Texas holidays

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Say a hearty howdy to the Lone Star State

Everything’s bigger in Texas, as the saying goes. It’s hard to disagree when you consider that the Lone Star State is one of the country’s largest by area and population. Home to NASA’s mission control and countless oil refineries, it’s an industrious place where money talks but manners matter. There’s a proud country music tradition embodied by the likes of George Strait, Willie Nelson and the Chicks. Texans take their food seriously too, so you’ll want to sample some Tex-Mex cuisine, Texas barbecue and kolaches, while chilli con queso and frozen margaritas were invented here.

Texas is as diverse as it is huge. Houston and Dallas are vast metropolises with just as much cultural clout as their east coast counterparts, while liberal Austin is a leading creative hub. Meanwhile, San Antonio’s Spanish-Mexican influence brings another flavour to the mixing pot. If you’re hankering after some history, check out the Alamo and the San Jacinto Monument. Both sites played a central role in Texas’ brief tenure as an independent nation state.

Beyond the cities, discover the fine beaches of the Gulf Coast and swing by Texas Hill Country, an area that’s known for its central European heritage and is rapidly becoming renowned for its wineries. There’s a heap of desert to navigate, but also lakes, forests and mountains galore. Book your flights to Texas to experience all this and more.

A road trip through the Deep South

The local radio twangs and warbles and your stomach grumbles at every barbecue shack you pass. Down oakmoss-strewn driveways, along a lazy Mississippi and across the Blue Mountains, drive into the depths of the Deep South on one of our three epic road trips.

Austin: seven reasons to visit

Austin might be shifting shape from a laid-back, hippy town to a booming tech hub, but it still retains all of its character. Local writer Caitlin M. Ryan shares her love of the city.

Three epic North American trips

Plan a road trip that will send your senses dizzy. Explore the valley lakes and snow-dusted peaks of Canada’s National Parks, hit up hypnotic scenery across the US’s west coast and beyond or tick off the big cities of the US’s east coast on an unforgettable trip. Look at our guide to help you decide.

Chris Leadbeater

Texas holiday FAQs

Make the most of your Texas holiday

Texas hosts a variety of major annual events attracting visitors from across the globe. Every March, Austin is overrun by the cultural phenomenon that is South by Southwest, while the Texas State Fair in Dallas each September provides ample family fun for weeks at a time.

What are the best things to do in Texas?

“Remember the Alamo”. The Spanish-built mission played a crucial role in the Texas Revolution where a fierce battle was fought in which Davy Crockett and his fellow fighters perished. There are several museums to explore while the main chapel contains the flags of the martyrs and their personal belongings.
Call into the Johnson Space Center. Visit the site where the words “Houston, we have a problem” were received. Learn about NASA’s missions and research, see the control room where the 1969 Moon landing was handled, watch astronauts train for missions and touch a real moon rock.
Discover the San Antonio River Walk. Stroll along or hop on a barge to explore this 15-mile urban waterway and discover public art, museums, rides, shopping, food and family fun, and explore the UNESCO World Heritage Site of San Antonio Missions National Historical Park.
Immerse yourself in the Houston Museum of Natural Science. This vast museum complex consists of a central museum with four floors of natural science halls and exhibits, the Burke Baker Planetarium, the Cockrell Butterfly Center and the Wortham Giant Screen Theatre.
Explore the Big Bend National Park. Far West Texas’ national park has coal-black night skies and rivers that have carved out vast canyons in ancient limestone. A desert landscape where cacti bloom beneath the southwestern sun surrounds a solitary mountain range that’s home to hundreds of bird species – the park has an incredible diversity of wildlife.
Tour the Texas Capitol Building. Steep yourself in some Texan history and take a free, guided tour of the granite-hewn statehouse that’s widely regarded as one of the nation’s most distinguished capitol buildings. The country’s largest state capitol is known for its unique Renaissance Revival architecture.

What are the best places to visit in Texas?

With the beautiful Colorado River as its backdrop and a vibrant entertainment scene that boasts over 250 music venues, you’ll never be stuck for things to do in the state capital, Austin. “Keep Austin Weird” goes the city’s strapline, and eccentric activities here include water cycling on Lady Bird Lake, playing bingo with chicken poop, visiting a cathedral made of rubbish and watching the bats cluster at sunset.

The Southern states’ second-largest city, San Antonio, is a rich melting pot of Hispanic and Mexican. It's home to the Alamo and various other missions, an engaging River Walk and over 50 museums and galleries, including the McNay Art Museum, the DoSeum children’s museum and the Witte Museum. It also has several amusement parks, haunted hotels, several beautiful parks, attractions like the Tower of the Americas and one giant pair of cowboy boots.

Infamous for being the place where President John F Kennedy was assassinated, Dallas offers soaring skyscrapers, prime shopping and galleries such as the Nasher Sculpture Center. Beyond the bustling downtown lie distinctive districts like music-centric Deep Ellum and hipster enclave Bishop Arts District.

Dallas’ neighbour Fort Worth is widely known as “Where the West Begins”, with a thriving cowboy culture best embodied by the Stockyards hosting twice-daily cattle drives, weekend rodeos and Billy Bob’s, the world’s largest honky tonk. Elsewhere, there are art galleries and museums, local wineries, a living history museum, a charming botanical garden and the Texas Motor Speedway.

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