Texas travels

6 Texas inns and B&Bs filled with secrets, history, and celebrity lore

If these walls could talk: Georgia O’Keeffe’s favorite hangout in the Panhandle. Ulysses S. Grant’s East Texas escape. A wharf worker’s cottage in Galveston. From history-filled bungalows to hidden-gem hideaways, these legendary lodgings are some of the most storied in the state.

The Texas Historical Commission is enticing travelers to bypass big hotels and check into historically significant bed & breakfasts through an initiative called Historic Overnights. Launched in 2023, the program connects preservation professionals with property owners of B&Bs to help research and share their captivating stories from the past.

“Historic Overnights is a unique way for travelers to discover in-depth details about historic places and experience local history in a more immersive way,” says Sarah Page, the state's heritage tourism program coordinator.

Historic Overnights launched in Galveston; more than a dozen vintage lodgings on the island are now featured, along with places in the northern Hill Country. More are being added across the state, the organization says.

For travelers inspired to find storied stays of their own, the Texas Historical Commission also keeps an updated site with historic hotels, B&Bs, and short-term rentals

Here are six historic lodgings (including one across town, in Fort Worth) where guests can sleep where history happened. They not only welcome travelers with Texas hospitality, but with authentic lore that turns road trips into time travel.

Elvis House, Waco Elvis became friends with the radio DJ who owned this Waco home in the 1950s.Photo courtesy of The Elvis House

The Elvis House in Waco: Bungalow fit for The King
Elvis has left the building — but at the height of his fame in the 1950s, he often stayed in this pretty red brick house and played its piano. He had struck up a friendship with the rock 'n' roll radio DJ who lived there, and considered the 1924-built hideaway a "home away from home" while stationed nearby in Fort Hood. It has been thoroughly updated and outfitted with Elvis memorabilia and mid-century furnishings, including a record-changing console from the 1960s. Elvis also liked to hang out at Waco’s Elite Café (now Chip and Joanna Gaines’ Magnolia Table) and neighboring Health Camp, and you can still visit both restaurants today. Sadly, neither offers a peanut butter and banana sandwich (The King’s favorite) on the menu. Rates start around $99 per night. 2807 Lasker Ave., Waco.

Galveston Speakeasy Cottage: Breezy seaside survivor
This cute bungalow’s funky, mismatched colors and oddball woods reveal a secret: It was constructed from salvaged materials from burned buildings following a massive fire in 1885. The one-bedroom, one-bathroom home then survived the Great Galveston Hurricane of 1900, the worst natural disaster in American history. It served as a rental property for wharf workers for most of its life, and its prime location now attracts travelers to the coastal city. Oak floors, crystal doorknobs, and a speakeasy-style door window ooze authentic character. Rates start at $185 per night. 1212 19th St., Galveston.

Relax like Georgia O'Keefe in the colorful, antique-filled Hudspeth House.Photo courtesy of Hudspeth House

Hudspeth House in Canyon: Panhandle painter's paradise
Cozy up by the original gas fireplaces in this 1909 charmer with shimmering stained glass, hardwood floors, and seven bedrooms with antique furniture. The DIY mail-order home was built from a Sears & Roebuck catalog kit that contained everything from pre-cut lumber and nails to a 75-page instruction book. (IKEA, eat your heart out.) Close to the courthouse square, it was the favorite lunch stop for a young painter named Georgia O’Keeffe, who lived in the Texas Panhandle town of Canyon before blazing a trail through the art world. The B&B is still known for its delicious food, with home-cooked breakfasts of green chile quiche, fresh-baked pastries, and buttery French toast. Rates start at $146 per night. 1905 4^th Ave. #4023, Canyon.

Officer’s Quarters at Presidio La Bahía in Goliad: National historic landmark
Have you ever had a 300-year-old Spanish fortress all to yourself? You’ll find a four-bedroom apartment inside heavy bastions and the thick rock walls of this Goliad landmark, a formidable fort in Southeast Texas that withstood several sieges. It’s also where Texian soldiers were imprisoned before being marched out and massacred during the Texas Revolution (remember Goliad?) and where the first Texas Declaration of Independence was signed. Overnight guests today get access to the Presidio’s capacious inner courtyard, along with a kitchen, dining room with fireplace, and A/C. The Quarters book up far in advance and are now accepting reservations for 2026. Rates start at $200 per night. 217 US Hwy. 183, Goliad.

The Excelsior House Excelsior House in Jefferson has hosted Ulysses S. Grant, Oscar Wilde, and Lady Bird Johnson. Photo courtesy of Excelsior House

Excelsior House in Jefferson: Poltergeist in the Piney Woods
While not technically a B&B, Excelsior House certainly feels like one with its clawfoot bathtubs, four-poster beds, and throwback blend of Southern grace and Victorian romance. Open since 1858, it has hosted a stream of VIPs, including Civil War general Ulysses S. Grant, poet Oscar Wilde, and First Lady Lady Bird Johnson. Crystal chandeliers and ornate mahogany furnishings evoke the heady days when Jefferson was a wealthy riverboat town. Step out to the wrought-iron balcony and survey the historical streetscape as horsedrawn carriages clip-clop on the bricks below. And if you’re looking for the most haunted spot in Texas, this might be it. Unexplained activities in Room #215 inspired Steven Spielberg to write the horror movie Poltergeist. Rates start at $99 per night plus tax. 211 W Austin St., Jefferson.

