Kenny Braun
What's New
• United States Grand Prix: The Formula 1 United States Grand Prix has found a home in Austin until 2021. This year’s race is November 16 to 18 at Circuit of the Americas (COTA), the nation’s first Grand Prix-purposed track and event complex, located southeast of the city. Austin.
• New Cruise: In the latter part of 2012, Galveston will welcome two new cruise lines to its port, including Disney Cruise Line and Princess Cruises. The Disney Magic, a 2,400-passenger ship, will begin sailing from Galveston September 22 offering seven-day Caribbean cruises. Galveston.
Kenny BraunAttractions
• Sixth Floor Museum: A permanent, educational exhibition at Dealey Plaza on the life, death and legacy of President John F. Kennedy featuring photographs, artifacts, a 30-minute audio tour and six films. Dallas.
• The Alamo: The most famous spot in Texas, where 189 defenders fell on March 6, 1836 after repeated attacks by Mexican General Santa Anna’s army. The chapel and Long Barrack are all that remain. Museum contains relics from the Republic of Texas and offers narrations on the fall of the Alamo. San Antonio.
• Dinosaur World: Features over 150 life-size dinosaur models. Become paleontologists at the Fossil Dig, uncover dinosaur skeletons at the Boneyard or enjoy a subterranean picnic in the Caves. North of Dallas.
• The Museum of Living Art (MOLA): The best reptile collection in the U.S. with 170 amphibian and reptile species, amounting to 900 creatures. The herpetarium is the only one of its kind in the world. Forth Worth.
• Space City Houston: NASA’s official visitor centre hosts live shows and presentations, interactive exhibits, IMAX theatre and behind-the-scenes tours to the Johnson Space Center. Houston.
• World Birding Center: This network of nine unique sites, each with its own attractions, offers year-round birding adventures, from wilderness walks and float trips to hands-on, state-of-the-art exhibits. Features nearly 500 different species. Lower Rio Grande Valley.
Texas TourismEvents
• Galveston Mardi Gras (January/February).
• South by Southwest (March), Austin.
• Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo (March).
• The Bats of Austin (mid-March to early-October).
• San Antonio Fiesta (April).
• Texas Folklife Festival (June), San Antonio.
• Austin City Limits Music Festival (September).
• Grapefest (September), Grapevine.
• Texas State Fair (September/October), Dallas.
• Ranch Heritage Weekend (October), Bandera.
• Red Steagall Cowboy Gathering and Western Swing Festival (October), Fort Worth.
• Annual Rio Grande Valley Birding Festival (November), Harlingen.
Kenny BraunPlaces
• Texas Hill Country: The Texas Hill Country, north of San Antonio and west of Austin, is ranked among the top ‘hidden-gem’ among US wine regions. There are approximately 24 wineries on the Texas Hill Country Trail, which is the largest wine trail in the state.
• Gulf Coast of Texas: With 1,000 kilometres of coastline, the Gulf Coast is a popular beach vacation or long-stay winter destination. From Houston and Galveston to Corpus Christi, Harlingen and South Padre Island, this region boasts beaches, golf and warm Gulf waters for jet skiing, deep-sea fishing, parasailing, dolphin watching and windsurfing. The Gulf Coast is also home to the Great Texas Coastal Birding Trail.
• Harlingen: Tropical environment is a paradise. Birders head for the Hugh Ramsey Nature Park; history buffs tour Taylor Street, once known as Silk Stocking Row, Jackson Street, for Art Deco and mid-century modern architecture and the Iwo Jima Monument and Museum at the Marine Military Academy; festivals include the Jackson Street Market Days, Rio Grande Valley Bird Festival, Taste of Harlingen and the Cinesol Film Festival; view murals that range from beautiful paintings of tropical birds and the Aztec legends to quiet vignettes of everyday life in rural Mexico.
J Griffis Smith• Big Thicket National Preserve: In the southern part of the Piney Woods region, the towering trees give way to bald cypress and lush swampland in Big Thicket National Preserve. The diverse eco-system is also home to cactus, ferns, orchids pine and oak trees.
Hidden Gems
• Big Bend National Park: Encompassing the entire southwestern tip of Texas, this park is ideal for hiking, horseback riding, mountain biking and river rafting down the Rio Grande or a guided tour with park rangers.
Did You Know?
State Motto: Friendship
State Flower: Bluebonnet
State Bird: Mockingbird
Fast Facts
Region: GREAT FRONTIER
Direct Flights: Air Canada, American Airlines, United
Cruise Lines: Carnival Cruises, Royal Caribbean Cruise Line, Princess Cruise Lines, Disney Cruise Line
Drew HolmgreenSales Tools: Texas Tour Guide, Texas Tour & Meeting Guide, E-newsletters, Texas Bound For Golf Guide, Accommodations Guide, Calendar of Events, Texas Travel Map, Texas State Park Guide and Coastal Birding Trails Maps.
Info: Texas Tourism
1-888-297-9472
www.trxastraveltrade.ca