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Fodor's San Antonio, Austin & the Texas Hill Country
Whether you want to visit the Alamo, attend South by Southwest, or explore Texas wine country, the local Fodor’s travel experts in Texas are here to help!
Fodor’s San Antonio, Austin & the Texas Hill Country
guidebook is packed with maps, carefully curated recommendations, and everything else you need to simplify your trip-planning process and make the most of your time. This new edition has been fully-redesigned with an easy-to-read layout, fresh information, and beautiful color photos.
Fodor’s San Antonio, Austin & the Texas Hill Country travel guide
AN ILLUSTRATED ULTIMATE EXPERIENCES GUIDE to the top things to see and doMULTIPLE ITINERARIES to effectively organize your days and maximize your timeMORE THAN 15 DETAILED MAPS to help you navigate confidentlyCOLOR PHOTOS throughout to spark your wanderlust!HONEST RECOMMENDATIONS FROM LOCALS on the best sights, restaurants, hotels, nightlife, shopping, performing arts, activities, and morePHOTO-FILLED “BEST OF” FEATURES on “”What to Eat and Drink”, “What to Buy”, “The Best Live Music Venues in Austin”, and moreTRIP-PLANNING TOOLS AND PRACTICAL TIPS including when to go, getting around, beating the crowds, and saving time and moneyHISTORICAL AND CULTURAL INSIGHTS providing rich context on the local people, politics, art, architecture, cuisine, music, and moreSPECIAL FEATURES on “What to Watch and Read Before You Visit,” “San Antonio’s Missions”, and moreLOCAL WRITERS to help you find the under-the-radar gemsUP-TO-DATE COVERAGE The Alamo, San Antonio RiverWalk, San Antonio Museum of Art, Barton Springs, Blanton Museum of Art, the Texas State Capitol, Sixth Street, Enchanted Rock State Park, Fredericksburg, the Texas Wine Trail, Natural Bridge Caverns, and more.Planning on visiting other destinations in the South? Check out Fodor’s New Orleans and Fodor’s InFocus Nashville.
*Important note for digital The digital edition of this guide does not contain all the images or text included in the physical edition.
ABOUT FODOR'S AUTHORS: Each Fodor's Travel Guide is researched and written by local experts. Fodor’s has been offering expert advice for all tastes and budgets for over 80 years. For more travel inspiration, you can sign up for our travel newsletter at fodors.com/newsletter/signup, or follow us @FodorsTravel on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. We invite you to join our friendly community of travel experts at fodors.com/community to ask any other questions and share your experience with us!
Fodor’s San Antonio, Austin & the Texas Hill Country travel guide
AN ILLUSTRATED ULTIMATE EXPERIENCES GUIDE to the top things to see and doMULTIPLE ITINERARIES to effectively organize your days and maximize your timeMORE THAN 15 DETAILED MAPS to help you navigate confidentlyCOLOR PHOTOS throughout to spark your wanderlust!HONEST RECOMMENDATIONS FROM LOCALS on the best sights, restaurants, hotels, nightlife, shopping, performing arts, activities, and morePHOTO-FILLED “BEST OF” FEATURES on “”What to Eat and Drink”, “What to Buy”, “The Best Live Music Venues in Austin”, and moreTRIP-PLANNING TOOLS AND PRACTICAL TIPS including when to go, getting around, beating the crowds, and saving time and moneyHISTORICAL AND CULTURAL INSIGHTS providing rich context on the local people, politics, art, architecture, cuisine, music, and moreSPECIAL FEATURES on “What to Watch and Read Before You Visit,” “San Antonio’s Missions”, and moreLOCAL WRITERS to help you find the under-the-radar gemsUP-TO-DATE COVERAGE The Alamo, San Antonio RiverWalk, San Antonio Museum of Art, Barton Springs, Blanton Museum of Art, the Texas State Capitol, Sixth Street, Enchanted Rock State Park, Fredericksburg, the Texas Wine Trail, Natural Bridge Caverns, and more.Planning on visiting other destinations in the South? Check out Fodor’s New Orleans and Fodor’s InFocus Nashville.
