Great Texas Coastal Birding Trail

Texas Texas ...... 4 It’s so much more than you think

Texas Signature Events ...... 6 Fruit, flowers and all sorts of fun

Prairies & Lakes ...... 8 8 Town & Country Big Bend Country ...... 10 The Great Southwest

Panhandle Plains ...... 11 Typically Texan

Texas Hill Country ...... 12 Central Paradise

South Texas Plains ...... 15 Multicultural Mix

Gulf Coast ...... 16 Texas Riviera

Piney Woods ...... 22 16 Southern Charm TEXAS – A SPECIAL SUPPLEMENT TO THE OCTOBER 2006 ISSUE OF CANADIAN TRAVELLER Published 12 times a year by 1104 Hornby Street, Suite 203 Vancouver, British Columbia Canada V6Z 1V8 Tel: (604) 699-9990 THE DESTINATION SALES RESOURCE FOR TRAVEL PROFESSIONALS Contents © 2006 by ACT Communications Inc. Fax: (604) 699-9993 Printed in Canada All Rights Reserved. ISBN 1207-1463

513 Canadian Traveller • October 2006 • TEXAS 3 CORPUS CHRISTI CVB welcome, nomatterwhere you go. along theGreat more then400speciesofbirdstobewatched There issomeofthebestgolfinw the mountainsandloungingonbeach. restored mainstreetsandto countless smallcommunitieswithproudly San Antonio andHouston,thereare w life here. that have lefttheiruniquestampontheway of But therearealso26ethnicculturesin Texas restaurants andmusichallsacrossthestate. gleaming urbanareasofDallas/F facilities. elegant performing There arethe galleries, uniquemuseumsand exquisite art T It's so much more thanyouthink It's somuchmore Texas designated viewing areas. self-guided route thatfeatures Coastal Birding Trail isan800-kilometre, America togobirding. TheGreat Texas Texas isoneofthebestplaces inNorth 4 hose baronsha TEXAS • October2006 Canadian Traveller Best ofall,thereisal There isridingintherollinghills,hiking There istheroughandtumble oilindustry in guestranches,museums, the fabled western culturealive to know where tostart. There is and experience in Texas itishard here really issomuchtosee,do T e v xas CoastalBirding e spent theirw w ays awarm Texas wn squares. or orld. ealth on t W T orth, And rail. 52 Or visitthe W the Old ranches tions. skills andgetatasteofauthenticcowboy tradi- tality theseranchesletyou testyour cowboy city slickers. With plentyof Western hospi- Historical Museum King Ranch Saddle upandheadtooneofalmost100 West isBest the saddle,duderanchguestscanlieb peaceful shoresoflocallak canyons totherugged country andthe from thewildflower meadows ofthehill the Hall ofFame Western culturevisit their g andget pool, spinatalearoundcampfire Center inLangtr located atmajorhighway entrances to Texas; oneisinHarlingen; oneis intheJudge Roy Bean Visitor Depar on travelGet moreInformation to visitwww.TravelTex.com.TheTexas by calling 1-888-297-9472,or Texas or Dude ranches Ranching notquitefory T th. It'sthelar e Information Standard the sameas thanEastern andonehourearlier TexasWinnipeg isonCentralStandard Time, T betw Fall daytime highsaverage inthemidto upper20sandlows run into theteenstosouth. usually mildwithda are Winters CduringJulyand August. entire stateexperiencesdaytime highsinover 32° Almostthe butwithonepredominantcharacteristic –sunshine. climateisvaried, Texas’ Climate Texas Facts influences tothefood, andcustomsof art settled in P One State,ManyCultures through the20sgetting moving tothesouth. warmer fromthenorth xas ranchingle r eople fromallover theworld have tment of ime ub fromthechuckw in Texas thatwelcome guests,even een 5 W National Co est atthe on theGulfCoastandseewhere in Fort Worth. Experiencelifein T T T ° y; andoneisonthe g e asotto prts1 iio nomto ete hogottesae Eightare centresthroughoutthestate. operates 11visitorinformation ransportation ime, gest honk xas, addingtheiro C are sprinkledallover Texas and 15 Billy Bob's Texas except forElP gend began. near gr uemand wgirl Museum P tm ihtmeaueaeae agn rmls hn1°Cnorth ytime hightemperatureaverages rangingfromlessthan10° y Amarillo. Tourthe ° anhandle-Plains agon. es. ou? F tonk inthew C. Springtime (March-June)hasdaytime highaverages thatrange After ada or atasteof wn distinct aso w rounds ofthe in Fort guest y hich isonMountain orld. y the in T exas StateCapitol in site oftheannual more than100live music venues. Itisalsothe Day “Li Austin, thestatecapital,isalsokno spaces alongwithali house galleries, museumsandperformance special areasintheirdowntown corethat F the state.From ate andhow they to contributed Texas society. immig abouthow inthestate.Learn and culturalgroups rich variety of exhibits highlightall26ethnic to Institute of Texan Cultures A their designated One oftheuniquethingsabout Texas citiesis Fine Ar enjoy theirhospitalityandtraditions. that call Texas welcome home everyone to big in Texas, the18-day Hispanic religiousfestivals to or ustin CityLimits Wurstfest Then thereisthemusic– Texas-style. One ofthebestplacestoseeitallisat Li t v Worth, HoustonandSan Antonio allhave parades, thedifferent ethniccommunities e ving uptothereputationofdoingthings rants ar Music Capitalofthe World” andhas ts, FinePlaces T ime. , ri a Chinese New Year v celebration ofsausage,from ed cultural districts A , South by Southwest ustin.All boast access. WiFi ustin.All how they lived, what they music festi v ely nightlife. in San Antonio. A Kerrville Folk vals. t Patrick's St. celebrations wn asthe . Dallas, and

AUSTIN CVB With more than 900 courses to play, Surf's Up! Texas is one of the top golf destina- The beaches of the Texas Gulf Coast are tions in the U.S. Choose from a wide warm, scenic and plentiful. So pack your range of layouts that match every swimsuit, snorkel, bucket and shovel, and level of play or take a tour of the head to the white sandy shores of Texas. world’s best at Tour 18 in both On Galveston Island there is always Dallas/Fort Worth and Houston. something going on from volleyball tourna- ments to seaside concerts. In Corpus Christi play on the beach When you visit the South Texas Plains then visit the Texas State Aquarium to see region play The Quarry Golf Club in San life below the Gulf Coast waters. Head over Antonio. Its back nine descends into a lime- to Padre Island and the Padre Island Nat- stone quarry. ional Seashore and see native plants and The Prairies and Lakes region boasts the animals including the endangered Kemp's Robert Trent Jones Jr.-designed course at the Ridley sea turtle. Mill Creek Golf Resort and Country Club Port Aransas is on Mustang Island and is near Salado. one of the few beaches in the U.S. where visitors Down on the Gulf Coast, the beautiful can go horseback riding along the beach. Columbia Lakes Resort outside Houston is set The booming resort town of South on a plantation. Padre Island attracts many "Winter Texans" PGA Tour The ultimate golf tourist attraction is Tour from Canada with its semi-tropical climate 18, located in both Houston and Dallas/Fort and swaying palm trees. d Stops in Texas Worth, where you can take a virtual tour of • The Shell Houston Open, Houston some of the most challenging and famous • The EDS Byron Nelson Classic, Irving holes in the world. Texas culture and history were influ- • The Bank of America Colonial, Fort Worth enced by 26 ethnic and cultural groups • The Valero Texas Open at La Cantera, Texas Outdoors that settled in the state. Discover this San Antonio Birders know that Texas is one of the best rich heritage in festivals, restaurants • The Kinko’s Classic,Austin places in North America to spot more than and heritage sites, or at the Institute • The SBC Championship, San Antonio 400 documented bird species. And the best of Texan Cultures in San Antonio. place to see them is the Great Texas Coastal Festival attracts more than 100 live singer/ Birding Trail, an 800-kilometre self-guided songwriters and their bands. route that has designated viewing areas. Lubbock's lively Depot District is the home There's more than just birding in Texas. of the Buddy Holly Center and the Buddy Deep sea fishing in Gulf Coast waters is Holly Symposium and Music Showcase. some of the finest anywhere. Sport species include sailfish, marlin, king mackerel and Texas Tee Time pompano. On shore, pier fishing and surf With more than 900 courses throughout the fishing are very popular. state, there is huge variety of terrain and Freshwater anglers head to Caddo Lake in every level of play in Texas. Here are some East Texas where record species include large- regional highlights. mouth bass and sunfish. In the Panhandle Plains tee off at the Off the water Big Bend National Park Quicksand Golf Course in San Angelo. is a hiker's paradise with several hundred Big Bend courses include the Painted kilometres of trails along with mountain trail Dunes in El Paso, and Marfa's municipal horseback riding and rafting or kayaking course which at 1,425 metres is the highest through the canyons of the Rio Grande River. in the state. At Big Bend Ranch State Park join a Bandera, in the Texas Hill Country, is home longhorn roundup in the spring and fall, to the Lost Valley Resort Ranch. or a photography tour in the spring. B V

