Your 2025 Texas Travel Bucket List
By Marisa Charpentier and Danielle Lopez
Photograph by Brandon Jakobeit
A new year brings new adventures and there’s no better place to explore than our home state. To help you plan your travels in 2025, we’ve chosen a bucket list activity for each month. While some ideas are more timely—like a new art exhibit and recently reopened treasures—others are rooted in Texas traditions always worth partaking. Whether you check off one activity or accomplish all, we hope you make this year a big one.
in January…
See Wicked Fashion on display in Arlington.
You don’t have to travel to the Land of Oz to see the elaborate, glittery garb worn in Wicked. In fact, you don’t even have to leave Texas. The Arlington Museum of Art is showcasing the costumes featured in the new movie adaptation of the beloved Broadway musical, which chronicles the origin story of the Wicked Witch of the West and Glinda the Good. The exhibition “Wicked Threads: The Artistry of Costume in Oz” runs Jan. 17-April 27. Visitors will get an up-close look at costumes and props from the film, including Glinda’s “bubble” dress and Elphaba’s “Defying Gravity” costume. The exhibition is free to the public.
In FEBRUARY…
Put your love on lock in Valentine.
Over the last decade, hundreds of couples have made the pilgrimage to Valentine, Texas, to proclaim their love for one another. The tiny desert town is best known for being home to Prada Marfa, the iconic art installation modeled after a Prada boutique. But in recent years, lovers, families, and friends have made the wire fence behind the faux store its own attraction, adorning it with “love locks”—à la Pont des Arts love lock bridge in Paris. To signify their everlasting love for each other, visitors write their initials on a padlock, attach it to the fence, and toss the key into the desert. Plan your “love lock” excursion for Feb. 15 and catch the town’s annual “Valentine’s in Valentine” festival afterward.
In march…
Go for a ride at the Peppa Pig Theme Park.
Just in time for Spring Break, the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex will add a new amusement park to its lineup: Peppa Pig Theme Park. The highly anticipated attraction based on the British animated series has its grand opening March 1. The park features rides, playscapes, shows, and dining geared toward young children and their families. Kids can take a trip on Peppa Pig’s Balloon Ride and sail on Grandad Dog’s Pirate Boat, or cool off in the “Muddy Puddles” splash pad and grab a treat from Miss Rabbit’s Diner. Admission starts at $27.99.
In april…
Camp at the Chisos Basin in Big Bend National Park.
Known for its stunning views and vast untouched wilderness, Chisos Basin is a hotspot for Big Bend National Park visitors. Pitch a tent in the basin’s campground to enjoy views of Casa Grande and Emory Peak and catch a spectacular sunset through a window of mountains. April will be your last chance to experience this part of Big Bend for a while. Chisos Basin will be closed off to visitors come May as construction work begins on the defunct Chisos Mountain Lodge and adjoining water system. Popular trails, like the Lost Mine Trail and Window Trail, won’t be accessible as crews demolish the old lodge and construct a new one. The project is expected to take two years, but park managers will determine which areas can safely reopen as parts of the construction are finished.
In may…
Play at the Hill Country’s new Putting Mill.
A $2 million sports and entertainment venue is coming to the Texas Hill Country. Expected to open in Spring Branch in early 2025, The Putting Mill lives up to its slogan: “Putt. Pickle. Pour.” It features two 18-hole miniature golf courses, a golf simulator, and six pickleball courts. Between games, families and friends can hang out indoors or out with a beer or margarita from the bar or indulge in concessions like Belgium pretzels, popcorn, and ice cream.
In june…
Celebrate Route 66 in Amarillo.
One of the most famous roads in the U.S., Route 66 has been mythologized in movies, songs, books, and TV shows throughout the last century. To celebrate the Texas stretch of the iconic road, Amarillo hosts the Texas Route 66 Festival. The 10 days of car shows, bus tours, a cattle drive and parade, and live music kicks off June 5. The grand finale in Amarillo’s Route 66 Historic District will have Elvis impersonators, a Miss Texas Route 66 Pinup Pageant, corn dog eating contests, and more—not a bad way to celebrate the leadup to the road’s centennial in 2026.
In july…
Get ‘kissed’ by an official Texas State Longhorn.
At Copper Breaks State Park, visitors can get up close and personal with a Texas Longhorn. Located 90 miles northwest of Wichita Falls, the park hosts meet-and-greets with members of the official State of Texas Longhorn Herd that live at the park. While learning about the animals, brave visitors have a chance to hold protein cubes between their lips as they lean in at the pen and wait for a friendly beast to plant a “kiss” on the mouth.
In august…
Reach the end of the road on South Padre Island.
Fans of Shel Silverstein will understand the fascination with State Park Road 100. On the far northern side of the South Texas beach, condos give way to sand dunes which lead to road blocks marking that you’ve reached the end of the line. As the island’s main artery, the road runs about 13 miles before vanishing into sand, marking where SPI ends and eventually turns into Padre Island National Seashore. Map it.
In SEPTEMBER…
Visit the restored Architecture Office of Donald Judd.
After a fire halted restoration efforts in 2021, the Architecture Office in Marfa is set to open to the public this year. Located inside the Glascock Building on Highland Avenue, the space belonged to the late artist Donald Judd. Judd, who contributed to Marfa’s ascent as a cultural destination, purchased the 5,000-square-foot building in January 1990 and used it as an architecture office. Inside, visitors can see furniture and objects designed by Judd, as well as plans and models of his architectural projects. The project is the first in the Judd Foundation’s Marfa Restoration Plan, which aims to preserve Judd’s buildings as spaces for his work.
In october…
Go aboard Battleship Texas.
Since 2019, Battleship Texas has been closed as it undergoes extensive renovations. The century-old dreadnought is set to reopen in late 2025. Visitors can explore the battleship-turned-museum and learn about the brave men who fought onboard during both world wars. Battleship Texas was considered the most powerful weapon in the world in 1914. During its 34 years of service, it was home to tens of thousands of sailors and marines. The battleship spent most of its life at the San Jacinto Battleground State Historic Site outside of Houston and was moved to its new home, Galveston, in 2022 for repairs.
In november…
Experience the Theme Park Capital’s new additions.
They don’t call San Antonio the “Theme Park Capital of Texas” for nothin’. With more than 663 acres dedicated to amusement parks, San Antonio attracts thrill seekers from across the Lone Star State. Several of the parks are undergoing multimillion-dollar expansions in 2025. SeaWorld San Antonio is adding a kid-friendly attraction called Rescue Jr., which features rescue-themed rides and a splash pad. Six Flags Fiesta Texas is upgrading rides and adding three brand new ones to its DC Universe: CYBORG Cyber Revolution, SHAZAM! Tower of Eternity, and METROPOLIS Transit Authority. Morgan’s Wonderland, an accessibility-focused theme park, reopened last year after adding $6.5 million in new attractions, including a 4D theater, a passenger boat excursion, a zip line, and a wheelchair-accessible ride.
In december…
Hike one of Texas’ national forests.
Texas is home to not one but four national forests: Angelina, Davy Crockett, Sabine, and Sam Houston. All located in East Texas within a couple hours of each other, the forests span hundreds of thousands of acres and are home to trees like the longleaf pine. In 1933, the Texas legislature authorized the purchase of specific lands for the National Forest system after the lumber industry had cleared much of the region’s natural growth in the early 20th century. Today, visitors can enjoy a range of recreational activities inside the forests, including hiking, fishing, camping, and more.