*Important note for digital The digital edition of this guide does not contain all the images or text included in the physical edition.
ABOUT FODOR'S AUTHORS: Each Fodor's Travel Guide is researched and written by local experts. Fodor’s has been offering expert advice for all tastes and budgets for over 80 years. For more travel inspiration, you can sign up for our travel newsletter at fodors.com/newsletter/signup, or follow us @FodorsTravel on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. We invite you to join our friendly community of travel experts at fodors.com/community to ask any other questions and share your experience with us!
272 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 11, 2025
About the author
Fodor's Travel Publications Inc.
1,837 books63 followersFodor's Travel Publications is a United States-based producer of English-language travel guides and online tourism information. It was founded by Hungarian Eugene Fodor in 1936.
Fodor’s was acquired by Random House in 1986 and sold to Internet Brands in 2016.
Fodor’s was acquired by Random House in 1986 and sold to Internet Brands in 2016.
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April 9, 2026
Fodor's Travel - San Antonio, Austin, and The Texas Hill Country by Fodor's Travel Guides (Firm) - Rona Berg, Julie Catalano, Ramona Flume, Debbie Harmsen
272-page Kindle Ebook
Genre: Travel, Nonfiction
Featuring: Ad Series Website and Book Covers, Icons, Contact, Table of Contents, Photos, Restaurants, The Average Cost of a Main Dish, Hotels, Pros & Cons, Websites, Symbols, Planning, 25 Experiences, Texas Today, What to Eat and Drink in Texas, What to Buy in Texas, Texas History, Know Before You Go, Itineraries, Maps, Tourist Attractions and Experiences, What To Eat & Buy, Index Contributions and Credits, About Our Writers
Rating as a movie: G
My rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️🇨🇱🛬🚗🛎🍛🛍
My thoughts: 🔖Page 36 of 272 Essentials - I was not expecting all the history and current events to be mentioned in this book. I wish I read something like this 10 years ago.
📖 42 - I don't understand how you can talk about New Braunfels, mention Buc-ee's, but don't bring up The Buttermilk Cafe which is the best breakfast and lunch around.
🔖101 Southside and the Missions - this book is so much more than a guide book I am floored by how much information is here although I'm a little bit disappointed by how much is not here but I guess living in an area is a different experience than visiting. I thought I'd be done by now but there really is a lot packed in these pages.
🔖144 Central Austin and the University of Texas - Once they stop talking about food and music Austin got dull.
🔖201 Chapter 5 The Texas Hill Country - I had no idea Central Market was older than Whole Foods. This is good to know I'm going to need a break after finishing Austin. on the bright side, I'm excited about the next portion of this book.
This book was quite informative; however, I found myself unable to award it five stars due to what I perceived as an oversight regarding New Braunfels, Gruene, and San Marcos. The limited information provided, coupled with the inclusion of only one popular, yet not particularly outstanding, restaurant on their list, was quite telling. It left me wondering if perhaps research for that specific area was incomplete. This scarcity of detailed information for those locations also led me to question the thoroughness of the selections for San Antonio and Austin. I am puzzled as to why a larger area with a greater number of tourists would receive less attention than smaller regions. Furthermore, while Canyon Lake received a brief mention, I believe it warranted its own dedicated section.
Recommend to others: Sure, but do your own research and hit up Trip Advisor and the locals for better food.
