Best City to visit in Texas?

[Futuretings]

Looking at travelling to Texas, next year. Has anybody ever visited Texas? what did you do? Would you recommend?

My partner and I, have only ever visited Nevada, looking at travelling to Texas, preferably with direct flights, we don’t drive either.

San Antonio is nice for a couple of days. The Alamo is worth seeing and the river walk is pretty. It’s well set up for tourists. What time of year will you be going? We were there in February and it was very comfortable, in summer it will be very hot.

Houston was described to me by someone who lives there as unbearable in summer due to the heat and humidity. There is no public transport in Houston, but Uber and Lyft are easy to use. It is an enormous city (I’ve really only seen the airport and the freeways). I was in Dallas many years ago and got sunstroke in March. Again not good for public transport, I believe.

I haven’t been but Austin is meant to be the best Texas city to visit. I’m sure someone on here will know.

I should have said we went to San Antonio for a weekend and felt that was enough for city centre stuff. There are state parks and other attractions outside but probably an hour’s drive so no good without a car.

Yes, San Antonio lovely for a couple of days

San Antonio is nice as previous posters have said. Austin is great and you could do both on one trip, it's around 2 hours between the two by train. I hated Houston other than the Space Center

There is quite a lot to see in Houston but it’s a massive city and covers a huge area. It is hot and very humid in the summer.

Museum of Fine Arts - lots of top notch classical stuff
Rothko Chapel - might be a bit niche (I’m not a Rothko fan)
NASA space centre (think there’s more there now then when I last visited)
Houston Zoo
Aquarium
Bayou Bend historic area (the Hogg House is worth a look)

Galveston is a good trip (and you can wade into the Mexican Gulf - it’s like a muddy warm bath).

Brazos Bend state park is great for wildlife (especially the alligators).

We did weekend trips to San Antonio (the Alamo and the Riverwalk) and Austin.

What were you hoping to see and do in Texas? I think there are more interesting cities in the US that would be easier for non-drivers to get around in. I would not say San Antonio was a long haul destination of choice, though Austin might be.

We have done a few days in San Antonio, a couple in Dallas, one is Austin and 2 in fort worth.

My favourite without question was the stockyards in fort worth - they even have a rodeo, great restaurants, bars with live music and a cattle drive twice a week - loved it.

San antonio was nice too and very glad we did Dallas.

Why Texas, OP? I’ve been to Austin for a long-ish research trip, and travelled about a bit, research trip, and if that’s the interesting bit of Texas, as people tell me, I’m not going to rush back to see the rest.

I've been to San Antonio a few times (and have to go again this year) and I really wouldn't recommend it.
Austin otoh was fantastic - but hotter than hell, and I got bitten to shreds running. But the nightlife was amazing!

It’s not a place I think of for vacations, and we haven’t seen much.

Give Houston a big swerve
I’d either go to SAN Antonio, Austin, dallas/Fort Worth. If you come near summer try to do river tubing. Maybe try to go to a ‘dude’ ranch

It’s a shame you don’t drive as i’d recommend the hill country around Fredericksburg, wineries and a bit of history and some national parks. We have yet to make it there but loads of friends have been and said it was a great trip.

I think you’ll struggle with transport to see anything outside a city, eg going to salt lick bbq for a meal outside San Antonio. Public transport here is rubbish, unless you factor in using Uber in your budget.

What is it about Texas that makes you want to visit?

Oh my goodness ignore the Texas naysayers, we did 10 days in Texas and had an incredible time and we've done a fair bit in the US, our favourite state thus far. How long are you there for? Houston is very dull but can be cheap to fly into (and NASA is worth a visit). Austin was my favourite city with San Antonio second, they are close enough to easily visit both. Wasn't that fussed on Dallas, very modern and a tad soulless but Fort Worth more than makes up for it and makes the drive north worth while. If you have less time I would focus on Austin, San Antonio and the hill country. Manchester to Houston Singapore Airlines, very cheap but good quality airline.

Although I've just gone back and read that you don't drive, Texas was a big road trip for us, half the appeal was being out on the open road. The cities are quite large, although we didn't need to drive as much in San Antonio. I'm not sure I'd have done it without a car tbh.

Give Houston a big swerve

Honestly don’t - I lived there for a while and there is loads to do.

For those of you who have travelled through Houston ( international) airport how much time should we allow for getting through customs? We're due to arrive in July and I'm worried about hiring a car to drive to family straight after the flight.
Sorry to hijack op .

@Ooogetyooo how do you mean you're worried about hiring a car in regards to customs?

I meant I'm worried about the time it takes to clear customs after a long haul flight then hiring car and driving to our destination (Dallas)

I'm with you, I wasn't sure if you meant in terms of what time slot to hire the car and I was just going to say it doesn't really matter in that regard. I have to admit I really wouldn't recommend doing the drive to Dallas after a long haul flight, however quick customs is to get through, you're talking a 4 hour drive minimum, and a very boring drive at that!!! We drove from Dallas to Houston to fly home but obviously that was after a goodnight sleep on their time by this point. I don't know about you but I tend to feel a bit floaty in the evening in the US on arriving. I'd get a cheap hotel and do the drive the following day personally. However, that's not your question, I don't remember it being overly arduous, much the same as other flights, long queues depending on what point you get off the plane, I think another flight had landed same time, they have the self service machines which helps bring the queue down a bit.

Thanks Tea.

Someone on another thread mentioned a two hour wait in immigration. In my experience it can vary hugely even in the same US airport. Depending on what time of day you are coming in I would also consider a night in a Houston hotel before driving to Dallas. If you come in in rush hour there could be a lot of traffic which will slow you down, it's a 200 mile+ drive, which in US terms isn't huge but negotiating the unfamiliar freeway system could be tricky as well. Driving across Texas is quite monotonous, it's flat, the roads are straight, so its easy, but if you are tired it is also soporific. If you're not used to the (lack of) lane discipline in the US you need to be on your toes while driving. Staying overnight in Houston will mean you are up at the crack of dawn when the traffic will be going in to the city so maybe quieter.

DH has just gone through Hobby, and said immigration was quick - all done electronically, so would hope that GBI would have similar.

I'd also recommend a night in Houston before driving to Dallas - driving as soon as you've got off a long haul flight is one of the higher risk times. Driving in Houston can be a bit manic at the best of times.

I am a native Texan and I can tell you a great deal about my state.

Before I tell you more about my beloved state, can you answer a question:

Do you not drive at all in the UK and is the reason that you are not driving on your holiday or is it a choice that you don't wish to drive on your holiday?

@Futuretings quite a few useful pieces of advice here for you, maybe you could come back and answer some of the questions?

Been to Dallas and Austin. We loved Austin, just had a great vibe, great food etc, Dallas was a little pale in comparison.