Athens

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The other Athens--Athens, Texas

A May 2002 trip to Athens by samepenny

Ma! FishMore Photos

Athens is a nice town that's an easy drive from the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex. It's a great place to get away for a weekend or for a holiday that you don't want to spend with relatives. If you like fishing--this is the place to be. Bass fishing is very good. Five great lakes within a short drive. That's a lot of water for Texas!

  • 5 reviews
  • 2 photos

The other Athens--Athens, TexasBest of IgoUgo

Overview

The town square and Courthouse are very interesting and are in very good condition. Many tv shows & movies are made in this area. It's the location for many Dairy Queen commercials. You can get good meals, do some shopping, fishing and other outdoor activities--all for a reasonable price. You're not in the Big City anymore.

Quick Tips:

You just don't want to miss the Black-Eyed Pea Festival in July! Or shopping at near-by Canton on First Monday Trade Days weekend.

Best Way To Get Around:

This is Texas. You gotta drive!

Spanish Trace InnBest of IgoUgo

Hotel

Spanish Trace Inn
The Inn is a popular place for small meetings, say of 20 to 100 people, which is how we got to Athens, Texas the first time. Sort of a motel lay-out with a pool sheltered between two wings of the Inn, everything is handy. There are a few suites which are really more like small apartments. These are great for long weekends. Basically you are buying the location. That is the town of Athens which is very enjoyable.

However, the insiders'' secret and the reason people book far in advance for holidays to stay at this Inn, is the restaurant. It''s really good and is a nice place to get away from home when you don''t want to cook and/or spend holidays with relatives. We all laugh about that! Gee--I wonder who will read this?

So for a couple hundred bucks, you can get away from home, drive through beautiful East Texas, stay at this Inn, have some nice meals and some fun in and around town. What a deal!

  • Member Rating 3 out of 5 by samepenny on November 19, 2000

Spanish Trace Inn
716 East Tyler Athens, Texas 75751
(903) 675-5173

Spanish Trace InnBest of IgoUgo

Restaurant

Reservations recommended for holidays. The rest of the time, you can pretty much 'wing it'. Solid East Texas cooking, which is more Southern than Texan. Plenty of gravy, potatos, chicken fried this and that. Very good local fish. Bar is very good. Not a place to try to stay on a diet. Pies are great. The pecan is supurb!
  • Member Rating 4 out of 5 by samepenny on November 19, 2000

Spanish Trace Inn
716 East Tyler Street Athens, Texas 75751
(903) 675-5173

Texas Freshwater Fisheries CenterBest of IgoUgo

Attraction

Ma! Fish
(903) 676-2277. This is a Texas Parks and Wildlife project so I can assure you that it is extremely well done. Fishing and fish farming are big business in East Texas. TP&W feels that it's very important to educate the public especially children about how it all works. More fun than you would expect. Athens is very close to 5 of the best fishing lakes in Texas so a lot of visitors come to Athens for fishing.
  • Member Rating 4 out of 5 by samepenny on November 19, 2000

Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center
5550 Flat Creek Road Athens, Texas 75752

Roadside Produce StandsBest of IgoUgo

Attraction

Keep your eyes open and your speed down on the highways leading into Athens. Seasonally there are dozens of road side produce stands open. Talk about really good stuff at good prices. Pecans and other nuts in the fall. Fruits in the spring and vegetables all summer.
  • Member Rating 4 out of 5 by samepenny on November 19, 2000

Roadside Produce Stands
Along various roads Athens, Texas

About the Writer

samepenny
samepenny
Fort Worth, Texas

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