Discover the 12 interesting Tarlac tourist spots and learn about the best places to visit when you happen to stay at Tarlac.
Tarlac province is known for its plantations of rice and sugarcane, thanks to its vast plains. On the other hand, its mountainous sides naturally developed a catch for some outdoor Tarlac tourist spots.
Other than its ecotourism aspect, Tarlac also contributes to historical events during the last world war, like the end destination of the Bataan death march in Capas.
It takes less than two hours to travel into its capital Tarlac City. Soon, future connections of railway systems in the Philippines will eventually expand, reaching the province of Tarlac.
With the ongoing development of New Clark City, more opportunities for growth both in the public and private sectors lie ahead.
Learn about the interesting Tarlac tourist spots
Table of Contents
1. Monasterio de Tarlac
The Monasterio de Tarlac is one of the popular Tarlac tourist spots for the faithful and the locals of Tarlac.
The monastery lies in Barangay Lubigan in San Jose atop Mount Resurrection, which forms part of Zambales mountain range.
Monasterio de Tarlac houses the Sacred Relic of the True Cross of Jesus Christ. The relic came from Essen, Germany, when its keeper, Msgr. Volker Bauer met Fr. Archie Cortez at an event in 2007.
In addition, a stunning 30-foot statue of Jesus Christ adds to the point of interest in this pilgrimage site.
It is best to get here as early as possible when planning to attend their mass offering because it gets crowded quickly.
What keeps this place a go-to destination aside from its religious offering is the breathtaking overlooking of the plains in Tarlac.
There is also a gift shop and small store to buy some snacks when needing a quick bite.
2. Aquino Center Museum
One of the influential families in the Philippines in terms of political affairs is the Aquino family.
In Tarlac City, one of the educational Tarlac tourist spots is the Aquino Center Museum. This museum dedicates to former Senator Benigno Aquino Jr and his wife former President Corazon Aquino.
The expansive and modern-looking museum of the Aquino family will walk you to the life of the former public servants through visuals. Here, you can recollect the past from a collection of memorabilia and photographs of the couple.
It summarizes their political influence on democracy, their accomplishments during their governance, and the challenges and tragedies that brought havoc to their family.
One creepy yet fascinating display is Senator Benigno’s preserved stained clothing when he was shot to death.
3. Kart City Tarlac
Kart City Tarlac is a place to end the weekdays with fun and one of the favorite weekend Tarlac destinations for families.
It all started as a personal race track among friends. Years later, it has bloomed into a melting pot for leisure activities.
As the name implies, the KCT features a kart race track where guests can experience the thrill of riding a kart. In addition, KCT reconfigures its racetracks now and then, bringing more excitement even to its avid customers.
So whether you’re a beginner or a sucker for some late-night adrenaline rush, this Tarlac tourist spot is the perfect place.
For the weekend family bonding, child-friendly racetracks are available as well.
After your karting experience, you can dine at the restaurants, just beside the racetracks.
Aside from the exciting kart rides and restaurants, KCT also offers game rooms for billboards and darts. Besides, their KTV lounge is an excellent last stop to end the night with a round of sing-alongs.
4. Capas National Shrine
The Capas National Shrine is a memorial and park complex that commemorates the bravery of the Filipino and American soldiers during the Japanese occupation.
Located in New Clark City, the Capas National Shrine lies on 54-hectare government property. Trees were then grown to 35 hectares of land. These trees represent each of the soldiers who died in Capas at the Bataan Death March.
The centerpiece of Capas National Shrine is the 240-foot obelisk, which symbolizes peace. Around the obelisk are three concrete walls with black marble finishing, where names of fallen soldiers are engraved.
On its western side, there is a separate memorial for the American and Czech soldiers as well.
Not far from the memorial is a garden park where you can also spot relics of a livestock wagon.
If you happen to visit the Corregidor and historical places in Bataan, visiting Capas National Shrine can give you a sense of finality to the horrific Bataan Death March stories.
The Capas National Shrine is one of the historical Tarlac tourist spots and national parks in the Philippines that pays homage to the bravery of the old war heroes.
The Capas National Shrine is the former Camp O’Donnell, a US reservation base in the Philippines that became a prisoner-of-war camp after the Japanese invasion.
5. La Sagrada Familia Parish
When going for a Visita Iglesia in Tarlac, you might want to pay a visit to La Sagrada Familia Parish in Gerona, Tarlac.
This church is famous among the faithful Catholics because the altar used Pope Francis’s marble platform during his visit in 2015.
The church is relatively new, with its completion in 2017. In addition, the intricate yet fascinating facade easily captures the attention of every churchgoer.
Compared to other churches in Tarlac, the La Sagrada Familia Parish is relatively more minor in size.
The late Father Alex Bautista, who practiced Architecture before becoming a priest, designed the church. What was donated as a small parcel of land now fits in the La Sagrada Familia Parish in Gerona.
The late priest also designed the Saint Jose Maria Escriva Church, which houses a relic of Saint Jose Maria Escriva.
6. Tarlac Recreational Park
The Tarlac Recreational Park is a great place to test your adventurous palate among other outdoor Tarlac tourist spots.
Also known as Jose V. Yap Sports and Recreational Complex, you can find this sports hub in San Jose, a 25-minute ride from Tarlac City.
This 78-hectare complex offers engaging and thrilling activities, not just to sweat off some steam but to pump some adrenaline as well.
The exciting activities in Tarlac Recreational Park are buggy rides, mountain biking, ATV rides, rappelling, and zipline. If you are visiting with a group of friends, airsoft is a great thing to try.
The lagoon inside the complex allows guests to do water activities as well, like kayaking and fishing.
Camping is an excellent choice also if you want to spend the night in the park.
