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  Texas
Texas is the second
largest state in the union and world renowned for its strong cowboy traditions.
The most popular attractions are located in Dallas, Houston, and San
Antonio.
Texas is a gateway
for many tourists interested in a day trip to Mexico and New Orleans.
However, do not be fooled by the “rustic” atmosphere of this great
state – Dallas and Houston are both major urban centers.
Dallas is a
sophisticated, commercial center. This
city offers great museums, the ever popular Six Flags Over Texas Theme Park
(located in Arlington). Here
“Yosemite Sam and the Gold River Adventure” will take you into the midst of
a 3-D cartoon. The FunSphere
complex has two miniature golf courses, water bumper boats, and a video arcade
housing over 200 games. The wonderful Texas State Fair is held every October.
Unfortunately, the city of Dallas will be forever linked to the sad and
untimely death of president Kennedy. The
John F. Kennedy Memorial commemorates this tragedy.
The Texas Book Depository now houses a museum.
“The Sixth Floor” is an exhibit documenting the events surrounding
the assassination of President John F. Kennedy.
The area across from the depository, known as Dealey Plaza, was
designated as a national Historic Landmark in 1993.
 San
Antonio is a very popular city and harbors the centerpiece to Texas’s struggle
to gain independence: the Alamo.
The city’s historical significance came from the missions the Spanish
built in the 18th century. The Paseo Del Rio is a lovely river walk
that runs through the downtown area. Also
located in downtown San Antonio is Sea World, which is a large amusement theme
park. Also located downtown is the
El Mercado. This market area
features goods imported from Mexico, Mexican restaurants, souvenirs, and fresh
produce. Also check out the
Rivercenter, which is a three-level shopping, dining, and entertainment complex.
If you are looking for something to do with the family, Fiesta Texas
Theme Park is a great recreational idea. This
park features a never-ending Oktoberfest in the German section, a 1920’s
cowboy boomtown, a nostalgic return to the 1950 era, and in the fourth segment
you’ll find the early days of rock and roll.
This park, offering a combination of rides, live performances, and food
was opened in 1994 with a price tag of $7 million dollars.
Made up of two
separate islands, Padre Island stretches from Corpus Christi to Port Isabel and
is about 115 miles long. Padre is
made up of a gorgeous national seashore and clusters of rapidly developing
resort areas. Check out the Lady
Bea. It a shrimp-boat monument
commemorating the local shrimping industry.
Boats from Port Isabel’s fleet can be seen docked in the harbor and you
can watch them set out every morning. High-rollers
will want to join a one-day gambling cruise on the casino ship T.S.S. mistral.
 Houston
is the fourth largest city in the United States.
Houston is home to the Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, which is NASA’s
training facility for astronauts and tracking center for space flights.
Here you can view space capsules from early missions, witness a simulated
space-shuttle training session, or touch a moon rock.
Space Center Houston is a $70 million facility that opened in late 1992.
This is an interactive center is the closest thing to space on Earth.
It reminds us of a theme park with a strong educational component and was
designed in part by Disney. Here
you can view the actual Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo spacecrafts.
Astroworld is a popular theme park, and next to it is the Astrodome, the
world’s first indoor stadium. Some
of the museums you should visit while in Houston are the Museum of Health and
Medical Science, the Museum of Printing History, and the Holocaust Museum.
 If you are asking
for directions to Reno, Texas be specific - there are two cities with the same
name in this state.
Don't assume that
because someone has a Spanish accent that they are from Mexico. Near the
border many still speak Spanish.
Take your binoculars.
Be careful around snakes.
Rattlesnakes look similar to Rat Snakes.
Be careful when on the beach -
sometimes tar can wash up on the sand and stick to your body and clothing.
Littering is unacceptable here!
Don't pick wildflowers - State
laws protect Blue Bonnets, Indian Paintbrushes, Black-Eyed Susans, and other
varieties.
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