Taste of Texas: Road Tripping the Biggest State in the Continental USA
Texas is one of those states that makes a big statement in the US. People either love it, or hate it, but there is no denying that there are a ton of places to visit in Texas.
It took us a long time for us to make our way over to Texas, and to be honest, after traveling all over the world, it wasn't a place that truly caught our attention. Well, boy were we wrong! We couldn't believe the diversity of the different places to visit in Texas, the great food, and the overwhelmingly friendly people!
We spent one week road tripping Texas, and found that we were leaving with the feeling of wanting more. With all of the unique places to visit in Texas, you'll definitely want to add it to your future road trip itinerary! In this guide we're going to share everything we learned on our road trip, the best places to visit in Texas, and things to know while on the road. Let's dive right in!
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📍 Where is Texas in the US?
Texas is located all the way in the south of the US, in the central part of the country. It is the biggest state in the continental US, and shares borders with the states of New Mexico, Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Louisiana, as well as the country of Mexico.
Texas is located in the south central part of the US.
How to Get to Texas
There are a number of airports in Texas to choose from, the most popular ones being Dallas, Austin, and Houston. These are typically the three cheapest and easiest airports to fly into, so depending on where you are coming from, should depend on where you start your Texas road trip from.
✈️ Other Airports in Texas You Can Fly to
Other cities you can look to fly into. that are in Texas include Abilene, Amarillo, Austin, Brownsville, College Station, Corpus Christi, El Paso, Harlingen, Killeen, Laredo, Longview, Lubbock, McAllen, Midland, San Angelo, San Antonio, Texarcana, Waco, and Wichita.
In our case, we found that the cheapest flights were to and from Houston from NYC, so we flew into Houston, and then decided to rent a car from the Houston airport.
If you are coming from another country, chances are that you will find the best flights into Houston as well, since this is the biggest hub in the state, and offers the most connections both domestically and internationally.
Flight Tip: Using Skyscanner you can your city to "United States". This way you can see which is the cheapest airport in Texas to fly to. Also, you can check the calendar to see which are the cheapest dates for each airport!
Search for a flight to Texas:
Entry Requirements for Texas and the United States
Remember Trump wanted to build a wall between Texas and Mexico? No, that did not happen. But you definitely should be in the know for any of the requirements to enter, whether you are driving from Mexico, or flying into Texas from an international country.
🛂 Visa Entry Requirements
If you aren't from the US, it's important to know that the US isn't particularly the friendliest to foreigners. Make sure you check to see if you need a visa before visiting, and always have your outbound flights ready to show the customs agent.
We have never crossed the land border from Mexico to Texas ourselves, but do know that it is much easier doing the crossing as an American than it is as a Mexican or other nationality. If you do want to visit Texas via the Mexico land border, make sure to have all your documents ready, have patience, and don't have an attitude on either end.
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Local Adjustments for Texas
Whenever traveling to a new country or state, you may find some differences you'll need to adjust to. Here are a few things to keep in mind when visiting many spots in Texas.
🗣 What Language Do They Speak in Texas?
The official language in Texas in English. If you are not a native English speaker, you will notice that many Texans may be a bit difficult to understand due to their thick accents.
Being so close to Mexico, it's also no surprise that Spanish is the second language spoken in Texas, and quite common to hear all around the state, particularly in the south.
💵 Currency in Texas
The currency used in Texas is the USD. Credit cards are the number one form of payment, so if you are visiting Texas from another country, you probably won't need to exchange a ton of cash.
If we were you, we'd honestly stick to using a credit card the whole time, as there are hardly any situations where you would need cash at all.
🔌 Electrical Outlets in Texas
Texas uses the same plug types as the rest of the US, Mexico, and Canada, which are types A & B. The standard voltage in the US is 120 V and the standard frequency is 60 Hz.
🚰 Is it OK to Drink Tap Water in Texas?
The tap water is completely safe to drink pretty much everywhere in Texas. We suggest bringing a reusable water bottle so that you can fill up at fountains. It also gets very hot in Texas, so make sure to hydrate as much as possible!
If you are coming from abroad, it's good to know that in restaurants water is not a luxury, but something that comes free of charge everywhere you go. Unlike Europe, servers do not bring bottled water, charge you for water, or get annoyed in the slightest when you ask for water. So don't be shy and keep asking for refills!
💸 Is Tipping Common in Texas?
Like we said, servers are happy to give you water, and unlimited refills. The service around the world is unmatchable to the US, and a big part of it is due to the tipping culture.
While you can agree with it or not, it's important to play by the rules when it comes to tipping. Tipping is traditionally 15-20% of your bill, and can be paid in cash, or directly on the line of your credit card receipt. It typically will not be added automatically, unless you have a big party.
We really encourage you to tip, as not tipping means that server will actually lose money. This is because servers tip out the other employees such as bartenders or bus boys on what they've sold. While businesses definitely should be absorbing the cost, not tipping will only hurt the server, and the tipping culture will not be affected, so PLEASE tip your servers.
