Introducing Texas
If you thought, ‘Screw You, We’re from Texas’ was the state motto, not just the refrain in a Ray Wylie Hubbard song, you’d be forgiven for misunderstandin’. A certain chest-puffin’ pride does seem to go with being from the Lone Star State. It probably has as much to do with leftover independent spirit (locals are mighty proud of Texas having been its own country) as it does with all that bigness (the state is larger than Germany, England, Scotland, Ireland, Northern Ireland, Belgium and the Netherlands combined). Nevertheless, the Wild West lives on today mostly in attitude. If you’re expectin’ to see a buncha cowboys dusty from the trail, you’re about as sharp as a heapa mashed potaters. Computer-geek millionaires outnumber rich cattlemen, and you’re as likely to see a Dallas fashionista as a good ol’ gal in her tight-fittin’ jeans.
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Sure you can (and might oughta) do some two-steppin’ in a 100-year-old dance hall, but you should also rock out at the hundreds of live-music venues in Austin or pulse to the mariachi beat in ol’ San Antone. If you imagine the nature of Texas is tumblin’ tumbleweeds, a walk along miles of undeveloped Gulf Coast beach or the sight of snow in the 8000ft-plus Guadalupe Mountains will change your mind right quick.
Of course there’s also them bright lights ‘n big cities – Houston and Dallas, with their culture and such. And if what you really want to see is ropers and riders, they’ll oblige ya. Mosey on over to Fort Worth’s historic stockyards, attend a small-town rodeo, or get your giddy-up on at Bandera’s dude ranches. Wherever you go, most folks are just as friendly as pie. Can you blame ‘em? They’re from Texas.
Last updated: Feb 17, 2009
Tips & articles
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Texas’s troubled border region
7 February 2012
The Rio Grande river curves between low brown hills dotted with lush sub-tropical plants. Parks and wildlife refuges are scattered...
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Austin’s musical heartbeat
3 February 2012
Austin rocks. It may not possess the big-ticket attractions of New York, Los Angeles or San Francisco, or the culinary...
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Why winter is the best time to visit the US deserts
13 January 2012
Winter and deserts? That’s two big strikes for many travelers: it sounds like the worst of all travel worlds, an unhappy...
Thorn Tree forum discussion
Recent posts
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RE: Settling and housing in Austin, TX
by CascadeBob 12 September 2011
I lived there in the 80's andreturn often to visit friends, so I'm sure thangs have changed a lot, but I still like the southern part…
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RE: Spirit Airlines to Central America etc
by nutraxfornerves 12 September 2011
> a budget airline in the US, flying to nearby (ie fewer than 3 hour's travel) international destinations. The thing is, there isn't all…
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RE: Indian Visas for Australian citizens - Is this possible?
by edwardseco 12 September 2011
Hmm, half right. In your home country you can get a 6 month visa. On the road its 3 (some good reports that for now you can get a 6 er…
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Texas
Things to do
- All things to do (777)
- Activities (63)
- Entertainment (205)
- Restaurants (226)
- Shopping (116)
- Sights (166)
- Tours (1)
Make it happen
Our Top Picks For Texas
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1 Continental Club
Diving into some hard-rockin’ blues at Austin’s original live-music bar, the Continental Club
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2 Rocketbuster Boots
Ogling the true Texana artworks that are handmade Rocketbuster Boots in El Paso
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3 Big Bend National Park
Photographing brilliant cactus blooms – bright fuchsia choyo, flaming orange ocotillo – in Big Bend National Park
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4 Fort Worth
Going country at the National Cowgirl Museum by day and the Stockyards rodeo by night in Fort Worth
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5 Salt Lick Barbecue
Marveling at the slabs of meat on massive outdoor BBQ pits at Salt Lick Barbecue outside Austin
Our favourite Texas Blogs (beta)
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Tales of Butter
Blog: My Kind of Town (& Around) - 21 December 2011
Butter man Abel GonzalesPerhaps by now you've heard about the butter crisis in Norway.
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A Texas State Fair Food Primer.
Blog: Tie Dye Travels - 5 October 2011
So, have you been wondering what you'll eat when you head out to the Texas State Fair, or are you just wondering what sort of strange and unusual stuff you can find there? In 10 hours, we chronicled all these edibles under the Texas Star.
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Cowboy During Cattle Drive in the Stockyards of Fort Worth, Texas
Blog: Everything Everywhere - 14 September 2011
Originally posted on the Everything Everywhere Travel Blog. Discover great travel photos.
