Travel in Texas
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Informations on Texas: history, politics, economy, culture, Did you mean: Texas
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Texas is the second-biggest state in the United States of America -- although some Texans will maintain that it is a country all to its own (which at one time, it was). Originally a territory of Mexico, Texas rebelled in 1836 and became its own nation for 10 years before joining the USA in 1845. Texas has maintained its independent spirit, and in fact the state makes a definite travel destination all its own.
Known for their generosity and overall friendliness, Texans are great people to meet. Texans also have a tremendous sense of Texas pride. No other state (well not many) in the United States features their state flag so prominently in businesses, on the backs of pickup trucks and in advertisements.
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Regions
| Panhandle (Lubbock, Amarillo, Wichita Falls) Great plains, cotton and the Llano Estacado | |
| Prairies and Lakes (Dallas, Fort Worth) Recreational lakes and exciting nightlife | |
| Piney_Woods (Nacogdoches, Tyler) Pine forests, bayous, and Civil War and Civil Rights history | |
| Gulf Coast (Houston, Galveston, Beaumont) Islands, beaches and port cities | |
| South Texas Plains (San Antonio, Laredo) Border country along the Rio Grande, Spanish missions | |
| Hill Country (Austin, Fredericksburg) Edwards Plateau, rolling hills, rivers and the State capital | |
| Big Bend Country (El Paso, Odessa) Big Bend National Park, mountains, desert and canyons. |
Cities
- Amarillo - Wide open spaces, on the edge of the Great Plains.
- Arlington - Home of Six Flags and the Texas Rangers.
- Austin - State capital. Home to the University of Texas (largest in the USA).
- Beaumont - Home of Spindletop, birthplace of the modern oil industry.
- Corpus Christi - Popular Gulf Coast city.
- Dallas - The #1 visitor destination in Texas.
- El Paso - The largest city on the US/Mexico border.
- Fort Worth - Fort Worth Stockyards. "Where the West Begins."
- Fredericksburg - German settlement, lots of festivals.
- Galveston - Major port city and tourist destination.
- Houston - Texas' largest city. Home of NASA's Mission Control Center.
- Irving - Home of the Dallas Cowboys.
- Laredo - The US's largest inland port.
- Lubbock - Largest city in the plains of Texas.
- Midland/Odessa - Twin west Texas oil cities.
- Nacogdoches - "Cradle of Texas Liberty." Many Texas landmarks.
- San Antonio - Famous for the Alamo and the "River Walk" nightlife district.
Other destinations
Understand
History
France, Spain and Mexico have all laid claim to Texas at one point or another. However in 1836, Texas won it's independence from Mexico and became the Republic of Texas. The most famous battle of the fight for independence was the stand at the Alamo. Although tragic, the sacrifice allowed the main army of Texas time enough to gather their strength and defeat the formidable Mexican army, lead by General Santa Anna. Nine years later Texas agreed to be annexed by the United States and became the 28th state of the Union.
People
The ethnic background of Texas is extremely diverse. Fully one-third of the population has some sort of Hispanic background. There are also many German settlements (Fredericksburg, New_Braunfels, et. al.), as well as Polish, Czech, Swedish and French settlements.
Climate
Texas is a huge state and has an extreme variety of weather. Texas is very warm in the summer (commonly higher than 100F or 38C). In West Texas and the Panhandle, summers are usually dry with fits of stormy weather. North Texas (Dallas/Fort Worth region) has an unstable climate (hence the saying "If you don't like the weather in Texas, wait a minute"). Thunderstorms are common, sometimes generating tornadoes and hailstorms. It is often cooler near the coast, though humidity can be unbearable in the summer. Conversely, the spring, autumn and winter are relatively pleasant for most of the state. It rarely dips below the freezing point in winter, except in the Panhandle region where the winters can get quite cold (Lubbock and Amarillo have suffered devastating blizzards in the past.). It has snowed as far south as San Antonio and Houston, but snow will often melt within moments of landing.
