This corner of Texas is too often ignored by the state and the nation because it lacks the sprawling metropolises that anchor other areas of the state. But South Texas historically has been an important region in shaping and coloring the entire nation, and it continues to be involved in political and cultural issues at the forefront of the American political psyche.

Fun is part of everyday life in South Texas, too. Mile after mile of beaches beckon families to play in the gentle surf. Locals make time to hunt, fish, golf, windsurf, and bird-watch. This is not a land of 80-hour work weeks and bumper-to-bumper traffic, but of cold Mexican beer and warm sunsets.

All the unique combinations—Texas and Mexican, cowboys and surfers, agriculture and big business, palms and mesquite, English and Spanish, rapid development and staunch conservationism—make for a fascinating landscape. That all the food and fun can be had at some of the cheapest prices in the country means you can afford to see it all.