Run by the National Park Service, the beautiful LBJ Ranch preserves the sites where Lyndon B Johnson was born, lived and died. Explored on a 7-mile driving loop, it centers on the ranch-house home of LBJ and Lady Bird, where Johnson spent so much time during his presidency that it became known as the 'Texas White House.’ Other structures include Johnson’s birthplace, the one-room schoolhouse where he briefly attended school, and a neighboring farm that now serves as a living history museum.
The park also includes the airfield used by Johnson and foreign dignitaries, the private jet he used as president, and the family cemetery where LBJ and Lady Bird are buried under sprawling oak trees.
It’s located in Stonewall, 14 miles west of Johnson City. Stop by the state-run visitor center at the entrance (as opposed to the national park visitor center in Johnson City) to pick up a free park driving permit and map. When the ranch house itself is open – it was closed for structural repairs at the time of research – a small fee is charged for tours.