Beaumont is in the Southeast corner of Texas, about an hour east of Houston (85 miles) and 30 minutes from the Louisiana border on the Neches River near the Gulf of Mexico. Its strategic position near the state border has created a highly unique culture that’s really the best of both worlds.
You have the “laissez la bon temps rouler” fun-loving attitude of Louisiana along with incredible Creole, Cajun and Southern cuisine. Pair that with the Texas pride, a tinge of cowboy culture, and the oil economy, and you have one larger than life city. It’s an easy road trip from most major Texas hubs, and a great day trip from Lake Charles, Louisiana’s casino town, which is right over the border.
Beaumont was really put on the map in the early 1900s because of the Spindletop gusher, one of the first and largest oil fields in U.S. history. Since the oil rush, the town’s really evolved into a nice place to live and visit.
Now it’s the restaurant scene, nature opportunities and tourist attractions that are booming. To the north is Pine Island Bayou, an environment called the coastal plains which provide many recreational trails for hikers, bikers, and even kayakers. Birding is a popular pastime and thanks to the mild climate, Beaumont is on multiple migratory paths. Some of the best places to get a taste for the area’s natural wonders are Big Thicket National Preserve, Tyrrell Park and Cattail Marsh, and Shangri La Botanical Gardens.
Downtown Beaumont has hints of a boom/bust town, especially near Crockett Street, but there are still plenty of gems to discover from the beautiful Jefferson Theatre to the McFaddin-Ward House, which offers an interesting look into the socialites of the times and a wealthy family who struck it rich during the oil heyday. But it’s really better to see for yourself.
What are you waiting for? Plan a visit today.
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