Get in
Texas shares an international border with Mexico as well as a 600 mile coastline. As a state of the United States, all Visa and passport rules of the USA apply.
By plane
Texas has several international airports including George Bush International in Houston, and DFW, the third busiest airport in the world (sixth in terms of passenger traffic).
By car
There are many roads which cross into Texas from Mexico, but most notable is Interstate 35 in Laredo. Due to the enormous amount of traffic from south and central America, Laredo is the country's largest inland port.
By boat
Major ports in Texas include; Houston, Corpus Christi, Galveston, Beaumont, Port Arthur and Brownsville.
Get around
Texas is well-known for it's system of roads and cross-town freeways are often built with parallel frontage roads and turnarounds at most exits. Speed limits are very strictly enforced in rural areas of the state, but when travelling through larger cities observing the "common speed" is much safer.
Texas is home to major airlines American Airlines, Southwest Airlines and Continental Airlines. American and Continental fly to many Texas locations through their hubs in Dallas and Houston respectively. Southwest is the no frills discounter granddad and flies throughout Texas. Travel to any destination world-wide is quite painless from the larger Texas airports.
Since Texas cities are geographically dispersed, travel by train is expensive and often inconvenient. Passenger service is no longer an option for cities in the Panhandle or southern Texas. NOTE: Traveling from Houston (east) to El Paso (far west) is one-half of the distance from Houston to Los Angeles.
Greyhound provides intercity bus service. Other bus carriers include TNM&O, Kerville & Americanos.
See
- Don't miss the Alamo in San Antonio
- The original Six Flags theme park is in Arlington
- The King Ranch, along the Gulf Coast, is a working ranch bigger than the state of Rhode Island
Do
- Take a leisurely intertube trip, floating down the Brazos or Guadalupe rivers.
- Spend the weekend living the Old West at a Dude Ranch
Eat
Barbecue is the mainstay of any true Texan's diet (most Texans will frown at you if you call it BBQ). The International Barbecue Cookoff is held annually in Taylor, TX (northeast of Austin. The number one barbeque restaurant is the Kreuz Market in Lockhart (also near Austin), although there are several excellent places all around Texas.
Chili is the official state dish of Texas. There are many varieties of chili, but Original Texas-style chili contains no beans. The place to try all the varieties is the International Chili Cookoff, held on the first weekend in November in Terlingua, TX.
Tex-Mex is Mexican cuisine with Texas flair. Take ancient traditions (such as filled tortillas) and add beef, sauces, cheeses and spices, and Tex-Mex is born. Nachos, crispy tacos, crispy chalupas, chili con queso, chili con carne, chili gravy, and fajitas are all Tex-Mex inventions. Serving tortilla chips and a hot sauce or salsa as an appetizer is also an original Tex-Mex combination, and one that Texan diners insist on.
Down Home Cookin' is a blend of American and German cuisine brought about by the necessity of cooking from the back of a chuck wagon. Meals include steaks, stews, casseroles, breads and pies. There are many steakhouses around the state, notably the Big Texan Steak Ranch in Amarillo, Bob's Steak and Chophouse in Dallas and Fort Griffin General Merchandise in Albany.
Drink
There are many cities with a fabulous nightlife. Dallas has the West End and Deep Ellum districts. In Houston you can go "Downtown" or "Uptown". Have a good time in Austin on 6th Street and the Warehouse District. And don?t forget San Antonio's famous River Walk.
Stay safe
The crime rate in Texas is on par with the rest of the United States. In the larger cities, if you stay in the tourist areas you will be generally safe (talk to your hotel concierge or manager if you aren't sure about a certain area). The rural areas have a very small crime rate.
Texas weather is rarely dangerous. However, be aware of the weather during hurricane season on the coast, and of tornado season (spring and summer) if you're in the Dallas/Fort Worth region. Also, although Texas deserts are beautiful, the heat can be dangerous without the proper precautions. Bring plenty of water and sunscreen.
External links
- http://www.traveltex.com/ -- the official state travel information site.
- http://www.tourtexas.com/