where to travel right now

Go to Houston for Gauguin + 8 more Texas travel tips in November

Paul Gauguin, Femmes de Tahiti (Tahitian Women), 1891 on display at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston

Gauguin in the World is on display at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston from now until February 16, 2025.

Photo courtesy of the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston

From pet-friendly hotels to fall festivals and new museum exhibits, there is plenty to do and see on a fun-filled weekend vacation or staycation in November. Texans looking for ideas for where to travel can find them here, in our big monthly roundup of top tips around the state.

In Houston

The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston is the one and only U.S. venue for a blockbuster exhibition featuring works of French Post-Impressionist artist Paul Gauguin, now on display through February 16, 2025. Called Gauguin in the World, the retrospective, curated by former Louvre and Musée d’Orsay director Henri Loyrette, includes over 150 of the artist's paintings, sculptures, prints, and writings. The special exhibition is included with regular museum admission, which ranges from $20-$24 and is free for children aged 12 years and under.

Texans who want to explore the beauty of Houston in the fall still have time to book a weekend trip with the Blossom Hotel Houston's "Autumn Escape Package," which runs until November 30. The package offers a 15 percent discount on stays for two nights, and a 20 percent discount on three-night stays. The hotel will also offer a $40 breakfast credit, vouchers for two complimentary seasonal beverages, and late checkout. Nightly rates with the "Autumn Escape" package begin at $281.

In the Hill Country

October is Texas Wine Month, but November is just as wonderful for visiting Hill Country wineries. Wine-lovers will want to make sure to visit award-winning William Chris Vineyards in Hye, Texas, which recently ranked among the World's Best Vineyards list for the third consecutive year. There are more than 100 wineries in the Hill Country, and William Chris was the only one to make the 51-100 list. It was one of two United States vineyards to make the cut, the other being Brooks Wine in Oregon. The vineyard offers a variety of experiences starting at $20 per person, and can be reserved on its website.

William Chris Vineyards tasting room William Chris Vineyards has done it again. Photo courtesy of William Chris Vineyards

In Austin

If you've ever wanted to visit a Texas-sized book festival, now's your chance: The 29th annual Texas Book Festival is taking over downtown Austin from November 16-17. The 2024 lineup features more than 250 authors, including New York Times bestselling authors Matthew McConaughey, Malcolm Gladwell, Rumaan Alam, and Jay Ellis. The two-day event will also have book signings, youth and bilingual programs, a Saturday night Lit Crawl, cooking demonstrations, food trucks, and more. The Texas Book Festival is free and open to the public.

One of the most highly regarded fall arts events in Austin, the Waterloo Greenway Creek Show, will light up Waller Creek on the evenings of Nov. 8-16. The annual show encourages attendees to engage with the natural elements of the Austin's downtown area, and the pieces usually have something to do with nature or the creek itself. Tickets begin at $6, and are exclusively available for purchase through waterloogreenway.org.

In San Antonio

The Briscoe Western Art Museum is celebrating San Antonio's Native American history with the Yanaguana Indian Arts Festival on Saturday, November 9, from 10 am-4 pm. The free festival has attractions for all ages: Live performances by traditional Native American dancers and musicians, an artisan market, workshops, indigenous storytellings, presentations, and more. Museum admission will also be free for the day. RSVP via biscoemuseum.salsalabs.org.

The winter holidays are coming early this year at The Westin Riverwalk, San Antonio. The hotel will host its Ford River Holiday Parade Experience from 6-9 pm on Friday, November 29. The evening will begin with reception-style dining and cocktails in the hotel lobby, followed by the parade viewing at 6:45 pm. General admission begins at $95, and the hotel will also offer a "North Pole VIP Room Experience" that includes single-room accommodations for two guests, VIP reception-style dinner for two, four drink tickets, and two reserved seats in the outdoor VIP viewing area for $650. Tickets can be purchased via Eventbrite.

Across North Texas

Pet owners seeking a pet-friendly hotel for a holiday staycation can look to The Kimpton Pittman Hotel in downtown Dallas, which allows pets of all kinds and provides plenty of comfortable amenities. The hotel offers pet beds, feeding mats, leashes, and courtesy bags for walks for guests' furry friends. The hotel doesn't charge cleaning fees or pet deposits, doesn't have a size or weight limit, nor does it limit the number of pets guests can bring. Rates at The Kimpton Pittman Hotel begin at $277 per night.

