TEXAS TRAVEL GUIDE

Bookonboard
8 min readFeb 14, 2020

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Texas is the second-largest state in the United States. Also, it boasts a variety of geographical and natural features. Consequently, Texas brims with endless possibilities for adventure, fun, and learning. Read on for more information on Texas travel.

BookOnBoard’s Texas Travel Guide

From culturally diverse cities, beaches, mountains, and deserts — Texas has it all. Among these, you have gorgeous cities like Houston, Austin, And Dallas. Again, you have National Parks, historical towns, hill country, and mountain trails. Therefore, vacationing in Texas has endless opportunities. That is why planning your trip to the best travel places can be pretty confusing.

Don’t worry, we here at BookOnBoard have prepared a Travel Guide for Texas. This guide describes the top 10 places to visit in Texas. You can use this guide to create your specialized tour itinerary.

Best Places to Travel in Texas

  1. San Antonio
  2. The Alamo
  3. Houston
  4. Big Bend National Park
  5. Galveston
  6. Guadalupe Mountains
  7. Amarillo
  8. Padre Island
  9. Corpus Christi
  10. Natural Bridge Caverns

San Antonio

San Antonio in Texas is a wonderful city to travel to! This city has a rich colonial heritage. The most famous point in the city is the RiverWalk. It is a city park and walkways along the San Antonio River. It is 15 miles long and lined with shops, galleries, and assorted tourist attractions.

Other than that, you can visit the four Spanish missions preserved in the SA Missions National Historical Park. You can also go for rides in the Six Flags Fiesta Park. The San Antonio Sea World is pretty famous as well.

The Alamo

Alamo became famous at the time of the Texas Revolution. Consequently, it is one of the top historical sites in America. Here, Davy Crocket and James Bowie with 187 people only defended against a 3,000-strong Mexican army. They were defeated, sadly. But, the cry “Remember the Alamo!” rallied the state to overcome the Mexicans eventually.

You can visit the Alamo today to visit the restored buildings. There is also a cenotaph here, remembering the fallen soldiers. The inside of the Alamo is now a museum. Which features displays and exhibits from the relevant era. There are other missions here as well in the area. All of those are connected by the Missions Trail.

Houston

Houston is possibly the most famous city in all Texas. This is due to the prominence of the Space Center here. Which is a must-see for anyone traveling Texas? The Space Center Houston is a top science and space learning center. It also houses the official visitor center of NASA.

Other than that, you can see a whole lot of other places here. The compact downtown features a Theater District, famous in all USA. This includes the renowned Houston Grand Opera. Also, there is a Historic District and a Museum District. This includes the Houston Museum of Natural Science, Houston Museum of Fine Arts, and Houston Zoo. Uptown offers the massive Galleria mall and the Montrose district for all your shopping needs.

Big Bend National Park

Flowing through the Chihuahuan Desert, the Rio Grande River creates a massive bend. The area around this is called the Big Bend National Park. This features spectacular natural sceneries in the mountains, the river, and canyons.

A lot of recreational activities can be found here. These include hiking on many trails, camping on beautiful spots, boating or kayaking along the Rio Grande, swimming, hang-gliding, and much more! The Big Bend National Park is also a favorite for bird-watchers since it houses over 400 species of birds.

Galveston

Galveston is where you’ll find the best beaches in Texas! The city offers a beautiful Texan gulf coastline. These beaches stretch on for miles. They offer all kinds of recreational activities like beach sports, sunbathing, swimming, etc. The Pleasure Pier boardwalk offers lots of fun and games.

But not only that! Galveston is more than just a beach town. It is also a historic town. Galveston offers tourists the Strand Historic District, which is a National Historic Landmark. Furthermore, the Moody Gardens and Aquarium is great for fun with kids and family.

Guadalupe Mountains National Park

This great park is located in the northwestern corner of Texas. It features awe-inspiring landscapes including the big mountain itself and various geographical formations. The Park houses the fourth tallest peak in the USA. Also, it is most popular with hikers since the park offers more than 80 miles of trails through various nature and challenges.

Furthermore, the Park is home to an abundance of wildlife. You can see the beautiful golden eagles here. Accordingly, it is very popular with ecotourists. The visitor center in Pine Springs will offer you learning and tour booking opportunities in the area.

Amarillo

Considered as the gateway to the vast Palo Duro National Park, Amarillo is a historic city in Texas. Possibly the most famous spot here is the Cadillac Ranch. It is an artful burial ground for cars. The cars are half-buried installations with graffiti.

