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 Tyler: The Yellow Rose of Texas
Tyler, Texas

The only rose for most Texans is the yellow rose. Where does this flower of myth and song bloom? If anywhere, it blooms in Tyler. The state's rose-growing capital exports thousands of rose bushes around the world annually. The city's municipal gardens offer an enticing place to begin a tour of this east Texas town. The Texas Rose Festival in October and the Azalea Trail in March are especially good times to head for Tyler. Once your olfactory nerves are sated with the flower's intoxicating aroma, you can also check out the city's other sights, which include an art museum, historic homes, and a noteworthy zoo.

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Tyler Municipal Rose Garden
420 Rose Park Dr
Tyler, TX 75702
Call (903) 597-3130

Some 38,000 rose bushes bloom here from May through October. The spectacle includes more than 500 varieties of roses planted throughout an enormous 14-acre site. Gazebos, archways, and winding paths add to the aesthetics of these immaculately maintained grounds that include a tropical greenhouse and camelia gardens. The gardens are open every day from dawn to dusk. You'll find them on Rose Park Drive at 1900 West Front Street. No admission is charged. If you're looking for a place to eat, try Oxford Street, a cozy pub-style place with a wide-ranging menu and several dining areas at 3300 Troup Hwy.
  
Goodman Museum
624 N Broadway
Tyler, TX 75712
Call (903) 531-1286

Tyler's premier stately mansion houses a fascinating collection of 18th- and 19th-century artifacts and furnishings. Early medical equipment from the settlement period serves as a particularly poignant reminder of the rigors of pioneer life (and untimely death). The museum is open year-round from 10am-4pm, Tuesday through Saturday. No admission is charged. Architectural devotees will also want to visit the Bonner-Whitaker-McClendon House, a few blocks to the southeast. This fine example of the Victorian style known as Eastlake-Bracketed is located at 806 W. Houston. Tours are by appointment only.
  
Caldwell Zoo
2203 Martin Luther King Blvd
Tyler, TX 75702
Call (903) 593-0121

The world's two great easts, East Africa and East Texas, receive the star treatment at Caldwell Zoo. Natural habitats for each region feature the native and exotic wildlife you might find on safari or camping in the piney woods. Wooden walkways guide you through natural settings where wild creatures lurk by jungle pools amidst exotic plants and flowers. In all, some 2000 animals reside here, representing some 250 species. The zoo is open year-round except for major holidays. Summer hours are 9am-5pm; winter hours are 9am-4pm.
    
 
 

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