Deep in the Piney Woods the Waterwood In Palo Duro Canyon State Park activities C N O T

National Resort course near Huntsville is include camping, horseback riding, hiking, S U O ranked as one of the best in the state. fishing, mountain biking and scenic drives. H

53 Canadian Traveller • October 2006 • TEXAS 5 Texas Signature Events Fruit, flowers and all sorts of fun 2006 Dickens on the Strand: Enjoy a Victorian-era May October holiday festival. The Strand National Historic Kerrville Folk Festival: Nationally recognized Landmark District in Galveston. State Fair of Texas: Highlights include the live music festival features 18 days of Seashore Marketplace: Enjoy Christmas carnival, the Texas Star ferris wheel, live enter- songwriting competitions and schools, children’s shopping on the beach. Includes marketplace tainment, Texas-Oklahoma football game, arts activities, camping and more. In Kerrville. and live music. Balli Park Pavilion on North exhibits, parade, livestock shows, fireworks and Padre Island. June Big Tex. In Dallas. Texas Folklife Festival: Celebrates the ethnic Texas Rose Festival: Enjoy the peak of Tyler’s strength, rich cultural heritage and dynamic famous rose season with a rose parade, queen 2007 pioneering spirit of Texas. In San Antonio. coronation, floral shows and “Palette of Roses” January Texas! Colourful Texas Panhandle history is art show. In Tyler. Texas Citrus Fiesta: Celebrate the Rio told in song, dance and drama at Palo Duro Texas Butterfly Festival:Features field trips and Grande Valley’s rich citrus industry and Canyon State Park’s dramatic outdoor Pioneer seminars by world-renowned experts, children's Texas’own Ruby Red grapefruit. In Mission. Amphitheater. In Canyon. activities, butterfly conservation, South Texas February barbecue, and costume parade. In Mission. September Mardi Gras! A traditional Mardi Gras November celebration with a touch of carnival style Hummer/Bird Celebration: Celebrates the spectacular fall migration of hundreds of ruby- Wurstfest: Unique German/Texan festival rich featuring more than 75 events, including throated hummingbirds en route to Mexico in culture and full of fun. In New Braunfels. parades, costumed balls, parties, sporting events and Central America. In Fulton. Texas Renaissance Festival: The sights, and exhibits. In Galveston. Marfa Lights Festival: An annual event sounds, tastes and beauty of a 16th-century March celebrating the mysterious Marfa Lights with English village. In Plantersville. food and crafts booths, a main street parade, 40th Terlingua International Chili Champ- South by Southwest Music & Media Con- contests, concerts and street dances. In Marfa. ionship: Features live bands all weekend. Beans, ference: Prestigious national music and film hot wings and salsa competitions are Friday. industry event. In Austin. For more information on these and all of the Chili Championship is Saturday. Near Terlingua. April other Texas events visit www.TravelTex.com. d December Buccaneer Days: Celebrates Corpus Wonderland of Lights: More than 10 million Christi’s history as a hideaway for

pirates. In Corpus Christi. M S lights shine throughout the city. In Marshall. I R

Fiesta San Antonio: Citywide U O

Fiesta de las Luminarias: More than 2,500 T S

celebration of culture, heritage and A X luminarias line the San Antonio River. Along E T the Riverwalk in San Antonio. spirit. In San Antonio.

Rodeos • 76th Annual Southwestern Livestock When it comes to intense, bone-jarring rodeo Show and Rodeo, February,El Paso action, there's no place like Texas.What was once • San Antonio Stock Show and Rodeo, a competition to test ranch skills is now one of the February,San Antonio Lone Star State's most popular sporting contests. • Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, Rodeo is a year-round sport, and you can find the March, Houston live,heart-stopping action somewhere in the state • Star of Texas Fair and PRCA Rodeo, March,Austin every single month. Family friendly,these destina- There’s no place like Texas to experi- • Western Heritage Classic, May, Abilene ence the real cowboy culture. Rodeos tions offer the perfect combination of relaxation • West of the Pecos Rodeo, July, Pecos and recreation – cowboy style! Here are some take place in communities large and • XIT Rodeo and Reunion,August, Dalhart small all across the state all year long Signature Texas Rodeo and Livestock Show Events. • WRCA World Championship Ranch and welcome visitors who want to • Southwestern Exposition, Livestock Show and Rodeo, November, Amarillo Rodeo, January, Fort Worth catch the bone-jarring action of these popular sporting contests.

6 TEXAS • October 2006 • Canadian Traveller 54 THE STATE OF TEXAS

Index Find our miles of seemingly endless coastlines. Find our white sand, our blue skies and our Gulf winds Another seashell found ...... I-3 teasing your senses. Find another story. Find the Another seashell found ...... I-5 unexpected. Find it in Texas. For more information about Texas, Another seashell found ...... I-2 call 1-888-297-9472 or visit Another chapter written ...... F-2 TravelTex.com.

www.TravelTex.com/I-3 1 0 1 1000 0 1000 2000 3000 4000 www.TravelTex.com/I-5 150 1 www.TravelTex.com/I-2 www.TravelTex.com/F-2 DALLAS CVB Prairies & Lakes Town & Country

ipping south from the Red River examine the life, times and death of through the heartland of Texas, John F. Kennedy. the Prairies & Lakes region Shoppers hit the aisles at the Dallas contains something of all the Farmers Market, while the city’s other regions within its borders. entertainment districts of Deep Ellum, DThe countryside boasts forests, prairies, rolling Greenville Avenue, Knox-Henderson hills, lush pastures and colourful wildflower and Uptown offer a wide variety of meadows with bustling ranches and tranquil restaurants, bars and nightclubs. farms, picturesque town squares, quiet railroad In Dallas, art and culture are almost towns and intriguing historic sites. Some 50 as big an attraction as shopping. popular lakes and reservoirs provide a host of Collector and philanthropist, Raymond recreational opportunities while the agglomer- Nasher, and his late wife Patsy, ation of cities and communities that form the sponsored the 70-million dollar Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex fairly bursts with Nasher Sculpture Center, located in energy, sophistication and cultural elegance. the Dallas Arts District.Art lovers also appreciate the collections at the Dallas Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex Museum of Art, and the Meadows It’s hard for visitors to know where to start. One Museum. The Latino Cultural surefire choice is Fair Park, a 112-hectare site Center is humming with multicultural that is not only home to The State Fair of Texas, activities and arts. Music, classical and the largest exposition in North America, but also contemporary, fills the Morton H. to an eclectic assemblage of museums and Meyerson Symphony Center. It’s hard to know where to start on a visit to attractions. The Women’s Museum: An Take a circle tour heading north from Dallas. Fair Park houses The Women’s Museum, Institute for the Future chronicles the lives of Dallas along Interstate 35E to Farmers African American Museum, Age of Steam Railroad American women through an array of inter- Branch. Tour the Farmers Branch Museum, Dallas Aquarium, Science Place and the active exhibits. The African American Historical Park with its many old Museum of Natural History. Museum displays an impressive collection of buildings, including the oldest rock African and African-American art. You can house in the U.S., then continue on to Lewisville the bar in Billy Bob’s Texas, the largest honky- relive the golden age of passenger train travel at and Tour 18 and Tribute Golf Courses where tonk in the world. Speed fans can catch motor the Age of Steam Railroad Museum or see famous holes from U.S. and Scottish golf racing at the Texas Motor Speedway. more than 5,000 aquatic creatures from around courses are recreated, and water sports fans go View the extensive collection of works from the world at the Dallas Aquarium. The Hall of for recreational activities on Lewisville Lake. around the world at the stunning Kimbell Art State is a national landmark that celebrates the At Denton visit Downtown Square, listed on Museum. The Modern Art Museum of Fort history of Texas while dinosaur remains and the National Register of Historic Places, and the Worth focuses on modern and contemporary dioramas of Texas plant and animal life are University of North Texas Sky Theater American and European works, while the Sid displayed at the Museum of Natural History. Planetarium. Richardson Collection of Western Art and Enjoy hands-on and participatory exhibits on From Denton circle south on Interstate 35W the Amon Carter Museum both exhibit science and technology at the Science Place to Fort Worth. In “Cowtown” visit the pieces by Frederic Remington, Charles Russell and TI Founders IMAX Theatre. Stockyards National Historic District to see and other Western artists. The Bureau of Kids love the Dallas Children’s Museum, the Stockyards, the Livestock Exchange, a Engraving and Printing has the local cultural the Dallas Zoo, the Dallas World Aquarium museum and specialty shops and restaurants. scene drowning in cash. and the NRH2O Water Park. Take an outdoor seat at a Stockyards Station From Fort Worth head east along Interstate Sports fans know their teams – NHL Dallas restaurant and see the twice-daily cattle drive 30 to Arlington, home of the Texas Rangers of Stars, NBA Dallas Mavericks,Arena Football’s through town. Major League Baseball. Let the kids cool off at Dallas Desperados and MLS FC Dallas. The National Cowgirl Museum and Hall Six Flags Over Texas and Six Flags Hurricane History buffs head to The Sixth Floor of Fame explores the lives of women in the Harbor. Continue on to Grand Prairie and Museum at Dealey Plaza where they can American West. Country music fans belly up to play the ponies at Lone Star Park at Grand

