Andy Rhodes - Moon Texas

San Antonios Mission San Jos.

You cant talk about Texas without mentioning size. Its enormous. Its colossal. Its just a big ol giant place. And its not just flat and dryTexas is geographically diverse, with mountains, tropics, pine forests, beaches, and prairies all within its borders. Toss in an eclectic mix of regional cuisine, national parks, and real-life cowboys, and youll find a rich experience representative of Texass distinct character.

Texas has an unmatched independent spirit. Its people, like its landscapes, are rugged, fiery, captivating, and endearing. The one element that ropes them all together is an immense Texas pride. The Lone Star States mystique is enormous, and for good reasonTexas is practically a country unto itself.

The proud residents of this vibrant state somehow manage to reflect and defy all stereotypes associated with them. For every good ol boy set in his ways, theres a progressive genius building her web-based empire. For every brash oilman making millions, theres a humble educator affecting lives. Like anywhere else, people in Texas have their differences, but theres one thing that transcends obstacles that is wholly unique to this statethe common bond of being Texan.

great blue heron

Fort Worth Botanic Garden

a longhorn at the Fort Worth Stockyards

This spirit is evident in the Panhandle plains, where chicken-fried steak is proudly served at diners along old Route 66. Its apparent in the Hill Country, where Texas troubadours play beer-soaked blues guitar on the Luckenbach stage. Its all over the Rio Grande Valley, where Lone Star flags are as abundant as the bountiful groves of grapefruit trees.

Friday Night Lights. Barbecued beef ribs. Austin City Limits. Chisholm Trail cowboys. You cant swing a piata stick in Texas without encountering a cultural icon. And theres plenty more to discover about Texass rich heritage: Excavated shipwrecks, Spanish missions, majestic courthouses, cattle drives, oil booms, and JFKs assassination all occurred under the states legendary six flags.

This is what makes the state so fascinating. You could spend a year exploring the natural and cultural wonders of Texas and still find yourself with dozens of destinations remaining on your must-see listall certain to become unforgettable future memories.

dance hall in rural Texas

Monument to the Last Horse, by Claes Oldenburg and Coosje Van Bruggen, at the Chinati Foundation in Marfa.

a former hotel sign in West Texas

The Alamo: Inside the Shrine of Texas Libertys hallowed halls, youll learn the meaning of Texas pride (

Big Bend National Park: Everything about Big Bend is vastthe sky, the views, the mountains, the canyons, and especially the sense of wonder ().

Austin Music: The Live Music Capital of the World delivers the goods nightly. Catch a scruffy troubadour in a dive bar, soulful blues guitarist at a historic club, or a global legend at festivals like South by Southwest and Austin City Limits ().

Texas Food: Texass holy trinity of cuisinebarbecue ()provides a culinary journey. Why choose between smoky beef brisket, spicy chile dishes, and chicken fried steak when you can try them all?

Cowboy Culture: Hear the distinctive clip-clop of longhorn hooves on Fort Worths brick streets ().

NASA Space Center: Feel your goosebumps rise as you gaze upon the awe-inspiring original Mission Control Center where NASA communicated with celestial explorers (

Presidential Legacies: John F. Kennedys legacy comes into focus in the downtown Dallas museum () offers insight about the humble Hill Country roots of the larger-than-life Lyndon B. Johnson, who became the 36th president.