Texas Travel and Registration

Texas is the second largest and second most populous state in the United States of America. Owing to its remarkable size, distinctive culture and politics, and colorful history, many Texans maintain a fiercely independent attitude, with Texan identity often superseding American identity. Few other American states feature their flag so prominently in businesses, on the backs of cars and in advertisements. Originally a territory of Spain and, later, Mexico, Texas rebelled in 1836 and became its own nation for 10 years before being annexed by the United States in 1845. Despite having existed under the auspices of six different nations (France, Spain, Mexico, the Republic of Texas, the United States of America, and the Confederate States of America), Texas has maintained its fascinating independent spirit, making for a unique and unrivaled exploration ground for any intrigued and intrepid adventurer.

Known for their generosity, hospitality, unusual accent, and penchant for the larger-than-life, Texans are wonderful people to meet, and the variety of cultural experiences, from feasting on bratwurst with the Germans of the Hill Country to watching Flamenco dancers with the Chicanos of the Rio Grande valley, is seemingly unlimited.

The large size of the state should not be underestimated. Texas measures over 267,000 square miles (695,673 sq. km) in area, making it slightly larger than France. Having a car is essential for travel between cities, and within most. The traveler should factor on long driving times between cities and destinations.

Texas is bordered by the states of New Mexico, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Louisiana, and the Mexican states of Tamaulipas, Nuevo León, Coahuila, and Chihuahua.

Regions

Panhandle (Lubbock, Amarillo, Wichita Falls)
Great plains, cotton and the Llano Estacado
Prairies and Lakes (Dallas, Fort Worth)
Recreational lakes and exciting nightlife
Piney Woods (Nacogdoches, Tyler)
Pine forests, bayous, and Civil War and Civil Rights history
Gulf Coast (Houston, Galveston, Corpus Christi)
Islands, beaches and port cities
South Texas Plains (San Antonio, Laredo)
Border country along the Rio Grande, Spanish missions
Hill Country (Austin, Fredericksburg)
Edwards Plateau, rolling hills, rivers and the State capital
Big Bend Country (El Paso, Odessa)
Big Bend National Park, mountains, desert and canyons.

Cities

* Austin - Live Music Capital of the World. State capital. Home to the University of Texas (5th largest in the USA by enrollment).
* Beaumont - Home of Spindletop, birthplace of the modern oil industry.
* Corpus Christi - Home of the Texas State Aquarium and gateway to Padre Island.
* Dallas - One of the most popular visitor destinations in Texas.
* El Paso - The largest city on the US/Mexico border.
* Fort Worth - Fort Worth Stockyards. "Where the West Begins."
* Houston - Texas' largest city. Home of NASA's Mission Control Center. Best dining scene in the state.
* Laredo - The US's largest inland port.
* San Antonio - Famous for the Alamo and the "River Walk" nightlife district.

History

France, Spain and Mexico have all laid claim to Texas at one point or another. However in 1836, Texas won its independence from Mexico and became the Republic of Texas. The most famous battle of the fight for independence was the stand at the Alamo. Although tragic, the sacrifice allowed the main army of Texas time enough to gather their strength and defeat the formidable Mexican army, led by General Santa Anna. Nine years later Texas agreed to be annexed by the United States and became the 28th state of the Union.
People

The ethnic background of Texas is extremely diverse. Fully one-third of the population has some sort of Hispanic background. There are also many German settlements (Fredericksburg, New Braunfels, et. al.), as well as Norwegian, Polish, Czech, Swedish and French settlements. Also a sizeable number of African-Americans (mainly in East and Southeast Texas) and Asian-Americans (usually found in metropolitan areas of Texas) can be found.

Climate

Texas is a huge state and has an extreme variety of weather. Texas is very warm in the summer (commonly higher than 100F or 38C). In West Texas and the Panhandle, summers are usually dry with fits of stormy weather. North (Dallas/Fort Worth region) and coastal (Houston region) areas have unstable climates (hence the oft-repeated saying about Texas weather: "If you don't like the weather, wait 10 minutes" – though 10 minutes later you might not like the change). Thunderstorms are common, sometimes generating tornadoes and hailstorms. It is often warmer near the coast, though humidity can be unbearable in the summer. Conversely, the spring, autumn and winter are relatively pleasant for most of the state. It rarely dips below the freezing point in winter, except in the Panhandle region where the winters can get quite cold (Lubbock and Amarillo have suffered devastating blizzards in the past), and though it is quite rare, even points as far south as Corpus Christi and Brownsville have seen snow.
Size

As stated before, the sheer size of the state is not to be underestimated. Brewster County in West Texas is larger in land area than Rhode Island, and Texarkana, Tx is closer to Chicago than it is to El Paso. If you are wanting to take in the full Texas experience, you will need ample time to do so.

Talk

Texas has no offical language. However, as with the rest of the United States, English is the predominant language of the state. Spanish is also widely spoken by approximately one-third of the population. (Don't assume that all people of Mexican origin speak Spanish; some families have been in Texas for longer than Texas has been part of the U.S.) Texas also has small numbers of Chinese and Vietnamese speakers as well.

Don't assume that the majority people are going to have a "Texan" accent. While you will run into many that do, the majority of Texans, especially in the cities, lack the "Texan twang" we associate with the state's residents.

Travel Registration for Texas