Way out west lies Alpine, a small town with big charm that's surrounded by a gorgeous desert mountain landscape. Equally desirable is the weather: The dry air and elevation keep the days fresh and cool year-round, especially in the mornings and evenings.

Though it may seem far from big cities, Alpine is centrally connected to the most scenic routes in the state, with easy day-trip access to Big Bend National Park, Marfa, Fort Davis, Marathon, McDonald Observatory, and more.

Whether you're passing through or parking your suitcase for a while, here's what to see in Alpine:

Play ball
Located north of downtown, Kokernot Field has been called the “best little ballpark in Texas” by Sports Illustrated. It's the home of the Alpine Cowboys, a nonprofit team that plays in the Pecos League, a professional baseball club which is not affiliated with the Major or Minor Baseball League.

The field dates back to 1947, when longtime rancher Herbert Kokernot Jr. built a baseball stadium to replicate Chicago's Wrigley Field, using materials from his own ranch to add that personal touch. The Cowboys' season typically starts in late May and continues until the end of July (unless they make the playoffs). The players are recruited from all over the United States, with some having come as far as Japan and Puerto Rico.

Lace up and explore
So much beautiful scenery demands to be explored, and Alpine has plenty of parks and trails to satisfy that urge.

Hancock Hill, behind Sul Ross State University, has a small system of hiking trails that feature scenic overlooks of the town and the path to The Desk.

If you haven’t heard the story of The Desk, it goes like this: In 1981, three Sul Ross students carried a desk up Hancock Hill to study. Soon they were spending hours on the hill, enjoying the beautiful surroundings. When one of them left a notebook in a desk drawer and later saw someone had written in it, he replied and soon the tradition of a notebook associated with The Desk was born. There have been dozens of notebooks filled since that are now stored at SRSU's Archives of the Big Bend.

Of course, Big Bend National Park is not to be missed, and neither are Big Bend Ranch State Park and Davis Mountains State Park. Make sure you're appropriately prepared, with proper hiking clothes, plenty of water, and an emergency plan before you head out.

You can also spend a day at the Chihuahuan Desert Nature Center, where in addition to hiking trails you'll find informative exhibits and programs, a greenhouse, and a botanical center.

Museum time
Eager to learn more? Head to Museum of the Big Bend on the Sul Ross State University campus for what director Mary Bones calls "your best introduction to the Big Bend area."

The museum celebrates natural and human history as well as cultures of the Big Bend region. Rotating exhibits include paintings, photography, and more. If you love maps, you’ll be fascinated by the historical pieces in the Yana and Marty Davis Map Collection.

Saddle up
In 1948, the Sul Ross State University rodeo team met with 11 other schools and formed the National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association, or NIRA. Today, the university still hosts the annual Southwest Region competition and has several national championships under its belt.

Rodeo fans can also get their fill at the Big Bend Ranch Rodeo, held this year August 11-12.

More events
Get ready for a summer and fall filled with fun events, starting with the music festivals Viva Big Bend (July 26-30) and Fiesta 1888 (August 5). Art lovers should show up for Trappings of Texas September 14-16 at Museum of the Big Bend and Artwalk on November 17-18, while music fans will want to attend the Big Bend Bluegrass Festival October 6-7.

Round it all out
Wondering where to eat while you're here? There are several options for casual fine dining and plenty of spots that specialize in fresh seafood. Expect a lot of small, family-owned and operated restaurants and food trucks for a truly homemade flavor.

That's also the theme when it comes to shopping, with locally owned boutiques found throughout downtown, including a spot for vintage vinyl records and a fine independent bookstore with an attached coffee shop. While you're browsing, pause to snap pics at the more than 40 murals dotted throughout downtown.

Lay your head
Stay in the historic Holland Hotel, Alpine’s classic railroad hotel originally constructed in 1928. There were originally two railroad hotels: one for the ranchers and one for the workers.

In addition to trusted hotel chains, other hotels with unique vibes include Quarter Circle 7 at Hotel Parker, the Maverick Inn motor court, Alpine Bed & Breakfast, and more.

Learn more about Alpine and begin planning your visit here.

Photo by David Winslow

Kokernot Field has been called "the best little ballpark in Texas."

