Victoria is located in south Texas close to the Gulf of Mexico and equidistant to some of Texas' largest cities including Corpus Christi, Austin, Houston, and San Antonio. It takes about 30 minutes to get to the beach and two hours to arrive at a major urban area. Its central location and beautiful scenery make Victoria a great place to visit, hike, camp, and enjoy the outdoors.
With a population of around 65,000, Victoria is well-known for its outdoor recreational activities and rich history. Originally named Guadalupe Victoria after the first president of the Republic of Mexico, it was originally settled in 1824 by a Mexican entrepreneur. After Santa Ana was defeated in the Texas Revolution, however, the Mexican population was driven out of the community, and the town's name was shortened to Victoria.
Victoria features the Texas Zoo, home to one of the largest collections of unique animals and exhibits in the United States. You will also find the Museum of Coastal Bend, Domingo Theatre, and Victoria Mall all within the city limits, making it a great place to visit or to vacation with family. The available outdoor activities nearby include sunbathing at Pebble Beach, spending the day at the Lone Tree Splash Pad, or visiting one of the multiple nearby parks for hiking or fishing.
Campgrounds Near Victoria, Texas
Patriot RV Park is a 10-minute drive from downtown Victoria and features 35 RV campsites that are large enough to accommodate most RVs and have a picnic table at every spot. It is small enough to be safe and quiet but large enough to have all of the amenities you need. It borders a large grassy field that is perfect for playing or for walking your dog, and there is a large clubhouse, free Wi-Fi, and a trash pickup service on site.
Just south of downtown Victoria, you will find Dad's RV Park, which has 83 full hookup campsites and great amenities. There is a full, restaurant-style kitchen on-site and available to all guests along with an indoor meeting hall, outdoor seating, and clean laundry facilities. It is directly across the street from Hopkins Park, which features a great playground, pavilion, full basketball court, picnic tables, and more.
Located on the eastern outskirts of Victoria, Gateway to the Gulf RV Park is a medium-sized campground that offers a general store and clubhouse on-site. You can purchase RV parts if need them as well as ice, propane, snacks, and more without even leaving the property. The roads in and around the park are all paved, so there is easy access for virtually any size RV, and the spots are spacious as well. There is a pool table on-site as well as nice laundry facilities available for each of the guests at this 88-space campground.
State Parks Near Victoria, Texas
Goose Island State Park is less than an hour's drive south of Victoria. It is relatively small but is home to a variety of rare and endangered birds. You can go fishing, boating, and birdwatching during your visit. The "Big Tree" as it is known, is also a great attraction. This huge tree is one of the largest living oak trees in the nation. People believe that it has been standing for centuries, and it was named the State Champion Coastal Live Oak.
Just over an hour north of Victoria is Palmetto State Park, which features beautiful forest scenery and palmetto plants that you cannot find anywhere else in the world. While Palmetto State Park is small, it is unique because the dwarf palmettos, after which the park is named, are everywhere you look. It also sits on the San Marcos River, which offers opportunities for tubing, boating, swimming, and fishing.
Sand and surf are the biggest draws of Mustang Island State Park, located about a two-hour drive southwest of Victoria just off the southeastern coast of Texas. Mustang Island State Park is known for its beautiful beaches, and with more than five miles of coast to explore, it is a great place to visit for beach lovers. Corpus Christi is less than 15 miles away. There are a few campgrounds and RV sites just steps away from the beach.
National Sites Near Victoria, Texas
Padre Island National Seashore is the longest undeveloped barrier island in the world. Padre Island National Seashore separates the Laguna Madre, which is one of only a few hypersaline lagoons in the world, from the Gulf of Mexico. Padre Island is a safe place for sea turtles to nest as well as a safe haven for over 350 species of birds. The rich history of this national site includes the Spanish shipwrecks of 1554, and there are numerous artifacts on display at museums in the area.
San Antonio Missions National Historical Park is located about a two-hour drive northwest of Victoria and is the only UNESCO World Heritage Site in Texas. This historic park preserves four of the five Spanish missions set up by the Catholic Church in San Antonio. While the park is within driving distance of the Alamo, which is the fifth mission and is not inside the park, the Alamo is owned by the state rather than the federal government. The four Catholic Spanish missions preserved here are Mission Concepción, Mission San Jose, Mission San Juan, and Mission Espada. This national site will delight history buffs, and there are also some good hiking trails and sightseeing destinations close by.
A trip to El Camino Real de los Tejas National Historic Trail allows visitors to learn more about the struggle for Texan independence as numerous groups laid claim to the land at different times. During the 150 years of El Camino Real de los Tejas existence, the area has seen Spanish missionaries try to convert Native Americans, a period of Mexican occupation where the cattle industry developed and thrived, and the move to independence and statehood for Texas. This area was one of many trade routes used to link Mexico City with the U.S. and was the primary route that the Spanish used during colonization. This is another site preserved primarily because of the rich history of the area.
National Forests Near Victoria, Texas
Sam Houston National Forest is located just north of Houston. One of the main attractions is the Lone Star Hiking Trail which spans 128 miles and runs through the park. It is a great place to drive, hike, or bike while experiencing the beautiful scenery. There are many other hiking trails in the park as well as a few developed campgrounds. While the most popular recreational activity here is hiking, you can also hunt and fish inside the park, and there are enough bodies of water to go boating or kayaking as well.
Davy Crockett National Forest, named for the legendary pioneer, contains more than 160,000 acres of woodlands as well as streams and wildlife habitats throughout its borders. The park was established in 1936 by President Franklin D. Roosevelt. The Niches River forms the northeast border of the forest and Ratcliff Lake is included in the park making it a great place for fishing, swimming, boating, and spending the day on the water. There is also beautiful scenery and great hiking trails throughout.
Angelina National Forest is located more than three hours northeast of Victoria and covers more than 150,000 acres of land. Angelina National Forest consists both of developed recreational areas like the Sam Rayburn Reservoir and two large wilderness areas that are a part of the National Wilderness Preservation System. Sam Rayburn Reservoir is the biggest man-made body of water in the state and is a great place to swim and fish. Whether you are looking for camping and picnicking opportunities or undisturbed nature, you can find both within the Angelina National Forest.
