The best way to get around is in a car. Trains are almost non-exsistent and buses, well lets just say they tend to be on the "scary" side. If you are intent on seeing Texas and nothing but I would suggest spending your first couple of days in Dallas/Ft Worth and take in both sights in these two cities. Next make your way down I-35 to Austin, and spend as much time as it takes you to sober up here. Austin is a wonderful city, very "Texas" and I think it would have everything you are looking for in a Texas vacation. After Austin, continue down I-35 to San Antonio which will give you a very nice flavor for the Tex-Mex culture. If you feel real adventuours and want to see Mexico, Laredo is only 2 hours south from San Antonio. Places to avoid in Texas: Gulf Coast (it is dirty, and ugly), Houston (a dump, and great place to be stuck in traffic) and anything in the west (imagine a table top, now imagine it stretching as far as the eye can see, there you have been to the Panhandle). Enjoy your trip!

I'll agree with Eric that you need a car to get around, and that Dallas, Fort Worth, Austin and San Antonio are good places to see.

However, I don't recommend going across into Laredo. It is a typical Mexican border town with bars and junky souvenier shops. You will also have to answer a lot of questions from the US INS when you re-enter since you are not a US citizen. Honestly, for that "Mexico" experience, just go to the El Mercado in San Antonio!

There is one part of Texas that you MUST see: the Hill Country. This is west of Austin and San Antonio. It is a wonderful part of Texas with beautiful scenery, friendly people, and good food.
Spend some time in Fredricksburg, Gruene and Bandera!

Weather in February can be iffy. Texas is well-known for its ice storms that shut down major cities, but hopefully, we'll have good weather for you. Be sure and check the web for the forecast during your trip so you'll know what to pack.

You can click on this link to view travel info about Texas

http://www.traveltex.com/index.asp?SN=1805259&LS=0

If you get a chance, rent the movie "Lone Star" from your video store. It's an interesting tale of Texas. Poor thing. Texas. How did you get so lucky?

Pat, I was born in Houston, Texas, and despite what some ignorant people have said, there are many exciting things to do in Houston and the surrounding area. There are a number of world class museums in Houston. The Houston Museum of Natural Science is the most visited science center in the nation. with it's butterfly house, tropical rainforest, and Burke Baker Planetarium. Space Center Houston and Moody Gardens should also be on your list. They are within an hour's drive of Houston. We also have some of the finest restaurants in Texas.

Houston's weather in February should be mild, but could also be cold and rainy.

The following website may be of some help:
http://www.tripadvisor.com/Tourism-g56003-Houston_Texas-Vacations.html

Folks, Pat is coming from London, not the Sahara Desert ! "cold and rainy" in February? Let me translate for you --- in Texan 'cold' means when temps fall below 60 degrees! I'm up in Dallas and find that February weather is quite pleasant.

As to getting around, no question, MUST rent a car in Texas.

Oh Eric---the Palo Duro Canyon is beautiful in Amarillo--and don't forget Amarillo is home to the "cadillac ranch"..definetly something you won't see anyplace else. But..Amarillo is too far away from everything else. Why not stroll over to East Texas--Caddo Lake to a town called Uncertain? Cool restaurants along Lake Caddo complete with cypress trees and spanish moss. I say avoid West Texas unless you like tumbleweeds and snakes.

I second avoiding west texas. I've lived in both West (Lubbock) and East (San Antonio) Texas. I believe the San Antonio, Austin, Dallas trip will be much more enjoyable. I also wouldn't go to Laredo or any other border town unless you want to say you went to Mexico then go during the day and leave.

You will definitely want to eat your way through texas. The texmex food and the bbq seem to be the food that Texas is known for.

If you're in San Antonio you will want to see the Alamo and the river walk. In fact you might want to stay in a hotel on the riverwalk while you are in San Antonio.

