From historic homes and art museums to a modern zoo and one of the largest rose gardens in the country, Tyler has it all. If you’re planning a trip to the Rose Capital of America, make sure to check out our list of attractions in Tyler so you don’t miss a thing.
The Bonner-Whitaker McClendon House is a gorgeous 19th-century home that was once the home of Sarah McClendon, one of the most important female journalists in the 20th century. Within the historic Victorian-style home, you’ll find exhibits displaying a wide variety of memorabilia from the McClendon family, who occupied the house for more than 100 years. Tours of the house are available on Fridays and Saturdays. Living history presentations are also held on each Saturday in October.
806 West Houston Street
Tyler, TX 75702
(903) 592-3533
Caldwell Zoo
Caldwell Zoo is an 85-acre zoological facility home to more than 3,400 animals, including exotic creatures such as giraffes, cheetahs, elephants, white tigers, and capybaras. These animals are housed within five distinct habitats ranging from the savannas of Africa to the jungles of South America. Along with these habitats, there’s also a free-flight aviary with 600 birds that you can feed and interact with. Caldwell Zoo is open seven days a week.
2203 Martin Luther King Boulevard
Tyler, TX 75702
(903) 592-0121
Camp Ford Historic Park
Tyler has the distinction of being home to Camp Ford, the largest Confederate prisoner of war camp west of the Mississippi River. At its peak, in the summer of 1864, the camp housed more than 5,300 Union prisoners. Today, Camp Ford is a visitor-friendly park that features numerous informational kiosks outlining the history of the camp, a walking trail, and a reconstructed cabin.
6500 U.S. 271
Tyler, TX 75708
(903) 592-5993
Cotton Belt Depot Museum
With its displays of artifacts, memorabilia, paintings, and photographs, the Cotton Belt Museum tells the story of Tyler’s relationship with the railroad. The Cotton Belt Museum, housed within the former baggage section of a historic depot building, has a collection of nearly 2,000 model train engines and cars. Admission to the museum, which is open Thursday through Saturday, is free.
210 East Oakwood Street
Tyler, TX 75702
(903) 533-8059
Enjoy fun for the whole family at the Discovery Science Place in Tyler, an interactive indoor playground featuring a variety of interactive exhibits where children can learn while playing. These exhibits allow kids to be an archaeologist digging for fossils, a cave explorer, a TV news anchor, a nurse, and much more. A rock climbing wall and a puzzle area offer even more ways to test mind and body. Discovery Science Place is open Tuesday through Sunday.
308 North Broadway Avenue
Tyler, TX 75702
(903) 533-8011
East Texas Symphony Orchestra
Listen to the rich tones of a full symphony orchestra at a concert by Tyler’s own East Texas Symphony Orchestra. This orchestral group, made up of talented professional musicians, performs at the state-of-the-art UT Tyler Cowan Center and Liberty Hall in downtown Tyler on select dates during its annual season, which starts in September and ends in April. Tickets for any of the East Texas Symphony Orchestra’s performances are available on the company’s website.
107 East Erwin Street
Tyler, TX 75702
(903) 526-3876
1859 Goodman-LeGrand House and Museum
Step into the past at the Goodman-LeGrand House and Museum, a beautiful Civil War-era home filled with antique furniture, photographs, and other items that date back to the mid-1800’s. The house sits among the lush green lawns, large trees, and bushes of colorful roses and azaleas of LeGrand Park, which covers almost an entire city block. Admission to the museum and the park is free.
624 North Broadway Avenue
Tyler, TX 75702
(903) 531-1286
Historic Aviation Memorial Museum
Aviation enthusiasts will find much to love about the Historic Aviation Memorial Museum, a stunning collection of historic aircraft located at the Tyler Pounds Regional Airport. The museum’s collection includes such iconic aircraft as the Huey helicopter, F-4D Phantom, and the FJ-4 Fury. A selection of aviation memorabilia is also on display within the museum.
150 Airport Drive
Tyler, TX 75704
(903) 526-1945
Kiepersol Estates Winery & Vineyards
Kiepersol Estates is a winery, distillery, high-end restaurant, and bed and breakfast nestled among rolling hills and dense woods a few miles south of Tyler. The Tyler winery welcomes wine connoisseurs to its tasting room, which features an indoor and an outdoor patio that offers a scenic view of rows of grape trees. Public tours of the winery and distillery are offered every Saturday afternoon, and private tours can be scheduled from Tuesday to Friday.
