What East Texas City is Your Hidden Gem?

Several East Texas cities are gaining attention for being cool even though not everyone is aware of how awesome they are.

Lufkin didn't make The 12 Most Underrated Cities in Texas list, but here's why that was a big mistake.

A couple of East Texas cities did make the list for being among the best hidden gems. The website Only In Your State, says Jefferson and Canton are among the most underrated cities in Texas.

If you want to get noticed, get some haunted spaces!  Jefferson continually gets recognized for its haunted ghost tours and spooky houses, and that's a draw for visitors. And, even though Jefferson isn't one of the biggest cities in Texas, it is one of the hidden treasures because of its ability to freak us out and make us curious.

Canton is famous of course for First Monday Trade Days, which draws 300,000 people to East Texas once a month.  We all might benefit from that, with the travelers passing through.

Other awesome Texas towns that fly under the radar include Medina, Fredericksburg, and Bandera in the Hill Country, plus Salado, Wimberly, Goliad, and Waxahachie.

Lufkin is left off the list, but it might smoke some of those other towns.

Trip Advisor says these are the best things to see and do in Lufkin in 2017:

Ellen Trout Zoo

Texas Forestry Museum

Ratcliff Lake

The Pines Theater

Museum of East Texas

Big Thicket Brewery

Angelina National Forest

Wild Willie's

The Lufkin Chamber also points out the opportunities to play golf, go fishing at Sam Rayburn, and soak up some history and check out the murals downtown.

We may not be haunted and we don't have a huge flea market, but we've got plenty of recreation, museums, and beer to soak in.  Oh, and football season is not far off.  Friday night lights, along with a fishing trip and some beers on a Saturday in the fall puts Lufkin right up there with any cool Texas town.