Turns out, you don't have to go all the way to the Big Easy to satisfy your Cajun cravings.
On the border of Louisiana, just 90 minutes from Houston and right around four hours from San Antonio, Austin, and Dallas-Fort Worth, Beaumont boasts a unique Cajun-meets-Lone Star State attitude all year round — not just during Mardi Gras, which of course it does up big.
Outside of confetti and King Cake, there are many more ways that Beaumont keeps the good times keep rolling.
As one of America's original boomtowns, the place is teaming with history. You can strike it rich at Spindletop, a recreated boomtown with a gusher reenactment and an outdoor museum that’s dedicated to the discovery of oil.
The town’s flourishing mural and art scene kicks into high gear on March 2-5 with the annual Mural Festival, featuring artists from across the United States and around the world painting the town red — and every other color imaginable — during live-painting events and more.
Another Instagrammable moment to capture while you’re there is the world's largest working fire hydrant, donated by Disney, at The Fire Museum of Texas, where you’ll also find antique engines, uniforms, and firefighting equipment.
Beaumont is also a nature-lover’s dream, with bayous, birding, and the Big Thicket, America’s first national preserve with nine unique ecosystems and more than 100,000 acres to hike, bike, and paddle.
Cattail Marsh is another way to get outdoorsy, with 900 acres of scenic wetlands and a long boardwalk where you can spot more than 280 species of birds during peak migration.
Disc golf and the botanical gardens are right in the vicinity too, or enjoy Saturday morning yoga with a view at one of the classes offered there. Namaste.
To learn more about all that Beaumont has to offer, head over to visitbeaumonttexas.com.
Photo by Lauren Monitz
Soak up the Big Easy vibes in the Cajun Capital of Texas.