Works and Authors mentioned: City Slickers by Lowell Ganz and Babaloo Mandel, The Alamo by James Edward Grant, The Big Rich: The Rise and Fall of the Greatest Texas Oil Fortunes by Bryan Burrough, Big Wonderful Thing: A History of Texas by Stephen Harrigan, The Gates of the Alamo by Stephen Harrigan, Friday Night Lights by David Aaron Cohen and Peter Berg [based on] Friday Night Lights: A Town, a Team, and a Dream by H. G. Bissinger; Giant by Fred Guiol and Ivan Moffat [based on] Giant by Edna Ferber; Go Down Together: The True, Untold Story of Bonnie and Clyde by Jeff Guinn; Bonnie and Clyde by David Newman and Robert Benton, Hope Floats by Steven Rogers, The Tree of Life byTerrence Malick, Bernie byRichard Linklater and Skip Hollandsworth [based on] Midnight in the Garden of East Texas by Skip Hollandsworth; The Junction Boys: How Ten Days in Hell with Bear Bryant Forged a Champion Team by Jim Dent, The Junction Boys by Mike Robe [based on] The Junction Boys by Jim Dent; King of the Hill by Mike Judge and Greg Daniels, Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry, Streets of Laredo by Larry McMurtry, Dead Man's Walk by Larry McMurtry, Comanche Moon by Larry McMurtry, Lonesome Dove by William D. Wittliff [based on] Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry; Miss Congeniality by Marc Lawrence, Dazed and Confused by Richard Linklater, A Time to Kill by Akiva Goldsman [based on] A Time to Kill by John Grisham; Dallas Buyers Club by Craig Borten and Melisa Wallack, Deep in the Heart: A Texas Wildlife Story by Ben Masters, The Newton Boys by Richard Linklater, Claude Stanush, and Clark Lee Walker [based on] The Newton Boys by Claude Stanush; Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Next Generation by Kim Henkel, No Country for Old Men by Joel Coen and Ethan Coen [based on] No Country for Old Men by Cormac McCarthy; The Years of Lyndon Johnson Book One: The Path to Power by Robert Caro, The Years of Lyndon Johnson, Book Two: Means of Ascent by Robert Caro, The Years of Lyndon Johnson Book Three: Master of the Senate by Robert Caro, The Years of Lyndon Johnson Book Four: The Passage of Power by Robert Caro, Places in the Heart by Robert Benton, Selena by Gregory Nava, Texas by James A. Michener, Texas Rising by Leslie Greif, Darrell Fetty, and George Nihil; Texas Rising: The Epic True Story of the Lone Star Republic and the Rise of the Texas Rangers, 1836-1846 by Stephen Moore [the official nonfiction companion to the History Channel series Texas Rising], Urban Cowboy by James Bridges and Aaron Latham, Oscar Wilde, O. Henry, Hamilton by Lin-Manuel Miranda [based on] Alexander Hamilton by Ron Chernow; Waitress by Sara Bareilles and Jessie Nelson [based on] Waitress by Adrienne Shelly, Chicago by Maurine Dallas Watkins, The Nutcracker by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky [based on] The Nutcracker and the Mouse King by E. T. A. Hoffmann; Annie by Thomas Meehan [ based on] Little Orphan Annie by Harold Gray; Wicked (known in full as Wicked: The Untold Story of the Witches of Oz) by Stephen Schwartz and Winnie Holzman [based on] Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West by Gregory Maguire, with illustrations by Douglas Smith [based on] The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum [and based on] The Wizard of Oz by Noel Langley; James A. Michener, Travels with Charley: In Search of America by John Steinbeck
Songs for the soundtrack: “Cotton-Eyed Joe” published Before 1861, “The Yellow Rose of Texas” published in 1858 by Firth, Pond & Company; "The State I Am In" by Belle and Sebastian, "Made In Texas" by Willie Nelson, "Beautiful Texas" by Willie Nelson, "There's A Little Bit Of Everything In Texas" by Willie Nelson, "No Place But Texas"by Willie Nelson, "Luckenbach, Texas (Back to the Basics of Love)" by Waylon Jennings, "That’s Right (You’re Not From Texas)" by Lyle Lovett, "Texas 1947" by Robert Earl Keen, "T For Texas" by Robert Earl Keen, "Blue Skies For Everyone" by Bob Schneider, "Milk Cow Blues" by Wynton Marsalis with Willie Nelson, "Back