Your LGBTQ+ Guide to Southeast Texas

“Beaumont? Where the hell is Beaumont?” For all of our Footloose lovers out there, the name Beaumont should ring a bell or two. A town where dancing is not allowed, and yet its citizens can’t help but cut loose- footloose. But Beaumont is a very real town in Southeast Texas with very real charm. And if you’ll join us, we’d love to show you around!

Bret grew up in Beaumont, TX having attended Kindergarten through 8th grade at Sallie Curtis Elementary and Marshall Middle School, but mostly he was heavily involved in dance classes at Marsha Woody, Bonnie Cokinos, and the Beaumont Community Players. Fond memories of the Pig Stand, the Haunted Hotel, and fishing out on the bayou often flood his memories. Having moved to nearby Orange TX for High School at West Orange-Stark he graduated and immediately pursued a professional career in the theatre. He moved to New York City over 20 years ago but his memories of Southeast Texas have always painted the work that he has done. Performing at the Jefferson Theatre and Julie Rogers respectively built up his experience to go out into the world and succeed. Living in the East Village of Manhattan made the West End of Beaumont seem like a far-away place. The pandemic and the Broadway shutdown brought us back to Texas and Bret has been eager to show his husband Stephen how much Beaumont has changed. After our two days, Bret has never felt more welcome and included in this small town he calls home. Here are some tips for anyone wanting to make Beaumont an unforgettable excursion.

Helpful hints

• Beaumont is a very affordable place to travel, thanks to all the free (or nearly free) attractions. Many businesses are closed on Sundays, so keep that in mind as you plan your trip.
• We also found Beaumont to be an incredibly rich, diverse community. As expected, there were plenty of Christian churches around town. But we also found Jewish Synagogues and a Hindu Temple, among others which served as a reminder of just how much the culture has expanded since Bret’s childhood.
• With Beaumont’s proximity to Louisiana, the food is incredible. Take your time when dining here. Order an appetizer or two and really soak it all in.

Things to do

Spindletop Gladys City Boomtown is an important piece of Texas history, and a great deal of fun for kids and adults alike. Most American-made oil companies started right here in Beaumont, TX thanks to an epic oil gusher in 1901 which began the oil boom and put Beaumont on the map. Today, you can visit the historic site to learn the rich history of the oil boom and see a town recreation trapped in time. We highly recommend it!

The McFaddin-Ward House is a three-story beautifully decorated Beaux-Arts-style mansion built in 1906. The McFadden family owned the land where the original oil gusher was discovered. Today, you can tour the house with original furnishings. They have done such an incredible job preserving every detail that it truly feels like you are walking back in time. They also have a carriage house with vintage cars and a beautiful rose garden. Allow at least three hours for the tour and you won’t be disappointed. This was Stephen’s favorite activity of the weekend.

Cattail Marsh Scenic Wetlands & Boardwalk was Bret’s favorite! The Cattail Marsh is the natural wastewater treatment facility for the city of Beaumont- which, we know, doesn’t sound like a good time- but it’s a gorgeous piece of marshland with a running path with gators, ducks, birds, and a beautiful boardwalk. There’s even a huge dock that goes into the marsh where we took a free outdoor yoga class! If you go on a Saturday morning, please treat your body and spirit to a free class which is great for every single body- even absolute beginners.

Beaumont Farmers Market is a great locally run outdoor market open every Saturday morning from 8-11 am. They have super fresh fruits, vegetables, meat, cheese, coffee- and even homemade soaps! If you visit on a weekend, the Beaumont Farmers Market is not to be missed.

Places to eat

Rao’s Bakery has been a Beaumont staple since 1941. We love their cinnamon buns, breakfast burritos, beautifully decorated sugar cookies, and iced coffee. We’ve heard their kolaches and nitro cold brew are also incredible, so check them out.

