They aren’t kidding when they say everything is big about Texas. The state of Texas is way too big to even think tackling it in one vacation! There are literary so many cool attractions to visit, things to do, and fun places to go that I'd probably need a few posts to name them all. For now, it'd be good idea to share some of the best and most popular things to do for fun in Texas while on vacation:
1)Mingle with cowboys
As any local would tell you, Fort Worth Stockyards is the place to see and be seen in Texas, and get a taste of the cowboy lifestyle. The cowboy atmosphere in Stockyards Historic District is seriously electric and as you walk the streets of the district you feel as though you have gone back in time because of the "Old Western" style shops, honky-tonks, and live cattle drives through the streets.
In fact, if you’re visiting the Stockyards you’ll be able to experience one of these memorable cattle drives and see the famous Texas longhorn cow. While you there, be sure to check out honky-tonk bars like Billy Bob’s Texas which is a cool spot to enjoy country music and see real cowboys riding real bulls!
2)Hit the outdoors
There is nothing better to do in Texas while on vacation than hitting the outdoors for a bit of fun. If you love the outdoors, you’ll love Texas since it offers plenty of opportunities for wildlife watching, birding, hiking, climbing, camping, fishing, mountain biking, and more.
The best destinations for outdoor pursuits in the country are in the panhandle of Texas and West Texas in places like Big Ben national park, Guadalupe Mountains national park, and Palo Duro Canyon State Park. The last one (Palo Duro) is a cool place for mountain biking, hiking, camping and climbing. Another reason to visit Palo Duro is that it's the second largest canyon in the United States.
Having said this, two of my favorite places to visit for a fun day outdoors are Hueco Tanks State Historic Site (to see the prehistoric caves with pictographs), and Padre Island National Seashore (in South Texas), which is definitely worth visiting because of the beach and the opportunity for a guided tour (if you're in season you'll be able to see the sea turtle hatchlings).
3)Learn about Texas
Learning history doesn't have to be boring and one of the things to do for fun in Texas while on vacation it’s learning about Texan history. Texas is a great place to be if you’re interested in learning a part of American history that it's very dear to Texans.
Even if you aren’t a history buff at all, you’ll truly appreciate visiting places such as the Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum in Austin for a guided tour, and the Alamo in San Antonio which is the spot where Texas declared its independence from Mexico. By the way, the Bob Bullock Museum is a great place for young and old since the museum has a cool IMAX Theatre, and offers fun programs for families.
4)Become a cowboy
Being a cowboy for the day is most certainly one of the most popular things to do for fun in Texas while on vacation, and dude ranches are the best places to go. Most working dude ranches in Texas do teach you how sort and drive the cattle cowboy-style, which is really cool when doing it for the first time. By staying in a dude ranch you also get to do horseback riding, ride cattle and learn handy tips from real cowboys on how to properly saddle and bridle a horse.
The Texas Hill Country region is the best place to find working ranches, particularly in and around the town of Bandera (just outside San Antonio).You’ll find a dozen or so dude ranches in that area alone such as Running R Guest Ranch, Silver Spur Guest Ranch, Flying L Guest Ranch, Mayan Dude Ranch, and Dixie Dude Ranch.
By the way, even if you haven’t been on a horse before it doesn’t mean you can’t be on one while on vacation in Texas. You can always take up lessons or check out how pro horseback riders do it. The Dallas/Ft. Worth Metro area have a few equestrian centers like Las Colinas Equestrian Center (Dallas) and the Flower Mound Equestrian Center (Flower Mound) where you can see horseback riding in action.
5)Attend a the State Fair of Texas
As most people would say…you haven't experienced Texas until you attend one of Texas’ festivals such as the State Fair of Texas in Dallas, which is easily one of the most popular festivals in the United States. The State Fair of Texas is one of the biggest and longest running festival in Texas running for more than 20 days in late summer (normally between late September and October).
If you’re a fan of state fairs, you’ll definitely love the atmosphere in the State Fair of Texas, riding the Ferries Wheel and sampling local yummy foods like churros, fried tamales, corny dogs, fried lemonade, turkey legs, and the renowned Texas fried frito pie.
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