Texas Top Experiences
Stroll the River Walk
More than an attraction, the River Walk is something you experience. Strolling along San Antonio's River Walk, away from the car traffic above, brings serenity and a different perspective on the city. In addition to walking it day or night, you can dine alfresco at one of the dozens of restaurants along the walk, or take a cruise on the river. With the upcoming expansion of the River Walk you'll have even more options and have a way to be connected to almost all of San Antonio's main attractions.
Rope in Some Ranch Life
Visitors looking for a cowboy-type experience have several options, but signing on for a dude ranch is probably the closest they'll get to the real McCoy. For something not as involved, Houston, Dallas, Fort Worth, Amarillo, and other locales feature rodeos with plenty of activities to watch from afar or join in—even kids can get in on the fun.
Cheer on a Sports Team
The San Antonio Spurs. The Dallas Cowboys. The Houston Astros. The Texas Rangers. Texas has its top teams in basketball, football, and baseball, so just pick a sport and city and then root, root, root for the home team.
Boogie Down
We're talking the boot-scootin' boogie. Practice the Texas two-step or join in some line dances like the Electric Slide at this Fort Worth venue—the country-Western dance club in Texas (though Gruene Hall in the Hill Country ranks up there, too). Live music here has included shows by artists like Willie Nelson and George Strait. You can't get any more country than that.
Bird-Watch in the Rio Grande Valley
The Rio Grande Valley is one of the best places in the state, and the country for that matter, to watch birds as they migrate from the colder climes up north to the south for the winter. Wildlife refuges and parks in the valley provide ideal spots for watching the feathered creatures. So don't forget your binoculars.
Take a Road Trip
Scenic roads meander across the state, perfect for a leisurely afternoon drive, and when it's harvest time, country roads—farm-to-market and ranch (also called ranch-to-market) roads especially—have great fruit stands set up along them, so you can gather in fresh peaches, oranges, grapefruits, and more. In the Hill Country, the Texas Wine Trail helps you appreciate the fruit of the vine.
Get Outside
If you're away from the cities, you can experience the wide-open country aspects of Texas: camping, stargazing (try the McDonald Observatory in West Texas), hiking Big Bend or Guadalupe Mountains national parks, or combing the beaches along the coast for shells.
