The Old West at Its Best: Come Mess With Texas! Texas Travel Information
Six Flags Over TexasThroughout Texan history, the territory has in fact been ruled by six different flags: France, Spain, Mexico, the Republic of Texas, the Confederate States of America, and the United States of America. As you might have guessed, Arlington, Texas, is home to the first Six Flags theme park in the nation. Even with this many political changes, the state the size of France has maintained a fiercely independent culture and lifestyle, which contributes to the unique charm and humble pride you will encounter when you travel Texas.
Make sure a stop in San Antonio is on your itinerary. There you can visit the Alamo mission, the famous site of the tragic Battle of Alamo where Texas fought for its independence from Mexico. Texas then became an independent republic for nearly 10 whole years until annexing to the United States in 1845.
More than Yellow Roses in Texas
From the annual Chili Cookoff to the worldò€™s largest rodeo, the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, Texan culture is bigger than life. A trip to Houston offers the Johnson Space Center where Mission Control is based as well as the nationò€™s largest medical research facility, the Texas Medical Center. A journey to the western Texan border is where youò€™ll find El Paso, brimming with authentic Hispanic culture and just a short distance from the stately Rio Grande.
Big Bend National Park is a protected stretch of the Rio Grande, abundant with forest, desert, snakes, flora and a wide array of native wildlife. You may also stumble across a political creature in Lajitas, where the town mayor is in fact a real beer-guzzling goat! For more beautiful scenery, make your way through Austinò€™s surrounding countryside, known as Hill Country. A mosaic of wildflowers along rolling hills stretches for miles around Austin and the German city of Fredericksburg.
When planning your trip, remember the massive quality of the state. The best way to explore all of the urban and rural wonders in Texas is certainly by car. This way you can be certain to make it to the largest Honkey-Tonk in the world, Billy Bobò€™s, just west of Dallas in Fort Worth or down to the Gulf Coast to witness King Ranch, one of the largest working ranches in the world (the size of Rhode Island!). Buy those boots, find that hat, and get your airfare to Texas today before it gets any bigger.