This Friendly Texas City Is Keeping Southern Hospitality Alive

It doesn’t seem like people are quick to greet each other these days. More often than not, folks are too busy staring at their phones to acknowledge anyone around them. But hospitality is alive and well in one Texas city.

Small-Town Texas: Where Greetings Still Matter 

Growing up in a small town in Texas, it was common for everyone to greet one another in passing, even if you didn’t know each other. In fact, my dad would typically wave at strangers as he passed them on the highway, and 9 times out of 10, they would wave back.

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A Habit That’s Hard to Break (and Worth Keeping)

To this day, I rarely walk past someone without glancing at them in case they’re like me and greet strangers. My experience is that it’s still common to greet strangers among older generations, but not so much with younger people. I don’t mean to sound judgmental; it’s just an observation I’ve made.

Looking for Friendly Faces? Head to Temple, Texas

If you yearn for the good old days when it was more common for folks to greet strangers, you’ll want to make the trip to Temple. In a study conducted by AM/FM Treatment, Temple was ranked the fourth most friendly city in the US.

Why Temple Deserves a Longer Stay

Admittedly, I’ve never spent much time in Temple. We almost always make it a point to stop at the Buc-ee's there on our way to Austin, but that’s about it. It sounds like that needs to change.