I agree with bettyk, Houston can be a fun place to visit espec. if you like restaurants etc. Weather in Feb usually very pleasant too. Gulf coast nice in parts, get on down to Port Aransas & Corpus Christi. A car is essential wherever you go. Also in Feb, won't be too hot out west, if you want to drive and drive head for Big Bend National Park, it's wild and spectacular.
Have a great trip,
p. (expat Brit in Texas)

January and Febuary are the coldest months of the year here in Texas. I don't know about South Texas, but Dallas/Ft. Worth is not always pleasant in February. You are likely to see ice. I would try May or Oct. to come to Texas. These are the better months.

Texas is usually nice in February. I guess the big bluebonnet display is in March, but you might get a bit of it. West Texas is not going to be so hot and dusty in February as some posters indicate; it's just a long drive.

Places a British visitor might like:
- Space Center Houston
- Rockport (migrating birds stop here for a rest after crossing the gulf of Mexico, boat trips to see endangered whooping cranes)
- Brownsville (border town, seafood and TexMex, possibly the beach, but watch out for the spring breakers later in the month!)
- The Hill Country (definitely; you could spend the entire 2 weeks there)
- Palo Duro Canyon (very out of the way, but like the Grand Canyon)
- Big Bend National Park (mountains and desert right up next to each other, worth the long detour)
- Davis Mountains State Park (beautiful hills and an observatory)
- Caddo Lake (mysterious and creepy, great for canoeing)
- San Antonio (Riverwalk and great Mexican culture)

Within 1-2 hours of Dallas, I would suggest Fossil Rim Wildlife Center and a meal at Rough Creek Lodge. You could overnight at either one if you like. Agree with Rockport/Port Aransas and associated birding as good places to try in February. The most fickle part of February in Texas is the weather is a wild-card.

Just curious, what do you Texans think of Crawford and the surrounding area -- what is the surrounding area called?

Texas.

forget about traveling by train. Its not like England. I lived in Texas for 16 years and never once saw a passenger train. True!

Texas is the size of France. You are going to have to focus if you want to enjoy the trip.

Skip anything west of Ft Worth. There is nothing there to see.

Do Dallas, Ft Worth (they are 2 different cities even if they are 35 miles apart), Austin (LBJ Library), San Antonio (riverwalk, Alamo) and Houston area.

Texas is 30% larger than France!

Hi Pat there has been some great advise here. I live in Dallas and have all my life. First of all, Dallas and Fort Worth are fun to visit but you do not need a lot of time. You do not need much time to explore Dallas and Fort Worth. You could do each one for a day. Austin,San Antonio and The Hill Country are very nice. Right now however there have been devastating floods in some of the most scenic areas so if I were planning a trip I would check on accomodations. Some places have been destroyed by the flood waters. February is a cold month for us Texans. Maybe not by your standards but it can be. Our weather changes a lot and can be very inconsistent. I would definitely dress in layers if I were you. Oh also that might save you time and possibly money is that there is an airline called Southwest. They offer very cheap and reasonable fares. If you are planning a trip from Dallas to San Antonio you are looking at around 5 hours give or take. So to save you some time it might be cheaper and faster to buy a ticket. You definitely need a car in Texas. Period. Within the cities I would not recommend the bus.
In Dallas a must see would be the Sixth Floor Museum. It is a museum that is dedicated to John F. Kennedy and gives historical information about the assasination. It is located in downtown Dallas. If you like to shop (especially since you have the British Pound) you will find that Dallas has wonderful shopping. Northpark has some good upscale shopping. Also there are some trendy spots in Dallas that have sprung up. Fort Worth is fun. The stockyards are fun to see. Also the Amon Carter Museum is great. It has some wonderful western art. The Kimball Museum is also very nice. Unlike a lot of British Museums there are entrance fees.
I do not recommend going into Mexico to one of the border towns..not a good idea. Very dangerous.
Skip West Texas, there is nothing to see unless you want to see a lot of nothing. Most of all have a nice trip.
Keep posting with other questions.

Crawford--you mean the Hill Country? Near Waco . That is where President Bush's ranch is located. I wouldn't bother with Crawford. See Austin/San Antonio instead.

Pat, I'd spend 3 days for Dallas and two for Fort Worth. I just had some visiting relatives in from New England and we spent 6 days touring around Dallas alone...

Dallas weather in February is usually gorgeous ... crisp cool days with sunshine... most of the time...