8 TEXAS • October 2006 • Canadian Traveller 56 Prairie, or see the Chamber of Horrors at the its claim to fame at the Eisenhower Birthplace Waco is perhaps most famous as the place Palace of Wax Museum & Ripley’s Believe It State Historic Site, where Dwight D. was born where Dr Pepper was created in 1885. Visit Or Not! Stop at Irving, the home of the NFL in 1890. Tour the Red River Railroad the Dr Pepper Museum to learn about the Dallas Cowboys, and have a bite to eat at one of Museum and the 19 structures at the Grayson soft drink’s history, then head to the Texas the restaurants along the charming Mandalay County Frontier Village to catch a glimpse of Ranger Hall of Fame and Museum to Canal before arriving back at Dallas. life in days gone by. discover the stories of famous lawmen, and Also within an easy drive of Dallas are Circling to the east from Sherman, the town the Texas Sports Hall of Fame where state Addison and the Cavanaugh Flight Museum of Bonham boasts four museums and two sports heroes come to life. with its collection of restored war planes. historical tours. Fannin County Museum of Continue along Interstate 35 to Temple and History offers a look at local history, while the visit the Slovanska Podpanujici Jednota Statu Highway 75 Sam Rayburn House Museum looks at the Texas Museum of Czech Heritage, the Along U.S. Highway 75 are the communities of life of this famous politician. Continue east to Medicine and Science Discovery Center, and Richardson and its concentration of telecom- Paris and see the Eiffel Tower Texas-Style. the Santa Fe Depot Railroad and Heritage munications companies, where you can see farm Continue the circle via U.S. 271 and Museum. Take a side trip to Killeen for a look heritage at the Owens Spring Creek Farm, and Interstate 30 to Sulphur Springs, and a tour of at military history at the First Cavalry Division Plano, the Hot Air Balloon Capital of Texas and the Southwest Dairy Center to learn about and the Fourth Infantry Division museums. site of the famous Southfork Ranch, the set for the local dairy industry. Before returning to From Waco travellers can take U.S. 77 to La the popular television show, Dallas. Dallas stop at Greenville for a tour of the Grange and tour the Texas Czech Heritage and Further along U.S. 75 stop at Sherman, American Cotton Museum or Mathews Cultural Center or visit the Winedale Historical Prairie Preserve. Center. Or, drive along Texas Highway 6 to the twin cities of Bryan-College Station. Interstate 45 Nestled in the lush Brazos River Valley, the Follow Interstate 45 to Ennis, settled by two cities are home to Texas A&M University, Czech immigrants. See the Railroad and the first public institution of higher learning in Cultural Heritage Museum and take in a Texas, established in 1876. Tour the Brazos race at the Texas Motorplex. Further along Valley Museum of Natural History and learn the highway is Corsicana. Shop for goodies about local geography, geology and wildlife. at the renowned Collin Street Bakery, the Visit the George Bush Presidential Library Fruitcake Capital of the World and tour and Museum and discover the achievements Pioneer Village, a living history museum. and challenges of Bush Sr.’s presidency. The

N A side trip off Interstate 45 leads to Athens, accomplishments of the renowned Corps of U A R

B where the hamburger was invented in the early Cadets are on display at the Sam Houston Y N N

E 1900s. Visit the Texas Freshwater Fisheries Sanders Corps of Cadets Center. K / M S

I Center, a most unusual aquarium. Another side Brenham sits on Texas 290 and is the R U O

T trip off the route goes to Palestine and the Birthplace of Texas. Visit the Washington- S A X

E Museum for East Texas Culture, the on-the-Brazos State Historical Park and T Scientific Balloon Facility and the Texas State see where the Texas Declaration of The Stockyards are one of Fort Worth’s Railroad and State Historical Park, where Independence was signed in 1836, as well most famous attractions, but fine art visitors can board a steam train for a 40- as three other historical buildings. Visit the lovers revel in a large number of kilometre trip through the countryside. Blue Bell Creameries for a tour and choices: Modern Art Museum of Fort samples of ice cream. Worth, Sid Richardson Collection of Interstate 35 In the southwest corner of the region Western Art, Amon Carter Museum and Interstate 35 heads south from both Dallas Gonzales on U.S. 183 is where the first the Kimbell Art Museum. and Fort Worth. A sidetrip to the southwest of shot in the Texas Revolution was fired. Fort Worth leads to Granbury. Stroll the Visit the Gonzales Memorial Museum, named for Sidney Sherman, the Texas cavalry Town Square, listed on the National Register the Gonzales Pioneer Village, and the Old officer who urged his men to “Remember the of Historic Places, and take in the Granbury County Jail Museum for a look at the Alamo” at the Battle of San Jacinto. Visit the Live musical variety shows. Take another past. Seguin, on Interstate 10 boasts the Red River Historical Museum of Sherman sidetrip to Glen Rose where you can walk in Heritage Museum chronicling the contri- and see exhibits on the history of the area. the footsteps of dinosaurs at the Dinosaur butions of German immigrants, the Birders go to the Hagerman National Wildlife Valley State Park and see free-roaming Sebastopol State Historic Site as well as Refuge, ideally situated along the Central native and exotic animals at the Fossil Rim the Friedler Museum and Memorial Flyway. Further north, Denison commemorates Wildlife Center. Rock Garden. d

57 Canadian Traveller • October 2006 • TEXAS 9 Big Bend Country The Great Southwest

This is the land of Texan lore – scenic, rugged In Langtry, visit the Judge Roy Bean expanses and immense sunsets. Visitor Center and learn about the revered Judge's life. Or, take a guided tour of the Indian Interstate 20 pictographs in Seminole Canyon State Midland, a mix of cosmopolitan features and Historical Park. small town comforts, is the first stop in the Alpine sits at the junction of U.S. 90 and region along the northern Interstate 20 route. Texas Highway 118. Take a walking tour of Visit the American Airpower Heritage historic downtown, hunt for semi-precious Museum and learn about Second World War stones at the Woodward Agate Ranch, and airpower. At the Fredda Turner Durham see geological exhibits at the Museum of the Children's Museum kids can use their imagi- Big Bend. nation. The Museum of the Southwest hosts Drive north from Alpine along Texas 118 to N permanent, temporary and travelling shows and Fort Davis. The Chihuahuan Desert Visitor U El Paso offers fine dining, historic sites A R B the Marian Blakemore Planetarium is a great Center documents the desert's flora and fauna. Y

and museums like the El Paso Museum N N E K place to learn about the history of astronomy. Follow the trails in Davis Mountains State of Art, where the permanent collection / M S I

