Places to visit in Texas

Hi,

For the ones living in Texas, what would you suggest to discover the region?

When you have friends or family visiting you, where do you go with them? What are the must-see places in Texas, the tourist sites?

How to visit the region in an original way? Any unusual or unknown place to recommend?

What would you suggest for a couple of days of for a week of holidays in Texas?

Thank you in advance for participating ;)

Julie

I've lived in Texas for about five years, near Austin (the capitol, near the center of the state). Texas is really large, so I can really only address the central Texas area.

Here in central Texas, I usually take visiting friends and family down to San Antonio to see the historic Alamo, visit the Riverwalk (a lovely below-street-level riverside shopping/dining/entertainment area just a few blocks from the Alamo), or to one of the amusement parks in San Antonio (SeaWorld, Six Flags Fiesta Texas). Closer to home, I like to take people to visit Zilker Park in Austin, home of Barton Springs Pool, Wildflower Center, and Zilker Botanical Garden.

Of course you can also visit the town of Luling, which claims to be the BBQ Capitol of the World. Or head up to West, TX and try out the food at the locally famous Czech Bakery (try the kolaches). Or visit the Walburg German Restaurant, which has a great Biergarten with a canopy-shaded outdoor dance floor and live music.

Hope that gives people some ideas!

I currently live in Vietnam but I was born and raised in Texas. One of my all time favorite towns to visit is New Braunfels. We used to go to the Schlitterbahn waterpark, voted the best waterpark in the world for the last 16 years.
http://schlitterbahn.com/nb/

There's a good donut shop in Austin.

NASA, Kemah boardwalk, Galveston, and the Houston restaurants and performing arts scene are the main attractions in the Houston area.

Gotta see the Alamo.  To be appropriate, wear a Davy C coonskin cap.