Victoria (TX) is located on the Gulf Coast and is the largest city and county seat of Victoria County; a vacation here will leave you with so many things to do in Victoria (TX).
Located just a two-hour drive from San Antonio, Victoria is often a weekend getaway for its proximity to the ocean.
For the same reason, it attracts tourists from all over the world who come to Victoria, TX, for the warm summer sun and to spend quality time frolicking in the waters of the Persian Gulf.
Victoria took its name from General Guadalupe Victoria, who became the first president of the newly created Mexico.
It is also home to lots of local artists who come together to create an unforgettable Victorian cultural scene.
Should you be in search of things to do in Victoria (TX), we’ve put together the list below to ensure you have the best vacation of your life.
Fun Things to Do in Victoria (TX)
1. Go Horse Riding at Grace Ranch
Built on a sprawling 1,200 acres, Grace Ranch offers its visitors western riding.
It is a family-run ranch located 7 miles north of Victoria.
They offer beginner, intermediate and advanced riding lessons and instruct numerous rodeo and western show horse shows.
They cater to both young and old, and their school horses make riding accessible to everyone.
A day at Grace Ranch will include basic riding lessons, rodeo events, ranch rides, and horse safety and maintenance.
The ranch also hosts events such as capture the flag and cookouts.
Trail riding is another exceptional program they offer where you can escape into the Texas countryside on horseback.
You can also camp in their area for a few days, and the ranch will ensure you a stay full of experiences and fun.
2. Make a Visit to the Children’s Discovery Museum
If there is a child in the family, you must visit the Children’s Museum of Discovery.
Having an area of over 10,000 square feet provides plenty of space for your child to run around and learn through play.
Museum initiative S.T.E.A.M. (Science Technology Engineering and Math) is driving the development of several exhibits and programs to improve children’s mental growth.
She has adopted a hands-on, hands-on approach that makes the sciences easy to understand.
Its more than 20 exhibits include the Art Place, Discovery Lab, and Circus Tot – all expressly designed to encourage your child’s thinking and problem-solving skills.
It also offers several programs such as Science Saturdays, Germinating Melodies, and Family Maker Nights.
Visit the museum for an unforgettable experience and spend time bonding with your child.
3. Participate in the Victoria Art League
The Victoria Art League was set up in 1966 to promote the visual arts in Victoria to Crossroads residents.
Its aim is to promote the understanding, education, appreciation, and creation of visual arts among all children and adults.
VAL is a non-profit organization that offers a variety of activities for all ages, from beginners to professionals.
In addition, they have several events lined up for you in their calendars.
Immerse yourself on a sculpting day at the ceramic workshops.
If there is a young child in the family, they can participate in the Victoria Art for Kids program, a five-day program that teaches them to create, learn and experiment with their original artwork.
Things to Do in Victoria (TX) at Night
1. Have Dinner at Double J Eatery
Double J Eatery is a restaurant in Victoria, TX, that offers delicious food and drinks. The restaurant is known for its fresh, tasty, and affordable food.
They offer a variety of dishes to choose from as well as a wide selection of wines and beers. They also have a great atmosphere that makes you feel comfortable and welcome.
Enjoy a meal at Double J Eatery today, and you will be glad you did.
2. See a Movie at Domingos
When it comes to theater, Victoria is known as the heart of Texas. With theaters like the Domingo Theater and the Lyric Theater, you’ll find something to enjoy in every city in the state.
This week we visited one of those theaters: Domingo’s Theater in Victoria. Known for its plays and movies, this theater is a great place to see a show or take in a movie.
In addition to an excellent program, Domingo’s Theater is also a great place to have a drink or eat some food.
3. Grab Some Bottles at Hide Away Bar
If you love BBQ, you must check out Hide Away BBQ. This place is all about smokers and grills, and they have a variety of meats to choose from.
At Hide Away BBQ, they also have a great selection of drinks, including sangria and margaritas.
Should you be looking for some night-out fun, Hide Away BBQ is a perfect choice.
Things to Do in Victoria (TX) For Couples
1. Shop at Downtown Farmers Market
What’s better than a lazy day shopping for locally grown organic produce? Well, Victoria’s Farmer’s Market in Texas offers you just that!
Victoria’s Farmer’s Market brings together hundreds of local vendors and small businesses selling local farm fresh vegetables and handmade products every Saturday from 9 am to 1 pm.
