When they told me it would be non-stop pampering interspersed with relaxing yoga sessions I sat up straight and paid attention. Book by 28 September.For a pre-planned self-drive package try North America Travel Service (0845 1228899; ). A 15-day trip including flights on American Airlines to Dallas, returning from Houston, including car rental and high-quality hotel accommodation in Dallas, San Antonio, South Padre Island, Corpus Christi, Galveston and Houston costs from £1,499 per person for November departures.WHERE CAN I GET MORE INFORMATION? Further details can be obtained from Texas Tourism (020-7978 5233, ).. Whenever you are in town the likelihood is that there will be top-notch live music at one of the dozens of excellent venues such as the Broken Spoke (001 512 442 6189; ) or the Continental Club (001 512 441 2444; ) or Gruene Hall in New Braunfels (001 830 606 1281; ).WHAT ABOUT OUTDOOR PURSUITS?Explore the wooded waterways and ecosystems of eastern Texas at the Big Thicket National Preserve (001 406 246 2337) or the atmospheric bayous (Louisiana is just next door) of Caddo Lake State Park (001 903 679 3351; ). But this is the US, so you are best off getting behind the wheel. Peregor (0845 345 0003; ) currently offers a special fly-drive combination to Houston or Dallas – flights on British Airways and car hire from £399 for departures from November. The Greyhound (001 800 229 9424; ) transnational coach service, and its local affiliates, link some of the bigger cities, as – to a lesser degree – does Amtrak (001 800 872 7245; ) America’s national rail company.
Not only do Continental and American generally offer competitive through fares or “open jaw” possibilities to many other Texan cities such as San Antonio, Austin and El Paso, they usually include Houston (Continental) and Dallas-Fort Worth (American) as a free stopover on many of their fares to other US destinations.HOW DO I GET AROUND?Because of Texas’ size, flying is definitely worth thinking about: Dallas-based Southwest (001 800 435 9792; ) generally offers the most competitive fares. Nearby, the excellent Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum (001 806 651 2244; ) is well worth a visit.IS THAT A PLANE?No, it’s probably a bird. Four out of five of of all bird species spotted in the US are seen in the Rio Grande valley. With over 600 documented species, birding in Texas exceeds all other states. The World Birding Centre (001 956 584 9156; ) – a network of sites along a 120-mile stretch of the river from South Padre Island to Roma – opened recently offering information, educational and conservation resources.
For the latter, seasonal boat trips (001 903 789 3978; caddolake /steamboat.html; 001 903 789 3495; ) leave from the charmingly named settlement of Uncertain. For American Western art seek out the Amon Carter Museum (001 817 738 1933; ), which features Frederic Remington, Charles M Russell and Georgia O’Keeffe. There are magnificent red- and orange-tinged cliffs, and rock formations dotted with juniper and cottonwood trees. Palo Duro is not far from Amarillo, just outside which you can visit much-photographed Cadillac Ranch. Lines of hotels and apartment buildings have sprung up in recent years, but the sea is generally warm and the public beaches have fine white sand.At the top end of the state, in contrast to the seemingly unending treeless plains of the Panhandle, the Palo Duro Canyon State Park (001 806 488 2227; ) feels like Utah or Arizona.
In this area do not miss Jefferson, a town of Plantation-era houses, good accommodation, antique shops and moss-draped trees.The most popular beach destination in Texas is South Padre Island, which is especially busy during the US universities’ “Spring Break” (virtually all of March in 2005). Popular music genres in Austin include Americana, Blues, Roots and Bluegrass in addition to Country & Western, while from 16-20 March next year, Austin will host the South By Southwest film and music festival (001 512 467 7979; ). One of the best places to learn about the state’s past is the Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum (001 512 936 8746; ), which opens 9am-6pm from Monday to Saturday, noon-6pm on Sunday, admission $5.50 (£4). If the weather stays warm through autumn, have a picnic in the 485-acre Zilker Park and take a dip in the spring-fed Barton Springs.In the evening, head for a bar and sip a margarita in the city that labels itself the “Live Music Capital of the USA”. Outside the holiday period the park may only open at weekends. Admission $45.I’M IN A LONE STAR STATE OF MINDThen aim for Austin, the Texas state capital, and spiritual home of everyone from Nanci Griffith to the Dixie Chicks. In contrast to much of Texas, it’s a lively liberal city and a good base to visit the pretty rolling Hill Country.
