Toys break and technology gets outdated, so if you're looking to give someone an experience gift this Christmas, take a road trip that includes these awesome East Texas towns.  

Jefferson is a great spot for a ghost tour as we know, and it's not just at Halloween.  That's one East Texas town that made Wide Open Country's list that will inspire your Texas holiday road trip.

The Ultimate Small Town Texas Road Trip should include ghosts, history, and kolaches, according to Wide Open Country.  And some festive holiday beverages too if you feel like driving to Shiner.

The top towns to visit on your holiday road trip include:

Athens - The Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center is there if you're in the mood for some winter angling, and car lovers dig the annual Warriors Auto Show .  Athens is also the spot for the East Texas Arboretum to get some pics and perk up your social media pages.

Marshall - We've heard it's the cultural capital of Texas and while we don't know exactly what that means, it is pretty rich with history from the Civil War era and the Texas Revolution. And then we can go get a little more culture at Don Juan's, Porky's Smokehouse Grill, Cajun Tex, or some of the other good restaurants that make Marshall cool.

Jefferson - That Jefferson General Store might be the most unique thing about Marshall, and it's a town with more than 70 historical landmarks.  The general store is just what you might imagine with soda fountains and old bar stools, and a creaky wood floor that's been around for a century or so.  Jefferson makes a mark with ghost tours too, and it's the most haunted spot we've got in East Texas.  So when you've had enough of the warm fuzzy holiday moments, go get yourself scuurrred..

Shiner - That's home to the Spoetzl Brewing Company, which makes Shiner beer.  They've got tours, and performances in the Gaslight Theater so you can take a load off while enjoying some holiday beverages that also work any ole time of the year.

West - Kolaches!  The Czech bakery off I-35 in West provides the fuel we need to keep sittin' in the car on the holiday road trip.  A couple of kolaches from that famous spot, and we'll have the energy to deal with car butt and restless kids on the last leg of the road trip, and we'll be home in no time.

This is a huge travel week, so we won't exactly have the roads all to ourselves while we're moving around East Texas.  But if we know the best places to go, we'll have more fun than anyone else and chase the holiday driving stress away.  Especially in Shiner!  Drive safe.

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