Texas is a very, very big state. In fact, it’s as big as some entire countries! So when you pay it a visit, the best way to get a sense of the place is to move around! Taking a road trip through Texas will help you appreciate the size and scale of the place. It will also give you a taste of Texas’ incredible geographic and cultural diversity. Cruise through Austin, Texas, and you’ll find a hip and progressive city full of cultural landmarks. In the rural reaches of the state, you’ll find traditional lifestyles and rugged wild beauty. Traveling from place to place is an incredible way to experience Texas — but where, exactly, should you stop on your great Texas road trip? We have some ideas to share but before you go, you will want to make sure to outfit your cell phone with the latest apps and accessories to make your trip go smoothly. From selfie apps to map apps, the experts at AT&T stores in Texas are conveniently located to answer all your questions.
Bright lights, big city: where to go in urban Texas
Texas is widely known for its open ranges and beautiful country, but it’s also the home to three of the top 10 (and six of the top 20) largest cities in the U.S. If you’re not checking out at least a couple of Texas’s huge cities, then you’re missing out on a big part of what makes Texas Texas. After all, they say that “everything’s bigger in Texas.” The cities certainly are!
Sprawling Houston is Texas’ largest city. Visit it and explore East Texas’ metropolis, where major league sports teams do battle and over two million people make their homes. Don’t miss Dallas, either, where huge buildings dominate the downtown and a massive sprawl spreads to neighboring suburbs. This is where the famous Dallas Cowboys play, so don’t miss them if they’re in town. A visit to the 6th Floor Museum gives a heartbreaking view of the Kennedy assassination site as well as exhibits on his presidency. In San Antonio, visit the historic Alamo and other sites. In Austin, take in the “weird” and wild culture, the vibrant music scene, and the college gameday atmosphere that dominates when the Longhorns are in town.
Rural wonders
You’re in a car, so take to the road! There’s a whole lot of Texas to see. For nature, head to one of Texas’ National Parks or National Forests. Big Bend National Park is one fantastic choice. To get a taste of the rural life, check out a rodeo or take a lesson in riding horses (or wrangling cattle!). And be sure to drop in at the many excellent small towns that Texas is dotted with. They may not be as big as Houston or Dallas, but they have a ton to offer. They’re also a great place to get gas, stock up on supplies, and shop.
Roadside joys
Texas is a great place for a road trip, and it still offers a ton of those classic roadside attractions that are such staples of old-school American road trips.
There’s Cadillac Ranch, the strange and dusty spot where old Cadillacs painted in technicolor are planted nose-down in the dirt. There’s the “giant Bo Pilgrim head,” which is indeed a giant model head of a guy named Bo Pilgrim. There’s a museum of funeral history and another museum that collects art that one man made by painting on toilet seats. And this is far from a complete list! Texas’ roadside attractions are really something else.
And they’re not all eclectic, of course. There are great roadside places for grub, like The Big Texan in Amarillo and countless top-notch BBQ, Mexican, Tex-Mex, and other restaurants all across the state. There are campsites for outdoorsy folk and RV travelers and hotels and motels for others. Whatever you’re hoping to do and see on your road trip, you can do it and see it in Texas!
