Choose wisely. Connect locally.Add your business 
Beaumont is a city of about 115,000 people in Southeast Texas, on the Neches River about 85 miles east of Houston. Founded in the 1830s, it was a modest lumber and rice town until January 10, 1901, when the Lucas gusher blew in at Spindletop Hill just south of the city. The well launched the modern petroleum age, and Beaumont boomed almost overnight into an oil capital.
Today Beaumont anchors the Golden Triangle with Port Arthur and Orange, an industrial region of refineries and one of the busiest ports in the country. Its downtown keeps grand buildings from the boom years, including the restored Jefferson Theatre, the art deco Edson Hotel and the 1903 Tyrrell Historical Library, built as a church.
Beaumont's museums tell the story of its past. The Spindletop-Gladys City Boomtown Museum recreates the oil-boom town with wooden derricks, the Texas Energy Museum covers the science of oil, and the Fire Museum of Texas displays one of the world's largest fire hydrants. Crockett Street's entertainment district, Lamar University and the nearby Big Thicket National Preserve round out the area.
An open-air museum on the Lamar University campus that recreates the boomtown that grew after the 1901 Spindletop oil gusher, with wooden buildings, oil derricks and period tools. A replica gusher erupts with water on special days. Allow an hour and bring sun protection.
A 1906 Beaux-Arts Colonial Revival mansion furnished with the McFaddin family's original possessions, showing how a wealthy Beaumont family lived in the oil era. Guided tours cover the house and carriage house. Children must be old enough; reservations are recommended.
A public archive and genealogy library housed in a former 1903 Baptist church, a Romanesque stone building with stained glass windows, in downtown Beaumont. Visitors can see the interior and research family history. It is free; quiet is expected in the reading rooms.
A museum in a 1927 fire station downtown with antique fire engines, equipment and fire safety exhibits, famous for its giant black-and-white spotted fire hydrant out front, one of the largest in the world. Admission is free. It is a good stop for children.
A downtown museum about the oil and gas industry, with exhibits on geology, drilling and refining and animatronic figures telling the story of the Spindletop boom. It is a good introduction before visiting the Boomtown museum. Allow an hour; admission is low.
A downtown museum focused on art of the region, with changing exhibitions of contemporary and folk art and a permanent collection of Texas artists. Admission is free. It sits near the Texas Energy Museum and the Jefferson Theatre, so it is easy to combine in one walk.
A small museum honoring Beaumont native Babe Didrikson Zaharias, an Olympic gold medal track athlete and champion golfer, with medals, trophies and memorabilia. It also serves as a visitor information stop off I-10. Admission is free and a visit takes about 30 minutes.
A restored 1927 movie palace downtown with a Spanish-style interior and a rare Robert Morton theater organ, now hosting concerts, touring shows, classic film screenings and community performances. Check the event calendar, as it opens to the public only for events.
A block of restored brick buildings downtown that once held saloons and brothels, now home to bars, restaurants and live music venues. It is busiest on Friday and Saturday nights. Combine it with an evening show at the Jefferson Theatre a short walk away.
A large constructed wetland in Tyrrell Park that treats city wastewater and attracts hundreds of bird species, with gravel levee trails, a boardwalk and observation decks. It is free and excellent for birdwatching. Bring binoculars and insect repellent and watch for alligators.
A large national preserve north of Beaumont protecting a mix of swamps, pine forests and bayous, known for its rich plant life including carnivorous pitcher plants. Hiking trails and paddling routes start from several units. Stop at the visitor center near Kountze first for maps.
A wildlife park in Beaumont with hundreds of alligators and crocodiles, including some very large rescued gators, plus snakes, turtles and other reptiles. Live shows and feedings run on set schedules. It is popular with kids; visit in warm months when animals are most active.
Top-rated local businesses in Beaumont, with real reviews on WiserMap.
No reviews yet. Been to Beaumont? Be the first to share your experience.
Share what you loved, what to skip and tips for other travelers.
Log in to write a reviewBeen to Beaumont? Add your best shots to the gallery.
Log in to add photosPhoto: i_am_jim, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: R. Rothenberger, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0
Photo: R. Rothenberger, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0
Photo: LUSportsFan, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: LUSportsFan, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Reagan Rothenberger, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0
Photo: Reagan Rothenberger, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0
Photo: R. Rothenberger, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0
Photo: ThomasHorn7, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: R. Rothenberger, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0
Photo: Reagan Rothenberger, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0
Photo: TexasExplorer98, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0
Photo: TexasExplorer98, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0
Photo: TexasExplorer98, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0
Photo: i_am_jim, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: Jim Evans, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Larry D. Moore, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0
Photo: Farragutful, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: JJonahJackalope, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: JJonahJackalope, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: JJonahJackalope, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: R. Rothenberger, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0
Photo: JJonahJackalope, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: JJonahJackalope, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: JJonahJackalope, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Jim Evans, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Ktimberlake, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Larry D. Moore, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0
Photo: Billy Hathorn of English Wikipedia, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: Billy Hathorn at en.wikipedia, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: Regrothenberger (talk), Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0
Photo: Patrick Feller, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0
Photo: Patrick Feller, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0
Photo: Reagan Rothenberger, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0
Photo: USDA photo by Larry Rana, Wikimedia Commons, Public domain
Photo: USDA photo by Larry Rana, Wikimedia Commons, Public domain
Photo: USDA photo by Larry Rana, Wikimedia Commons, Public domain
Photo: Larry D. Moore, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0
Photo: William L. Farr, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