The Tarlac Recreational Park was once a host to Palarong Pambansa (National Games) in 2010.
Sponsored events and local sporting events are commonly held in Tarlac Recreational Park too.
7. Isdaan Village
Roadtrip adventures when visiting Tarlac tourist spots may sometimes catch you in hunger. If you happen to be traveling along the roads of Gerona, you won’t miss seeing the eye-catching signage of Isdaan Village.
This famous destination in Tarlac offers a unique dining experience on floating nipa huts. More than a dining place, Isdaan Village also has small parks to enjoy guests of all ages.
They serve a variety of freshwater fishes caught alive from their fish pens. Other seafood and local cuisines are also available on their menu.
While waiting for your orders, you can freely roam around the compound and take some souvenir photos. There are multiple giant statues of fishes and animals you can look at in Isdaan village.
Another exciting activity inside this park and restaurant that made it famous is the Tacsiyapo Wall. Originating from the Kapampangan dialect, Tacsiyapo means shame on you.
More than what it means, you can playfully and express some emotional outburst by throwing in ceramics like glass and plates to the wall.
When visiting with your little ones, the Bata Batuta Park at the rear part of Isdaan Village will keep them occupied.
8. New Clark City
The New Clark City is an ongoing master-planned community development of the government, soon catering to some national and local government offices and private sectors.
While the development of infrastructure in New Clark City is ongoing, the national government first initiated sports facilities. This is in time for the Philippines’ hosting of the Southeast Asian Games in 2019.
The New Clark City houses the 20,2000-seater athletics stadium and the 2,000-seater aquatic stadium. In addition, the Athlete’s village can accommodate up to 1,500 athletes.
New Clark City envisions being a core player to boost Tarlac tourist spots and sports tourism in the Philippines as a whole.
9. Goshen Resort and Hotel
Are you dreaming of visiting Rome soon enough? Why not have a slice of visuals of Rome in Tarlac instead, or say for the time being.
The Goshen Resort and hotel in Bamban, Tarlac, scores a stunning resemblance of Rome architecture in their resort complex.
Goshen Resort highlights its coliseum-like structure, which is half-built, acting as a facade of the resort. One can indeed have a quick Rome-inspired trip when you visit Goshen Resort.
Perfect for a weekend bonding with family or special someone, rooms are available for a night or two.
Large arcs and Roman columns adorn every corner of the resort. Moreso, Roman statues contribute a crisp vibe to the overall charm of the resort.
As stunning and colorful during the bright daylight, the resort paints a different view when the sky turns dark.
Unlike other natural and historical Tarlac tourist spots, the Goshen Resort and Hotel makes one of the famous pre-nuptial locations in Tarlac.
10. JSJ Goat Farm
Explore JSJ Goat farm in Barangay Caruray in Gerona and learn about goat farming.
Sprawling on a 10-hectare farm, JSJ Goat Farm is a family-run business that once started from raising only native goats. By improving the quality of their product, the family has exported purebred goats from Australia and United States.
Some of the breeds they raise are Anglo Nubian, Boer, British Alpines, and Saanen, while Dorpers are sheep.
JSJ Goat Farm pioneers as goat breeders and meat producers in Tarlac. In addition, they are also producing milk products such as fresh milk, flavored kinds of milk, and a variety of cheese.
Visiting the farm allows guests to see the goats and sheep in their elevated pens from a kid, doe, and billy.
The JSJ Goat Farm is one of the agricultural Tarlac tourist spots you can visit if you’re into farming.
11. Ylang Ylang Center
Anao, the smallest of the towns in Tarlac, is known for its domestic production of ylang-ylang extracts.
The ylang-ylang extract is known for its usage to manufacture soaps, perfumes, insect repellants, and other home and living products that use scents.
One of the famous perfumes that use ylang-ylang as a base note is Chanel No. 5.
The industry of ylang-ylang extraction has long been in operation way back in 1994. However, scaling the potential of this industry is still in high hopes since crop farming is still the central basket of most farmers.
Visiting the Ylang Ylang Center in Anao will walk you through the process from flower picking up to mechanical extraction.
You can drop by at their shop to buy products like sprays, insect repellants, essential oils, candles, and even car fresheners.
12. Aquino Ancestral House
For the laid-back travelers who enjoy visiting ancestral houses, the Aquino traditional house in Concepcion is among the Tarlac tourist spots not to miss.
This old domain of the Aquino family has been home to three generations of Aquinos that have taken office to the government.
While its declaration as a historical site dates back to 1987, it was only in 2011 when its National Historical Institute marker was unveiled.
The Aquino house looks more of a European style accentuated with neo-classical columns. On the other hand, its interior feels warm and classy thanks to the red Narra wood as a primary material.
Knowing the political background and contribution of the Aquinos, visiting their olden house can give you a glimpse of their early lives and how affluent they are in the early times.
You can find the Aquino ancestral house in the city proper of Concepcion, near the parish church and town plaza.
🔗 Nearby Tourist Destinations | Zambales | Pangasinan |
Start exploring Central Luzon by visiting Tarlac tourist spots now.
Tarlac is known to many as a stop-over province for travelers going in and out of northeastern Luzon. Besides the vast haciendas of rice and sugarcanes, there are also interesting Tarlac tourist spots worth discovering.
With the upcoming development of New Clark City, economic activities will eventually influence tourism more in Tarlac.
If you plan to stay for a night or two in Tarlac, there are plenty of affordable hotels to choose from.
Going around the province isn’t that complicated, with most of the roads on concrete pavements. Jeepneys and tricycles are widely used public transportation around Tarlac.
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Safe travels!
Remember that we are still in the middle of a pandemic. For your guidance about the changes in health protocols, you may visit the guidelines from the Department of Tourism. Stay safe.