Travel to Vidor and Port Arthur, Texas

Vidor, Texas, is a city just off of Interstate 10 and Farm to Market Rd.105 not too far from the city of Beaumont, Texas. The town is basically a suburb area for both Port Arthur and Beaumont. Vidor, Texas, is close enough to Beaumont that most tourists can stay in Vidor if they are attending any attractions in or around the surrounding area. Vidor has plenty of places to for lodging including the La Quinta Inn located just off I-10 at 165 E Courtland St. in Vidor, the rates are reasonable and from past experience they usually have rooms available.

The annual Texas Bar-B-Q Festival and Cook-Off happens every year at Claiborne West Park and is sanctioned by the IBCA. The Bar-B-Q festival not only features some great barbecue but also has features many vendors, carnival rides, a Classic Car Show, beauty pageant and live music. Claiborne Park West is located at 4105 North Street in Vidor and the event is outstanding each year. The barbecue festival is a great family event with plenty of things to occupy everyone.

Vidor, Texas has had in the past a bad reputation for being a community that doesn't welcome African Americans. Vidor not unlike many other smaller communities across the country have had in the past separations between black and white neighborhoods. However I believe the city is desperately trying to change the overall perception of the community and welcome people from all walks of life.

Famous people from Vidor include Tracy Byrd and Clay Walker both of which are well known country music artists.

Port Arthur, Texas is approximately an hour and a half from Houston in the southeastern part of Texas, with neighboring towns of Beaumont, Vidor and Orange among many other communities. Port Arthur has shipping, marshes and is rich in seafood, oil, natural gas and sulphur. I really enjoyed the shopping at the small quaint specialty stores. Port Arthur has plenty of places in which to stay including the Hampton and Holiday Inns, both of which I highly recommend. Esther's Seafood and Steaks is located on 7237 Rainbow Lane in Port Arthur and is great for authentic Cajun cuisine.

Port Arthur is well known for being the home of the legendary music artist home of Janis Joplin, however it is also the birthplace of legendary golfer Babe Didrikson who later married and became Babe Didrikson Zaharias. Babe Didrikson moved to Beaumont, Texas when she was just a child, but Port Arthur is home to Babe Didrikson Zaharias Memorial Golf Course.

I lived in Lake Charles, Louisiana for several years and often traveled through Vidor and Port Arthur, Texas when traveling back and forth to Houston.

Unfortunately with the recent oil catastrophe in the gulf, small communities all around Louisiana and Texas are suffering tremendously. I know the areas well and I can tell you these communities depend on their fishing commerce and tourism for money. The impact that this catastrophic oil disaster is having is not only choking the wildlife but the very core of the people in these communities. Port Arthur is on the water and depends greatly on its seafood industry and the oil in the gulf is having a devastating effect on everything from its restaurants to its shipping.

References for this article include: www.portarthur.net
panews.com
palt.squarespace.com
orangeleader.com
www.vidorisd.org/vccn/cityhall/main.html