Longview is a tiny city in Northeastern Texas with a population of 81,762 people as of the 2021 census.
It is known for its friendliness, history, and entertainment.
Some bizarre things to do and places to see at this hidden tourist spot will astound you.
You may want to return sometime to Longview to take a vacation and unwind.
Interested to know more about this stunning city?
Here are the 25 best things to do in Longview, Texas:
Michael Barera, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
The Longview Museum of Fine Arts is devoted to preserving and promoting the visual arts in Longview and the local neighborhood.
Over 400 pieces of mainly contemporary art, including paintings, drawings, photos, lithographs, and ceramics, are housed in the museum’s permanent collection.
Michael Barera, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
There is also a considerable sculpture collection and an outdoor sculpture garden.
The museum organizes student art invitationals, exhibitions, galas, workshops, and children’s activities during the year.
Special events may be held in the museum’s facilities, which can be leased.
Michael Barera, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Just a stone’s throw away from Jack Mann Splash Pad lies Lear Park Athletic Complex.
It’s your go-to place to break a sweat and do all sorts of recreational activities in Longview, whether it’s sports or exercise.
The place is huge, sprawling with various athletic fields where many locals play softball, baseball, and soccer.
There’s also a sizable playground at Lear Park Athletic Complex, giving this a lot of versatility for all family members.
With lots of trees and open fields, it’s also a scenic way to jog or stroll around.
Since 1980, Jucy’s Hamburgers has been a Longview tradition.
Jucy’s uses fresh ingredients daily for its sandwiches, salads, and sides.
They grind their meat, too!
Jucy’s burgers have been named the tastiest burger in East Texas for the last 25 years, and it’s no surprise.
Jucy’s menu includes chicken-fried steak, veggie burgers, steak sandwiches, chicken sandwiches, and more, in addition to their famous burgers.
Serve with a side of freshly cut fries or hand-cut onion rings, then finish with a brownie sundae, shake, or ice cream float.
Jucy’s has two sites in the Longview region and is open daily.
Pietro’s Neighborhood Pizzeria is in Longview for genuine Italian pizza, spaghetti, and sandwiches.
The Filippazzo family established Pietro’s in 1979, specializing in creating excellent, innovative Italian food with meticulous attention to detail.
The pizza dough is prepared by hand daily, and the pasta sauces are entirely homemade.
Pizza, sandwiches, spaghetti dishes, salads, and calzones are available to diners.
Pietro’s serves Italian sweets, including cream cake, tiramisu, cannoli, and strong espresso and specialty coffee beverages.
Pietro’s is open from Monday to Saturday, while Sundays are closed.
At Air U Trampoline Park, you can soar through the air with joy!
Large, full-room trampolines and various activities to play on them, including basketball and large-group dodgeball, are available at Air U.
This facility also offers trampoline gymnastics and cheerleading lessons.
Throughout the week, Air U provides an open jump.
Birthday parties, big gatherings, and corporate events may all be held at the venue.
Air U is open every day.
Open jump times need reservations, although they are not necessary.
Parties must be booked ahead of time.
Michael Barera, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Gregg County, Texas, has a fascinating history, and the Gregg County Historical Society is dedicated to preserving it.
This museum has ancient relics from the area’s first inhabitants and displays showing what life was like for Texas farmers and settlers.
Other displays highlight the Texas Oil Boom, local architecture, and the county’s inhabitants’ military experience throughout the years.
The museum also has an extensive video and audio collection documenting the area’s historical record.
Tuesday through Saturday, the museum is open to the public.
Billy Hathorn, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Crumbl Cookies is a Texas icon that you can’t afford to miss out on.
Luckily, there’s a branch in Longview, located along North Eastman Road Suite.
Renowned for their mouthwatering cookies that come in varying flavors, this is a perfect place to buy souvenirs if you want something unique to Texas.
Besides cookies, the shop also has ice cream, making it a nice stopover for dessert.
Try Crumbl Cookies’ boxed sets so you could taste a little bit of everything, and if you need assistance, their staff is more than willing to help.
Teague Park is one of the biggest parks in Longview; it’s a popular spot to do some sightseeing and walking.
Doubling as a veterans park, Teague Park has a memorial plaza within it where you can do some reading and appreciation of history.
There’s also plenty of art installations here, each depicting a unique messaging.
Besides that, Teague Park also has a sizable pond, home to many ducks and other aquatic birds.
One of the most tranquil places in the city, find Teague Park along American Legion Boulevard.
If you want to experience the shopping culture in the city, look no further than Longview Mall that’s found along McCann Road.
A huge shopping district, Longview Mall has many of your classic American brands like JCPenny, Dilliard’s, and Foot Locker to name a few.
There’s also a lot of entertainment options here, such as a movie theater and a couple of amusement centers for the kids.
Restaurants are also abundant, both local and established chains.
Longview Mall is also surrounded by other outlet shops and another mall called North Loop Plaza, making its location convenient.
Guthrie Park is one of the many city parks in the heart of Longview, famous for being one of the two disc golf courses in the city.
What makes this a unique experience is your access to a creek, giving the course a good set of hazards and a lot of challenging fun.
Disc Golf isn’t the only activity you can do here; the creek makes Guthrie Park an excellent place to walk your dogs.
It’s along a quiet neighborhood as well with tons of trees and greenery, making it a nice spot for respite.
Guthrie Park can be accessed along Tupelo Drive.
Locals in Longview know where to go for a nice cup of coffee.
The Longview Coffee Mill is a drive-thru coffee business that serves excellent coffee at an affordable price.
Espresso drinks in different flavors, cold espresso beverages, and coffee are available on the Coffee Mill’s menu.
