Texas prides itself as "a whole other country" for its grand size and diversity, a state so big that it is categorized as part of the South, Southwest and Midwest regions of the country. At the southern end, 600 miles of Texas beach meet the Gulf of Mexico and 80 degree waters; locals calling this the Third Coast.
... more Galveston Island and Corpus Christi are must-visits in the area, where you can tour the USS Lexington and Texas State Aquarium. If golf is your preferred sport, you can spend a lifetime playing 18 holes at more than 900 golf courses across the state. In the Panhandle Plains, go to Quicksand Golf Course in San Angelo or the Painted Dunes in the Big Bend area. Texas is also a birders paradise. In the canyons of the Chiso Mountains, catch a glimpse of Painted Redstarts, rare Colima Warblers and Blue-throated Hummingbirds. In the Piney Woods of East Texas, a surprisingly different terrain can be found, with fragrant pines, mammoth lakes, dogwoods and azaleas - a prime location for camping, boating, fishing, swimming and hiking.
