Places Smurphinator Wants to Go

Parts of the civil rights movement unfolded in this historic eatery, helmed by the "Queen of Creole Cuisine."

A pink cottage covered in hearts served as a haven and a resting place for LGBTQ activists.

Made of giant chains and hung with shackles, this iron cross honors those unknowns who perished under American slavery.

Before becoming a public park, this spot was a shell midden, a fort, and an amusement park.

The restaurant keeps a hidden séance room on the second floor and reserves a table for the spirit of the former owner each night.

Remembering the Alamo with a full-scale replica of the 1836 city.

The oldest functional consecrated church on Mustang Island.

No one is sure why this mysterious tradition started.

This sacred cavern, 400 feet deep, is home to millions of bats and an ancient burial ground.

This underwater old Texas hill town only resurfaces during harsh drought.

Twenty churches beautifully painted by 19th-century Czech and German immigrants in Texas.

One nutty businessman’s unique tribute to an ancient tool.

In the fictional world of Kcymaerxthaere, this was the former home of the Marshal of Gravity and the site of his tragic death.

Texas's oldest bakery serves authentic German pastries, including legendary strudel.

Housed in a century-old building, this museum's dedicated not just to soft drinks, but to the free enterprise system.

This soda factory is one of the last in America to use real cane sugar despite the protestations of Dr Pepper.

High-end dining has a home in this former gas station.

Hidden within a spa in a Texas strip mall is a restaurant specializing in Eastern European foods.

With print dying, this local paper keeps the lights on by doubling as a stunning cafe and cocktail bar.

Exceptional Nepalese food can be found in a Texas gas station.

A school-themed restaurant where gastronomy is the core curriculum.

Austin’s nonprofit-run graffiti park where street art is meant to be painted over.

An exquisite grouping of structures made from 10 tons of invasive saplings.

This massive oak tree has ties to the first native tribes of the region and the founders of Texas.