The foods and items you find here are produced very small, ensuring that you get the highest quality products.
However, the disadvantage of such small-scale production is that these products are remade quite quickly.
To avoid this situation, try to visit the market in time.
Choose from its wide variety of products—from raw, local Texas honey to ground coffee, homemade sauces, and raw meats.
2. Spend a Night at Hilton Garden Inn Victoria Hotel
Hilton Garden Inn is known to be a great place to stay because it offers a variety of services and amenities that are not common in other hotels.
These include a fitness center, 24-hour room service, and a business center.
In addition, the Garden Inn is close to many shops and restaurants. For more hotel information or to book a reservation, visit the Hilton Garden Inn official website.
3. Get Some Spa Treatment at Woodhouse Day Spa
Looking for somewhere to relax? Woodhouse Day Spa is the place to be. They offer a variety of services such as massages, facials, and waxing.
They also offer various amenities such as hot tubs, saunas, and swimming pools.
In addition to the activities they offer, Woodhouse Day Spa is also a great place to shop as they have a wide range of products and services to choose from.
You can find everything from health and beauty products to home decor. And their prices are very reasonable.
Things to Do in Victoria (TX) For Kids
1. Check Out Some WIldlife at Texas Zoo
The Texas Zoo was founded to create a connection between wild animals and the public and promote better understanding between them.
In addition, it promotes the conservation of the species through education, science, and activism.
The Texas Zoo keeps up to 100 species, both native and exotic, in conditions exactly similar to their original habitats.
You can visit the animals on a certain day of the weekend and if they interest you enough, take the time to interact with them.
You can pet them in the Petting Zoo or admire them up close in the Walk-Through Aviary, all designed to encourage interest and learning.
The zoo also caters to its young visitors with its Fossil Digging and Children’s Playground in the Reptile Building.
2. Take Them to the Riverside Park
Bordered by the 4.5-mile Guadalupe River, Riverside Park is a haven if you’re looking for fun-filled activities.
It is the largest park in Victoria, built on a vast area of 650 acres.
The park is full of activities, including a children’s playground and sports fields.
However, if you want to spend a quiet day, there is also a Memorial Rose Garden where visitors can adopt a rose to beautify the garden.
Athea nature trail is popular with nature lovers, where you can enjoy a hike or bike ride with your loved ones.
In addition, the duck pond at Riverside Park is extremely popular with visitors because you can not only find a variety of ducks here, but you can also feed them.
3. Let Them Catch Some Fun at Pebble Beach
Pebble Beach is known to be one of the most beautiful and famous places in Victoria, Texas.
It is a beautiful undulating beach that is perfect for a day of relaxation and fun. And if you want to experience all that Pebble Beach has to offer, there are plenty of activities to keep you busy.
Pebble Beach has a lot to offer, from golf to swimming, if you want to spend the day enjoying the beach.
Indoor Activities to Do in Victoria (TX) For Adults (Indoor Activities)
1. Appreciate Art at the Nave Museum
The Nave Museum was first commissioned by Emma McFaddin Nave to showcase the paintings of her late husband, Royston Nave.
However, since it first opened in 1932, the museum has evolved and now serves to educate and enrich people through art.
The museum occupies a central place in Victoria’s contemporary arts and culture scene, attracting art lovers from across the country and abroad.
It hosts seven or eight exhibitions each year featuring outstanding local and national artists and sculptors.
In addition to paintings and sculptures, the Nave museum also has an eclectic collection of artworks, including fine wood carvings and handmade quilts.
Awaken your inner artist as you stroll past Greek Revival temple architecture while admiring the tasteful art collections.
2. Don’t Miss the Fun at PumpHouse Riverside Restaurant and Bar
Recently converted into a catering restaurant, the PumpHouse Riverside Restaurant and Bar is one of Victoria’s historic buildings, which provided water services to the city for a hundred years before its conversion.
In 1986, the PumpHouse Riverside Restaurant and Bar was added to the National Register of Historic Places and later designated a National Landmark in 2011.
A 250-year-old stately gate adorns the entrance to the urban-style restaurant, connecting it to Texas’ rich historical past.
Visit the PumpHouse and sample their delectable array of American cuisine while enjoying serene views of the Guadalupe River from its decks.
