Beaumont TX is a complex city with surprises around every corner. For a small town, it’s amazing just how much there is to do in Beaumont, TX. You definitely can’t get it all done in one weekend. Another thing I loved about Beaumont is how budget friendly of a destination it is! There are so many fun, free, and affordable activities to keep families, couples, and even friends entertained! So, make sure to check out all of the fun things to do in Beaumont, TX this weekend and plan a trip for yourself!
Start Your Morning Off with Coffee and Pastries
Rao’s Bakery is not just a great place to grab coffee and pastries in the morning, it’s part of the life of Beaumont! Every morning you will find locals and tourists alike gathering in this spot. You’ll likely see the owner out with the regulars talking about the day to day. Rao’s Is a part of the cities history and is a tradition for many who will even stop in along their drive from Texas to other states. They have delicious baked goods, muffins, and breakfast sandwiches. Not to mention the owner is a coffee aficionado, so you can expect an excellent cup of joe here! Don’t forget to grab some cookies for later!
Go Kayaking
There are miles of incredible kayaking trails to discover around Beaumont, TX and in just a couple of hours you can explore changing scenery from paddling in big open spaces to navigating tightly packed trails. There’s so much to see from fish swimming under you, birds flying all around, and the diverse trees and plants. We had a tour with Big Thicket Outfitters which allowed us the convenience of having the kayaks waiting for us when we got there as well as having a guide to teach us about the different wildlife we saw.
Considering how much good food we ate in Beaumont, this ended up being a great way to work off some of those burgers and cajun food!
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Visit the Largest Working Fire Hydrant
Before going to Beaumont, the giant spotted fire hydrant was just about all I knew about this town. However, upon learning more, it turns out that this more than just the world’s largest working fire hydrant (although that’s pretty cool in itself!). This was actually a gift from Disney for the release of 101 Dalmations which makes this small Southeast Texas town a must visit for any Disney lover! Also, nearby Beaumont is China, TX where Disney hosted a huge celebration for the release of Mulan! Who knew this area and Disney would be so connected?!
Learn About Firefighter History
I was fascinated by all of the incredible history and vintage fire trucks at the Fire Museum of Texas! You can see how firefighting has changed over the decades, see the different unique memorabilia, and even get to dress up like a firefighter! The museum is free and I enjoyed the different interactive parts to keep kids and adults entertained and informed!
See Eclectic Art
The Art Museum of Southeast Texas is another free place to visit that is a must. There are so many different rotating galleries and special events to keep bringing you back. They do a great job of celebrating international as well as local talent.
However, one permanent exhibit stands. Felix “Fox” Harris was a man who took old trash and recreated a forest of metal and scraps that became brilliant art! People from all around would come to see this house covered in eclectic creations up to 15 feet tall. When this folk artist passed in the 1980s, his collection was brought to the Art Museum to remember his legacy. It’s only a piece of the full creation he built, but it gives you a glimpse into the wonder and beauty that can be recreated from what we often consider junk. Pictures around show you what it looked like as well.
Wander Through the Roses
The Beaumont Botanical Gardens is yet another free and yet stunning place to visit on your trip to Beaumont, TX. The trails zigzag past brilliant blooms no matter what the season. There’s a beautiful rose garden, hundreds of different plants to discover, and a little pond in the back to relax by! You could easily spend hours here trying to identify the different plants and enjoying leisurely strolls with loved ones!
Search for Dinosaurs
The Binks Horticulture Center is a greenhouse decked out in fun discoveries. From rare orchids, koi ponds, and greenery year round, there’s so much to see. There are even a few hidden gems in here such as different dinosaurs hidden in the trees!
Explore Cattail Marsh
Near the botanical gardens is the breathtaking Cattail Marsh. If you get there early enough you can often see the fog rolling off the water as the clouds fly by. It’s a popular birding spot, but thrilling to birders and non-birders alike! If you can, bring binoculars. We were able to see otters, alligators, a small sample of the 250 species of birds, and nutria, in just a short amount of time. There is also a small information center where they have free interactive activities for kids and hiking trails for more to discover.
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And Do Yoga There
And every other Saturday, the Cattail Marsh offers free yoga! There’s nothing quite like a relaxing morning going through the different meditative poses with incredible views and the sound of nature all around.
Take A Picture in Front of the Murals
Beaumont does an incredible job of celebrating local artists and as you drive around town you find murals of all kinds! Make sure to snap a few photos or do a silly dance in front of them!
