Texas Travelers Recommend

Rising like a shimmering glass-and-steel oasis from the dry Texas plains, Dallas and its Siamese twin, Fort Worth, form one of the largest urban playgrounds in the U.S.A. Start your Dallas adventure with a fabulous spa trip to famed North Park, offering a plush collection of brilliant boutiques and department stores, as well as the Nasher Sculpture Center, adding a little culture to your couture. Now that you’re looking your Texas best, it’s time to take in some of the city’s most interesting offerings for the heart and soul. Families will enjoy a visit to the top-notch Dallas Zoo, which also operates the Dallas Aquarium, at the fair grounds. Even if you’re not here for the Texas State Fair the pretty Art Deco neighborhood has plenty of other attractions. There’s plenty more to explore in Dallas, from family attractions including Six Flags over Texas theme park, to world-class sporting events such as Dallas Cowboys football game.

Start your stay in San Antonio by seeing what you came here for: the Alamo. The Long Barracks contains a small museum with paintings, weapons and other artefacts and there is a diorama showing the mission as it was back in 1836. Catch the hop on-hop off trolley there and feel free to hop back on and continue around the rest of San Antonio’s major sites when you’re done with the Alamo. One of the most special things about San Antonio is its River Walk. Also known as Paseo del Rio, it’s a network of walkways along the San Antonio River. The paths connect some of the city’s major tourist attractions including the Alamo, the Ameson River Theater, La Villita neighbourhood, and the San Antonio Museum of Art. Of course, Texas is about more than just history, shopping, and arts and crafts. It’s also about cattle. And plenty of them. Head out of the city and see for yourself. Visit Stonewall, birthplace of LBJ, Lyndon Baines Johnson, 36th President of the United States.

With so much to do and see in Houston it can be difficult to decide where to begin, especially if you don’t have much time. You can easily spend days exploring the many offerings of the Houston Museum District. The attraction showcases 19 museums -- most of which are free to enter to everyday, and all of which have certain free entry times -- all located within a 1.5-mile radius of the Mecon Fountain. Because the area is pedestrian-friendly you won’t need to spend money on transportation, making this not only educational but budget-friendly. Although a busy city, Houston offers many chances to explore the beauty of the outdoors. Start your day at Hermann Park, a historic 445-acre park with many opportunities for recreation, like fishing at Bob’s Fishing Pier, trekking in Bayou Parkland, strolling through the Garden Center’s 2,500 rose bushes.

The best thing to do when touching down in a city is to come to know it and make it your own. To do this in Austin, consider familiarizing yourself with its essential parts. Head on over to South Congress Avenue (SoCo) and see what makes this young, hipster area tick. Here you can go shopping at second-hand consignment stores, grab some great and cheap Mexican food at the Habanero Mexican Café and even spot some local talent in one of the area’s galleries. Consider breaking up the day with a visit to the enormous and ornate State Capitol, or the Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum to learn about your host town while seeing the sites. Take the day today to nourish yourself. Wake up in the morning and consider a jog around Lady Bird Lake, or spend the day in Zilker Metropolitan Park where you can bike, canoe, swim, or play Frisbee golf to your heart’s content. After lunch consider admiring the blooms at Lady Bird Johnson’s Wildflower Center.