TYLER, Texas (KLTV) – Though vacationing may have taken on a different look for East Texans this year, Texas is full of hidden destinations that often Texans didn’t know about.
A trip to central Texas reveals a hidden gem.
On your way towards Bryan-College Station along highway 237, you almost miss it if your not looking.
The city of Round Top.
Population: 90.
But a drive into town reveals a hidden treasure.
“It is a really good little town to stumble upon. People come in here I think just wanting to know about history,” says Kelly Sanford, director of the Round Top chamber of commerce.
Most notable when you arrive is ‘Hinkel Square’. Bought by a Houston company in 2010, it’s a unique collection of vintage 100 to 150 year old homes.
Some on their original sites, others that have been moved here to create a throwback experience.
“The buildings were brought in pretty much from all over the area. some of them were actually original to the property,” Kelly says.
All of them are working businesses , from land offices, to pie shops, to attorneys offices.
Even the worlds smallest catholic church, Saint Martins, still attended today.
“We have the Round Top festival institute, it is an amazing hidden gem. Not a bad seat in the house. Tt is breathtaking,” Sanford says.
It’s a massive state of the art concert venue dedicated to classical music.
“If anything good came out of this Covid-19, it was that we’ve had a lot of new people come here that would have never come before,” says Kelly.
And antique shops are everywhere. They even have a massive antique festival in October.
The ‘Original Round Top Antiques Fair’ runs from October 26th to October 31st.
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