One beachy destination is nice, but five-in-one is even better. That's what you get with Brazosport, a coastal community located just 50 miles south of Houston that encompasses Clute, Freeport, Lake Jackson, Quintana, and Surfside Beach.

You can choose to concentrate on just one area, or spend your time city-hopping between them. Either way, there's plenty to do, see, eat, and explore with these recommended activities:

Surfside Beach
If the beach is your happy place, then Surfside Beach has got to be in your vacation plans. Miles of golden sand studded with seashells and marine life make Surfside Beach the perfect retreat for recreational athletes, sun worshipers, and nature lovers alike. With beach house rentals, motels, offshore fishing charters, restaurants, and souvenir shops all close at hand, Surfside Beach is a great spot for every type of beachgoer.

Sea Center Texas, Lake Jackson
At this marine development, aquarium, and education center you'll find vast aquariums that include the Gulf of Mexico, Salt Marsh, Coastal Bay, Jetty, and Artificial Reefs. Visit the 20-foot touch pool and handle marine animals such as blue crabs, hermit crabs, urchins, and anemones. The hatchery at Sea Center can produce 20 million fingerlings annually, primarily red drum and spotted sea trout, for release into Texas coastal waters.

Center for the Arts & Sciences, Clute
An art gallery, science museum, planetarium, and two performance theaters make up this mecca of culture. Featuring work by local, regional, and international artists, the gallery regularly updates its collection. The Center’s Museum of Natural Science contains one of the South’s largest seashell collections, as well as fossils of dinosaur and mammoth bone. The museum also features Texas coastal wildlife and a unique jade and ivory collection.

The BASF Planetarium offers a star show every Tuesday and on the fourth Friday of each month. Visitors can also view images from the Hubble telescope in the lobby through View-Space. The Center is also home to the longest-running community theater on the Texas Gulf Coast: Brazosport Center Stages, which offer five major productions each season. Pro tip: The Center is closed on Mondays.

Brazoria National Wildlife Refuge
This extensive, 43,000-acre refuge has a varied habitat of salt grass prairies, mud flats, fresh and saltwater marshes and lakes, and salt cedars. These habitats make it a favorite for many species of coastal and migratory birds. Meanwhile, an auto tour, boardwalks, and air conditioned discovery center make it a favorite for Texas birders. Open daily from sunrise to sunset, it's also a great spot for kayaking.

Surfside Jetty Park, Surfside Beach
More than half a mile long, with flat surface walkway about five feet above the water, this is a great place to go saltwater fishing for redfish, sheepshead, shark, and spotted sea trout.

Surfside Bird & Butterfly Trail, Surfside Beach
Stroll 2.5 miles surrounded by native plants and woodland, and bordered by the Freeport Harbor. Opened in 2019, this is a great place to spot butterflies, herons, pelicans, egrets, terns and more.

Quintana Neotropical Bird Sanctuary, Quintana
Home to salt cedars, beach dunes, gulf frontage, and brackish marshes, and with an observation tower and trails open daily from sunrise to sunset, this quaint beach community offers one of the hottest birding spots on the Texas Gulf Coast. During the month of April, the Gulf Coast Bird Observatory staff and volunteers provide local birding information, bird checklists, lead tours, and help identify birds for visitors at this site.

Christmas Bay Paddling Trail, near Surfside Beach
Find extensive oyster reefs and salt marshes ideal for fishing, bird watching, or just simply enjoying nature. It is very shallow and most paddlers can comfortably stand in its waters in most areas. But beware: If you wade or fish, wear ray-proof wading boots or shuffle your feet to avoid a stingray strike! The total trail length is 19.1 miles, with a 3.8-mile route and a 10.3-mile route. Launch sites are along Bluewater Highway between Surfside Beach and San Luis Pass on County Roads 257J, 257S, and at San Luis Pass County Park.

Gulf Coast Bird Observatory, Lake Jackson
Be sure to return in the fall for the annual Xtreme Hummingbird Xtravaganza, which is held at the peak of ruby-throated hummingbird migration. It features symbolic hummingbird adoptions and live hummingbird banding, where you get the opportunity to see these amazing birds up close and in the hand.

