Giddings, Texas to Elgin, Texas

An Ultra High Definition 4K Driving Tour from Giddings, Texas to Elgin, Texas.

This drive is from Giddings, Texas to Elgin, Texas. The highway between the two towns is 290 and the towns are 30 miles apart. 

Giddings, Texas

Giddings is located in Lee County, Texas. It is the county seat, meaning that it is where the courthouse is located. The population of Giddings, Texas is about 5,000 people. Giddings is 55 miles from Austin, 131 miles from San Antonio, and 107 miles from Houston. 

Giddings was founded in 1871 on land that was part of a land grant to Stephen F. Austin fifty years prior. As with many small towns in Texas, once the railroad came through the town began to develop. The town was settled by British, German, and Wendish settlers, and after the end of the Civil War, freed slaves. In the 1980’s they struck oil, but by the end of the decade the oil boom had run dry.

What to do in Giddings, Texas

St. Paul’s Lutheran Church

1572 Co Rd 211, Giddings, TX 78942

Giddings, or more properly the very nearby small town of Serbin,  has one of the Painted Churches of Texas. This historic church was built by the Wends in 1871.

Texas Wendish Heritage Museum

1011 Co Rd 212, Giddings, TX 78942

Wends are a Slavic group that came from an area of what is now Eastern Germany. Several hundred Wends settled in this area. The museum is dedicated to promoting Wendish Heritage. There are a series of different buildings with displays. The Wends Research Exchange has significant information about Wends available online. 

Whistle Stop Antiques – Auction

1122 E Austin St, Giddings, TX 78942

An antiques shop with a wide variety of items.

Elgin, Texas

Elgin is partially in Bastrop County and partially in Travis, County. Elgin has a population of just over 8,000 people and is known as the Sausage Capital of Texas!

Elgin is 22 miles from Austin, Texas, 93 miles from San Antonio, Texas and 137 miles from Houston, Texas. Elgin is considered to be a suburb of Austin. 

What to do in Elgin, Texas

Elgin Depot Museum

(Temporarily Closed due to Covid 19)
14 Depot St, Elgin, TX 78621

The Elgin Depot Museum is not limited to just collections on the history of trains in the area. It is a museum that covers many parts of life in Elgin, Texas. They also have collections on the history of the community and genealogical archives.

Elgin Memorial Park

1127 North Main Street, Elgin, Texas 78621

Elgin Memorial Park is a great place to get out and stretch your legs. The park has a lot of amenities such as picnic tables and horse shoe pits and a playground.

Old Coupland Inn and Dancehall

101 Hoxie Street, Coupland, Texas 

Located 8 miles from Elgin, Texas in nearby Coupland, Texas

With live music and a historic building, this is a great place to go dancing. The Coupland Inn and Dancehall gets some big name bands playing, and is sure to entertain you. There is a restaurant that serves country food. Above the dancehall there are rooms that have been converted into a bed and breakfast with unique decor. 

G&M Dry Goods

20 N Main St, Elgin, TX 78621

Stroll around Main Street and enjoy yourself visiting all the different shops. G&M Dry Goods is a gift shop, but there are a lot of other nice stores in the historic downtown area as well. 

Where to eat in Elgin, Texas

Meyer’s Elgin Smokehouse

188 US-290, Elgin, TX 78621

Meyer’s Elgin Smokehouse is known for German sausages. Stop in for some tasty barbecue. 

Lucy’s Kitchen

106 Depot St, Elgin, TX 78621

Lucy’s Kitchen offers traditional Southern home cooking. With dishes like chicken fried steak and pecan pie. 

Southside Market & Barbecue

1212 US-290, Elgin, TX 78621

The oldest barbecue joint in Texas. Southside got its start in a wagon in 1882.