Meet the Friendliest Tour Guides in Texas

Adkins has deep knowledge of historic Route 66 and Palo Duro Canyon—Texas’ Grand Canyon. “My family moved here in the ’40s, so I have wonderful firsthand stories of the oil boom, tornados, and Amarillo’s growth,” she says. “The Panhandle is not easy. The settlers survived some of the toughest conditions in Texas. They helped their neighbor; if they survived, you survived. Being there for one another comes naturally.”

Seventeen-year-old Rodriguez is a renowned birding guide in a world-class birdwatching hot spot. “People seek me out to accurately identify birds by sight and sound and to teach them about the birds’ habits, habitat, vocalizations, and identification characteristics,” he says. “When I show them these birds, their joy inspires me to look at the birds like I’m seeing them for the first time.”

Salter leads free public walking tours of downtown San Antonio with optional tipping. “I employ a great deal of theatrics while presenting the information in group settings, but at the core is solid history,” he says. “How can I engage this person looking at me and help them appreciate a city I love? I try to be the Steve Irwin of San Antonio.”

A former ranger at Davis Mountains State Park, Priest has expertise in backpacking Big Bend Ranch State Park among abundant springs, wild geology, and a network of trails, arroyos, and ranch roads. “You’re not just in the outdoors business—you’re in the people business,” he says. “Seeing people’s jaws drop at the stunning landscapes is a powerful experience.”

As a 20-year veteran of the destination marketing industry, Bayes draws on her experience having visited all but six of Texas’ 254 counties. “With a bit of a free spirit, I enjoy hitting the open road with no particular place to go, camera in hand, so I can capture what I see,” she says. “Whoever coined the phrase ‘God gave us one mouth and two ears’ must have been in customer service. If you’re going to be a good guide, you need to listen.”

Klendworth presents the story of Cowtown to individuals and corporations. “I paint a picture of the past, bringing the characters of the Texas Republic, the Old West, the founding fathers back to life,” she says. “I enjoyed taking a couple around town one day. They had me drive their car. We saw the sights and had lunch. That was very memorable because I love helping people.”

An abiding interest in German immigration to Texas and his family’s history in the old country and in Texas informs Friedrich’s knowledge of early Texas history. He calls the stories he tells “Tales and Taller Tales of Texas.” “I believe one must first live and breathe the history or the subject,” he says. “I like to become part of the group and interact with it.”

Grossman is a guide for the Trost Society, dedicated to the storied Trost & Trost architectural firm, and Restore Sacred Heart Church, which raises funds for the iconic Segundo Barrio building. “I take people into areas they would otherwise never see—where the architecture is humbler—and show how the vernacular relates to the Mexican Revolution and Old West,” he says. “I put together a picture of early 20th century immigration, America as this melting pot.”