Here, you also have the option of indoor dining with full bar access.
3. Grab a Meal at the Historical Fossati’s Delicatessen
You’re missing out if you don’t visit Fossati’s Delicatessen, the oldest deli in Victoria, Texas.
Established in 1882, the Fossati’s Delicatessen is a historic landmark that has been added to the National Register of Historic Places.
The deli was founded by Fraschio “Frank” Napoleon Fossati, an Italian immigrant to America, and is still owned by the same family.
Over the ages, they have carefully maintained the quality of their food and are known for their homemade-style food.
You can spend an entire afternoon immersed in rich Texas history at one of the iconic red and white checkered tables.
Romantic Things to Do in Victoria (TX)
1. Visit the Museum of Coastal Bend
Thirteen thousand years of Texas history are showcased at the Coastal Bend Museum, which covers several communities that inhabited the site.
With an extensive collection of original artifacts, documents, photographs, and paintings, the museum breathes life into the rich history of the site.
The museum boasts several exhibits, one of which is Fort St.
Louis exhibit explores early French and European settlements in Victoria County and Texas.
This exhibit features the original canons that defended the French colony against Karankawa, the original inhabitants of Texas.
In addition, you can also learn about the woolly mammoths that roamed the land 11,000 years ago and the prehistoric humans who hunted them for food.
2. Don’t Miss a Trip to Outlaw Pass Family Centre
Outlaw Pass is a family fun center in Victoria, TX, and a must-visit.
It’s also a great place for a group trip as it has something for everyone.
While golf is generally a popular activity here, there are also go-karts, bungee jumping, mine rafting, arcade games, and even a rock wall.
Enjoy this theme park as you jump, climb, scream and win.
The park also offers special events where you can purchase three or more activities for a reduced price.
Plus, if you get hungry after a hard day of burning calories, you can enjoy a sumptuous meal at the Outlaw Pass Snack Bar.
3. Go Skating at Victoria Skate Park
Victoria Skate Park is open every Monday to Sunday from 6 am to 11 pm. Victoria Skate Park is a free skate park located in the city’s sports complex.
Victoria Skate Park features a street section with moguls, ramps, boxes, a 3-foot tall horseshoe with a horseshoe, a large pyramid, a 3-foot raised bump, seven jumps up stairs with railings, and then a gap.
You’ll find a three-tier bowl in 3, 4.5, 5, and 6 feet that offer bowl carving until you’re satisfied. Usually, kids, adults, and locals wait to enjoy skating after 4 pm; you can have the place to yourself even before 4 pm or early on the weekend.
Victoria Skate Park is also home to world-class professional skaters.
Visit the park with your friends or family as it is also for beginners; you will enjoy skating and learn new skills from the experts you will find there.
Free Things to Do in Victoria (TX)
1. Check Out the Historical Presidio La Bahia
Among the most recognized historic sites in all of Texas, Presidio La Bahia is the finest example of a Spanish frontier fort in the world.
It witnessed and participated in 6 national revolutions, and its walls were manned by Spanish, Mexican, and Texan soldiers.
The museum inside the fort houses several Presidio artifacts, carefully preserved and maintained.
In addition, the Chapel of Our Lady of Loreto is the oldest church in the US and attracts thousands of tourists every year.
Visit this historic landmark and immerse yourself in Texas history.
2. Take Walk Along the Great Coastal Texas Barbecue Trail
Barbecue in Coastal Bend is inextricably linked to Texas history.
This trail will take you through several multi-generational barbecue establishments, and you will learn about their rich history.
Try their variously cooked brisket, carefully prepared flanks, along with heavenly dessert to understand the different cooking techniques and, of course, the story behind these restaurants in Victoria, Texas.
Ranking among the best, Aunt Jo’s thick and slow-cooked brisket is a must, with a unique sweet-flavored sauce with the perfect hint of pepper.
Also popular is McMillan’s Bar-B-Q, with brisket cooked over fragrant fruit woods like peach and cherry with a little combination of both pecan, mesquite, and oak.
3. Don’t Miss the Fun at Lone Tree Creek Splash Pad
Lone Tree Creek Splash Pad is open every Monday through Sunday from 10:00 to 7:00 pm, and entry is free.
It is a beautiful place to play with as there are pads for kids, including one large splash tank, three small fill-N-sprinklers, and eight spray nozzles.