Three Danes Inn in Fort Worth: Wild West shootout
Ask to see the bullet hole in this yellow Queen Anne-Victorian from 1904, whose then-owner — a local saloon keeper — was shot to death by a gang of thugs on his own back porch. After a raucous night at his saloon in the city’s rowdy Hell’s Half Acre neighborhood, he returned home with the day’s profits — but he never made it inside. His wife saw it all, and the men were eventually caught. The gorgeous gabled home features a turret and wraparound porch, and each of its five rooms has a private bath. The house is also now home to the Three Danes Baking Company, an acclaimed bakery now serving up sweet treats exclusively to guests of the inn. Rates start around $125 per night. 712 May St., Fort Worth.

Photo courtesy of Excelsior House

Room 215 of Excelsior House was the inspiration for Steven Spielberg's "Poltergeist."

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Checking in

Clara Hotel debuts in Plano with chef-driven dining and late-night lounge

Photo by Dan Padgett

Cocktail and food offerings at the Archer.

A newly reimagined hotel in Plano aims to be as much a dining destination for locals as it is a place for visitors to stay: The Clara Hotel has officially opened in the Legacy Corridor with a chef-driven restaurant and chic new cocktail bar - all part of a $4 million transformation of the former NYLO Dallas/Plano Hotel.

Located at 8201 Preston Rd. on the Plano-Frisco border, The Clara remains part of Hilton's Tapestry Collection but has been overhauled by Dallas-based investment firm NewcrestImage, which acquired the property in 2025. The company has refreshed nearly every guest-facing space, from the hotel's 176 guest rooms to its food and beverage offerings.

Leading the debut are Field & Vine, the hotel's signature restaurant, and Archer, a new day-to-late-night cocktail lounge.

The Clara Hotel is now open at 8201 Preston Rd., Plano.Photo by Greg Ceo Studio

"The Clara was always envisioned as more than a hotel," says Mehul Patel, managing partner at NewcrestImage, in the release. "We wanted to create a place that locals would visit whether they were staying overnight or not. Field & Vine and Archer are central to that vision. Together, they create an experience that evolves throughout the day, from breakfast meetings to date nights, celebrations and late-evening cocktails."

Field & Vine is led by executive chef Daniel Armand, whose nearly four-decade career has included restaurants in Haiti, France, New York, Nantucket, the Hamptons, and Dallas before joining The Clara.

His menu blends French technique, Haitian influences, Texas ingredients, and seasonal produce. Highlights include:

Clara Ceviche with Gulf shrimp, citrus, and coconut water
Harissa Honey Wings with Texas honey
Steak Frites with herb butter and truffle fries
Heritage Chicken with roasted root vegetable purée
French-style Braised Short Rib
Citrus Shrimp Linguine
Wild Mushroom & Truffle Risotto
Herb-Crusted Salmon with citrus-sage beurre blanc

Field & Vine, Clara Hotel Clara ceviche at Field & Vine.Photo by Dan Padgett

The all-important hotel breakfast ranges from avocado toast and smoked salmon plates to Belgian waffles, breakfast tacos, fresh-pressed juices, overnight oats, and brioche French toast.

A distinctive feature is the hotel's on-site herb garden, where rosemary, basil, sage, thyme, and other herbs are harvested for both the kitchen and bar.

"Some of my earliest memories are in the kitchen with my mother, learning that food has the power to bring people together," says Armand. "Field & Vine is a reflection of that belief. We want guests to feel welcome whether they are joining us for breakfast, a special dinner or simply gathering with friends. The menu is personal to me, but ultimately it is designed to create memorable experiences around the table."

The cocktail program incorporates fresh herbs and housemade syrups with drinks such as the Clara Bloom, Rosemary Paloma, Smoke & Sage, and Garden Spritz.

For evening drinks, Archer offers a dramatically different atmosphere.

Replacing the Library concept originally announced during the renovation, Archer is a moody cocktail lounge with dark woods, leather seating, and low lighting. The space was inspired by celestial navigation, with signature cocktails named for stars, landmarks, and journeys.

Featured drinks include:

Polaris with vodka, elderflower, lemon, and sparkling wine
The Meridian with reposado tequila, Yellow Chartreuse, lime, and honey
Clara After Dark with bourbon, Amaro Nonino, honey, lemon, and black tea
Fixed Point with bourbon, black walnut, demerara, and bitters
Western Sky with rye whiskey, amaro, sweet vermouth, and chocolate bitters
Long After Sunset with vodka, espresso, coffee liqueur, and vanilla

The Archer, cocktails, Clara Hotel Cocktails at The Archer.Photo by Dan Padgett

The lounge also serves shareable bites including lamb chops with mint chimichurri, tuna tartare, margherita flatbread, ancient grain hummus, and cinnamon pretzel bites.

"Archer was designed to feel like the room the evening finds after sunset," says Patel. "It offers something different from the traditional hotel bar experience. It's intimate, atmospheric and intentionally designed for guests who appreciate great cocktails, thoughtful conversation and a place that encourages them to stay awhile."

Originally opened in 2007, the property was the first hotel launched under the NYLO Hotels brand and is widely credited as the country's first loft-style lifestyle hotel. Under NewcrestImage's ownership, the hotel has introduced a warmer aesthetic with natural textures, wood finishes, greenery, and a more residential feel throughout its guestrooms and public spaces.

The renovation also refreshed the hotel's heated outdoor pool, landscaped courtyard, and meeting and event spaces, positioning the Clara for weddings, corporate events, and social gatherings.

Reservations for dining and hotel stays are available through The Clara Hotel's website.

Photo by Dan Padgett

Cocktail and food offerings at the Archer.

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