Understand

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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.

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 saying "If you don't like the weather in Texas, wait 10 minutes and it will change" – 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.). It has snowed as far south as San Antonio and Houston, but snow will often melt within moments of landing.
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 El Paso, Tx is closer to Cheyenne, Wy than it is to Houston. If you are wanting to take in large amounts of the Texas experience, you will need ample time to do so.

Eat

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Barbecue is the mainstay of any true Texan's diet (most Texans will frown at you if you call it B-B-Q). The International Barbecue Cookoff is held annually in Taylor, TX (northeast of Austin. The number one barbecue restaurant is the Kreuz Market in Lockhart (also near Austin), although there are several excellent places all around Texas.

Chili is the official state dish of Texas. There are many varieties of chili, but Original Texas-style chili contains no beans. The place to try all the varieties is the International Chili Cookoff, held on the first weekend in November in Terlingua, TX.

Tex-Mex is Mexican cuisine with Texas flair. Take ancient traditions (such as filled tortillas) and add beef, sauces, cheeses and spices, and Tex-Mex is born. Nachos, crispy tacos, crispy chalupas, chili con queso, chili con carne, chili gravy, and fajitas are...