Athens

Athens has the charm of a small southern town while still retaining many of the qualities of a larger city. Its surrounding countryside and lakes offer a perfect backdrop to the many artists and other talented people that call Athens home. While progress is evident everywhere, Athens embraces its heritage and celebrates its colorful past. Athens is nationally acknowledged as “The Home of Original Hamburger” and is also home to the Annual Texas Fiddlers Contest and Reunion, the oldest such event in the U.S. Things to do while in Athens include taking a walk along a tree-covered path in the forests of the East Texas Arboretum, learning how to bait a hook and then catch “a big one” at the Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center, adventuring onto the ziplines at New York, Texas Zipline Adventure, or enjoying tasting wines and beautiful scenery at Tara Vineyard & Winery. www.athenstx.org