{"id":301452,"date":"2025-10-14T02:10:13","date_gmt":"2025-10-14T02:10:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/301452\/"},"modified":"2025-10-14T02:10:13","modified_gmt":"2025-10-14T02:10:13","slug":"texas-affordable-city-between-san-antonio-and-houston-boasts-a-pretty-downtown-and-scenic-river-views","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/301452\/","title":{"rendered":"Texas’ Affordable City Between San Antonio And Houston Boasts A Pretty Downtown And Scenic River Views"},"content":{"rendered":"

As the saying goes, “Everything’s bigger in Texas,”\u00a0but sometimes the state’s best-kept secrets aren’t measured in size. It’s true that millions of visitors pour into the Lone Star State each year to\u00a0catch live music on Austin’s legendary Sixth Street (which is also\u00a0one of America’s best destinations for solo female travelers<\/a>) or reach for the stars at Houston’s Space Center. Budget-minded travelers also can explore the state without worry, especially since San Antonio has the highest amount of free activities to do than any other city in the country<\/a>. However,\u00a0some of the most rewarding discoveries lie just off the beaten path. About 35 miles east of the aforementioned Alamo City and 50 miles to Austin, Seguin is one of those hidden gems.<\/p>\n

Counting\u00a0fewer than 32,000 residents,\u00a0the city is\u00a0one of the longest-standing communities in the state, with more than 185 years of history,\u00a0boasting a picturesque downtown filled with 19th-century concrete buildings and architectural treasures.\u00a0And then, there are the pecans. Seguin goes (literally) nuts over this delicacy, with orchards covering hundreds of acres in the area and multiple giant, larger-than-life sculptures scattered around the city, including the current record-holder at the\u00a0Texas Agricultural and Heritage Center: a 16-foot-long nut made of fiberglass that proudly cements its claim as the “Pecan Capital of Texas.”<\/p>\n

What really makes Seguin stand out, though, is the cost of living. Median home prices hover around $287,000\u00a0\u2014 typically $70,000 to $100,000 less than many San Antonio suburbs like New Braunfels or Schertz. It’s also\u00a0nearly half the median listing price of a house in Austin\u00a0and $40,000 less than in Houston.\u00a0Combine this affordability with sprawling natural spaces and more than half a year of good weather, and it’s no surprise that Seguin’s population grew over 30% in the last five years, ranking among the country’s “fastest-growing communities” in 2023, per the city’s website<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Read more: The 5 Cheapest Islands In Hawaii For Your Next Tropical Vacation<\/a><\/p>\n

How to get to Seguin and top things to see downtown\"Lush<\/p>\n

Lush park with a stone monument in the foreground, benches, and a gazebo in Seguin, Texas – Thomas Faull\/Getty Images<\/p>\n

Despite being relatively small (less than 20 square miles),\u00a0Seguin boasts a prime position along the Guadalupe River, offering easy access to both the nearby San Antonio area and Austin. In other words, it’s close enough if you want to escape for the weekend and enjoy a night out in the “Live Music Capital of the World,”\u00a0but far enough to avoid the traffic jams and crowds that often come with big-city visits. If you are arriving from out of state, your best options are to fly into the\u00a0San Antonio International Airport, about a 40-minute drive west of Seguin, or the Austin-Bergstrom International Airport, roughly an hour northeast.<\/p>\n

Once you arrive in Seguin, you’ll quickly notice how the downtown manages to radiate that classic Southern charm while catering to people of all ages and walks of life. If history is your forte, start at the\u00a0Sebastopol House Historic Site, a rare mid-1850s limecrete mansion.\u00a0Just across the river from Max Starcke Park,\u00a0the Saffold Dam makes for a surprising little landmark \u2014\u00a0built in the mid-19th century and later upgraded with hydroelectric generators, it offers a glimpse into Seguin’s cultural past.<\/p>\n

For a dose of creativity, head to the Seguin Art League Gallery, housed in a repurposed historic building. Here, you will find works from over 130 local artists, ranging from oil and acrylic landscapes to bold contemporary mixed-media pieces. You can also take part in hands-on workshops, creative labs, and guided art experiences in a variety of mediums and styles.<\/p>\n

Exploring the outdoors in Seguin\"River<\/p>\n

River with a small waterfall flowing past an old brick building in Seguin, Texas – Thomas Faull\/Getty Images<\/p>\n

If you love the outdoors, Seguin won’t disappoint. The Guadalupe River winds right through town, giving you plenty of chances to engage in water sports\u00a0and even fish for bass and different species of trout in designated areas. You’ll find several river access points, including at Max Starcke Park, making it easy to launch your kayak or paddle boat.\u00a0This 227-acre green space has something for everyone, including walking and jogging trails, picnic shelters for a riverside lunch, playgrounds to keep the kids busy, and athletic fields for tennis, volleyball, baseball, and more.<\/p>\n

For a truly unique outdoor adventure, head to the Government Canyon State Natural Area,\u00a0about an hour out of the city.\u00a0Here, you will find over 12,000\u00a0acres of varied landscapes, from densely wooded hills to canyons and river corridors, as well as\u00a0dozens of miles of trails for exploring the area on foot or by bike.\u00a0Look out for the\u00a0dinosaur footprints recently uncovered by the July 2025\u00a0floods<\/a>\u00a0and step back to a time when these big lizards were (almost) the only inhabitants of the Texas Hill Country. Entrance to the park is restricted\u00a0to a maximum number of reservations and visitors at a time and requires a small $6 fee for anyone over 12. The natural area is closed mid-week (Tuesday to Thursday), so make sure to plan accordingly.<\/p>\n

To make the most of all these outdoor opportunities, having a vehicle is highly recommended. While downtown Seguin has been steadily improving its\u00a0pedestrian and cycling infrastructure, a car makes it easier to explore the Guadalupe River and other nearby attractions at your own pace,\u00a0especially if you’re coming from farther away and want to soak up every sunny minute in town (and there’s certainly plenty of those to enjoy).<\/p>\n

Ready to discover more hidden gems and expert travel tips? Subscribe to our free newsletter<\/a> for access to the world’s best-kept travel secrets.<\/p>\n

Read the original article on Islands<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"As the saying goes, “Everything’s bigger in Texas,”\u00a0but sometimes the state’s best-kept secrets aren’t measured in size. It’s…\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":301453,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5133],"tags":[5229,31078,7202,7203,358,3187,67,586,132,5230,68,2969],"class_list":{"0":"post-301452","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-san-antonio","8":"tag-america","9":"tag-guadalupe-river","10":"tag-san-antonio","11":"tag-sanantonio","12":"tag-texas","13":"tag-tx","14":"tag-united-states","15":"tag-united-states-of-america","16":"tag-unitedstates","17":"tag-unitedstatesofamerica","18":"tag-us","19":"tag-usa"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@us\/115370094627450056","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/301452","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=301452"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/301452\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/301453"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=301452"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=301452"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=301452"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}