Lone Star treatment
IF IT’S cowboy culture you’re looking for, Texas should be the top of your holiday wish list. The Lone Star State is buzzing with historic cowboy towns, rodeo shoes, food trucks and fascinating history.
Texas, however, is much more than that.
Within its rustic landscape lies modern cities, all-American sports, craft beer and a sunny shoreline looking over the Gulf of Mexico.
However, clocking in at 695,662 square kilometres, you won’t be able to experience everything Texas has to offer in a two-week holiday but we have a few recommendations.
It goes without saying that you should choose one of the big cities as your base – Dallas, Houston, San Antonio or Austin.
Houston and Dallas are big and glossy, Austin is modest and laid-back, and San Antonio is brimming with history.
But a holiday to Texas is wasted if you don’t venture outside the cities. For the best views of the state’s striking landscape, head to Guadalupe Mountains National Park.
Here you’ll discover the world’s most extensive Permian fossil reef, the four highest peaks in Texas and an environmentally diverse collection of flora and fauna.
And if you’re here with your family we recommend the Houston Space Center. This educational space complex boasts more than 400 artefacts including Pete Conrad’s Apollo 12 Suit, the new interactive Mars exhibit and the world’s largest collection of lunar rocks.
After all this, you’re going to be hungry. It’s a good thing that the portion sizes in Texas are generous.
BBQ food is a massive part of the culture here and people queue outside the door of the popular diners.
You’ll also find plenty of Tex-Mex on offer, as well as chili (the state’s national dish).
With three international airports, Texas is easy to get to. There are also numerous domestic flights to other areas of the US and Amtrak run two train services through the state.
To book your dream Texas adventure, call the Barrhead Travel USA team on 0141 242 1300.