking, infused with an Italian flair. It's food that feeds your soul, with a side of unmatched hospitality.

Day three

Take a Sawmill hike
The Sawmill Hiking Trail is a 2.2-mile, one-way hike in the Angelina National Forest that begins at Boykin Springs Campground and ends at the Old Aldridge Sawmill Site.

The trail follows a spring-fed creek that has a continuous flow of water, which only adds to the serene atmosphere. This trail even passes through the Neches River along an old tramway that was used until the 1920s to haul logs to the sawmill.

Don't miss family favorites
No matter what you are craving — homemade pasta, farm-to-table, tasty tacos — you’re sure to enjoy a fabulous meal while dining in Lufkin.

For more ways to indulge your outdoorsy side, browse the Lufkin Conventions & Visitors Bureau website.

Sam Rayburn Reservoir is the ultimate getaway for fun on the water.

Photo courtesy of Lufkin Convention and Visitors Bureau

Sam Rayburn Reservoir is the ultimate getaway for fun on the water.

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Island Travel News

Dallas' Southwest Airlines to add Virgin Islands as a new destination

Southwest

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Dallas-based Southwest Airlines is adding a tropical new destination: The Caribbean. According to a release, the carrier intends to add new service at Cyril E. King International Airport (STT) on St. Thomas, in U.S. Virgin Islands, with service expected to begin in early 2026, subject to governmental approvals, and available for purchase soon.

Southwest Airlines president and CEO Bob Jordan says in a statement that the new service is in response to customer demand.

"We are listening closely to what our Customers want—from new products and loyalty benefits to new destinations," Jordan says. "We want to make Southwest Airlines the easy and obvious choice every time, and this is another meaningful step in our ongoing transformation."

About 40 miles east of Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands comprise a U.S. territory in the northeastern Caribbean Sea. The three islands are St. Croix, St. John, and St. Thomas, where the capital of Charlotte Amalie is located. The U.S. Virgin Islands, which is on Eastern Standard Time, features world-renowned beaches, an international marine industry, European architecture, and a burgeoning restaurant industry.

Perhaps best of all, no passports are required from U.S. citizens traveling from the U.S. or Puerto Rico.

There are currently flights to St. Thomas from DFW Airport, flown by American Airlines, Delta, and Spirit. A nonstop flight from DFW to St. Thomas is a little under 5 hours.

St. Thomas is the first of three new destinations for 2026 the carrier expects to announce this summer. It will be the ninth island destination served by Southwest in the Atlantic Basin – joining Aruba, The Bahamas, Cayman Islands, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Jamaica, Puerto Rico, and Turks and Caicos Islands.

Southwest also offers international service to Belize, two destinations in Costa Rica, and three destinations in Mexico.

In addition to offering new destinations, Southwest also is set to begin selling assigned and premium seating in the third quarter of this year and plans to operate with its new fare bundles and a reconfigured fleet, including extra legroom seating, in the first quarter of 2026.

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