4120 FM 344 East
Tyler, TX 75703
(903) 894-3300
Liberty Hall
Liberty Hall is a movie theater and entertainment venue situated in a historic building in downtown Tyler. Throughout the year, Liberty Hall hosts everything from screenings of classic movies to concerts, magic acts, and stand-up comedy shows. Tickets for any upcoming show are available on the venue’s website.
110 West Erwin Street
Tyler, TX 75702
(903) 595-7274
Rose Rudman Recreational Trail
Experience all the natural beauty of East Texas right in the heart of Tyler at the Rose Rudman Recreational Trail, a 4.2-mile path ideal for hiking, jogging, and biking. The trail system follows West Mud Creek through several parks that feature playgrounds and picnic spaces.
Donnybrook Avenue
Tyler, TX 75703
(903) 531-2343
Texas Rose Horse Park
Horse racing fans can’t miss the Texas Rose Horse Park, a state-of-the-art equestrian center that has much to offer for riders and spectators. Six outdoor fields, a show jumping arena, and a full-size indoor space comprise the 1,700-acre park, which routinely hosts dressage competitions and other shows throughout the year.
14078 Texas 110
Tyler, TX 75704
(903) 882-8696
The Center for Earth and Space Science Education
Explore the universe, chase storms, and tour super volcanoes at The Center for Earth and Space Science Education. This science center is full of interactive exhibits that are designed to allow children to learn by doing, as well as a planetarium that routinely shows fascinating, and immersive, films. The Center for Earth and Space Science Education, located on the campus of Tyler Junior College, is open Tuesday through Saturday.
1411 East Lake Street
Tyler, TX 75701
(903) 510-2312
The Children’s Park
The Children’s Park in Tyler is a scenic natural area that provides plenty of family-friendly fun. A walking path meanders past beautiful flowers, small statues, and a stone waterfall, affording a tranquil setting for a quiet afternoon stroll.
110 East Dobbs Street
Tyler, TX 75701
(903) 939-1597
Tiger Creek Wildlife Refuge
Get up close and personal with more than 30 rescued big cats at Tiger Creek Wildlife Refuge, a 140-acre preserve set aside for these majestic animals. At the refuge, nestled three miles north of Tyler State Park among the towering pine trees of East Texas, you’ll encounter lions, tigers, panthers, pumas, and a variety of other cats. The refuge is open Monday through Saturday during standard business hours.
17552 FM 14
Tyler, TX 75706
(903) 858-1008
Tyler Civic Theatre
Tyler Civic Theatre is a top-class community performing arts company located next to the Tyler Rose Garden. The theater group performs a range of musicals and plays, such as Les Miserables and Miracle on 34th Street, throughout its nearly year-long season, which runs from the end of September to early August. These shows are conducted in one of the country’s first theaters purpose built for in-the-round performances.
400 Rose Park Drive
Tyler, TX 75702
(903) 592-0561
The world-famous Tyler Municipal Rose Garden is a celebration of the color and beauty of the rose. More than 32,000 vibrant rose bushes, composed of more than 500 varieties, fill the garden’s 14 scenic acres, providing a breathtaking green space to explore. Well-tended paths wind between rows of rose bushes and past ornate fountains and sparking pools. The rose garden in Tyler welcomes plant enthusiasts with free admission seven days a week from dawn until dark.
1300 West Front Street
Tyler, TX 75702
(903) 531-1212
Tyler Museum of Art
Browse a diverse collection of thousands of paintings, sculptures, illustrations, and other works of art at the Tyler Museum of Art. The Rose City’s art museum, situated on the campus of Tyler Junior College, features rotating and permanent exhibitions, including one of the largest collections of Mexican folk art in the United States. Tyler Museum of Art is open Tuesday through Sunday throughout the year.
1300 South Mahon Avenue
Tyler, TX 75701
(903) 595-1001
Tyler State Park
Enjoy spectacular East Texas scenery and ample space for outdoor fun at Tyler State Park, located less than 15 miles north of Tyler. A picturesque 64-acre lake surrounded by 100-foot-tall trees is the centerpiece of the state park, offering a pristine place to go fishing, swimming, and boating. More than 13 miles of hiking and mountain biking trails, camping sites, and boat rental services can also be found in the park, which is open year-round.
789 Park Road 16
Tyler, TX 75706
(903) 597-5338
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