To Texas" by Kacey Musgraves, "Colors" by Black Pumas, "Tití Me Preguntó" by Bad Bunny, "Don't Tell Me" by Madonna, "Blue Yodel #1 (T for Texas)" by Memphis Slim, "Kidney Stew Blues" by Pinetop Perkins, "Texas Me" by Doug Sahm, "Texas Tornado" by Doug Sahm, "Beautiful Texas Sunshine" by Doug Sahm, "(Is Anybody Going To) San Antone" by Doug Sahm, "Halfway to Texas" by Taylor Swift, "Bob Wills Is Still the King" by The Rolling Stones, "Wild Texas Wind" by Dolly Parton, "He Rode All the Way to Texas" by Dolly Parton, "Waltz Across Texas Tonight" by Dolly Parton with Linda Ronstadt and Emmylou Harris, "That's What I Like About Texas" by Dale Watson, "Everybody's Somebody in Luckenbach, Texas" by Dale Watson, "Texas Armadillo" by Dale Watson, "Way Down Texas Way" by Dale Watson, "South of Round Rock, Texas" by Dale Watson, "South Texas Lawman" by James McMurtry, "Levelland" by James McMurtry, "Talkin' At The Texaco" by James McMurtry, "Stella By Starlight" by Miles Davis, "Let's Dance" by David Bowie, "The Late Great Johnny Ace" by Paul Simon, "Texas Flood" by Stevie Ray Vaughan, "The Yellow Rose of Texas" by Buddy Holly, "Gettin' By" by Jerry Jeff Walker
Memorable Quotes: THE CALIFORNIA INVASION
Lured by better employment opportunities, more affordable housing, and no state-income tax, a sizable population of Californians have been packing up and heading from the Golden State to the Lone Star State. Since 2021, the move from California to Texas has been the most popular interstate move, with more than 100,000 people relocating each year or roughly 300 per day. And it’s not just individuals who are moving. Since 2020, nearly 50 companies have moved their headquarters from California to Texas, primarily to the Dallas–Fort Worth area (known as the metroplex), Houston, and Austin. Some Texans gripe that the relocated Californians, especially those in the tech industry, have increased housing costs and made the traffic on the state’s highways even more congested. Austin especially has become very pricy and is now the most expensive city in Texas in which to live; however, the cost of living in Austin is still a little bit below the national average.
BARBECUE
Smoked brisket is king here, but ribs, pulled pork, chicken, and sausage are other meats frequently slow cooked in a barbecue pit. The wood used for the fire might be mesquite, which leaves a strong smoky undertone; oak, for a medium-to-strong flavor; or pecan, which produces a sweeter taste.
WHATABURGER
Easily recognized by its bright-orange flying W logo, Whataburger began in 1950 as a family-run burger stand in Corpus Christi and grew into a fast-food chain with hundreds of restaurants across the state. The menu is centered on the item Texans are most passionate about: red meat. Burgers are normally served with mustard, though they can be dressed up in many possible ways.
With 300 days of sunshine per year, San Antonio, Austin, and the Texas Hill Country are year-round destinations. Fall and spring are the most pleasant times to visit, though it can rain much of May and November. Winter can be enjoyable, too, as it is often still warm, while summers tend to be quite hot and humid. Some of the most popular festivals are in spring and fall, including South by Southwest in Austin in March, Fiesta San Antonio in April, Burnet’s Bluebonnet Festival in April, the Austin City Limits Music Festival in October, and Fredericksburg’s Oktoberfest in October.
Scenic drives, shopping for antiques or local items, exploring museums, and thrill seeking at the theme parks, including Morgan’s Wonderland, SeaWorld, and Six Flags Fiesta Texas in San Antonio and Schlitterbahn water park in New Braunfels, are popular activities. So are seasonal festivals that offer culture, music, and great food. And speaking of food, let’s not forget all of the fun eating, from Tex-Mex and authentic Mexican tortillas, tamales, and more to the bounty of barbecue and German and Old Word fare, such as kolaches and schnitzel. Wine-tasting at the Hill Country wineries and vineyards is also a key activity.