The Best Places to Visit in Texas
Now that you know the basics for visiting, let's check out all of the best places to visit in Texas!
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Austin
If you only have a weekend to spend in Texas, then we would suggest Austin! As the capital of Texas, this is the most popular city in the state, and is smack in the middle, making it the easiest place to base yourself.
Austin is known for its fun, hipster vibes, and has a great bar-hopping atmosphere, funky restaurants, and a ton of great day trips for those that want to swim, hike, or do other adventurous activities.
There are a ton of fun ways to enjoy Austin.
You could easily spend a full week exploring Austin and the other fun places to visit in Texas just surrounding it, which is why we wrote a complete guide for you!
Dallas
Dallas is the second most popular city in Texas, and is another great destination for those wanting a weekend getaway, or a party destination.
Dallas is the NYC of Texas, and has more of a cosmopolitan vibe than the other places to visit in Texas. Think rooftop bars, colorful murals, and a walkable city center. Dallas also has some unique activities like massage chair party buses, and BYOB sunset sails to check out.
Dallas is a vibrant and cosmopolitan city.
We found that spending a weekend in Dallas was the perfect way to enjoy this city, and also had time to see some of the unique spots in its outskirts.
San Antonio
If you like history and charming towns, then San Antonio is definitely one of the best places to visit in Texas for you.
We didn't read so many exciting things about this city, so just gave ourselves an afternoon to explore. Well, boy were we blown away! We absolutely loved San Antonio, and found it to have the perfect mix of cultural sights, and vibrant nightlife.
San Antonio is full of culture and history.
San Antonio is one of the closest big cities to Mexico, so it has an incredible blend of cultures, and is definitely a place you shouldn't miss while on your Texas road trip.
Houston
Houston is definitely not one of the cities that travelers rave about when they are recommending places to visit in Texas. However, we found that Houston has quite a few fun reasons to visit in and around the city.
Check out the incredible Gerald D Hines Waterfall Park, the cool Beer Can House, or the stunning BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir Temple. You can also find a ton of fun things surrounding the city like a giant treehouse, a massive castle, or huge manmade lagoon to spend the day.
There is an awesome waterfall park right in the middle of Houston.
Definitely give yourself a day or two to dedicate to seeing the quirky finds in Houston. Whether you are spending a long layover in Houston, or traveling there to hop on a cruise in Galveston, this city does have some fun things to offer, and should be on your list to stop by!
Houston has a lot of cool things around the city itself.
Big Bend National Park
While most of the best places to visit in Texas are cities in the central, eastern part of the state, the west also has something very unique to offer- which is Big Bend National Park.
Bordering Mexico, Big Bend is home to some incredible rock formations, great hiking trails, and some of the most beautiful glamping experiences in Texas.
Unfortunately we didn't have time to visit this area of the state, as it is quite far from the rest of the main places to visit in Texas. However, if you have time, we would highly suggest making it over to this area!
Other Fun Places to Visit in Texas
Now that you know some of the most popular places to visit in Texas, let's share some of the lesser known gems! Here are some other great places to visit in Texas to add to your boat trip.
Fort Worth
Located just a half hour from Dallas, Ft Worth is great for its history and old western charm.
The airport of Dallas is actually located right in the middle of the two cities, making Ft Worth a super convenient day trip from Dallas, or a great place to explore right before or after going to the airport if Dallas is your hub.
Fredericksburg
This adorable town has the most adorable mix of old western and German vibes. We originally went for their annual balloon festival, but then fell in love with the atmosphere of the town itself. This is the perfect place to spend a night and enjoy the vibrant live music in the local bars.
Fredericksburg is a quaint German town.
Waco
This cute town is conveniently located right between Dallas and Austin, making it the perfect stop to break up your road trip, or even spend a night!
Our favorite part of Waco is that it is home to Texas's only beer spa. That's right - just like in Prague or Budapest, you can bathe in a tub of beer while sipping on a pint, definitely one for the bucket list!
Waco is home to Texas's only beer spa!
Marfa
Located all the way out west, Marfa is a small desert city known for its arts, as well as its army base. If you are heading to Big Bend, then make sure to stop in this town, and check out the cute pink firehouse as well!
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Getting Around Texas
Hands down the best way to get around Texas is to drive! (This goes for almost anywhere in the US). We decided to do a road trip around some of the top places to visit in Texas, and rent a car from the Houston Airport.
🚗 Renting a Car in Texas
You can rent a car easily from pretty much any major city in Texas. We suggest renting your car well in advance for the best availability and prices. We also suggest renting from a well-known company.
Our Experience Renting a Car in Texas
When we arrived in Houston, we had to get a shuttle to our car rental. This took quite some time, so if you are flying into Houston, remember to put this into consideration (the car rentals are all off site, and it's super chaotic).