Tourism in Longview, Texas

Longview, Texas, is a small East Texas city with a big personality and an ever-growing tourism industry. Located 125 miles from Dallas and 60 miles from Shreveport, La., Longview is known for its sporting events, wide range of festivals, moderate climate, pine woods, rolling hills, national parks and lakes and rivers.

When to Go

While summer is high season for tourism in Longview, there are festivals, sporting and cultural events that draw visitors all year long. The average annual temperature is 64 degrees.

Festivals

Thousands flock to Longview every year for its diverse range of festivals. The more popular ones include the Party in the Pines Motorcycle Rally and the Great Texas Balloon Festival, with the Freeze Fanny Bike Ride and Cinco de Mayo also making the top 10 list.

Outdoors

This lake-country city offers the best in boating, fishing (check out Lake O' The Pines on Highway 259), camping, hiking, biking, ATV and dirt bike riding, rodeos and golf.

History

Longview, which was established when an East Texas landowner sold 100 acres to the railroad for one gold dollar, has a historic downtown district. Heritage Plaza is dedicated to the first 100 years of the city's history, and nearby museums and centers focus on, among other topics, the oil industry.

Accommodations and Amenities

Though Longview only has 73,000 residents, it has 27 hotels and motels and dozens of restaurants of all price points. It is the shopping capital of East Texas and has entertainment that includes laser tag, putt-putt, archery, movies, concerts and cultural events.

Holiday Festivities

Longview, described by locals as "Real East Texas," draws crowds around the Christmas holidays with its Light Up Longview decorations and festivities.

Article Written By Debbie Selinsky

Debbie Selinsky is an award-winning writer based in North Carolina. Selinsky is the former senior editor of "Success Magazine" and deputy director of the Duke University News Service. She has written about travel for many years and specializes in cruise travel, having sailed on more than 100 cruises. Selinsky attended North Greenville University, Oregon Institute of Technology and the Poynter Institute for Journalistic Excellence.

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