The interactive Permian Basin Petroleum Park through several different vegetation R

contains 13th- to 18th-century European U O T

Museum takes you step-by-step through the zones. Fort Davis National Historic Site S

art, 18th- and 19th-century American art A X E search for oil. features five refurbished buildings, a museum and Mexican colonial art. T The next stop along Interstate 20 is and a visitors centre. Go star-gazing at the Odessa.The Globe of the Great Southwest McDonald Observatory. Chinati Foundation, view large sculpture is a replica of Shakespeare's London theatre. Drive south from Alpine along Texas 118 to works by contemporary artists. See ranch life in the 1930s at the Parker the towns of Lajitas and Terlingua and Big From Marfa head south along U.S. Highway House Museum. Learn about the office of Bend National Park. Lajitas has been reborn 67 to Presidio, a popular departure point for President and presidential campaigns at the as a frontier town, complete with boardwalks, tours of Mexico's Copper Canyon.Take a drive Presidential Museum. At the White-Pool while Terlingua has its roots in an abandoned along the Camino del Rio, a breathtakingly House Museum displays offer a look at quicksilver mine and offers shopping and beautiful route to Lajitas. Odessa's history and the Ellen Noel Art dining. Both communities service outdoor Museum of the Permian Basin shows adventurers heading to Big Bend, offering tours, El Paso historical and contemporary art. guides and outfitters. Visit Hallie's Hall of Anchoring the far northwest corner of the region, Pecos is the home of the West of the Pecos Fame Museum and learn about a pioneering El Paso offers fine dining, shopping, museums Rodeo, the world's first rodeo, staged since family and its legendary matriarch Hallie and historic sites. The new El Paso Museum of 1883. The Maxey Park and Zoo is a great place Crawford Stillwell. History is scheduled to open in late Fall, 2006. for kids while the West of the Pecos Museum The Barton Warnock Environmental The Natural History Museum of El Paso boasts three floors of Wild West memorabilia. Education Center serves as the interpretive features more than 300 exhibits. Other cultural centre for Big Bend, offering exhibits, gardens attractions include the El Paso Museum of Art, Highway 90 and seminars. and the International Museum of Art. For a more leisurely trip follow U.S. Highway Big Bend National Park features desert Hands-on exhibits at the Insights-El Paso 90 out of San Antonio past an eclectic string of scrub, rock canyons, mountains, 75 species of Science Center make science and technology interesting communities. mammals and 450 species of birds (more than subjects easy to understand. The Ysleta del Sur Del Rio is for nature lovers. Fish, dive, camp, any other national park), to the delight of hikers, Pueblo contains an arts and crafts centre and swim, water ski, houseboat and birdwatch on horseback riders, rafters and outdoor enthusiasts. museum on the Tigua Indian Reservation. Lake Amistad in the Amistad National The park’s 20 trails range from 1.5 kilometres to Visit several Old Missions in the area, Recreational Area. For more urban pleasures, more than 32 and include everything from which predate all other missions in Texas walk across the toll bridge for shopping and moderately easy strolls to serious climbs. and California. dining in Ciudad Acuña, Mexico. The West of Alpine on U.S. 90 is Marfa, Board the Border Jumper trolley and go Whitehead Memorial Museum is a complex famous for its mysterious lights; glowing shopping and dining in Ciudad Juárez, of 13 historic buildings that traces local history. balls that dance across the night sky. At the Mexico. d

10 TEXAS • October 2006 • Canadian Traveller 58 Panhandle Plains Typically Texan

n northern Texas, the Panhandle Plains Or shop for antiques in Old San Jacinto, part of boasts the most comprehensive collection of region is the mental picture most people the Historic Route 66 Antique District, and view primary source materials on the Vietnam War, conjure when they think of the Lone art from European masters to American modern outside of the U.S. government holdings, at the Star State. The wide plains, open and works in the six galleries of the Amarillo Vietnam Archives. seemingly empty as a vast inland sea, Museum of Art. Don't miss a photo op at the Lubbock is also home to a legendary Imove the soul and leave you grasping for Cadillac Ranch, an outdoor sculpture made music scene in its Historic Depot District. words. This is authentic cowboy country, from vintage Cadillacs. Rock ’n roll icon and local favourite son, seasoned by the rich western heritage that gives Buddy Holly, is honoured at the Buddy the Panhandle a flavour all its own. Interstate 27 Holly Center and the Walk of Fame, recog- South of Amarillo is Canyon, home to West nizes home-grown music stars. Highway 287 Texas A&M University and the wonderful You can also check out Mackenzie Park, a Wichita Falls boasts a symphony, ballet, Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum. Tour Prairie Dog Town and family amusement park; dinner theatre and plenty of live entertainment the Museum's "Pioneer Town" and learn about the National Ranching Heritage Center, where to the delight of fans of the performing arts. the natural and human history of the region. Palo a collection of buildings depicts the early days of The historic Wichita Theatre and Opry Duro Canyon State Park is the place to see the Panhandle ranching; and Science Spectrum, House is the hub of the arts and Kell House, "Grand Canyon of Texas", the second largest where science is fun in interactive exhibits. a restored mansion, offers a look at gracious canyon in the United States, as well as TEXAS!, For a change of pace, stop in for a taste of living in the past. The Railroad Museum’s the musical theatre production staged on the award-winning wines at area wineries. vintage railcars recall the nostalgia of train Canyon floor every summer. travel and the Wichita Falls Museum & Art Hereford, southwest of Canyon, is known Interstate 20 Center has hands-on science fun. as the Cattle Capital of the World, shipping two Visitors to Abilene can tour Frontier Texas, a Founded in 1887 at the junction of two million head of cattle annually. Don't miss the state-of-the-art centre that puts you back into the railroads, Amarillo was once the world’s biggest Deaf Smith County Historical Museum, days of the Old West, then head to the Abilene cattle-shipping centre. Today you can see the named for the commander of Sam Houston's Zoo and see animals from the plains of Texas business end of ranching at the Amarillo scouts at the Battle of San Jacinto. and Africa plus five different biomes in the Livestock Auction.The cowboy legacy is strong Lubbock is an ideal site for the world's Discovery Center. The Buffalo Gap Historic here and you can learn about the development of largest collection of windmills. The American Village, once a stop on the Dodge Cattle Trail, is the American quarter horse breed at the Wind Power Center tells the story of how the the site of century-old buildings. The Grace American Quarter Horse Heritage Center. windmill settled the West. The town also Museum, actually comprised of three museums, is housed in a 1909 former hotel, and Dyess Air Force Base houses a collection of military aircraft exhibits. Early aspects of Texas life are displayed in San Angelo, a community that developed around the frontier site of Fort Concho. Fort Concho National Historic Landmark is recognized as the largest and best-preserved 19th-century U.S. Army Fort. Concho Avenue, N U

A the first street in downtown San Angelo, features R B

Y Miss Hattie's Best Little Bordello Museum in N N E K / Texas, which recalls the bawdy history of this M S I

R "gentleman's social center." On a more refined U O T

S note, the San Angelo Museum of Fine Arts A X E T encompasses three gallery spaces and a rooftop Take a step back in time in Abilene. Frontier Texas (above) takes you back to sculpture garden. Telephone enthusiasts can the days of the Old West, Buffalo Gap Historic Village was a stop on the dodge check out the collection at the E. H. Danner cattle Trial and Grace Museum is housed in a former hotel, circa 1909. Museum of Telephony Models. d

