Texas

The Lone Star State offers more than just cowboys and outlaws. Its vast lands do not just portray the quintessential image of America’s west. These also offer diverse landscapes – pine forests, desert plains and canyons, pristine beaches, rugged mountains, lakes and streams are all part of the natural Texan charm. Aside from that, Texas also has three of America’s largest cities and with it the bells and whistles of big city life – hotels, casinos, a lively nightlife and some of the country’s tallest skyscrapers.

Texas is a melting pot of sorts and thus is a rich ground for different cultures and artistry to thrive. It is also home to world-renowned art collections and museums and a flourishing music scene. In Texas, everything is bigger – hats, ranches, cars, and hearts. The people here are warm and friendly.

Visit Austin for an intense musical experience. It has actually earned its slogan of being the “Live Music Capital of the World”, with plenty of live music bars and clubs lining the street. Meanwhile, you can head for San Antonio for a taste of its famous Tejano music. For live theater and musical performances you can go to Houston. This is, after all, the home of the Houston Symphony Orchestra, the Houston Grand Opera, the Houston Ballet and the Alley Theatre. On the other hand, The Modern (Texas’ oldest museum), the Amon Carter Museum and the Kimbell Art Museum can be found in Forth Worth while Dallas houses the Dallas Museum of Art, The Trammel & Margaret Crow Collection of Asian Art, the Meyerson Symphony Center and the Nasher Sculpture Center. What’s more, the buildings housing these art collections are architectural attractions in themselves.

As for sports, Texans are notorious for their love of the game. Football, baseball, basketball are closely followed and cheered on. If you want to catch a game, head to Rangers Ballpark in Arlington, which houses the Texas Rangers. If you are more into doing sports rather than watching it, you can also play golf, fishing, trekking and many more.

As for historical points of interest or just places where you can have fun, you can visit Adventure Bay (a water park in Houston), Port Isabel Lighthouse, Dallas Zoo, the Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden, Six Flags Over Texas, or Caddoan Mounds State Historical Park. Want to know what it’s like to be a cowboy? Then visit Texas’ dude ranches in Bandera or Boerne to get a taste of the Western life.

The Texan outdoors is also nothing to sneeze at. It has 600 miles of coastline embraced by the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico. You can drive to Corpus Christi or Galveston Island for a relaxing day at the beach. The state parks also offer a terrific outdoor experience with plenty of opportunities for mountain and rock climbing, boating, horseback riding and swimming. There is great balmy weather to be had all year round, so you can have your perfect outdoor getaway anytime.

Texas offers you a great many things to do and enjoy. Come try them all!