Do you dislike coffee?
Root beer floats, smoothies, Italian sodas, chai lattes, and hot chocolate are all available at The Mill.
Breakfast is also available.
The Coffee Mill opens at 6:00 a.m. every day.
Although most of the service is done via the drive-thru, there is a smaller standing-room-only section where beverages may be purchased.
Do you want anything sweet to eat?
You’re covered at La Cabane de Dessert!
Calli Miller Clanton, a professional pastry chef who puts an American spin on traditional French favorites, owns this French-style restaurant.
La Cabane serves freshly baked artisan bread, scones, muffins, cookies, cupcakes, and hot and cold drinks, including tea and coffee.
Catering and custom orders, such as wedding or birthday cakes, cookies, and cupcakes, are also available.
La Cabane de Dessert is open from Tuesday to Friday till 6:00 p.m. and Saturdays from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Longview’s Paul G. Boorman Trail is an excellent location for exercise or a peaceful nature stroll.
The path runs through northwest Longview for three miles and is fully paved, making it simple to stroll or bike.
The path runs past Lois Jackson Park, which has picnic spaces, playgrounds,s and racquetball courts for tourists.
Near the trail’s northern terminus, there are two dog parks.
Weather permitting, the Boorman Trail is open every day.
Flooding may occur along sections of the route due to heavy rainfall.
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The Starr family, a famous family that helped establish most of Texas during the 1800s, lived in this magnificent Greek Revival-style house.
The house was constructed in 1871 and remained in the family until the 1970s when it was given to the state of Texas to be used as a museum.
The main home, dubbed “Maplecroft,” is two stories tall and decorated with antiques from the period.
Starr Family Home State Historic Site spans 3.1 acres and contains many additional Starr family structures, including the Rosemont Cottage.
This historic site’s tours are open from Tuesday to Sunday until 4:00 p.m.
In 2016, the Oil Horse Brewing Company first opened its doors.
There used to be a hardware shop here, but it closed, so now we have Oil Horse Brewing, run by brewers and proprietors Jack Buttram and John Oglesby.
The inventive proprietors built their bars out of an iron pipe and oak trunks, and they knew how to brew.
They can compete with old and established breweries in terms of creating high-quality and remarkable beers, despite the fact that they are still newcomers in the business.
A blond, pale ale, a landman brown, and an Irish red are available.
The brewery also offers several events, as well as new tastes!
Make sure to stop over and see them if you’re in the area.
Longview World of Wonders is a children’s museum with hands-on exhibits.
The children will use their imagination in a safe, instructive atmosphere to express their creativity.
There are about eight distinct displays geared toward youngsters and some older children.
These activities include building ideas using lego blocks, visiting an innovation garage where kids can create anything, and learning about food production.
Every Longview parent should take their kid to the World of Wonders, where they will undoubtedly have a good time.
Those who like wine and are novice wine experts should stop by Heritage Wine & Spirits in Longview, Texas.
Southern wine brewers are renowned for reimagining classic tastes and integrating them into their own blend of top-tier Texan wines.
Heritage Wine & Spirits sell craft beer, wine, and spirits, which is worth a try for anyone having a lady’s night in at their local hostels or resorts.
Moet Chandon, Stags’ Leap, Orin Swift, Caymus, and Reynolds Family, among many others, are some of the more than 1000 wines available, ranging from local to worldwide.
Stop by this beautiful vineyard and pick up a couple of bottles to give as gifts to your friends and family since who says wine isn’t a nice souvenir?
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Finding someone who doesn’t get excited when they see a hot air balloon is challenging.
A single one will make you grin, but a dozen (or more) will make you giddy.
That’s what you get when you partake in the Great Texas Balloon Race, which takes place in Longview every year in late July.
You will witness incredible hot air balloons and some of the country’s finest hot air balloon pilots. (They’re coming to compete!) One tip is to stay until after dark.
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The Balloon Glow begins at that point, as hundreds of people use their gas burners to light up their multicolored balloons.
It’s a breathtaking sight!
Don’t forget to bring the kids!
There are art and crafts sellers, food vendors, and a particular play area for them!
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If you or your children like trains (and who doesn’t?), you can see many areas in one day.
The Colonial Revival Depot, restored recently, is an excellent place to start.
It was built in 1940 and combined old-world elegance with contemporary conveniences.
The cold waves flowing at the Jack Mann Splash Pad are precisely what the doctor prescribed on a hot Texas July day.
A concession shop, tents, restrooms, and plenty of agua are among the 10,000 square feet.
The best part is that entry is free.
Larry D. Moore, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Martin Creek State Park is a 286-acre state park in Rusk County, situated southeast of Longview.
The park is adjacent to Martin Creek Lake, which spans 5,000 acres.
The lake offers excellent boating, swimming, and fishing activities all year, including competitions conducted in the winter.
Backpacking and hiking paths in the park provide great opportunities to see local species, including white-tailed deer, armadillos, and gophers.
Tents and rental cabins are available and may be booked on the park’s website beforehand.
Larry D. Moore, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
In the spring, this location becomes one of Longview’s most popular destinations for nature enthusiasts.
Mrs. Lee’s garden, located between Longview and Tyler, is 28 acres of golden flowers encircled by a walking path.
Admission is free, but donations are appreciated.
While Texas is known for cities like Dallas, Houston, and Austin, Longview is a contender for one of the most underrated destinations in the state.
It has tons of parks, museums, and a burgeoning food culture for you to explore.
If you’re looking for urban adventure, there are also plenty of shopping and amusement districts in the city.
With this list of the best things to do in Longview, Texas, devising an itinerary will be a cinch—start planning today!
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