Where to feed your hunger
Being located along the Gulf of Mexico, of course you'll find some of the freshest seafood around. But don't forget about Tex-Mex and dishes that reflect Texas' original German settlements. After browsing the locally owned boutiques in downtown Lake Jackson or a day immersed in nature, you'll want to dig in. Find an extensive list of restaurant's here.

Where to rest your head
Stay right next to the sand with beach house rentals at Surfside Beach. Staying a little longer? Check out Beach Resort Services for short-term rentals in Surfside. In Lake Jackson, post up at the Best Western Plus and Staybridge Suites.

Explore more about Brazosport and start planning your next vacation here.

Photo courtesy of Visit Brazosport

Feel those beach vibes.

Out in Far West Texas, the city of El Paso experiences more than 300 days of sunshine, making the self-proclaimed “Sun City” the ideal destination for outdoor adventure and experiences.

It also contains thousands of years of history while experiencing unprecedented growth, especially with a focus on the already booming downtown area.

Here's what to check out on your next trip to El Paso:

Vibe with Mother Nature
Towering above the city of El Paso is Franklin Mountains State Park, the largest state park in an urban setting. Here you can hike over 37 square miles of desert wilderness, scrub vegetation, and open space.

From Red Sands to Hueco Tanks State Park and the Rio Bosque Wetlands Park, El Paso offers an impressive number of outdoor and eco-tourism attractions and sites.

At Hueco Tanks, visitors can hike, try rock climbing and bouldering, bird watch, study nature and history, picnic, and stargaze. Also available are guided and self-guided tours to view ancient rock glyphs.

And don’t forget your mountain bike, because El Paso’s 125 miles of multi-use trails and rugged mountain terrains are more than a picturesque backdrop to the thriving international border metroplex.

Step back in time
Take a half-day trip to the historic Mission Trail area on El Paso’s far east side to see three historic churches, originally built during the 1600-1700s. Some are still used regularly for services!

Along the Mission Trail you’ll also find the Los Portales Museum in San Elizario, the Tigua Cultural Center, and Licon Dairy.

Dive into downtown
El Paso is home to more than 10,000 hotel rooms, multiple museums, and countless attractions. Most of these sites — as well as an abundance of restaurants, bars, and sports and entertainment venues — are located within walking distance from one another in downtown El Paso.

Hop aboard the El Paso Streetcar to explore both downtown and uptown, or wander on foot to view Henry Trost’s iconic architecture and local artists’ murals.

Head over to Southwest University Park, home of the El Paso Chihuahuas Triple-A baseball team and United Soccer League team, the El Paso Locomotive FC.

Or take a walk through San Jacinto Plaza where, besides splashing around, you can challenge friends to a game of chess or table tennis, or simply enjoy the public art honoring the park's unique history.

Must-see museums
Dive deeper into El Paso’s history with a tour of the Magoffin Home State Historic Site, or learn about the U.S./Mexico border region at the El Paso Museum of History.

Of course, a guided tour at the El Paso Museum of Art is a must. Catch a special performance at the historical Plaza Theatre in downtown El Paso for even more culture.

Time to dine
Feast on steak, barbecue, and seafood at the cowboy-style Cattleman’s Steakhouse, or opt for Mexican cuisine at Los Bandidos de Carlos & Mickey’s.

Indulge in a wine tasting at Zin Valle Vineyards after testing your cooking skills at a Texas Culinary Institute class.

Where to rest your head
The Plaza Hotel at Pioneer Park, Conrad Hilton’s first high-rise hotel, has been renovated to its original historic beauty. The property offers 131 guest rooms, stunning views of Mexico, two restaurants and bars, one of the area's largest tequila collections, and it is located within easy walking distance of the El Paso Convention Center.

Now reborn as part of the Marriott Autograph Collection, the multi-million-dollar renovation of Hotel Paso Del Norte embodies the spirit of independence, channeling El Paso’s eclectic past through its design with vibrant restaurants, a rooftop bar, pool, and refreshed guest rooms and suites.

Learn more
Explore thousands of years of history and let your imagination run wild in the Sun City. Start planning your trip now.

Photo by Andy Austin

El Paso offers an impressive number of outdoor activities.