Dining
Tex-Mex, barbecue, and steak are all popular items on Texas menus, as are hamburgers, chicken-fried steak, and seafood. And you’ll find plenty of international options, particularly Middle Eastern, Asian, and Italian in the big cities, and German in Fredericksburg, New Braunfels, and some other towns in the Hill Country. In Austin, there are a number of restaurants catering to vegans and vegetarians, and in San Antonio you can find many establishments serving authentic Mexican dishes. For dessert, pie is likely on the menu, particularly if you’re in the Hill Country.
MEALS AND MEALTIMES
In San Antonio and Austin, breakfast, lunch, and dinner tend to be offered at typical times, with breakfast beginning at 7 am or 8 am and finishing by 10 am or 11 am, lunch between 11 am and 2 pm, and dinner beginning at 5 pm, with late dinnertime reservations available. In the Hill Country, however, the restaurants usually close earlier for dinner. So there, a dinner reservation between 5 pm and 7 pm is ideal. Brunch is often served on weekends. As noted above, the best barbecue establishments are generally only open for lunch.
PAYING
Most restaurants take credit cards, but it’s a good idea to have cash just in case you stumble upon a small mom-and-pop that doesn’t. Cash also comes in handy for buying fresh fruit at farmers’ markets and roadside stands. For dining out, follow general tipping standards of at least 15%, though at high-end restaurants waiters expect an 18% to 20% or more tip. Some restaurants add an automatic gratuity for groups of six or more.
➡️ Restaurant prices are per person for a main course at dinner or if dinner is not served, at lunch.
It is also the home of The Last Three, the 17-foot tall bronze sculpture of the then-three (now only two) remaining Northern white rhinos on earth.
At least 500 years old, this historic live oak (between 5th and 6th Streets) is the last survivor of a sacred group of trees known as the Council Oaks, used in ceremonies and meetings by Native American tribes. The tree’s name derives from a legend that Stephen F. Austin negotiated the first boundary agreement between local tribes and settlers underneath its branches. In 1989, a disturbed individual attempted to poison the tree with a powerful herbicide and was later apprehended. Intensive efforts to save the tree were successful, although nearly two-thirds of the Treaty Oak died and it is now a shadow of its former self.
Central Market MARKET | FAMILY | This upscale, foodie-friendly offshoot of the giant Texas-based H-E-B supermarket chain is a few years older than its competitor, Whole Foods, down Lamar Boulevard, but no less popular (expect big weekend crowds). It’s equally serious about the cheeses, wine, beer, meat, and deli products it purveys, but compared to Whole Foods it seems more like a place real people go to shop (rather than promenade). It’s a great spot to grab organic prepared foods on the run or at the in-house café, where an outdoor patio is ideal for families and large groups. Live music is hosted on weekends. ECentral Park Shopping Center, 4001 N. Lamar Blvd., North Austin P512/206–1000 wwww.centralmarket.com.
The question is: what defines an authentic bowl of “Texas red”? The simple answer is small chunks of sirloin (or coarsely ground meat) simmered with crushed chiles (or chili powder), garlic, and cumin—no beans are allowed in the chili of any self-respecting Texan. From there, myriad additions—possibilities include tomato, onion, venison, and the ever-controversial beans (family feuds have erupted over whether or not to include the protein-packed legume)—can lead to millions of different tasty end-results.
272-page Kindle Ebook
Genre: Travel, Nonfiction
Featuring: Ad Series Website and Book Covers, Icons, Contact, Table of Contents, Photos, Restaurants, The Average Cost of a Main Dish, Hotels, Pros & Cons, Websites, Symbols, Planning, 25 Experiences, Texas Today, What to Eat and Drink in Texas, What to Buy in Texas, Texas History, Know Before You Go, Itineraries, Maps, Tourist Attractions and Experiences, What To Eat & Buy, Index Contributions and Credits, About Our Writers
Rating as a movie: G
My rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️🇨🇱🛬🚗🛎🍛🛍
My thoughts: 🔖Page 36 of 272 Essentials - I was not expecting all the history and current events to be mentioned in this book. I wish I read something like this 10 years ago.
