From Victoria Regional Airport in Victoria, the surrounding region opens up quickly, with cities, towns, and attractions within easy reach across the Texas Coastal Bend. Victoria sits on the Guadalupe River roughly two hours from Houston, San Antonio, Austin, and Corpus Christi, which has earned it the nickname of the Crossroads. It is a historic, easygoing city with a Victorian downtown, deep Spanish and German roots, and a strong appetite for barbecue and kolaches.

Standout experiences around Victoria: - Walk the historic downtown and the century-old homes along the Old Victoria Driving Tour - Spend a day at Riverside Park, with the Texas Zoo and trails along the Guadalupe River - Explore the Museum of the Coastal Bend and its early Spanish and French artifacts - Catch a concert during the Victoria Bach Festival in June - Stand in Goliad's Presidio La Bahia, a restored Spanish fort and Texas Revolution site - Cast a line in Matagorda Bay from Port Lavaca or Port O'Connor - Tour the Spoetzl Brewery in Shiner, home of Shiner Bock - Look for whooping cranes in winter at Aransas National Wildlife Refuge

Victoria is well placed for short drives in every direction. Goliad and its missions are a half hour south, Cuero, home of a fall turkey festival, is 30 minutes west, and Shiner's brewery is about an hour north. The Gulf is close too, with Port Lavaca 30 minutes southeast and the fishing towns of Rockport and Fulton about 90 minutes down the coast. Order a kolache from a Czech bakery on your way out of town, and you will understand why Victoria feels like the meeting point of so many Texas traditions.