59 Canadian Traveller • October 2006 • TEXAS 11 Texas Hill Country Central Paradise

ver the years, legions of warbler and black-capped vireo find a is renowned as the “Live Music Capital of the travellers have fallen for the welcome haven. When you’re in the mood World,” boasting more than 100 live music Texas Hill Country. Cool for action, there’s golf, tennis, swimming, venues that cater to blues, Latino, folk, mountain lakes, serene val- biking, and hiking. When you’re not, there’s rock/alternative, jazz and, especially, country. leys, cedar-studded hills and a scenic hilltop where you can just sit and The PBS program Austin City Limits has clear-runningO rivers characterize the heart of contemplate the universe. spawned the Austin City Limits Music Texas where the terrain varies from hilly to You’ll find plenty to stimulate your mind Festival, held every September. And many undulating to downright flat. Bordered on the in the region’s fascinating museums, thrilling Canadian groups have appeared in Austin’s east and south by the Balcones Escarpment theatrical performances, and numerous South by Southwest Festival which will and on the west and north by plains and historical sites. And wine lovers are in for a celebrate its 21st anniversary in March 2007 prairies, the Hill Country embraces both the pleasant surprise visiting the vineyards and with nearly 24 hours of live music daily and geographical centre of the state, at Brady, and wineries on the Hill Country Wine Trail. showcasing artists from around the world. the capital city of Austin. Wave after wave of While shoppers are in for a treat of their own The capital city is also rich in history. European immigrants have fallen for the in the multitude of arts-and-crafts shops in the Both Congress Avenue and Sixth Street region’s charms and left their mark on heart of the hills and the clusters of factory- are National Historic Register Districts that communities like Fredericksburg, New direct outlet stores along Interstate 35. feature modern skyscrapers alongside Braunfels and Stonewall. ornate 19th-century buildings. Here you can live your outdoor fantasies Austin Famous citizens have been commemorated in the spacious parks, lakes and rivers, A city of contrasts, known for being down- at the Lyndon Baines Johnson Library and trails, and fabled hills, where rare songbirds home and sophisticated, laid-back yet highly Museum, which chronicles the life of the like the endangered golden-cheeked energetic, traditional and avant-garde, Austin famous Texas politician; the O. Henry Home and Museum, the Victorian cottage that was home to the short-story writer; and the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, dedicated to the preservation of native plants, and the former first lady’s commitment to the environment. At the Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum, three floors of interactive exhibits, a multimedia theatre and rare artifacts tell the story of Texas. Tour the State Capitol of Texas and the nearby Governor’s Mansion and learn about Texas history and state government. Other city attractions include the Umlauf Sculpture Gardens, one of the city’s best- kept secrets, the Austin Children’s Museum, the Austin Nature & Science Center, the Austin Zoo, Barton Springs, the Blanton Museum, Harry Ransom Center, and the Congress Avenue Bridge Bats, the largest urban bat colony in North America. B V C N

I Highway 29 T S U A From Austin, travellers can head north to Texas Hill Country is where President Lyndon Johnson grew up. Discover his Burnet. Stroll along 20 kilometres of bird, legacy at the Lyndon Baines Johnson Library and Museum in Austin (above), the butterfly and nature trails at the Canyon of the Lyndon Baines Johnson National Historic Park in Johnson City and the Lyndon B. Eagles Lodge and Nature Park or join a Johnson State Park and Historic Site in Stonewall. guided excursion on a Vanishing Texas River

12 TEXAS • October 2006 • Canadian Traveller 60 Hill Country Wine Trail Check out the new releases or revisit old favourites – you’ll find all the styles Bluebonnets bloom in profusion and you’ll want to pack a picnic lunch and from Bordeaux and Rhone to Tuscany and Rhine – but with a special Texas raise your glass in a toast to the beauty of spring-green vineyards as you linger touch. The 16 wineries on the Hill Country Wine Trail are scattered in a on the winery patio.The Harvest Wine Trail in August celebrates the freshly wedge roughly encompassed by the communities of Bend,on the Colorado harvested vineyards and wineries rich with the earthy smell of new wine.You River to the north, Fredericksburg in the west, Austin in the east and New can even join in the fun at a traditional grape stomp. Sample the new Braunfels in the south.You’re welcome to visit any time,however five special releases in October with the Texas Wine Month Passport Trail as autumn Trail Events scheduled throughout the year are planned to enhance your begins in the Hill Country.You’ll receive a collector’s T-shirt with your passport experience.All of the Trails are self-guided driving tours. and become eligible for a special draw with stamps from 10 of the 16 February starts the season with the Wine Lover’s Trail that coincides wineries.The year wraps up on a festive note.The December Holiday Wine with Valentine’s Day. Drive through sleeping vineyards, enjoy a sweetheart Trail sees wineries decked in their party finery and filled with wine-related dinner with selected food pairings and finish up with wine and chocolates. gift ideas. Join the parties and special dinners and launch your holiday April marks the season of rebirth with the Wine & Wildflower Trail. season in style.

Cruise. Head to Longhorn Cavern State Park Civil War Confederate gunpowder factory and Interstate 35 and tour this natural wonder that once housed a a 1920s nightclub. Further along, in San Marcos, visit the

ituated along the banks of the Colorado River in Texas, only 13 miles east of the Austin Bergstrom SInternational Airport, Hyatt Regency Lost Pines Resort and Spa combines a natural beauty revered by early Native Americans with a colorful history rooted in pre-Republic Texas. Offering amenities for every interest, along with 405 acres of diverse Texas terrain and an adjoining 1,100-acre nature park, the resort offers guests a true, luxurious Texas wilderness escape.

• Spa Django full-service spa, salon and • Eight dining options including elegant dining fitness center with picturesque pecan tree-shaded views, • Wolfdancer Golf Club with 18-hole Texas barbeque and live music, poolside championship golf course fare, margaritas and more • A waterpark featuring lavish pools, an • A short drive from Austin – the Live Music 1,100-foot crooked river and water slide Capital of the World – and historic town • Outdoor activities including horseback riding, of Bastrop kayaking, rafting, hiking and fly-fishing www.lostpines.hyatt.com 800-55-HYATT

61 Canadian Traveller • October 2006 • TEXAS 13 Aquarena Center and board a glass-bottom contains the Johnson Ranch, the family canoeing, inner tubing, fishing and swimming. boat tour of the headwaters of the San Marcos cemetery and the “Texas White House”. Visit Visit the Aviation Museum of Texas, and the River. Take a guided tour of the huge under- the Exotic Resort Zoo and take a guided safari Garner Memorial Museum. ground cave at Wonder World Park. Browse to see exotic animals from around the world. The “Cowboy Capital of the World” is the aisles at the largest factory outlet complex Stonewall is the “Peach Center of Texas”. It located in Bandera, famous for its local ranches in the state. also happens to be the birthplace of Lyndon B. and the number of championship rodeo cowboys New Braunfels was founded in 1845 by Johnson. Visit the interpretive centre at the that were born here. Become a “dude” for a day German immigrants on the banks of the Comal Lyndon B. Johnson State Park and Historic at any of the many guest ranches. The Frontier and Guadalupe rivers, and boasts lovingly Site and see a video on LBJ, then board a bus for Times Museum is an eclectic place where you’ll preserved heritage attractions and plenty of the LBJ National Historical Park. The Sauer- find vintage firearms, a shrunken head and a water sports like tubing and rafting. Don’t miss Beckmann Farmstead, a living-history farm is collection of 400 bells from around the world. the Wurstfest in November. Visit the New also on the site. Boerne was established in 1849 as a Braunfels Museum of Art and Music, the In Fredericksburg see marvelous examples utopian society. Today visitors can tour the Children’s Museum, the Lindheimer Home of fachwerk, the limestone construction method Cascade Caverns and the Kuhlmann-King and historic Gruene. favoured by the town’s German immigrants and Historical House. the Pioneer Museum Complex that preserves With its scenic beauty, lush green hills, mild Highway 290 its past. Head to the Admiral Nimitz State climate and abundance of wildlife, Kerrville is a Johnson City is best known for the Lyndon Historic Site and the National Museum of the popular getaway. Stop in at the National Center Baines Johnson National Historic Park. Pacific War for some Second World War history. for American WesternArt.The Kerrville Folk Divided into two districts, the Johnson City Festival begins on the Memorial Day weekend District includes Johnson’s boyhood home, Interstate 10 in May. This 18-day event attracts more than 100 while the LBJ Ranch District in Stonewall Close to three rivers, Uvalde is a great spot for singer/songwriters and their fans. d

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14 TEXAS • October 2006 • Canadian Traveller 62 South Texas Plains Multicultural Mix

he Rio Grande River forms the western flank of a sunny, pie- shaped region that fans out from the border town of Mercedes to include Goliad, TSan Antonio and Eagle Pass.

