The Lone Star State on a Grand Scale
Texas is the second-largest state in the United States by both area and population, known as the Lone Star State for its independent spirit, big skies and big flavours. Its geography ranges from Gulf Coast beaches and piney woods to the rolling Hill Country, the high desert of Big Bend and the plains of the Panhandle. A visit here is as much a journey across landscapes as it is a stay in one place, with distinct regions that feel almost like different countries.
History runs deep. The Spanish missions of San Antonio, including the Alamo, were inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2015, and Fort Worth's Stockyards keep the cattle-drive legacy alive with daily longhorn parades. Houston's Space Center is the mission control of American space exploration, and Austin is known as the live music capital of the world, home to the SXSW festival each March. San Antonio and Houston give strong city anchors.
Brisket, Tex-Mex and Hill Country Wine
Texas food is a destination in itself. Central Texas barbecue, with slow-smoked brisket, ribs and sausage, draws pilgrims to towns such as Lockhart, while Tex-Mex dishes such as fajitas, enchiladas and breakfast tacos reflect centuries of shared Mexican and Texan culture. Gulf Coast seafood, from Galveston oysters to shrimp, rounds out the menu. The Hill Country is also wine country, with vineyards and tasting rooms around Fredericksburg, and in spring its fields fill with bluebonnets, the state flower.
For outdoor guests, Big Bend National Park offers desert mountains and river canyons under some of the darkest night skies in the country, while Padre Island National Seashore and South Padre Island give beach days on the Gulf. A tourist board can show how Texas offers every kind of holiday, and neighbouring Louisiana and Mexico add cultural contrasts for those who wish to travel further.
Read the full Texas guide on Visit Travel Group, or see VisitTexas.co.uk on Visit Travel Group.