TEXAS has arguably the largest land area of the lower 48 States and according to reports the Texans also the largest ego! The ‘Lone Star’ and ‘Longhorn’ State has long since deserved it reputation as a true reflection of the Old West frontier, having wrested the land from the previous Mexican Empire by 1848. Since the early 1900’s when oil was discovered, Texas has remained the center of the US petroleum industry. However livestock and agriculture is still big business. The vast open spaces and mythical Cowboy Culture are still a major tourist attraction. In stark contrast are many cultural cities and towns with sophisticated facilities and entertainment, and most of all the Space Center at Houston, the mission control center for all manned exploration of space.
National Parks, Preserves and Wildlife refuges, Islands, The Rio Grande Canyon, Historic Towns and Forts, rugged Desert Mountains offer a vast array of outdoor activities from golf, fishing, hiking, river rafting to cycling, scenic routes to coastal angling, sailing. Organized Sports of baseball at all levels, American Football on National, University and College level and Basketball at all amateur and professional levels, as well. Nightclubs and performance venues cover this music loving state.
Dallas , has been synonymous with oil, ranching, cotton fields and latterly a huge diversified business center. An energetic and enjoyable city, with many museums, restaurants and cultural venues. Sadly the city tourism also thrives on ‘Black Tourism’ a euphemism to the sustained interest on the murder of President John Kennedy in 1963. Happier things to do and see are the fabulous view from the 50 storey reunion Tower, The West End Historic District, Museum of Art filled with Americana, Natural Museum, Peaceful Parks and vibrant Musical neighborhoods.
Fort Worth combines the epitome of ‘Cowboy Culture, High Culture and Modern Entertainment Venues’. Historic Cattle Yards rub shoulders with some of the US’s finest Performing Arts Space, Museums and Organizations and transformed ‘Old Red Light’ districts into delightful ’Water Gardens’.
Austin , the Capital, stakes its claim to being the most popular Music Scene in the country, High Tech Industry and ‘Best State University’! and Biggest State Capital in the country!
Fredericksburg , in the Hill Country is one of the loveliest small towns in the state, with very strong Germanic heritage with its ‘Biergarten’ and Bavarian style buildings, Church on the old marketplace (Markplatz). It also has WW11 Museum of the Pacific War – house in the steamboat shaped Nimitz Hotel with Japanese ‘Peace Garden’ at the back and the Lyndon Johnson National Historical Park.
Kerrville , is one of the largest towns in the Hill Country. It is famous for its eighteen day long folk music festival held annually on a ranch near the town. Starting the Thursday before Memorial Day, it attracts singers and fans from all over the world.
New Braunfels , has a charming German culture enshrined in its distinctive architecture, cuisine, language and festivals for example the Beer & sausage and the Polka Dance Festival.
San Antonio , is really the most historic city in the State and popular for its natural beauty.
Houston is an enormous port and city with a population passing 2 million souls and synonymous with all Space Exploration and Mission Control, and the Petrochemical Industry. It has much more for the tourist to appreciate, with some of the Worlds finest Art Museums – paintings by the European masters, 20th Century American masters, Ancient and Mediaeval art of the Mediterranean, Africa, and Pacific Northwest, Byzantine Frescos, Greek, Roman and American sculptures, Artifacts, Furniture collections, Decorative Arts, Ceramics and textiles. Unbelievable collections ‘to perve over’! Montrose district has a varietal cultural collection of galleries, shops, nightclubs, cafes and restaurants and a popular ‘strolling area’. 34km SE is the ‘Tallest Monument in the World’, with museum and theater at its base.
Galveston has many tourist attractions depicting her exotic past of Pirates and Victorian splendor, but mostly its past and present day attraction remains as one of the most popular Resort Cities on the Gulf of Mexico. The Island city has miles and miles of beautiful sandy beaches and incredible modern entertainment facilities of water park pools, ten stories Rainforest pyramid and massive aquariums.
Corpus Christi is the deepest commercial port in the State and therefore a strong maritime, military and waterfront presence with the State Aquarium of rare sea animals. The Island State Park has many miles of sandy beaches and modern condominium resorts.
Laredo on the north bank of the Rio Grande River is known as ‘the gateway to Mexico’. The Mexican and Border cultural influence is very apparent in well preserved buildings and museum which traces the cities history with ‘six different national flags’. The undoubted tourist attraction starts with the 200 mile Rio Grande Valley to the Gulf, with a strong agricultural, rural and commercial mix and nature sanctuary park.
Fort Davis deserves a visit to cool off in summer in the highlands, visit the National Historic Fort site or see the stars from the Observatory’s, world’s largest (430inch) spectroscope.
El Paso was known for its safest crossing of the Rio Grande River to Mexico, still has its original and oldest Catholic Missions in the state, an international community and a small national park with a 2,9km perimeter walking trail.
Lubbock a mix of Cattle Ranching country, Technical University and Cotton growing is also famed for its great ‘production’ of musical prodigies, like Buddy Holly and many others enshrined in the museum.
Canyon ’s name is self explanatory. The nearby State Park is also known as the ‘Grand canyon of Texas’. It also houses the largest Historical Museum of geology, paleontology and petroleum in the State, West Texas A&M University and nearby preserved, Pioneer Town.
Amarillo, although a town of great commercial diversity, has some unique attractions. Situated on the legendary and major Route 66 that crosses the country from Chicago to Los Angeles it has the Cattleman’s tradition encompassed in the Livestock Auction, strange sights at ‘The Cadillac Ranch’.
Abilene once a notorious Wild West town is now more settled as “Buckle of the Bible Belt”, with a number of Christian Colleges, The Historical Village with Indian artifacts and Frontier weapons collection.
The major Annual Events are:
- the Kerrville Folk Festival at the end of May
- the Texas State Fair in October
- Confederate Heroes day
- Emancipation Day
- Lyndon Johnson’s Birthday on August 27th.
Others include; Family camp-0ut, Playing with Time, Rodeo and Old Settlers reunion, Annual Taste of Dallas, Balloon race, water Carnival, Harvest weekends, Yesteryear festival, Roundup Rodeo, Water Carnival, Chili Pepper & Salsa Festival, Beachcombers Fine Arts show, Overland & Stagecoach Festival, Grape Stomp, Liberty Opry, Fly-in & Lions Club Breakfast, Pioneer Days fest., Open weekend – Davis Mount Preserve, Texas Ranch Roundup, Center City Block party, Bat Fest, Greek Fest, LBJ’s Birthday and Margarita & Salsa Festival.
Texans pride themselves on being, doing and thinking big, the Big ‘Lone Star State’ with Cowboy Culture, their own big ‘Grand Canyon’, vast Landscape, Ranches and NASA – ‘Reaching for Space’, all with good justification. A visit will fill you with wonder at the reality of diversity and enormity of it all.