Visit the Old Town
The Spindletop Glady City Boomtown was fascinating with all of the different buildings around. The immense amounts of oil that were found after seeing a gusher of oil pouring out for 9 days led to the boom of Beaumont. Everyday they have a reenactment, but with water instead oil! One of the coolest parts to me was walking the town with an old saloon, post office, replicas of the rooms, pharmacy, and so many other great artifacts that made you feel like you were walking back in time.
Gaze in Wonder at This Ornate Cathedral
I remember traveling to Spain and part of that was taking tours of all of the beautiful cathedrals. Walking into the St. Anthony Cathedral Basilica brought me back to those days! It’s incredible how sometimes you can travel the world without leaving Texas! Built in 1903, the St. Anthony Cathedral Basilica is a stunning piece of history inspired by the Italian Renaissance Revival and modeled after the 3rd century Basilica of San Clemente in Rome. It is so incredible that is a recognized as a heritage site and a Texas historic landmark.
Discover the Food Scene
Traveling to Beaumont is worth it just for the food! They have such a unique food scene. After traveling around Texas and being a unique burger fanatic, I’ve decided to label Beaumont the unique burger capital of Texas! I could have enjoyed just eating burgers the whole time with how many cool burgers they have, but of course there was so much other delicious finds! Being near the bayou I couldn’t miss out on the Cajun food and learning how to eat crawfish for the first time. This doesn’t even begin to scratch the surface of the incredible food scene Beaumont has to offer so make sure to read all about where to eat and drink in Beaumont, TX.
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Catch a Show
Just in general, the performance spaces in Beaumont are spectacular. The Julie Rogers Theatre is just as stunning inside as it is outside with elegant decor and a stage that has hosted world famous dancers, musicians, and other performers. The Jefferson was built in 1927 and even hosts weekly movie nights!
See An Old Steamboat
The Clifton Steamboat museum is just impressive as soon you drive with the massive and historic boat up front. They also have a museum which share the history of World War I, World War II, Korea, and Vietnam, the steamboat area, as well as some Louisiana and Southeast Texas history. They even have an art gallery with bronze statues, Native American artifacts, famous paintings, and so much to see that you wouldn’t expect.
Do a Little Shopping
There’s something so satisfying about getting to visit a town and supporting local businesses while finding some unique items. There are cute little boutiques and shops all around Beaumont to explore! One of my favorite areas to go shopping was in the historic Mildred building that looks like you’ve suddenly transported to a different country with the Mediterranean architecture. You can wander through Ella + Scott for some of the cutest outfits or check out Down to Earth for fun and organic bath and beauty products. There’s even a cafe here that makes you feel like you’re in Europe!
Learn About Energy
Beaumont was built on oil and at the Texas Energy Museum helps explain energy over time through different interactive displays and even fun robotic characters!
Grab a Drink
What I loved about Beaumont was that they have a great bar scene! There are plenty of great happy hour spots for great drinks on the cheap as well as fun spots like Little Woodrow’s. With swings, yard games, and ping pong. On the weekends this place get’s packed!
Explore the Art Scene
This small Texas town really celebrates local and international art that you can see all around from the local art hanging in restaurants like Tacos La Bamba to beautiful galleries like Finder’s Faye. Discover the talent in Beaumont with art boxes, the Beaumont Art League, the Disham Art Museum, Art Studio Inc, and some of the other great places!
Make a Friend with a Gator
Gator Country might be one of the most popular attractions in Beaumont! With hundreds of rescued gators, educational shows, and plenty of activities for hours of fun! At Gator country you can hold the baby gators, feed the tortoises, make friends with goats, and pretend you’re Britney Spears while carrying a snake. At Gator Country you can meet Big Tex, a one-eyed gator over 13 feet long and learn about these fascinating creatures!
Catch a Fun Event
There is always so much going on in Beaumont from one of the top Mardi Gras in Texas, taste of the triangle, a Mediterranean Festival, and so much more. Plus make sure to check out their events calendar to see if there is anything special happening when you visit.
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Explore Some of the Surrounding Towns
Beaumont is in the middle of some many lovely little towns like Nederland, TX with it’s windmill, China, Port Neches, Port Arthur, and Orange that all have their own fun list of activities. It’s great having Beaumont in the center of it all so that you can see the other great attractions while having a home base.
Things to Do in Beaumont TX: Final Thoughts
There clearly is no shortage of exciting things to do in Beaumont, TX! From nature to art, shopping, and history, Beaumont has it’s own distinct culture with so many of of a kind attractions that you can only find in Beaumont!