JW’s Patio used to be known as Crazy Jose’s. Now called JW’s Patio, they have a diverse menu with healthy options (not that we opted for those) and great outdoor seating. We loved the House-Smoked Salmon Naan Crisp, Crispy Calamari, Grilled Steak Loaded Fries, Italian Stallion Lasagna, Spinach Couscous Salad, and Crispy Chicken Sandwich. Does that sound like a lot of food for two people? It was. And we’d do it all again in a heartbeat.

Katharine & Company is a gourmet restaurant inside the historic and ornate Mildred Building built-in 1930. It’s absolutely gorgeous! Inside, the art deco and Spanish influences give the feeling of a bygone era. They serve fresh salads and sandwiches, and we loved the corn chowder. It didn’t hurt that Katharine herself came to our table to tell us more about the history of the building and shared her homemade cookies!

Stir It Up Bistro is a new soul food establishment downtown. We always believe in eating local and supporting small businesses. Not only do they have incredible soul food, but their juices are not to be missed. Do yourself a favor and check them out.

Crazy Cajun has a great outdoor space with live music. We highly recommend the Crawfish Mac and Cheese, the King Crab, Crawfish Etouffee, and the Boudin. You’ll love the atmosphere here.

Tacos La Bamba is a local favorite that grew out of the back of a video store for area Tex-Mex. They have amazing fish and shrimp platters and beautiful murals and tables painted by local artists. A must-try.

Tacos La Bamba

Not-to-miss cultural spots

The Art Museum of Southeast Texas is Downtown and totally free. Every artist showcased here is from Southeast Texas, so it has a very local and authentic feel. Check out the sculpture garden and the lovely cafe for a treat.

Shangri La - By far a diamond in Southeast Texas, Shangri La is a Botanical Garden in Orange TX that is worth the extra 30-minute drive out of Beaumont to Visit. The gardens were built by the Stark family who owned most of the land on which their lumber company thrived. Now, a nature sanctuary that will take your imagination away.

Jefferson Theater - Beaumont’s own 1400-seat historical entertainment venue. This is the place where Bret got his start, and it’s worth taking in a movie, concert, or live performance just to see the beauty inside.

Julie Rogers Theater - a state-of-the-art theater where the local Opera, Ballet, and touring companies come to entertain Southeast Texas. If you are in town for the Beaumont Civic Ballet performances of the Nutcracker imagine little Bret up there doing a dance.

The Art Studio - a cool coop space for local artists that has rotating exhibits. They even offer classes in clay, painting, and other mediums. Definitely check out and support the local artists as they create.

Photo op spots

Fire Museum - An oversized spotted fire hydrant decorates the outside of this historic museum. If you have kids with you take them inside, but most definitely snap a pic in front of this fun snappable art.

Mildred Building - The ornate Spanish 1930s art deco architecture makes this a wonderful location to take a romantic photo together (and even do some shopping).

Tyrell Library - This ornate castle-like structure has amazing stained glass windows, staircases, and stone to capture amazing photo opportunities to decorate your feed.

Murals

We stopped and snapped some photos of these murals too:

Frida Kahlo Mural

Location: 660 Fannin St. | Artist: Kimberly Brown

Mermaid Mural

Location: 660 Fannin St. | Artist: Micky Mitchell

Dragonfly Mural

Location: 660 Fannin St. | Artist: Betty Smith 

Stir it Up Mural

Location: 672 Orleans St 

Interior: Crazy Cajun

Location: 2310 N. 11th St. 

Our final thoughts

In short, Beaumont gets two big thumbs up from us. As two gay men traveling together, we felt so welcomed and included in this community for the few days we got to spend there. We never felt pressured to look, dress, or act a certain way. Beaumont has an open-mindedness and progressiveness that made Bret super proud to call it his home, and Stephen is eager to return again- if nothing else, for some amazing food and Southern Hospitality!

For more details check out https://www.beaumontcvb.com/ to see all that Beaumont has to offer.