Rio Grande Valley D R O F F A

McAllen is the epicenter of ecotouring with T S G I six wildlife refuges less than an hour away. A R C / B

Driving through extensive citrus groves V C A toward Mission, you can reach the World S Birding Center and the North American San Antonio’s colourful Paseo del Rio (River Walk) meanders for several Butterfly Association’s International kilometers below street level along the San Antonio River. Restaurants, bars, Butterfly Park where native flora attracts shops and hotels line the walk. A guided boat tour offers a different perspective. more than 290 brilliantly coloured species. Or head to the town of Alamo where the Santa Rivercenter and view Alamo –The Price of Conservatory; guided tours of Natural Bridge Ana National Wildlife Refuge preserves the Freedom a larger-than-life recreation of the siege. Caverns and a drive-through safari at Natural semitropical thorn forest and provides a Other popular historic sites include the Bridge Wildlife Ranch just north of the city. melting pot of all the Rio Grande Valley’s mansions in the King William Historic Fast becoming a major national golf desti- natural treasures. District, the San Fernando Cathedral and nation, San Antonio offers a diverse range of While you’re in town, visit the McAllen Fort Sam Houston Museum. The Spanish challenging courses in and around the city. International Museum of Art and Science or Governor's Palace, the 1749 residence of the park your car and stroll across the border to captain of the presidio, examines life in San Classic Texas Reynosa, Mexico and shop the markets and Antonio under Spanish rule while the Pioneers, Southeast of San Antonio on Highway 59, sample Mexican food. Trail Drivers, and Texas Rangers Memorial Goliad is the place to discover major reminders Farther up the Rio Grande, anchoring Museum tells the story of the great cattle drives of the Texan fight for independence from Interstate 35, Laredo is known as the gateway and legendary lawmen. Mexico. You won’t want to miss the Hanging to Mexico. Founded in 1755, this bicultural Additional museums in town include the Tree, or the exhibits on Spanish colonization at community provides easy access to Nuevo Institute of Texan Cultures, which traces the Mission Espiritú Santo de Zuñiga, founded in Laredo, Mexico, where you can shop, dine contributions of 26 ethnic groups in Texas 1722. At the Presidio la Bahia artifacts and and even attend a bullfight. today; the San Antonio Museum of Art, memorabilia help to illuminate the area’s military Back in Texas, downtown Laredo boasts displaying European, Latin American and history. Other attractions include the Market narrow streets, tree-shaded plazas and historic American art as well as antiquities; the San House Museum, Fannin Plaza Park and Fort buildings like the San Augustín Cathedral, the Antonio Children's Museum, a fun-filled Fun Children’s Park. old Fort McIntosh compound which was estab- hands-on learning environment; and the Head north from Goliad up Highway 183 to lished at the conclusion of the Mexican War and Witte Museum and H-E-B Science Cuero, a classic Texas town, with three historic the three-room stone building that serves as the Treehouse, featuring natural history and districts and more than 50 buildings on the Republic of the Rio Grande Museum. natural science exhibits. National Register of Historic Places. Visit more And you can’t visit San Antonio without than 40 churches, many established before San Antonio taking a stroll along the colourful Paseo del Rio 1900. The Dewitt County Historical Museum Every year nearly 2.5 million visitors make the (River Walk) that meanders for several is housed in a Victorian home and chronicles pilgrimage to San Antonio’s most famous kilometres through midtown below street level local history, while the Cuero Heritage attraction – the Alamo. Mission San Antonio along the San Antonio River. Museum displays community memorabilia as de Valero, as it was known when established by San Antonio’s outdoor attractions include the well as the permanent exhibit Cuero Talks the Spanish in 1718, is the most famous site in peaceful formal plantings of the San Antonio Turkey, a look at the town's early days as a Texas history. Visit the IMAX Theater Botanical Garden and Lucile Halsell turkey producing boomtown. d

63 Canadian Traveller • October 2006 • TEXAS 15 Gulf Coast Texas Riviera

rom green space to outer space, area's early history. The Stark Museum of Art Texas Gulf Coast is a world of displays an extensive collection of Western appealing contrasts. A birding American works along with a collection of paradise, bustling commercial works by Taos and Santa Fe Native Americans. centre, seaside playground, quiet Perched between the Gulf of Mexico and agriculturalF land, centre of the nation’s space the forests of the Big Thicket, Beaumont program and site of the big gusher that offers plenty of outdoor fun like swimming, launched the Texas oil boom, visitor attrac- fishing, boating and canoeing. tions in this region are almost endless. Local attractions include Tyrrell Park, the Beaumont Botanical Gardens and the Interstate 10

Warren Loose Conservatory where tropical S N E D

Upon entering Texas from Louisiana along plants and birds share a magical setting, the R A G Y

Interstate 10, visitors encounter Orange, Texas Energy Museum, the Spindletop- D O O

named for the wild fruit that grew in the area Gladys City Boomtown Museum, a recreated M N

U and settled by French traders before the first turn-of-the-20th-century oil boomtown, and and its collection of artifacts from battle partic- A R B

Y frontier families arrived in the early 1800s. The the Clifton Steamboat Museum who’s theme ipants. Visit the George Ranch Historical N N E K

/ Heritage House and History Museum is a is “Heroes…Past, Present and Future”. Park and tour historic homes and see demon- M S I

R combination of a restored early 20th-century On a more genteel note, the Art Museum strations of pioneer, farming and ranch life. U O T

S upper-middle-class home and a look at the of Southeast Texas showcases works by Texas Sam Houston Park, the city's oldest park, is A X E

T artists; the preserved Beaux Arts Colonial- the place to see seven historic Texas homes. style McFaddin-Ward House offers a Family fun is everywhere in Houston. The glimpse of the life of a wealthy Southeast Children's Museum of Houston lets children Texas family; and the John Jay French explore a variety of subjects through hands-on Historic House represents pioneer settlement. participation. The Houston Zoo is the most- In Port Arthur, the Museum of the Gulf visited zoo in the Southwest with more than Coast tells the story of the coast from prehis- 5,000 animals representing more than 700 toric times to its recent country music heritage. species and the Houston Museum of Natural Historians head to the Sabine Pass Battle- Science houses the Wortham IMAX Theatre, ground State Historical Park that preserves Burke Baker Planetarium and the Cockrell the battle site where a small band of Confederate Butterfly Centre. soldiers defeated a much larger Union army. Grown-ups can head to the theatres, Nature-lovers flock to Sea Rim State Park, cinemas, restaurants and nightclubs of Bayou the only marshland park in the state. Place and the downtown Theatre District for In nearby Nederland, La Maison des some adult fun after the kids are in bed. On the Acadien Museum commemorates the French weekend head to Traders Village where 800 settlers who arrived in the area from Nova merchants show their wares at the largest Flea Scotia, and the Dutch Windmill Museum Market on the Texas Gulf Coast. preserves the Dutch heritage of the area and On a more refined note, Houston's Museum houses mementos of country music legend, District showcases everything from medieval Tex Ritter. frescoes to modern masterpieces. The Bayou Bend Collection and Gardens displays 17th-, Greater Houston 18th- and 19th-century American paintings, The Gulf Coast region of Texas is furniture, silver and ceramics. The Byzantine renowned for fabulous beaches, Big city sophistication is what Houston is all Fresco Chapel Museum houses two 13th- friendly resort towns, plenty of about. As in all Texas communities the past is century frescoes that belong to the Church of watersports, birding, loads of family not far away. The San Jacinto Monument, Cyprus. The Contemporary Arts Museum fun and just plain relaxing. commemorating the 1836 Battle of San Jacinto, houses the San Jacinto Museum of History hosts changing exhibits of new-direction art and

