One of Texas' biggest zydeco trail rides is coming up this weekend in Beaumont at the Bill Pickett Trail Riders 9^th Annual Trail Ride, Zydeco Festival & Rodeo.

Lamar Blvd. Pedestrian Bridge

TH's July issue features a day in Austin from three of our editors, each exploring some of the Capital City's favorite tourist spots from a local's perspective. I for one am experiencing Austin from a somewhat unusual vantage point: that of a longtime resident staying in a vacation rental while my new home is being completed.

Before the April explosion at the West Fertilizer plant, the town of West was best known for its Czech heritage and culture—both of which are celebrated annually on Labor Day weekend at Westfest.

The rainstorms that soaked parts of the Hill Country over Memorial Day weekend are providing a welcome boost to tubing on the Frio River, at least for a little while.

(Fireworks explode over Waterway Square at the Memorial Day Weekend Celebration in The Woodlands./Photo courtesy of The Woodlands CVB)

Memorial Day kicks off the unofficial start of summer with a full roster of hot events this weekend.

Just north of Houston, The Woodlands boasts two nights of dazzling fireworks displays in Waterway Square on Saturday and Sunday at their Memorial Day Weekend Celebration. Families can enjoy live music and other activities from 6-9 p.m. before the sky lights up.

Granbury officials say their big Memorial Day Celebration will go on as planned after a devastating tornado ripped through the edge of town last week. The Historic Granbury Square was untouched, and the city is welcoming visitors Saturday through Monday for live music, contests, arts and crafts, ceremonies and more. This year’s theme is “Balconies, Bands and Boats.”

And in Kerrville, it’s a great time to take in the local art and music scene while the Kerrville Folk Festival and several art shows cross paths. The Texas State Arts and Crafts Fair and the Texas Masters of Fine Art and Craft Show both stay only for Memorial Day weekend, but the music festival goes through June 9. If you go, be sure to make time for the Southwest Gourd Fine Art Show and other exhibits at the Kerr Arts and Cultural Center.

Other events coming up this holiday weekend include:

Anthony: KLAQ Balloon Fiesta

Dallas: Dallas International Festival

El Paso: Neon Desert Music Festival

Ennis: National Polka Festival

Farmers Branch: Liberty Fest

Fort Worth: Crowne Plaza Invitational

Fredericksburg: Crawfish Festival

Rockport: Rockport Festival of Wines

San Antonio: Memorial Day Arts and Crafts Show

The Super Bowl is heading back to Houston—Super Bowl LI, to be exact.

I recently returned from a whirlwind trip to Dallas, where I visited several new attractions, including the Perot Museum of Art and Science, the brand-new George W. Bush Presidential Library, and the new Klyde Warren Park, a 5.2-acre downtown green space built—somehow…amazingly—over the recessed Woodall Rodgers Freeway between Pearl and St. Paul streets in the Arts District. I also enjoyed a sneak-peek tour of the observation deck of the 560-foot-tall Reunion Tower, which has been closed since 2007 and will reopen after a major renovation this fall. When the observation deck reopens, it’ll have high-powered telescopes, a 50-foot-long digital panel presenting Dallas history and geography, and a new bar and café. The view from up there is terrific, and it’s a great place to gain perspective on all the new things going on in Dallas.  I can’t wait to revisit in the fall.

Nearly two years after massive wildfires, the director of Possum Kingdom Chamber of Commerce says tourism has rebounded but drought continues to trouble the area.

For book-lovers drawn to the Texas Book Festival and its engaging congregation of authors each fall in Austin, it’s worth noting that the festival also partners with other events around the state to highlight books and authors.

Women take a closer look at a piece of pottery at the Rockwall Founders Day Festival, which features all-day live music, gourmet food trucks, children's activities and a street fair of vendors. This year's event is on May 18. (Photo courtesy of the City of Rockwall Parks and Recreation)

Among the many things I learned at the second annual Austin FOOD & WINE Festival, which took place at Austin's Butler Park April 27-28, here are my favorite take-aways:

With the reopening of the Boquillas border crossing in Big Bend National Park, curious travelers have raised questions about the activities and safety associated with crossing the Rio Grande into Mexico.