Texas travelers' furry best friends won't need to be left with a petsitter this year.Photo courtesy of The Kimpton Pittman Hotel

The Fort Worth Stockyards' annual Texas Country Music Weekend is returning for three days of lively performances by 30 talented artists from November 8-10. Scheduled acts include Sunny Sauceda Band, Tanner Sparks, Curtis Grimes, and many more. The weekend will culminate with the Texas Country Music Awards held at Billy Bob's Texas on Nov. 10 at 6 pm. Tickets for the awards show start at $30, and can be purchased via axs.com.

fall festivals fort worth stockyards hill-country hotels museums staycation texas book festival william chris vineyards texas

Best of the South

Southern Living lauds Hill Country hotspot among best towns in the South

Photo by Steve Rawls

undefined

The famous German Hill Country town of Fredericksburg is getting the spotlight as a must-visit destination in Southern Living's 2026 South's Best Awards.

Fredericksburg claimed the coveted No. 3 spot in the publication's ranking of the Best Small Towns in the South.

The annual awards are determined through third-party online surveys of Southern Living consumers from July 9 to September 9, 2025. Over 17,000 respondents rated their favorite places across the South, the report said.

The top two best small Southern towns were St. Augustine, Florida (No. 1), and St. Simons Island/Golden Isles, Georgia (No. 2).

Specifically, Southern Living gave a nod to Fredericksburg's growth and the recent addition of The Albert Hotel, which opened in 2025. The Albert Hotel was ranked the 10th best new hotel in 2026.

"The city’s premier full-service luxury hotel revives a cluster of 19th-century landmarks, from a historic saloon to a former pharmacy that is now a cafe, deli, and artisan market," the report said. "Alongside the 105 minimalist guest rooms, a holistic spa and a limestone pool provide moments of quiet relaxation."

We all need a relaxing day poolside at the Albert Hotel pool oasis.Photo by Chase Daniels

As the Fredericksburg area grows, Southern Living said, it still maintains its cozy, small-town feel.

"Fredericksburg still wears its German heritage on its sleeve, evident throughout Main Street architecture and a lively cluster of biergartens and long-running seasonal festivals," Southern Living wrote. "Wine lovers will feel particularly at home thanks to more than 100 wineries and tasting rooms scattered throughout town and the surrounding countryside."

It's no wonder Southern Living decided to locate its 2026 Idea House there.

Popular events like the Fredericksburg Food & Wine Festival and locally focused programs like the Texas Hill Country Wineries wine passports draw in crowds from all parts of Texas. The town is about a five-hour drive from downtown Dallas, which makes it a great weekend or spring break escape. North Texas travelers might even spot small patches of bluebonnets during their road trip through the Hill Country.

No matter which route you take, travelers should make a pit stop through another small Texas town called Marble Falls, which is home to one of Southern Living's most legendary Southern restaurants: Blue Bonnet Cafe. According to the report, its longstanding staff members embody the idea of "southern hospitality" every day.

"There’s one real reason the Blue Bonnet Cafe is so widely respected: The folks who run the place have been holding this small-town diner to high standards for years," the report said.

Blue Bonnet Cafe opened in 1929 and was later bought by the Kemper family in 1981, who still own and operate it today. Southern Living recommends ordering one of the blue plate specials, and a slice of pie is a mandatory treat.

"With 15 options — from luxuriously creamy to bright and fruity — you’re guaranteed to find one you’ll love," the report said.

Blue Bonnet Cafe in Marble Falls, Texas Ordering a slice of pie is a requirement, not a suggestion.Blue Bonnet Cafe - Marble Falls, TX/Facebook

The only other Texas destination to earn recognition in Southern Living's annual awards was the iconic Franklin Barbecue in Austin, which was crowned the best barbecue joint in Texas by the publication's readers.

"Fans from around the world queue up for hours to experience the craftsmanship that has made Franklin a barbecue celebrity," the report said. "Flawless prime-grade brisket with a sweet, tangy glaze is still the showstopper here, and it’s accompanied by the quintessential Central Texas lineup of pork ribs, turkey, and jalapeño-Cheddar sausage."

travel southern living awards fredericksburg marble falls barbecue austin