My favorite Dallas activities...

. The 6th Floor Kennedy Museum
. The 19th century village in Old City Park has dozens if old houses and other buildings, all restored to the period - tours available
. Dallas World Aquarium - an entire jungle in a building
. The Meadows Museum of Spanish Art - the King of Spain thought it was stunning
. Ride up and down McKinney Avenue in a 100 year old streetcar - for free
. Traders Village - a huge flea market in suburban Grand Prairie
. Take an elevator to the top of Reunion Tower and overlook the city
. Ripleys/House of Wax in Grand Prairie
. The Dallas Museum of Art - two blocks of paintings and decorative arts
. Crow Asian Art museum... four floors of Asian artifacts
. Texas Hall of State in Fair Park
. Womens' Museum in Fair Park
. Dallas Arboretum on the shore of lovely White Rock Lake
. Browse the antique/historical shops in downtown Carrollton
. Explore downtown Plano - quaint shops
. Hang out at night in the West Village at a sidewalk cafe...
. Go shopping and people-watching at the Dallas Farmers Market - one shed full of handicraft vendors as well as fruits, plants, produce...
. Take a tour of the new stadium - American Airlines Center - most expensive in US
. For an overall look at Dallas, ride the Red and Blue DART metro lines through the city and sightsee from the windows
. Walk around the West End and enjoy the music, ride in a horse-drawn carriage, be a part of a crowd
. Enjoy the Art-Deco atmosphere of Fair Park itself, with many, many art deco murals on the buildings
. Browse the unusual, one-of-a-kind shops in big, bad, Deep Ellum
. Visit the aviation museum located inside Dallas' Love Field
. Visit the railroad museum in Fair Park... old locos, coaches, station buildings.
. Go to Paciugo's Gelateria in the West Village for Italian Ice Cream
. Go ice skating in the rink at the Dallas Galleria

Fort Worth -

. Tour the water gardens
. Walk around downtown FW, look at the murals, have a beer at Billy Miners Saloon and gaze at the photos of Butch Cassidy
. Check out the small but exciting Remington Museum of Western Art
. Check out the new Cowgirl Museum
. Take the Tarantula Steam Train from FW to the suburb of Grapevine
. The Fort Worth zoo is one of the best in America - check out the section on Texas animals
. The Kimbell Art Museum is a dont-miss
. The Fort Worth Stockyards area has a lot of western-style shops and Country-Western places

Links to tourism sites are:

http://www.visitdallas-fortworth.com/

http://www.dallascityhall.com/visiting/pleasure/

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Tourism-g55711-Dallas_Texas-Vacations.html

http://www.uptowndallas.net/

http://www.dallascvb.com/vi/welcome.asp

Enjoy your Texas vacation!

The perfect Texas vacation...
Pick which city you want to start off in...
Dallas - Sixth Floor Museum, Southfork Ranch (cheesy - but you might get a kick out of it), West Village / Deep Ellum for night life.

Fort Worth - Stockyards, Billy Bob's is a must for out-of-town visitors, Amon Carter Museum, Fort Worth Zoo is one of the best in the country and has a terrific Texas Wild! exhibit showcasing Texas flora & fauna.

Head down I-35 to...
Austin - LBJ Museum is ok, but even better is "The Story of Texas" State History Museum - traces Texas from Spanish Missions to the Space Age - very mythic stuff. Austin nightlife, of course, live music - just ask anyone in town or pickup a local paper.

Hill Country - to the south and west of Austin between Austin and San Antonio. My favorite Hill Country towns are: Gruene, Boerne, Comfort, Bandera, Johnson City (home of LBJ.) Fredricksburg is by far the most touristy and the most popular. What do you do in the HIll Country? Scenery, antique shops, wineries, stop at roadside BBQ stands. Feburary will be cold or else a tube trip down the Guadalupe (when it's not flooded) is a MUST.

San Antonio - Riverwalk, Alamo, Menger Hotel, El Mercado. Pig out on Mexican food.

That's the top - Other recommendations...
Galveston - Not as bad as people say. Moody Gardens and Museum / Aquarium is quite nice. The Strand.

