Texas City and Cowboy Adventure

Welcome to Dallas. The “Big D” is a glittering city of skyscrapers with a past and present rich in the stuff that American legends are made of. From barbecue and steaks to cowboy boots, country music and the nostalgia of the old west - “big things happen here.” Upon arrival, pick-up your rental car and proceed to your hotel. Get your bearings in the city with a trip 470 feet (143 meters) up to the Reunion Tower GeO-Deck to enjoy 360-degree views of Dallas. Stay for dinner in the elegant Five Sixty Restaurant, which is 50 stories up. See the city with a free ride on one of the vintage M-Line trolleys, available at 40 stops around Dallas and running through Uptown and Downtown (watch for the vintage advertisements on the trolley). Set aside time to explore the Dallas Museum of Art, one of the largest art museums in the USA and featuring some 22,000 works from around the globe. Expand your cultural adventure with a stroll through the Bishop Arts District, home to more than 60 independent shops, galleries, restaurants, bars and coffee shops.

Fort Worth located an easy 30-minute drive west of Dallas, Texas is a modern city that honours its cowboy roots. Start at the always-bustling Stockyards National Historic District for Old West shops selling cowboy boots and hats, many saloons offering live entertainment, and lots of barbecue and other dining options. Learn about the strong women who shaped the American West with a visit to the National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame, which is packed with artwork and stories from women such as artist Georgia O’Keeffe and singer Patsy Cline. Take a walk around the 35 blocks of Sundance Square downtown, a large shopping, dining and entertainment district.

Austin earns its reputation as a live music capital with some 250 venues. Slip into a retro bar such as The Continental Club for Rockabilly, Country and Swing shows, or get tickets to Austin City Limits
Live at The Moody Theatre, a venue that hosts concerts of all genres and the taping of Austin City Limits, the USA’s longest-running televised music series. You may know Austin for its springtime
South by Southwest Music Festival. However, you can find music festivals almost any time of the year, so listen up when you’re in town. From breakfast tacos stuffed with farm fresh eggs and
avocados to top-shelf margaritas, Austin is also revered for its take on Tex-Mex. Try ordering from one of the city’s popular food trucks or trailers.

Located near Bandera, Texas, proclaimed as the Cowboy Capital of the World, the Dixie Dude Ranch is not a resort ranch. It is an old-time working stock ranch founded by William Wallace Whitley in 1901. Situated on 725 acres, the Dixie Dude Ranch offers fine vistas of spectacular Texas Hill Country, and continues to adhere to its original purpose – a real working ranch where longhorn cattle, Spanish goats, and pigs are raised, where real cowboys work the horses and compete in rodeos, and where the meals are always home-cooked.

After your Cowboy experience, drive to San Antonio. A stunning history, fascinating culture, and some of the most unique sites in Texas can be found in the dynamic and vibrant city of San Antonio. This thriving city may be best known for being the home of the Alamo and the San Antonio River Walk, two of Texas’ prominent landmarks. Explore San Antonio’s 18th century Spanish Catholic missions, including Mission San Antonio de Valero (known as The Alamo), which collectively were named a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Nearby, the River Walk is a paved path along the city’s namesake river. Follow it to restaurants with open-air patios, or take a boat tour. In this gateway to Latin America, Mexican-made clothing and artisan wares make unique souvenirs, and the cuisine is in a class of its own. Tex-Mex, as it’s called, blends Mexican and American culinary traditions. Sample tasty enchiladas at a family-owned restaurant or fresh fish tacos from a small taqueria.

Stroll along a scenic soft sandy beach as a warm surf caresses your feet. Watch sailboats glide on the bay under a luminous yellow and orange sunset from the shoreline. Step inside a legendary World War II aircraft carrier or tour a museum dedicated to an international music icon. These are among the many experiences you can have when you visit Corpus Christi, the largest coastal city in Texas.

While Houston is notable for many things, it is perhaps best known as “Space City.” The city has been home to the NASA Johnson Space Center since the early 1960’s, a time period that includes the first lunar landing. Experience NASA’s astounding history when you visit Space Center Houston, the gateway to the Johnson Space Center. Get an up-close view of a lunar landing module and roving vehicle trainer, look inside the Apollo 17 command module, and see the enormous Saturn V rocket, the most powerful ever built. For the ultimate experience, reserve a spot on the Tram Tour to go behind the scenes at the space centre.

Your tour ends when you return your rental car to the agreed drop-off point. Alternatively, speak with your Discover North America Travel Specialist about possible trip extensions.