Additionally, you can visit the many historic buildings and museums in Amarillo. Also, you can go for some family fun rides at the Wonderland Amusement Park. You can take your kids to the Amarillo zoo as well. Last but not the least, if you love nature, you have to visit Palo Duro Canyons. It is a 60-mile ravine with 800-feet cliffs, offering some stunning sceneries.

Padre Island

Padre Island is most well known for the endangered Kemp’s ridley sea turtles. The island protects them and provides shelter for them. A lot of ecotourists come here in seasons to see the turtles. The vast beaches along the shores of this island are great for fun activities as well. They stretch 70 miles along the coast.

Next, go hiking through the marshy terrain full of birds. This famous trail is known as the Grasslands Nature Trail. You can go for some great family fun at Bob Hall Pier. It stretches into the Gulf of Mexico. The Padre Balli Park offers some great surf breaks.

Corpus Christi

Corpus Christi is a city on the Gulf of Mexico, tucked into a bay. The city is most famous for two things: the Texas State Aquarium and the USS Lexington. Both attract thousands of tourists. The Aquarium in the harborfront offers touch pools, aquatic nursery, shark exhibit, etc. You will see a lot of migratory birds and turtles in the nearby beaches.

The USS Lexington, on the other hand, harks back to WWII-era. This aircraft carrier is one of the largest vehicles to have survived the war. Now, it is a Naval Museum. You can find many vintage aircraft here. Also, kids will love simulators, 3D movies, and games. A 4-hour long hard-hat tour takes you to guts of the ship’s workings.

Natural Bridge Caverns

If you like a very different kind of experience, come see the Caves. The Natural Bridge Caverns are located near San Antonio in the Hill Country. The caverns offer spectacular views of a vast underground network. There are more than ten thousand stalactites here!

The name of this cavern comes from a 60-feet long natural bridge spanning the entrance amphitheater. The caves have a constant temperature of 21 degrees and 99% humidity year-round. Already 230 feet deed, these caverns are still developing. You must visit interesting points like King’s Throne and Castle of the White Giants.

Frequently Asked Questions about Texas Travel

When is the best time to visit Texas?

Early Spring would be the best time to tour Texas. The temperature is mild at this time. Also, the flora is in full bloom at this time. Much of the wildlife in the National Parks is also active then. April is the best time to see the ridley turtles in Padre Island.

What are the best bus tours in Texas?

All important locations in Texas offer many bus and coach tours. Most of them are guided trips. Some of the best bus tours in Texas are listed below.

  • Waco Tours
  • Brazos Tours
  • Waco River Safari and Tours
  • Discover Dallas Tours
  • The Silo District Comedy Club and Tours
  • Gray Line Tours
  • AO Austin
  • Double Decker Austin Tours
  • McKinney Avenue Trolley
  • San Antonio City Sightseeing
  • Waco Wine Tours
  • Big D Fun Tours
  • Galveston Island Trolley
  • JFK Historical Tour
  • Best of Fort Worth Half-day Tour
  • The Texas Hill Country and LBJ Ranch Tour
  • 1-Day Houston
  • Sprinter Van Galveston
  • Houston Adventure Combo
  • Taste San Antonio
  • Ghost Bus Tour Galveston
  • Fort Worth Ghost Bus Tour
  • White Knight Party Shuttle
  • Big Bend Ranger-led Tours
  • Eco and Dolphin Watch Tours in South Padre Island
  • …and countless more!

Can I drink alcohol in Texas State Parks?

Drinking or displaying alcohol in all outdoor areas is legally prohibited in Texas. All national parks, sea beaches, roadways, etc. are covered under this law. Smoking is not prohibited though unless there is a fire hazard in the area.

Can I build a campfire while camping in Texas?

Yes, of course. Unless there is a country burn ban in place, you can light up a campfire in one of the national parks in Texas. However, you must observe the following rules.

  • Campfires may be built only in grills, fire rings, or fireplaces provided in the camping sites. You are not allowed to build a campfire or bonfire on bare ground.
  • You can only gather firewood if the park superintendent allows it. This may come with camping permission.
  • You must never leave your fire unattended.
  • Some parks and camping sites have their own rules about fires as the forest fire is a serious threat in dry regions like Texas. These rules include types of fires that can be built in camps, or where or how big they can be.

Where can I find more travel guides for USA tourist spots?

At BookOnBoard, we offer the best travel guides. These guides not only cover the United States, but also the whole world! Please check out some of our other travel guides. You can also click on the social media buttons to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and other channels.

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