Corpus Christi - South Padre - Beaches and water and seafood.

Houston - NASA is fun for out -of-towners, If you're in town for the Houston Rodeo, you have to go to that! Biggest stockshow and rodeo, big concert every night. The rodeo is a lot of fun - the roping, etc.

College Station - George Bush Presidential Museum, beautiful college campus.

Texas would be a great vacation!

If you put Texas into Europe, it would go from Paris to Warsaw, west to east. Big Bend in far west Texas and Palo Duro Canyon in the Panhandle only could be seen if you fly there. Otherwise, it would take too long. We do have Amtrak train but I have to agree with the others about renting a car. In Dallas, we have DART light-rail trains which can help with some local site-seeing and it now goes to Fort Worth and you can hook up the Fort Worth's buses to Museum Row there. The above suggestions for activities are good ones. For Dallas, try guidelive.com. Going Interstate Highway 35 from Dallas to Austin, cut across to Fredericksburg/Kerrville, then hit I-10 east to San Antonio. I had a number of Germans visit and they enjoyed the Hill Country and San Antonio. Take the "river" ride in downtown San Antonio and, if you are there on a Sunday, go to the noon Mariachi Mass at Mission San Jose. I would recommend a trip to Houston just for NASA and the Alley Theater. You could fly back to Dallas or on to your next destination.

I have to comment on the whole Big Bend/West Texas thing.

I have driven to Big Bend NP twice, once from Houston and another time from Kerrville (an hour west of San Antonio). Each trip took one LONG day. It is NOT the same as a trip of similar distance in Europe! Travel in Texas is much faster. I would think that the experience of visiting West Texas would be especially memorable to someone coming from London, because there is nothing like it in Britain.

If you don't particularly like mountains and desert, then you shouldn't make the trip, but don't let people scare you off with the distances involved. You have plenty of time.

P.S. I don't live in West Texas, and I don't really like West Texas other than Big Bend, Palo Duro Canyon, Guadalupe Mountains NP, and the Davis Mountains.

Oh - I meant to add something about West Texas too. Although I wouldn't want to live there, there are attractions for tourists / out-of towners. Lubbock is the home of Buddy Holly and there are some interesting sites around there. Palo Duro Canyon is great, both for history and nature. You could surf the sand dunes in Monahans (outside Midland). Someone else mentioned Cadillac Ranch. Big Bend is great if you want to hike / camp. El Paso does have a national park within city limits. Plus, I've heard that there are a number of ranches in West Texas / Panhandle that are now doing "guest ranching" for Japanese / European visitors (they had to shut down during mad cow but I'm sure they're back up.) Sort of like a B&B with horses and a round up.

BUT... for someone with only 2 weeks - and who isn't driving through to New Mexico, I would recommend against Big Bend / West Texas just because of the TIME it takes to get there and back to civilization.

Can't wait to hear your plans, Pat!

South Texas (anyting south of Dallas) will be nice to drive and see. But most of it you will have seen in England, rolling hills, trees, mobs of cars and people. Why not go somewhere differnt, like nothing you've seen before. The panhandle and west Texas are magnificant areas. Their expanse goes on for as far as the eye can see. There is no other place in the world that has better sunsets. And if you were going in the summer you would find out what zero humidity in 100 degree weather is like (It's GREAT!!) February will be a nice time for Austin and San Antonio, not too hot yet.
I love all of Texas and I think you will too. One of the best parts of Texas is the food. Don't be tricked into eating at places along the major interstate highways, venture off into the towns and find the restaurant with the most pickups in front and go there, reservations are never needed in Texas. And if you are ever lost or need help, just ask, Texans are the friendliest in the world.

Pat,
2 Weeks is an excruciatingly long time to be in Texas. Its mostly flat, hot, humid country. Once you see the shopping malls and amusement parks, come over to New Mexico for some mountain scenery. You can ski or golf in February depending upon your druthers.

Crawford is not in the Hill Country. Its pretty flat plus its not anywhere close to what is commonly known as the Hill Country. Its 18 miles from Waco in Central Texas. Go to http://www.crawfordtx.com/. Its got a special welcom for British visitors (for some reason).