
When you’re living in or visiting the lovely city of Jacksonville, TX, you aren’t far from some of the most notable local attractions in East Texas. There are plenty of unique museums, parks, and historical sites to explore. These particular destinations promise to make anyone’s day!
4 Local Attractions You Can Drive to Near Jacksonville, TX
1. Vanishing Texana Museum
Those who want to learn more about the history of East Texas will be doing themselves a favor by visiting Vanishing Texana on 302 S. Bolton Street. This humble museum looks small from the outside but boasts an impressive collection of regional artifacts, memorabilia, and curiosities that will keep visitors occupied for hours. Many items date back to the Civil War and earlier, including Confederate service rifles and a Roman coin collection.
If you’d like to know more about any particular exhibit, feel free to reach out to Vanishing Texana’s friendly and knowledgeable curator.
2. Cherokee Trace Drive-Thru Safari
Want to take a trip to the zoo without having to leave the comfortable cabin of GMC Terrain? In that case, you’ll want to head over to Cherokee Trace on 1200 County Road 4405. It’s a verdant 300-acre wildlife preserve where you can go on a self-guided driving tour and encounter a wide variety of species from all over the world, from the zebras and wildebeests of Africa to capybaras and kangaroos.
The park even provides visitors with feed bags so that they can get up close with the animals and feed them by hand!
3. Love’s Lookout
Located near the edge of town on 43822 US Highway 69, Love’s Lookout provides some of the most dramatic natural scenery in the region. The park sits at an elevation of over 700 feet above sea level, allowing for incredible eastward views out to 35 miles. There are picnicking spots to enjoy the view from and a 5,500-square-foot visitor center, which features additional information about the park, vending machines, and well-kept restrooms.
4. American Freedom Museum
This fascinating military history museum on 1051 N. Houston Street in nearby Bullard chronicles many important events from the American Revolution to the Global War on Terrorism. Critical battles are illustrated through countless artifacts, photographs, and documents. You’ll even be able to inspect the actual weapons and vehicles that were used by American service members, including a Vietnam War-era UH-1 helicopter.
One of the American Freedom Museum’s newest exhibits is the Walk of Honor: a beautiful 36-panel tribute that has been dedicated to the fallen warriors who served the country in post-World War II operations.
You can count on having a good time when you visit any of these fine attractions! Reliable transportation is important for any outing, so be sure to stop by at Bacon Auto Country today and check out our extensive selection of new and pre-owned automobiles!
Image Via Pixabay

