Landing at Tyler Pounds Regional Airport in Tyler puts you at the center of a region, where nearby cities and scenery are close by among the pine forests and lakes of East Texas. Tyler calls itself the Rose Capital of America, and the nickname fits: rose fields, azalea-lined streets, and a pace that feels more Southern than Texan. It is a relaxed, well-kept city with a brick-street downtown, big-tree neighborhoods, and lakes on every side.

Standout experiences around Tyler: - Wander the Tyler Municipal Rose Garden, the largest public rose garden in the country - Visit in October for the Texas Rose Festival, with its parade and coronation - Drive the Azalea Trail in spring when the historic neighborhoods bloom - Meet giraffes and elephants at the Caldwell Zoo - Hike, swim, or paddle at Tyler State Park's spring-fed lake - Fish or boat on Lake Tyler and Lake Palestine - Sip East Texas wine at Kiepersol Estates vineyard - Dig into brisket at a classic pit barbecue joint downtown

Tyler makes a good base for East Texas road trips. Kilgore, 35 minutes east, tells the story of the oil boom at the East Texas Oil Museum, and Canton, about 40 minutes west, hosts First Monday Trade Days, one of the biggest flea markets in the world. Jacksonville claims the title of tomato capital, Nacogdoches, the oldest town in Texas, is about 90 minutes south, and Dallas is under two hours west. Come for the roses in fall, the azaleas in March, or a summer weekend on the lake, and plan on leaving with a pound of pecans.