Texas Vacation Rentals: An Introduction

As the second largest state in the US, in terms of both area and population, Texas or The Lone Star State continues to be one of the most visited tourist destination in the country and in the world. Texas has a wide variety of historical sites, natural attractions, cultural destinations and recreational areas which would certainly help you to have a wonderful time whether you would be traveling alone, with friends or colleagues or with your family.

As you plan out your Texas holiday, make sure that you would be taking the time to go through the Texas vacation home rental listings that we have, including vacation homes in Crystal Beach, Dallas vacation rentals, Port Aransas vacation homes, South Padre Island vacation rentals and Lake Livingston vacation cabins. We have all kinds of Texas vacation specials and Texas vacation deals that would help you not just to save money but also have the best stay in the state.

Texas Vacation Rentals: Things to Do in the Lone Star State

1. Learn about the rich history of Texas and of the US.

Texas has a lot of historical sites that you can visit while staying at a Texas vacation home. You can start with Brownsville, where two significant historic battle took place namely the Battle at Palo Alto and the Battle of Resaca de la Palma. You can also visit the Fort Davis National Historic Site, which is a partially restored fort and is the home of the Buffalo soldiers. Other historic sites that you should visit include the Dealey Plaza, the Lubbock Lake Landmark State Historical Park, San Jacinto Battleground State Historical Park and the Fort Worth Stockyards.

2. Enjoy a gastronomical experience.

Texas is home to countless dishes and foods which, most of which define American cuisine. Barbecue would be one of the most popular dishes that Texas is known for and is often eaten with coleslaw, beans or potato salad. Every year, an International Barbecue Cookoff in held in Taylor, attracting thousands of chefs, tourists and participants from all over the globe. If you want to taste the best of barbecued food in Texas, make sure to look for a Taylor vacation home and stay for a couple of days to take part in the event.

Another dish that you should try at a Texas restaurant would be Chili. Being the official state dish, Texas-style chili comes in many varieties. To know whether you are trying out the original Texas-style chili, it should not have beans. To try all the types of chili in Texas, it would be good to rent a Terlingua vacation home and go to the International Chili Cookoff that is held every November. You should also not miss trying out Tex-Mex dishes. Tex-Mex refers to Mexican cuisine that has Texas flair. Some examples of Tex-Mex dishes include nachos, crispy chalupas, crispy tacos, chili con carne, chili con queso, fajitas and chili gravy.

3. Enjoy the exciting nightlife.

Texas has a lot of bars where you can enjoy delicious drinks, meet new people or dance the night away. If you are staying at an Austin vacation home or a Dallas vacation rental, you would certainly have plenty of options on where you can spend your nights out. Some of the good destinations to experience the best of Texas nightlife would be Fort Worth, Houston, Lubbock and San Antonio. In addition to many great bars, Texas is also where a number of popular beers are made, including Shiner Bock, Lone Star Beer and Ziegen Bock.

4. Take in the great outdoors.

Because of the large outdoor spaces in Texas, you can expect to have plenty of natural attractions that you can visit to do some nature-watching or outdoor recreational activities. You can start with the Big Bend National Park which offers a scenery of mountains, wilderness, desert and a river. Here, you can see all kinds of wild animals from snakes to deer to wild pigs. Another park that you could visit would be the Guadalupe Mountains National Park, which is where the highest point in the state, Guadalupe Peak, can be found. Some of the other outdoor attractions that you should see would be the Chihuahuan Desert, the Texas Panhandle and the Palo Duro Canyon.

5. Have a fun and wholesome time with your family.

Texas is well known for having some of the best family attractions that offer all kinds of activities for individuals of all ages. One of them would be SeaWorld, which is a marine mammal park, animal theme park and oceanarium rolled into one. For those who are staying at a San Antonio vacation rental, it is definitely a must to go here. You can explore the exhibits of SeaWorld including the Aviary Habitats, the Dolphin Cove, the Animal Connection Conservation Center, the Penguin Encounter, The Coral Reef, the Alligator Alley, the Seal and Sea Lion Community and the Flamingo Cove. You can also watch several shows regularly held including Believe; The Cannery Row Caper; Azul, Lure of the Sea; and Cool Vibrations. After going through the exhibits and watching some shows, you may want to go to the other SeaWorld attractions such as the Boardwalk Games Center, Shamu's Happy Harbor and the Sea Star Theater. Because of the wide variety of animals, attractions and activities in SeaWorld, many families choose to take a vacation in Texas to have a fun and memorable getaway. You can also go to other theme parks and family-oriented attractions such as the Six Flags and Hurricane Harbor, Wonderland Park and Joyland Amusement Park.

6. Have a vacation by the sea.

This is also another popular reason why many tourists and travelers visit Texas. They usually stay at a vacation rental in South Padre Island, a small resort town that is located off the coast of Texas, near the Mexican border. It is a particularly famous spring break destination among college students. The island has miles of beautiful sandy beaches, where you can do almost everything from swimming and sunbathing to water sports such as parasailing, sailing and diving. While staying at a South Padre Island vacation home rental, you should also make it a point to visit the lighthouse and the museums in Port Isabel. Other attractions and activity centers that you can visit while on the island include the Sea Turtle Rescue Center, the Island Equestrian Center, Gravity Park, the Black Dragon Pirate Ship and the Schlitterbahn Beach Waterpark.