Wishing you were sipping on a cool aperol spritz on your annual summer vacation to Europe? What if you could experience a little slice of a few European cities right here in the Lone Star State?
About a 4-hour drive north of The Woodlands, is the charming little town of Paris, TX. Ideal for a day or weekend trip, this version of Paris even has its own 65-foot-tall Eiffel Tower that lights up at night, complete with a 10-gallon red cowboy hat! After you’ve taken in France’s iconic landmark, stop by Paris Bakery or one of the many boutiques that line historic downtown. Make time to explore Paris Vineyards Winery or enjoy Trail de Paris, a six-mile biking trail. Scheduled for July 17th this year, the town hosts a Tour de Paris bicycle rally which is usually combined with the Paris Balloon festival and would make a great time to visit.
Once you’ve taken in the sights of Paris, head on to Athens, TX. Located about 3 hours from The Woodlands, Athens is a lively East Texas town with something for the entire family to enjoy. From the Athens Brewing Co. and local wineries to the popular Texas Freshwater Fisheries center and scuba park, this Black-eyed Pea Capital of the World and home of the original American hamburger is sure to surprise. Stop to enjoy the many Greek-inspired murals around town or take in the 55-mile scenic self guided driving trail created by the tourism department. Whatever adventure you chose, Athens has so much to offer.
From this Greece inspired town head to Dublin, Texas to take in all things Celtic. While in Dublin, don’t miss trying out some Veldhuizen Cheese, you can even tour a working farm and see the animals, and the cheese and milking process as well as enjoy cheese tastings. Make sure to visit the Dublin Bottling works where Dr. Pepper was first bottled.
With many more European named towns around Texas, we hope we have inspired you to check out at least a few. For more Texas and nature inspired summer travel ideas follow @thwoodlandswander on Instagram.
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A resident of The Woodlands and active community leader, Melissa has lived in three countries and adopted the pine tree-lined suburb of Houston as home. A born explorer, she is always on the quest to find new and old local hidden gems. She loves spending time growing her own small business and supporting local nonprofits. Find her online as The Woodlands Wanderer!