16 TEXAS • October 2006 • Canadian Traveller 64 Moody Gardens includes a trio of pyramids: the 10-storey glass Rainforest Pyramid; the Discovery Pyramid; and the Aquarium Pyramid, one of the largest in the world. Outdoors, Palm Beach, offers 1.2 hectares of beach fun. modern-day masters. The Menil Museum of all levels. Play all the most famous PGA time Galveston was the richest city in the includes more than 15,000 paintings, sculptures, holes replicated into one course at the Tour 18. Southwest thanks to the 19th-century cotton prints, drawings, photographs and rare books. Visitors looking for a little natural serenity boom. Tour The Bishop’s Palace, so called See fine examples of 18th-century, Impressionist head to the walking trails at the Armand because the diocese of Galveston-Houston and Post-Impressionist works from the Bayou Nature Center to learn about local purchased the home, one of the most architec- permanent collection of the Museum of Fine indigenous plants and wildlife. The Houston turally noteworthy buildings in the U.S., in Arts, Houston. The Holocaust Museum Arboretum & Nature Center offers plenty 1923. The Moody Mansion houses changing Houston, a living testimonial to those who died, of walking trails through its exhibits, and the exhibits and a collection of Moody family has permanent and changing exhibitions, a Mercer Arboretum and Botanic Gardens heirlooms. memorial area and sculpture garden. Other displays the region’s largest collection of Visit Pier 21 Theatre, a wide-screen museums include the Houston Center for native and cultivated plants. facility showing The Great Storm, a multi- Contemporary Craft, the Houston Fire Between Houston and Galveston, Bay Area image presentation on the hurricane that Museum, the Museum of Printing History, the Houston is home to the NASA/Johnson Space battered the city in 1900, killing 6,000 people. Art Car Museum, the National Museum of Center and Space Center Houston. Enjoy a Texas Seaport Museum and the Elissa tell Funeral History and the John P. McGovern spectacular journey into America's space the story of Texas’only 19th-century tall ship Museum of Health & Medical Science. program – from the past all the way into the and her history as an immigrant vessel. Ships Sports fans can watch the NFL Houston future. Kids of all ages can jump on the moon, still call into the port of Galveston today, with Texans football team, the AHL Houston Aeros man the space station, drive the lunar rover and four cruise lines offering itineraries that hockey team, the NBA Houston Rockets lots more at the exciting Kids Space Place. embark from the city. basketball team, the WNBA Houston Comets A few kilometres down the road from The Lone Star Flight Museum is the basketball team, the MSL Houston Dynamo Clear Lake and NASA, discover the bayside home of the largest collection of historically soccer team and the MLB Houston Astros community of Kemah. Stroll the Kemah significant aircraft restored to flying condition baseball team. Gamblers can head to the Gulf Boardwalk, enjoy the parade of boats passing, under one roof in the southern U.S. and the Greyhound Park and bet on the dogs or head savour a meal at one of the waterfront restau- Center for Transportation and Commerce to Sam Houston Race Park to try their luck rants, and check out the amusement rides, presents the history of local shipping, on the ponies. shops, games, and street performers. railroading and commerce. And then there's golf. With more than 300 Outdoors, Galveston boasts 51 kilometres days of temperate golfing weather annually in Central Coast Communities of beautiful Gulf beaches including Stewart the area, the game is a year-round pastime The elegantly restored Victorian buildings of Beach Park, East Beach, Seawolf Park and offering a wide range of challenges for golfers The Strand Historic District hark back to the Galveston Island State Park. Palm Beach,

65 Canadian Traveller • October 2006 • TEXAS 17 in Moody Gardens, offers 1.2 hectares of white sand, freshwater lagoons, splash pad, volleyball and plenty of beach fun. Moody Gardens also includes a trio of pyramids: the 10-storey glass Rainforest Pyramid, travelling science exhibits in the Discovery Pyramid, and the Aquarium Pyramid. One of the largest in the world, the Aquarium includes a massive exhibit space and more than nine million litres of water to showcase the ocean waters of the North Pacific, Edge of the Antarctic, the tropical Pacific’s Great Barrier Reef and Coral Sea, and the colourful Caribbean. Brazosport is a collection of seaside towns with jetties, Intracoastal Waterway banks, deep-sea fishing, beachcombing, water skiing, scuba diving and world-class birding. N U A

Indoor activities include the Center for the R B Y N

Arts and Sciences that is home to the N E K /

Brazosport Museum of Natural Science and M S I R U the Brazosport Nature Center and Planet- O T S A

arium, plus performance and exhibition X E spaces for the symphony, theatre and Arts T League. The Varner-Hogg Plantation is a Houston is all about big city sophistication. Elegant shopping malls, live mid-1830s Texas sugar plantation. The Sea cultural events, a wonderful collection of museums and vibrant entertainments Center Texas is an aquatic education centre districts, including the renowned Theatre District are all city hallmarks. and state-of-the-art hatchery that includes a saltwater marsh walkway, artificial reef tank Discover Texas – Island-style – in the fishing Corpus Christi Beach is also where the and a 3.6-metre touch pool. Scuba divers can village of Port Aransas on Mustang Island. Second World War aircraft carrier U.S.S. travel 240 kilometres offshore on a liveaboard Birding is big here with the Leona Belle Lexington Museum on the Bay is docked. boat and discover the northern-most coral reef Turnbull Birding Center,Wetland Park, Joan Open year-round the floating museum in the Gulf of Mexico, the Flower Gardens & Scott Hold Paradise Pond and the South hosts five different tour routes, restored National Marine Sanctuary. Jetty, all on the Great Texas Coastal Birding Trail. aircraft and the only high-tech Flight Port "A" is also the "Fishing Capital of Simulator in Texas. Coastal Bend Texas" and offers deep-sea excursions year- Other Corpus Christi attractions include the Inland from the coast, the elegant Victorian-era round. Shelling is another serious hobby along Corpus Christi Museum of Science & city of Victoria boasts 12 parks, a zoo, and the 29-kilometre Gulf beach and uninhabited Natural History, Art Museum of South several small heritage museums including St. Jo Island. Texas, the South Texas Botanical Gardens McNamara Historical Museum, an exquisite For the more active, watersports like jet- and Nature Center, the Asian Cultures example of Victorian Gothic architecture. skiing, wind surfing, rig diving and body Museum & Educational Center and The twin seaside towns of Rockport- surfing, plus horseback riding, hiking and Heritage Park. Fulton offer leisurely beachside vacations. biking are plentiful. At the University of The city of Kingsville was founded by the Visit the Fulton Mansion State Historical Texas Marine Science Institute a boat tour owners of the renowned King Ranch in 1904 Structure, the Rockport Center for the Arts provides a view of marine life. and still maintains close ties to the ranching and the Texas Maritime Museum. For Corpus Christi is a major deep-water port operation. The massive King Ranch itself, birding, there’s no place like the Aransas and one of the most popular seacoast established in 1853 by Captain Richard King, National Wildlife Refuge. Here at the winter playgrounds in Texas with more than 180 is said to be the birthplace of the cattle ranching home of the whooping crane, boat tours kilometres of beaches and bayfront. The Texas business, producing two separate breeds of provide a close-up view and you can learn State Aquarium, living displays of sharks, cattle and the first registered American Quarter more about these endangered birds as self- endangered sea turtles and other marine Horse. Visitors can join guided tours of the taught ornithologists narrate and identify birds animals are designed to create the sensation of ranch operations or register for special interest along the way. sinking deeper into Gulf waters. and nature tours.

18 TEXAS • October 2006 • Canadian Traveller 66 In Kingsville, check out the King Ranch Museum, the King Ranch Saddle Shop and Great Texas Coastal Birding Trail the John E. Connor Museum. The Great Texas Coastal Birding Trail is a highway trail that connects birding sites all along the 1,000 Birders follow the Kingsville Loop, one of 12 separate loops along the Great Texas kilometres of Texas coast. Coastal Birding Trail. Of course,single birding sites can offer an experience without traversing the entire Third Coast.The Southwest Gulf Coast Aransas National Wildlife Refuge, located just north of Rockport, is the principle wintering ground Harlingen is home to everything tropical, for the near-extinct whooping crane.Established to protect more than 300 species,including Canada from parrots perched in the trees to geese, pintail and baldpate ducks, and sandhill cranes, other animals prosper at the refuge as well. bougainvillea. Visitors are lured by its close White-tail deer, javelina and raccoon also call Aransas their home. proximity to white sandy beaches, sprinkled with seashells, and enchanting old Mexico. The Padre Island National Seashore, a 130-kilometre stretch of undeveloped beach located off The Rio Grande Valley Museum show- the Texas Coast, is home to more than 350 species of wintering birds. Further inland, the Santa Ana cases the town's past, while a walk along National Wildlife Refuge south of Alamo on the banks of the Rio Grande River features beautiful hiking the Harlingen Heritage Trail takes visitors past the beautiful homes on Taylor Street, trails and an 11-kilometre wildlife drive. once known as Silk Stocking Row.The Down- town Jackson Street District is the city's restoration, from the Second World War and Wildlife Refuge, a refuge on the southern downtown area, restored to its small-town the Vietnam era. end of the Central Flyway. To the west is the America origins. Birders appreciate the fact that Harlingen Santa Ana National Wildlife Refuge, The Texas Air Museum, east of town, is situated between two wildlife refuges. East where more than 400 species of birds have exhibits aircraft, both working and undergoing of town is the Laguna Atascosa National been spotted.