Lone Tree Creek has shaded picnic tables and additional benches as well.
Adults can also sit and relax on the benches, watch their children play, and have fun with the water and their teammates.
There are well-maintained restrooms, spacious parking lots, walking trails, covered tables, playgrounds, and more.
Don’t forget to bring your children’s swimwear, swimming trunks or diapers.
Cheap Things to Do in Victoria (TX)
1. Visit the Victoria County Courthouse
The Victoria County Courthouse was first established in 1892 in the Romanesque style and is the most important historical monument in the state.
Its walls are decorated with history; visitors can view a collection of photographs and paintings.
It also has a belfry, brick patterns, arches, and columns that make the courthouse an exciting place to visit.
Furthermore, to adapt the courthouse to the Texas climate, a central atrium was also built to bring light and ventilation into the courthouse.
Immerse yourself in exploring the nooks and crannies of this historic building to understand the nuances of law and order at that time.
2. Go Paddling at Victoria Paddling Trail
The 25-mile-long Victoria Paddling Trail consists of Riverside Park, Chisholm Trail, and Mission Espiritu Santo abs the Fort Saint Louis Sections.
The Victoria Paddling Trail winds along the slow-flowing Guadalupe River in the coastal area and is surrounded by scenic soft banks.
The Victoria Paddling Trail is an incredible place with fast-flowing and shallow water; the presence of the occasional sabbath may offer places to rest or bird watch.
There is a section of the Guadalupe River that offers fishing activities; you will find a variety of aquatic species such as catfish, sunfish, Guadalupe bass, and more.
The Guadalupe River is also home to a variety of plants, birds, and wildlife. Here you will find birds like egrets, egrets, hawks, phoebes, bald eagles, and many more.
There are five different access points for different parts of the Victoria Paddling Trail. One is to drive 8-9 miles north of Victoria on Hwy 87, turn left onto FM447 and travel 3.2 miles to the access point.
3. Shop at Victoria Mall
Go on a shopping spree at Victoria Mall, as it is one of the most popular places in Victoria to visit.
It’s a large open-air mall that’s perfect for days when you want to be outside.
It also has plenty of shops and restaurants, making it a great place to spend an afternoon.
Cool Places to Visit in Victoria (TX)
1. Aransas Wildlife Refuge
Just a 45-minute drive from Victoria is the Aransas Wildlife Refuge, a hidden gem of Texas. Wildlife refuges first emerged from the oceans during the Pleistocene, 120,000 years ago.
In the past, it served as the home of woolly mammoths and other Ice Age mammals such as lions, camels, and mastodons.
It was originally established as a park to protect the endangered whooping cranes but has become a site for the conservation of all endangered and threatened species.
Ideal for bird watchers, a haven for migratory birds and other wildlife.
A day full of adventure can be spent at the numerous riding and hiking trails, lookout towers, and picnic areas.
2. Coleto Creek Park & Reservoir
Coleto Creek Park and Reservoir is a year-round outdoor recreation for friends and family fun. The 190-acre Coleto Creek Park is designed for family recreation; it is on a 3,100-acre freshwater reservoir.
There are fun and engaging activities to experience with your friends and family, such as boating, fishing, swimming, bird and wildlife watching, collecting, beautiful playgrounds, cycling, mountain biking, sand volleyball, and group gatherings.
Coleto Creek Park and Reservoir are midway between Victoria and Goliad. The central Coleto Creek Park and Reservoir act as a cooling pond for Coleto Creek Power.
You will also enjoy camping with your friends and family in this area as there are facilities available for these purposes.
At Coleto Creek Park, you will find a laundry room, camping cabins, primitive camping, clean toilets, electrical wiring, water, a BBQ grill, and picnic tables.
3. Victoria Public Library
The Victoria Public Library in Victoria, Texas, is one of the largest public libraries in the United States.
It is open to the public all through the day, seven days a week, and offers a number of services to its visitors.
Here you will find information about books, newspapers, magazines and more. In addition to its library services, Victoria Public Library also offers several cultural programs ideal for families.
For example, the library offers art classes for children, music lessons for adults, and kindergartens for toddlers.
Conclusion
For a travel experience that offers both adventure and opportunities for rest and relaxation, look no further than this vibrant city.
Follow this list of the best things to do in Victoria (TX) and have a fantastic time.
