Hit the road and discover Texas through its film heritage — from Western sets and cult horror locations to small-town cinemas and scenic backdrops. It’s a cinematic journey like no other.
From dusty movie sets to working ranches, Texas is Western film country through and through. Take a trip to the frontier at the Fort Worth Stockyards, as seen in 1883. In Marfa, Giant lives on through mural tours and stylish stays. Out in Big Bend, cinematic landscapes unfold, while San Marcos’s Wittliff Collections holds treasures from Lonesome Dove.
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Texas hits all the right notes when it comes to music on screen. In Austin, catch some live music at the iconic Broken Spoke, just like in Friday Night Lights. Over in New Braunfels, Gruene Hall, the state’s oldest dance hall, still hosts live gigs and once starred in Michael. Meanwhile, Zilker Park sets the scene for Song to Song and real-life festival magic.
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For fans of frights and cult classics, Texas doesn’t disappoint. In Bastrop, you can visit the eerie lake and trails from Friday the 13th (2009). Horror buffs will love The Gas Station in Bastrop, once a set for The Texas Chain Saw Massacre and now a BBQ stop. And in Bandera, Arkey Blue’s Silver Dollar was a key location in the 1975 cult thriller Race with the Devil.
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Texas is packed with places where film and music history come to life. In San Marcos, the Wittliff Collections celebrate Lonesome Dove and Southwestern storytelling. The Harry Ransom Center at UT Austin houses archives from David O. Selznick, Robert De Niro and Matthew Weiner’s Mad Men. In Kilgore, the Texas Broadcast Museum showcases vintage cameras, studios, and behind-the-scenes tech.
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Some of Texas’s most iconic movie moments happen between destinations. Cruise Highway 90 through Marathon and Alpine — a cinematic stretch seen in Paris, Texas. The River Road near Big Bend is pure Western gold, winding through landscapes featured in countless films. And around Wimberley, the Hill Country roads bring that Friday Night Lights small-town magic to life with every turn.
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Catch a movie the old-school way under the Texas stars. In Buda, Doc’s Drive-In brings themed nights and cosy cabanas to the big screen. Granbury’s Brazos Drive-In has been screening classics since the '50s. Or head to Gatesville’s Last Drive-In Picture Show — one of the last of its kind, still serving small-town charm with every ticket.
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