Beaumont Bucket List 

101 Things to Do in Southeast Texas Before You Die

Whenever you travel, there are certain culinary, attractions, and events that define an area from the best restaurants to the must-see museums. These are our sought-out bites, the most memorable attractions, and the places that leave a lasting impression on guests. Whether you’re a visitor or a local, here are the quintessential Beaumont experiences you must have in Southeast Texas.

Food/Drink:

1. Try the man candy (candied bacon) at J. Wilson’s

2. Follow the Crawfish Trail to find your favorite mudbugs

3. Try a kolache from Rao’s Bakery

4. Swing life away at Little Woodrow’s

5. Have a giant margarita or two from Tia Juanita’s

6. Taste the award-winning queso at Carmela’s

7. Attend monthly brunch at Katharine & Co.

8. Dine on the farm at Amelia

9. Eat at the original Jason’s Deli

10. Make it Taco Tuesday every day at Tacos La Bamba

11. Chow down a gourmet burger from Daddio’s

12. Try a local delicacy, BBQ crabs

13. Throw yourself a DIY gumbo crawl

14. Get stuffed on hibachi at Tokyo

15. Oyster nachos from J.Wilson’s…enough said.

16. Be an adventurous eater by trying alligator tail or frog’s legs

17. Dine in the vintage airstream at Willy Burger

18. Go all out with a colorful freak shake at La Real Michochana

19. Have a Mexican fiesta at Amacate Tortilla Bar, home of avocado margaritas and churro ice cream sandwiches

20. Pour your own pints at Pour Brothers

21. Find your new favorite restaurant at Restaurant Week

22. Get creative with liquid nitrogen ice cream creations from Sub Zero

23. Sip on a flight from Struggle Street Brewery

24. Find your favorite boudin balls in town

25. Dine on the waterfront at Neches River Wheelhouse

26. Chow down on the hot mess fries from Sweet Basil

27. Find your favorite bowl on the Vietnamese Pho Trail

28. Eat Monica’s famous cobb salad

29. Sit on the floor Asian-style at Chaba Thai

30. Get a sugar high with Toasted Yolk’s donut tower

31. Try the famous bread pudding at J.Wilson's

32. Sip on a mule flight at Mellow Mushroom

33. Order a king cake from Rao’s at the start of Mardi Gras season

34. Eat at the oldest family-owned BBQ restaurant in Texas, Patillo’s

35. Try Texas’s signature Blue Bell ice cream at Mike’s Old-Fashioned Soda Fountain

36. Get a java fix at the Avenue in Port Neches

37. Go retro with the funnel cake sampler platter from Star Bowling

38. Try an authentic muffuletta at Jason's Deli

39. Curb your coffee addiction at Happy Time Tea Lounge or Cha Cha Cafe

Play:

40. Stop and smell the roses at Shangri-La Botanic Gardens

41. Catch a sunrise at Cattail Marsh

42. Snap a selfie at the World’s Largest Working Fire Hydrant

43. Hold a baby alligator at Gator Country

44. Twirl in front of the three downtown murals (the dragonfly, Frida, and mermaid)

45. See Spindletop blow and attend a reenactment

46. Pose in front of the Port Neches murals.

47. Admire the free art at AMSET (Art Museum of Southeast Texas)

48. Kayak through the Big Thicket

49. Admire the incredible architecture at St. Anthony Cathedral Basilica

50. Feed the koi fish at the Beaumont Botanical Gardens

51. Admire the historic downtown on Crockett Street

52. Throw axes at Avenue Axe

53. Swing life away at 5 Under Golf Center

54. Play Wine-O-Bingo at Cotton Creek Winery

55. Take a pic with the Beaumont sculpture at Ben J. Rogers Visitors Center

56. Give bird watching a try (you can borrow binoculars from Cattail Marsh)

57. Snap a selfie at the Windmill Museum in Nederland

58. Try geocaching as a way to explore

59. Tour the quirky and free Edison Museum

60. Take a trip to the Houston Rodeo

61. Get to know the history of the area at the Museum of the Gulf Coast

62. Practice your two-stepping at Sawdust Saloon

63. Get pampered at one of the area day spas

64. Give fishing a try at one of the area’s many estuaries

65. Root for the home team and catch a game at Lamar University

Do:

66. Complete the Birdie Passport Program

67. Ride a horse at Tyrell Park Stables

68. Follow the Faith Trail to the beautiful Buu Mon Buddhist Temple

69. Listen to live jazz at Suga’s

70. Tour the McFaddin-Ward House

71. Shop local at the weekly Farmer’s Market

72. Play carnival games and wander the Midway at the South Texas State Fair (March)

73. Listen to live music at the Logon Café, a former computer repair shop

74. See your favorite cult classic at Classic Movie Night at the Jefferson Theater

75. Celebrate spring at the Maypole Festival (May)

76. Mix and Mingle at First Thursdays on Calder

77. Catch a concert at 7 Oaks Events Garden, a unique Southeast Texas Listening Room

78. Get in the Mardi Gras spirit at Taste of the Triangle (March)

79. Toss a few back Texas-style at Oktoberfest (October)

80. Go for an airboat ride and spot gators on a swamp safari

81. Try a restaurant from the Cajun Trail

82. Shop back to school fashion at the local boutiques

83. Beat the heat at the MCM Elegante pool

84. Check out the quirky collections at the Clifton Steamboat Museum

85. Pay homage to a local legend at the Babe Didrikson Zaharias Museum

86. Close down the bar with drinks at Madison’s

87. Take a road trip to Buc-ee’s for BBQ and jerky from a gas station (it’s a Texas thing)

88. Learn all about black gold at the Texas Energy Museum

89. Relive the movie, the Big Year at High Island

90. Make it a beach day at Sea Rim State Park

91. Take the ferry to Galveston for the day

92. Act like a kid again with mini-golf and laser tag at Colorado Canyon

93. Get retro and go skating at Manning’s Texas on Wheels

94. Jump around at Urban Air Trampoline Park

95. Strike out at Crossroads Bowling Center

96. Get in the Christmas spirit at Main Street Market

97. Attend a free yoga class at Cattail Marsh

98. Spend the day exploring Houston’s museums and culture (hello NASA!)

99. Get spooked at the Haunted Hotel in the fall

100. Go back to the pioneer days at the John Jay French House, the oldest home in Beaumont

101. View the murals throughout downtown Beaumont and the area. 

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