If you weren’t already aware that Victoria turns two hundred years old this year, rest assured that the locals will remind you as soon as you set your suitcase down. They’re proud of their history, and understandably so. Located about thirty miles inland from the Gulf of Mexico and just about a two-hour drive from many Texas cities (Austin, Houston, San Antonio, and Corpus Christi), the town is one of the oldest in the state and is the seat of the only county (also named Victoria) that flew all six flags of Texas.
Today, that history is evident in a new display at De León Plaza, a public square in the heart of the city. There, you’ll find new statues of the town’s founder, Martin De León, and his wife, Patricia de la Garza. De León, a Mexican merchant, soldier, and empresario, established the colony of 41 families in 1824 and ultimately supported Texas during the revolution. He named Victoria for a Mexican general and helped found a local Catholic church, now known as St. Mary’s, which eventually became the first Catholic parish to be established canonically in the republic.
Victoria’s history also shows in the historic houses that dot the area surrounding downtown, many of which date back a century or more. But Victoria offers more than just a look back—the ample beauty surrounding the Guadalupe River provides a gentle backdrop to a morning stroll, a round of golf, or an evening cocktail.
See + Do
First on your itinerary should be a self-guided driving tour of more than eighty historic locales, from the handsome 1892 county courthouse to the unusual 1927 O’Connor House, a rare Spanish Colonial Revival home built by the grandson of legendary Texas rancher Thomas O’Connor. Stop by the visitors center for its deeply researched brochure and make sure you have a navigator, as it can be easy to miss the signs posted throughout the route. Or time your trip around one of the monthly guided trolley tours; they were originally planned for just the anniversary year, but there is talk of continuing them in 2025 and beyond.
To go even deeper into Texas history, spend an hour or so exploring the Museum of the Coastal Bend, which is in the middle of an expansion. There, you’ll learn about the Indigenous tribes who lived on this land before the Europeans arrived and see examples of their pottery, tools, and weapons. It also features cannons from the failed French colony founded nearby by explorer Réné-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle. Kids young and old will get a kick out of seeing what the museum claims is the only surviving point made from mammoth or mastodon tusk, dating from the prehistoric Clovis period.
For some outdoor time, head to the 660-acre Riverside Park on the Guadalupe. The Athey Nature Trail is a roughly three-mile loop (which can be made slightly shorter or longer) that’s perfect for a run or a walk with human or canine companions. The loop surrounds an eighteen-hole public golf course and abuts the Guadalupe. A boat ramp offers access to the 25-mile Victoria Paddling Trail, an especially mild portion of the river. In season, take in the Victoria Generals, part of the Texas Collegiate League, or the University of Houston–Victoria Jaguars, at the 77-year-old Riverside Stadium in the heart of the park.
Given the city and its first church were founded in the same year, it follows that it’s the two-hundredth anniversary of St. Mary’s Catholic Church as well. The original structure is no longer there, and its replacement, built in 1904, was spared from being torn down in the sixties when it became a designated state historical landmark. The space is impressive—take note of the cloistered section near the altar, where nuns from the adjacent convent would worship. The property is undergoing a renovation with future plans potentially including a cafe.
Eat + Drink
Don’t miss the chance to eat at Texas’s oldest deli, Fossati’s, founded in 1882. You’ll be in good, or at least interesting, company: Willie Nelson has dined there, as has Rick Perry. Get a sandwich on fresh-baked bread that you’ll dream about later and sit back and take in the friendly service and stained glass Michelob Light sign in the window.
You’ll want to pop over to Mumphord’s Place for brisket. Settle in among the mix of old-timers, construction workers on their lunch break, and barbecue tourists, while old shows like The Rifleman flicker across the TV. (Be sure to explore the framed photos of generations of Mumphords.)
For an option that’s nicer but still casual, head to Riverside Park where the former pumphouse is now a restaurant. At the PumpHouse, you’ll find a varied menu with everything from steak and potatoes to fish tacos, asparagus fries, and wedge salad, and a varied crowd, from couples on dates to big groups celebrating birthdays to families with young children.
If you wake up hungry, Huvar’s downtown is your destination for a breakfast sandwich as big as your head (and as tasty as it is huge). Dockside Boiling Pot offers fried seafood fresh from the Gulf as well as the swamp—alligator is on the menu. Classic drive-through Tolbert’s Dairy Treet’s claim to fame is having served both Elvis and Burt Reynolds (on separate occasions, to be clear), though the original location is temporarily closed.
For more barbecue, there’s an outpost of LaVaca, whose original location made our list of the Top 50 BBQ Joints in 2021. (Try the smoked tamales.) Enjoy live music with your meal on the expansive patio at KB’s BBQ or grab a burger and a cold one at Greek’s 205 Bar downtown.
Shop
Literary-minded visitors should head to Redbird Books, where the shelves are piled high with gently used books of all types, and the walls are adorned with original artwork depicting the likes of Truman Capote. Its collection of Louis L’Amour novels is especially impressive.
Downtown, look for the white-and-cotton-candy-pink Leibold Building, considered the oldest drugstore corner in the state. Inside, you’ll find Peaches and Tortilla Mercantile, stocked with bohemian women’s wear and gift ideas galore. (Pop upstairs for the Sorted Spaces consignment shop, where we spotted items from J.Crew and Ralph Lauren, plus plenty of cute clothes for kids.) And be sure to get a scoop or three of homemade ice cream from the Green Cow Creamery. And there’s more women’s clothing and gifts at Lily Grace—we liked the diffusers from Sweet Grace.
Stay
At some point, it seems likely that an enterprising boutique hotelier will put down stakes in Victoria. Until then, you have three paths forward. Path one, which is ideal for families, would be to stay at the local branch of your favorite hotel chain. Many, including the Hilton Garden Inn and the Holiday Inn Express, have outdoor pools to keep the kiddos entertained.
The second path would be to book one of the many home rentals offered through Airbnb or Vrbo. This downtown cottage includes a bathtub, hardwood floors, and modern fixtures.
The third path would be the Inn on Main or the Rosalie Guest Quarters, two cozy bed-and-breakfasts located in the heart of downtown, for $109 a night. Amenities are somewhat sparse—breakfast consisted of packaged cereal and cereal bars—but the locations are walkable to much of Victoria’s best shopping, dining, and sightseeing, and there are outdoor spaces for sipping your morning coffee over a copy of the Victoria Advocate, which, in keeping with its hometown’s story, is the second-oldest newspaper in Texas.
