As the official travel magazine of Texas, Texas Highways encourages travel to and within the Lone Star State and tells the Texas story to readers around the world. Our stories focus on Texas’ scenic, recreational, historical, and cultural treasures.

Texas Highways is the official travel magazine of Texas.

The mission of Texas Highways is to encourage travel to and within Texas. As the authority on Texas travel since 1974, Texas Highways provides readers with a curated guide to the state’s cities, small towns, hidden gems, and natural wonders. Stories focus on Texas’ diverse cultural, historical, scenic, and recreational treasures accompanied by strong photography highlighting the state’s natural beauty. From the comfort of your living room or at the wheel of your car, Texas Highways is your trusted guide for travel in Texas.

Texas Highways publishes across four main writing sections. Postcards is the magazine's section for personal essays and columns, organized into five recurring slots: Open Road, a monthly literary personal essay by a Texas writer; Dispatch, a reported or personal essay anchored to a specific Texas experience or outing; Speaking of Texas, profiling notable Texan figures; Texana, focused on the history and culture of all things Texan; and Like a Local, a personality-driven place profile. Open Road in particular has published novelists, poets, journalists, and cultural critics alongside emerging writers, and earned the magazine its first National Magazine Award nomination in 2021. Features are longer reported pieces on travel, culture, history, and nature. Fuel covers food and drink. Vintage revisits archival photographs with short historical essays.

The print edition of the magazine is published 10 times per year, and content is posted online daily.

Story pitches should be emailed to letters@texashighways.com. When sending a pitch, please attach or link to at least three published clips (bonus if they’re Texas- or travel-related). Editors aim to respond to all pitches within two weeks.

Pitches should have a travel angle or a strong sense of place and/or Texas culture. Stories with historical focus are also popular with our readers. Our brand is known for its focus on small towns and hidden gems, so pitches about major cities in Texas will come under more scrutiny. Pitches should be well-researched and have a timely angle.

Writers should be based in Texas or have a strong connection to Texas.

Our standard print rate is $1.20/word plus travel expenses. Digital rates vary based on the scope of reporting. Though lead times can be long, we pay upon submission.

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Texas Highways

Texas Highways accepts freelance story pitches with a travel angle or strong sense of place and/or Texas culture. Stories with historical focus and about small towns or hidden gems in Texas are preferred. Writers should be based in Texas or have a strong connection to Texas. Pitches must include why it is a Texas Highways story, the travel angle, timeliness, and key sources. Attach or link to at least three published clips. Editors respond within two weeks. Print stories have a lead time of about four months; web stories about one month. Standard print pay rate is $1.20/word plus travel expenses; digital rates vary.

Writers should be based in Texas or have a strong connection to Texas.

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