67 Canadian Traveller • October 2006 • TEXAS 19 www.txcoastalbend.org

Brownsville is a birdwatcher's idea of heaven. Leisure activities include golf, tennis, fishing, nature viewing, wildlife viewing, swimming and going to the beach, while attractions include the Brownsville Heritage Complex, Historic Brownsville • Wildflower Capital of Texas-Designated by Museum, the Brownsville Museum of State Legislature Fine Arts, Children’s Museum of Browns- • April-Wildflower Month • December-CDC ville, Palo Alto Battlefield National Christmas in the Park Historic Site and the Gladys Porter Zoo. Lighted Display The booming resort town of South Driving Tour • October-Turkeyfest Padre Island is an angler's paradise, Celebration birder's delight, and sports lover's heaven. Charter a guide and head out for some deep sea fishing, or cast a saltwater fly to attract • Historic Homes & Churches the many species found in the area. Beach Listed on National Registry • Nestled in Scenic Guadalupe fun includes jet skiing; bay, surf, and deep- River Valley sea fishing; parasailing; sailing; dolphin watching; beach combing; and wind- surfing. Other island activities include bicycling, tennis, shelling, and horseback riding on the beach. The Laguna Madre Nature Trail, a (361) 275-2112 Fax: (361) 275-6351 boardwalk that crosses 1.6 hectares of Email: [email protected] wetlands, allows visitors to view birds and Website: www.cuero.org 124 E. Church Street, Cuero, Texas 77954 animals in their natural habitat. The Trail is close to the Whaling Wall, painted by renowned environmental artist Wyland and depicting a pod of orcas. For a look at marine life indigenous to the area go to the Pan American Coastal Studies Lab. Sea Turtle, Inc. lets visitors learn first hand how the staff rescues and rehabili- tates the turtles before releasing them back into the ocean. The South Padre Island Dolphin Research and Sea Life Nature Center offers daily presentations by a research team. Scuba divers can check out the Oil Rigs, a vertical zoo of marine life about 96 kilometres offshore in about 30 metres of water; the Liberty Ships, three surplus Second World War ships sunk in 30 metres of water about 56 kilometres offshore; or the Seven and One-Half Fathom Reef, named for its depth, about 80 kilometres offshore. The Port Isabel Historical Museum offers two storeys of interactive exhibits that illustrate the area's history. Climb the steps of the 1853-era Port Isabel Light- house and enjoy a panoramic view of Laguna Madre Bay. d

20 TEXAS • October 2006 • Canadian Traveller 68 TEXAS COASTAL BEND REGIONAL TOURISM COUNCIL www.txcoastalbend.org

GOLIAD... Bridge Between Two Nations. Visit historic Mission Espiritu Santo, Presidio La Bahia and the famed Hanging Tree. Step into the Birthplace of Texas Ranching and General Ignacio Zaragoza. Be captivated by historic surroundings, antiques, quaint shops, nature and some of Texas’ friendliest people. Piney Woods Southern Charm

he forested area of eastern Texas, and Park or head to Lake Sam Rayburn for known as the Piney Woods, is a some fishing. comfortable expanse of lakes, In Rusk, hop aboard the Texas State Railroad forests and small towns that echo in Rusk State Park.The antique steam engines with a genteel Southern drawl power vintage coaches 40 kilometres to Tthat’s closer to Louisiana than to the western Palestine in the nation's longest, skinniest state twang of Texas ranch country. park through dense East Texas forestlands. With the world's largest municipal rose Interstate 45 garden, including 38,000 bushes, it is no wonder N

Conroe, on the southern tip of the Sam Tyler is considered the Rose Capital of U A R B

Houston National Forest and just north of America. Visit the Rose Museum, the Caldwell Y N N E K

Houston, is renowned for its golf, water sports Zoo, the Smith County Historical Museum, / M S I and outlet shopping. Head onto the water aboard the Dewberry Plantation and the Goodman R U O T

the Southern Empress Paddle Wheel Boat for Home to learn more about the area. S A X E a lunch or dinner cruise, then visit the Heritage T Museum of Montgomery County for a look at Highway 259 Kilgore is the site of the discovery of the story of Charles B. Stewart, designer of the The oldest city in the state, Nacogdoches, is also the famous East Texas Oil Field, 4,000 State Flag and signatory of the Texas the site of the quest for Texas' independence hectares of black gold potential. The Declaration of Independence. from Mexico. The story of the three attempts to East Texas Oil Museum chronicles the Huntsville is one of the oldest cities in Texas, create a republic is told in exhibits at Old Stone history of the 1930s boom. and site of several memorials to Sam Houston. Fort.You can also trace the story at the Sterne- You can't miss the 20-metre concrete statue of Hoya House, the Oak Grove Cemetery and at Trans-Mississippi Postal Department. Today Houston whose life and achievements are the reconstructed village at Millard's Crossing. you can visit Ginocchio National Historic exhibited at the Visitors Center. The Sam In Henderson, go antique shopping or visit District and the Harrison Country Historical Houston Memorial Museum preserves seven the Depot Museum and Children's Discovery Museum. Stop in at Marshall Pottery & hectares of his farm. Other attractions include Center for a look at restored buildings including Museum, one of the largest manufacturers of the Texas Prison Museum and the Veterans the railroad depot and 200 participatory glazed pottery in the U.S., for a demonstration of Museum of Texas. displays, then take a driving tour of East Texas pottery-making and firing. Oil Field, and stop at Daisy Bradford #3, where Once known as the "forgotten city", Highway 69 the oil strike began. Jefferson went from river boomtown to Named after the state's second Governor, George Kilgore is the site of the discovery of the backwater when it refused a railway depot. Today T.Wood, Woodville is the access point to the Big famous East Texas Oil Field, 4,000 hectares of it attracts visitors from around the world with its Thicket National Preserve, a UNESCO Inter- black gold potential. Check out the history of historic home and garden tours and antique national Biosphere Reserve. The Big Thicket the 1930s boom at the East Texas Oil Museum. shopping. Take a narrated tour aboard a horse- Loop is part of the Upper Texas Coast section of The community of Longview, to the east of drawn carriage, mule-drawn wagon, steam train the Great Texas Coastal Birding Trail. You can Kilgore, also changed from a plantation town to or riverboat. Caddo Lake is the state's largest also visit the Heritage Village Museum, an an oil town in the 1930s with the Oil Field natural lake and is a haven for outdoor recreation award-winning collection of historic buildings, discovery. Exhibits at the Gregg County such as fishing, swimming and boating. or stop in at the Alabama-Coushatta Indian Historical Museum outline the importance of Texarkana calls itself "Twice as Nice" Reservation and learn the history and culture of the discovery. The city is also close to the recre- because of its unique location straddling the this colourful NativeAmerican tribe. ation opportunities of Lake O’the Pines. state border between Texas and Arkansas. Bordered by the Angelina National Forest Downtown attractions include a Scott Joplin on the east and the Davy Crockett National Highway 59 mural, the beautifully restored Perot Theatre Forest on the west, Lufkin is the site of the Marshall was once known for producing and the Texarkana Museum System that Texas Forestry Museum, which chronicles the saddles, harnesses, powder and ammunition for includes the city’s oldest brick building, East Texas lumber industry. Visitors can also the Confederacy. It has also been the wartime Discovery Place kid’s museum and the Ace of board a miniature train at the Ellen Trout Zoo capital of Missouri and headquarters of the Clubs 1880s House. d

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There’s never been a better time to choose Houston. With a revitalized downtown, cruises, night life and attractions for every taste, Houston has it all. Over 5,000 restaurants serve up award-winning cuisine. Enjoy professional sports, extraordinary museums, theatre - all connected by METRORail. The beach is just a short drive away. For business or pleasure the smart money is on Houston.

Call: 1-800-4HOUSTON Click: www.VisitHoustonTexas.com