Victoria (Texas)

Victoria was initially named Guadalupe Victoria for his governorship General Guadalupe Victoria, first president of independent Mexico. But after the town was occupied by Mexican forces and later General Santa Anna was routed at the Battle of San Jacinto, the city folk had had just about enough of Mexican influence and condensed the name to just Victoria (and also kicked Mexican nationals out).

• 🌍 DeLeon Plaza, bound by Main, Constitution, Bridge, and Forrest Sts. The town square in the heart of Victoria. (updated Feb 2018)
• 🌍 Five Points Museum of Contemporary Art, 1201 N Moody St, ☏ +1 361 572-0016. W-Su noon-5PM. Small contemporary art museum with rotating exhibits from regional and national artists. Free. (updated Feb 2018)
• 🌍 Museum of the Coastal Bend, 2200 E Red River St (at Ben Jordan St, on the Victoria College campus), ☏ +1 361 582-2511. Tu-Sa 10AM-4PM. Regional history museum, the centerpiece of which are seven of the eight cannons brought to Texas by French explorer Robert de La Salle on the ship La Belle. Admission is pay-what-you-wish. (updated Feb 2018)
• 🌍 Nave Museum, 306 W Commercial St, ☏ +1 361 575-8228. Th-F Noon-5PM, Sa-Su Noon-4PM. Art museum. (updated Dec 2021)
• The Texas Zoo, 110 Memorial Dr, ☏ +1 361-573-7681. Daily 10AM-4PM. A cozy zoo with coyotes, otters, alligators, and other wildlife. $10.50, $9.50 seniors and children. 

• Victoria Mall, 7800 N Navarro St. A mall with a Chuck E. Cheese. Also note there's a Cinemark 12 Theater across the way. Tel: +1 361-237-1113. M-Sa 10AM-9PM, Su Noon-6PM.

• 🌍 Fossati's Delicatessen, 302 S Main St, ☏ +1 361 576-3354. M-F 11AM-2PM. The oldest delicatessen in Texas, opened in 1882 by Italian immigrant Fraschio Napoleon Fossati. (updated Feb 2018)