Discover Texarkana

Texarkana offers a range of trip-planning options, from parks and trails to theater, architecture, exhibits, and places connected to the state line. You can tailor your stay to whichever of these aspects interests you most.

Parks, Lakes, and Trails

Spring Lake Park covers 145 acres and includes a spring-fed lake. The 1.75-mile Phillip McDougal Walking/Biking Trail runs through the entire park. The park is also home to the Rotary Splash Pad; its seasonal operating schedule may vary. The lake, trail, and splash pad offer different ways to enjoy a visit to the park.

Bringle Lake Park East covers 8 acres and has a floating fishing pier. From there, the Bringle Lake Boardwalk leads to Bringle Lake West Park. A 10-foot-wide wilderness biking and hiking trail also starts at Bringle Lake East and leads to the Waterworks Spillway, covering approximately 2 miles. A mountain biking trail begins in Bringle Lake East Park and winds through the Bringle Lake Wilderness Area. The details about trailheads and destinations help distinguish the different routes.

Theater and Architecture

The Perot Theatre was built in 1924 as the Saenger Theatre and reopened in 1980 as the renovated Perot Theatre. Today, it is the Texarkana professional symphony orchestra’s primary performance venue and hosts performances by the Texarkana Community Ballet. The theater thus combines a clearly dated construction history with two distinct performing arts connections.

The Ace of Clubs House also offers a specific architectural point of interest: J. H. Draughan built the house in 1884. Inside, three groups of octagonal rooms open into a rotunda, with long rectangular rooms beyond. For architecture enthusiasts, both the construction date and the layout are key features. The room description makes it easy to follow the sequence from the octagonal groups through the rotunda to the rectangular rooms.

TRAHC offers free exhibitions in its galleries year-round. The Scott Joplin Mural depicts Scott Joplin’s life and achievements. Both sites add exhibitions and a mural to your trip plans, while the Perot Theatre focuses on stage performances.

Local Produce and the State-Line Connection

The Texarkana Texas Farmers' Market is a seasonal outdoor market featuring locally grown produce. Since the market schedule is seasonal, it’s a good idea to check current dates before visiting.

The state-line connection comes to life at two named locations: the Texarkana U.S. Post Office at 500 State Line is located in both Texas and Arkansas. Photographer's Island offers a photo opportunity where you can stand on the state line between Texas and Arkansas. These are two distinct points of interest if this unique connection is part of your trip.

Compare Routes

For route planning, you can directly compare the trail in Spring Lake Park with the route to the Waterworks Spillway: the Phillip McDougal Walking/Biking Trail is 1.75 miles long, while the route from Bringle Lake East is approximately 2 miles. The latter is also specified as 10 feet wide. You can take the stated distances and trail type into account without confusing the two routes.

For a broader travel overview: Bowie.