Furnished with festivities

Charming antiques haven east of Austin named the top small town in Texas

Antiques shows are abundant in Round Top this month.

Round Top, a Fayette County hot spot for antiques aficionados, comes out on top among Texas communities in a new rundown of the best small towns in the U.S.

The Discoverer travel blog recently named the No. 1 small town in each state, and Round Top — home to fewer than 90 residents — claimed bragging rights in Texas. Round Top, about 7 miles south of U.S. Highway 290 East, is roughly 80 miles southeast of Austin and about 95 miles northwest of Houston.

“Make a detour on your way between Austin and Houston to Round Top, where there appear to be more antique dealers than actual town residents,” The Discoverer advises. “When not browsing antiques and shopping at a farmers market, drop into the Royers Café to sample one of its legendary pies. Road trippers can park … for the night at the town’s RV park and campground.”

This month is a prime time to visit Round Top. From October 14-31, the town hosts the fall version of the Round Top Antiques Show. Meanwhile, the Original Round Top Antiques Fair is taking place October 25-30.

The list of year-round antiques destinations in and around Round Top is exhaustive. The shops include Bill Moore Antiques, Bootleggers Antiques, Cottonseed Trading Company, Hermann Furniture, Junk Gypsy Company, McLaren’s Antiques & Interiors, Mesquite Mesa at Coyote Station, Round Top Ranch Antiques, Round Top Vintage Market, Second Market and Company, and Townsend Provisions.

For those seeking overnight accommodations, the Round Top area features a number of options, such as hotels, inns, B&Bs, and vacation rentals.

“Businesses in Round Top offer big-city shopping, dining, lodging, and culture, without the big-city headaches. Our town is a year-round hub … and a bucket-list destination for HGTV and antiques addicts,” according to the Round Top Chamber of Commerce.

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go visit smitty in smithville

Jolly Texas town makes list of best Christmas road trip destinations

Smithville Area Chamber of Commerce - Facebook

Smithville's annual Festival of Lights transforms downtown into a winter wonderland.

The December holiday season brings many opportunities for creating memories, such as visiting all of the spectacular light displays in Austin and in the surrounding area. And there's one twinkly Central Texas town just east of Austin that may give the Johnson City Lights a run for its money.

The small, merry town of Smithville – located 45 miles southeast of Austin and containing its beloved Gingerbread Lane – was just named one of the jolliest holiday road trips in the nation in a recent report by online classifieds site RVTrader.

Downtown Smithville completely transforms during the winter season in preparation for its annual Festival of Lights, which took place on Saturday, December 7. This year's festivities included an indoor arts and crafts show featuring local artisans, an array of outdoor vendors, complimentary rides on the Ann Powell Express train, a parade, and many more activities.

No winter extravaganza is complete without snow, and 40,000 pounds of real snow was blown during the morning of the festival to allow for snow tubing, snowball fights, and more. Santa even made an appearance to snap photos with children.

At the heart of the festival is the iconic Smitty gingerbread man, which broke the Guinness World Record for the World's Biggest Gingerbread Man in 2006, which was officially recognized two years later, according to Explore Bastrop County.

"In honor of being officially named the World’s Biggest Gingerbread Man, the Smithville Area Chamber of Commerce and the City of Smithville retired the cookie sheet that was used to bake the giant gingerbread man and converted it into a monument to commemorate the record," the website says.

Smitty the gingerbread man in Smithville, Texas Smitty is a sizeable famous figure in Smithville.Smithville Area Chamber of Commerce - Facebook

If you missed the festivities this year, stay tuned for the 34th annual festival in 2025. But visitors can still check out all of the dazzling lights and meet Smitty throughout the winter season.

For visitors who want to turn a day trip into a weekend stay, RVTrader suggests camping at Buescher State Park, which is only two miles away from Smithville. The park offers a variety of RV campsites, screened shelters, and cabins. For those who would prefer a hotel, there's always the historic Katy House Bed & Breakfast.

Smithville was the only Texas city to make it on RVTrader's list of top holiday road trip destinations. Several other holly jolly cities were chosen across every region in the country.

"The holiday season is the perfect time to hit the road and discover the magic of Christmas across the country," the report's author wrote. "Whether you’re visiting Gingerbread Lane in Texas, marveling at the lights of McAdenville, or exploring the Bavarian charm of Leavenworth, these holly, jolly holiday road trips promise unforgettable moments."

Other prominent holiday road trip destinations include:

Plant City, Florida
McAdenville, North Carolina
Bethlehem, Pennsylvania
Frankenmuth, Michigan
Branson, Missouri
Durango, Colorado
Fresno, California
Leavenworth, Washington
North Pole, Alaska