Formoreinformation,
visit texasicons.co.ukmuseums and witness the
twice-daily cattle drive at the
Stockyards National Historic
District. You’ll want to spend
a few days (at least) to tuck into
the city’s food scene, with its
cowboy-sized portions and
BBQ-meets-TexMex menus,
and to quench your thirst at its
home-grown breweries found
on the Fort Worth Ale Trail.
Be sure to barrel on down to the
Firestone & Robertson Distilling
Co. too for a dram of distinctly
Texan bourbon whiskey.
Home to rich history and
vibrant culture, San Antonio
sits 420km to the south. The
city’s fi ve Spanish colonial
missions form the only
UNESCO World Heritage site
in Texas. Explore the historic
Alamo battlefi eld or experience
a mariachi mass at the still
active Catholic parish at
Mission San Jose.
Follow the River Walk and
you’ll fi nd the culinary-centric
Pearl District, scenic river boat
tours, live music and trails for
hiking, biking and birding. Take
time for shopping at Market
Square – the largest Mexican
market outside of Mexico –
or check out the city’s art scene
at the all-new Ruby City
contemporary art centre,
exhibiting pieces from some
of the state’s most exciting
Dreamstime; Getty Images; Shutterstock; Visit Austinartists in a modernist structure.
PROMOTIONAL FEATURE
HOUSTON, AUSTIN,
BANDERA &
FREDERICKSBURG
Get to the heart of Texas with
this mix of unexpected urban
experiences & cowboy cultureHouston and its growing list of
trendy neighbourhoods makes
for a great starting point.
Take the time to mingle with
the locals and uncover offbeat
spots, such as Smither Park
with its abstract sculptures or
eye-popping street murals (the
outrageous rainbow streaks
across midtown store Biscuit are
an easy fi nd) then unwind in the
160-acre urban oasis of Buffalo
Bayou Park, with its bike trails
and beautiful gardens. For an
out-of-this-world experience,be sure not to miss the Space
Center Houston and then its
westward to Austin.
Home to more than 250 live
music venues, it’s easy to see
why Austin has been dubbed the
‘Live Music Capital of the World’.
Jam downtown to the Sixth
Street district and put ‘Parish’
on your playlist as this venue
is known as one of the best,
staging all kinds of music from
rock ’n’ roll to bluegrass and jazz.
There are some top outdoor
activities to enjoy from here too.
Mount Bonnell is located in
Covert Park and, as the highest
point in Austin, a steady climb
up its 102-stairs rewards with
far reaching views. Alternatively,
travel 23 miles west to fi nd the
Hamilton Pools Preserve,a swimming hole that boasts
emerald waters and a 15m
waterfall for a refreshing dip.
Keep making your way out
west and you’ll soon enter Texas
Hill Country to fi nd Bandera
and Fredericksburg – two small
settlements that promise some
big Texan experiences. Known
as the ‘Cowboy Capital of the
World’, Bandera keeps this
tradition alive with Dude
Ranches to stay in and authentic
hands-on experiences to try;
from trail riding to kicking
up your heels at a Honky Tonk.
Fredericksburg was originally
founded by German settlers
so hearty eats and refreshing
brews come as standard on
its visitor menu. As well as the
chance to tour vineyards,
breweries and farms, Enchanted
Rock is a popular place to hike
and, for something unusual,
visit the Old Tunnel State Park
at sunset to see millions of bats
take to the skies on mass.
There’s so much to surprise
in Texas, you only need know
where to look. To help, Flight
Centre has trips such as the
11-night Texan Trails that can be
individually tailored. Flights from
Heathrow take ten hours and
British Airways fl ies direct to
Austin-Bergstrom, Dallas Fort
Worth and Houston International.