How to get to Taylor, Texas, Where to eat in Taylor, Where to stay and play in Taylor, Related Reading

Several blocks of downtown streets in Taylor, Texas, are still lined with historic buildings from a time when the modern railway system brought a business and population boom to the town. Now, they're often repurposed and renovated for modern storefronts. (Zachary-Taylor Wright/MySA)

There's a sleepy little town about 30 minutes away from Austin that really shouldn't be slept on. Steeped in rich history with a dash of Austin weird and surrounded by burgeoning businesses, Taylor, Texas, is a great day-trip destination for anyone looking for some of that Lone Star State hospitality.

How to get to Taylor, Texas

Getting to Taylor can feel like a bit of a mistake. It's nestled along Highway 79 just past Hutto if traveling from Austin. It's not along a route that connects any two major Lone Star cities, but it's becoming a destination in its own right, despite a slow burn in terms of population when compared to other revitalized railroad towns.

It's no question that railroads created boom towns out of otherwise hot and empty swaths of Texas in the mid- to late-1800s. While the burgeoning highway system in the middle of the twentieth century brought this rapid rise to a near halt for many towns, some are starting to see a meteoric climb yet again as folks flock to charming Main Street hamlets in search of cheaper housing and a slower pace.

A historic church built in the late 1800s still stands in Taylor, Texas. (Zachary-Taylor Wright/MySA)

That's not entirely the case for a Taylor – a small town about 30 minutes east of the Texas capital city along Highway 79. Census data shows it grew by about 1,000 people from 2010 to 2020. But that number climbed to nearly 18,000 by 2024. It's growing, but not quite at the rate folks expected, says Taylor Chamber of Commerce CEO and President Tia Rae Stone.

Where to eat in Taylor

Here, locals can still pick out a neighbor from a newcomer at the local coffee shop.

"I introduce myself to everybody, especially people that I don't recognize," 32-year Taylor dweller David Blake told MySA while sitting at his go-to coffee spot, Ripple and Rose Café (where the Java Junkies, a coffee crew, meets weekly). "Taylor is such a – it's growing every day – but it's small enough that you see everybody in town at Walmart or H-E-B. And I refuse to have anybody say, ‘Well, you're rude.' So, I introduce myself."

The beloved alleyways that run between historic, brick-laid buildings across Taylor are often brought to life with murals and public art. (Zachary-Taylor Wright/MySA)

In personal experience, this is one of many key factors that set Taylor apart from any other small town worth exploring on a Sunday or over a long weekend. Behind every storefront door was a smiling face and warm welcome – even a tip on posture from the front desk while slumped over nicknacks spanning decades at KINCL House of Antiques on Second street.

If not just for the good ol' Texas hospitality, stop in for the burgeoning coffee and food scene to nab while you peruse one of the last bastions of affordable antiquing in Texas. Living in the big city, and in the slow-to-die midcentury modern millennial craze, antiquing is no longer the best option for a thrift-savvy decorator in most places. In Taylor, you can still walk away with some décor for less than $50.

The Texas city of Taylor is one of the last few towns you can find affordable antiques. What has become an expensive past time is still wallet-friendly among the handful of antique stores and malls in the town. (Zachary-Taylor Wright/MySA)

Second and Main streets in the city's downtown have a handful of options, and there's always some more to score on side streets off the main roads. Plus, Taylor boasts two thrift stores – St. Vincent De Paul Thrift Store and Sweet and soon-to-open Goodwill – both along Main Street.

It's hard to ignore the influence "weird" Austin culture has had on Taylor, Texas. Quirky coffee shops, amid a burgeoning caffeine scene, and familiar, industrial restaurants are cropping up all over. (Zachary-Taylor Wright/MySA)

Where to stay and play in Taylor

You also really can't go wrong with some of the large-scale renovation projects open or underway in this Texas town. A 1920s high school was converted into a one-of-a-kind shopping destination, which draws folks daily from all over the country, but there's also the Talbot Commons. It's a massive reworking of a historic church in the town, and development signs boast of "unique food & beverage opportunity."

There's already a pocket motel behind the brick building, offering a cozy stay for any long weekend getaways. If you're looking for a nighttime scene, locals say there was a booming entertainment district that kept folks out late that hasn't bounced back from the coronavirus pandemic. After all, young professionals are flocking to the town now that massive tech industries, like Samsung, are investing billions into new facilities.

A historic church in downtown Taylor, Texas, will soon be home to restaurants and commercial spaces. It's not uncommon in the tourist hotspot cropping up 30 miles east of Austin. (Zachary-Taylor Wright/MySA)

Though, Stone says it'll bounce back. In the meantime, she points to Old Taylor High as a place to grab a drink and entertain your kids (with an arcade) at the same time. All while taking in a dose of nostalgia with locker-lined hallways and highly familiar décor.

It's hard to ignore the influence "weird" Austin culture has had on the place. Quirky coffee shops, a cycling culture and upscale dining spots with the classic retro fonts plastered across brick are all commonplace there now. Though, there's a lingering quaintness and slow pace that isn't found in gentrified cities that have outraced locals. It's the fact developers coming in are shelling out the extra cash to keep the charming 1800s and turn-of-the-century buildings that really set Taylor apart from other Texas towns.

https://www.mysanantonio.com/lifestyle/travel/article/taylor-texas-what-to-do-restaurants-shopping-20347756.php How to get to Taylor, Texas, Where to eat in Taylor, Where to stay and play in Taylor, Related Reading