📖 42 - I don't understand how you can talk about New Braunfels, mention Buc-ee's, but don't bring up The Buttermilk Cafe which is the best breakfast and lunch around.
🔖101 Southside and the Missions - this book is so much more than a guide book I am floored by how much information is here although I'm a little bit disappointed by how much is not here but I guess living in an area is a different experience than visiting. I thought I'd be done by now but there really is a lot packed in these pages.
🔖144 Central Austin and the University of Texas - Once they stop talking about food and music Austin got dull.
🔖201 Chapter 5 The Texas Hill Country - I had no idea Central Market was older than Whole Foods. This is good to know I'm going to need a break after finishing Austin. on the bright side, I'm excited about the next portion of this book.
This book was quite informative; however, I found myself unable to award it five stars due to what I perceived as an oversight regarding New Braunfels, Gruene, and San Marcos. The limited information provided, coupled with the inclusion of only one popular, yet not particularly outstanding, restaurant on their list, was quite telling. It left me wondering if perhaps research for that specific area was incomplete. This scarcity of detailed information for those locations also led me to question the thoroughness of the selections for San Antonio and Austin. I am puzzled as to why a larger area with a greater number of tourists would receive less attention than smaller regions. Furthermore, while Canyon Lake received a brief mention, I believe it warranted its own dedicated section.
Recommend to others: Sure, but do your own research and hit up Trip Advisor and the locals for better food.
Works and Authors mentioned: City Slickers by Lowell Ganz and Babaloo Mandel, The Alamo by James Edward Grant, The Big Rich: The Rise and Fall of the Greatest Texas Oil Fortunes by Bryan Burrough, Big Wonderful Thing: A History of Texas by Stephen Harrigan, The Gates of the Alamo by Stephen Harrigan, Friday Night Lights by David Aaron Cohen and Peter Berg [based on] Friday Night Lights: A Town, a Team, and a Dream by H. G. Bissinger; Giant by Fred Guiol and Ivan Moffat [based on] Giant by Edna Ferber; Go Down Together: The True, Untold Story of Bonnie and Clyde by Jeff Guinn; Bonnie and Clyde by David Newman and Robert Benton, Hope Floats by Steven Rogers, The Tree of Life byTerrence Malick, Bernie byRichard Linklater and Skip Hollandsworth [based on] Midnight in the Garden of East Texas by Skip Hollandsworth; The Junction Boys: How Ten Days in Hell with Bear Bryant Forged a Champion Team by Jim Dent, The Junction Boys by Mike Robe [based on] The Junction Boys by Jim Dent; King of the Hill by Mike Judge and Greg Daniels, Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry, Streets of Laredo by Larry McMurtry, Dead Man's Walk by Larry McMurtry, Comanche Moon by Larry McMurtry, Lonesome Dove by William D. Wittliff [based on] Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry; Miss Congeniality by Marc Lawrence, Dazed and Confused by Richard Linklater, A Time to Kill by Akiva Goldsman [based on] A Time to Kill by John Grisham; Dallas Buyers Club by Craig Borten and Melisa Wallack, Deep in the Heart: A Texas Wildlife Story by Ben Masters, The Newton Boys by Richard Linklater, Claude Stanush, and Clark Lee Walker [based on] The Newton Boys by Claude Stanush; Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Next Generation by Kim Henkel, No Country for Old Men by Joel Coen and Ethan Coen [based on] No Country for Old Men by Cormac McCarthy; The Years of Lyndon Johnson Book One: The Path to Power by Robert Caro, The Years of Lyndon Johnson, Book Two: Means of Ascent by Robert Caro, The Years of Lyndon Johnson Book Three: Master of the Senate by Robert Caro, The Years of Lyndon Johnson Book Four: The Passage of Power by Robert Caro, Places in the Heart by Robert Benton, Selena by Gregory Nava, Texas by James A. Michener, Texas Rising by Leslie Greif, Darrell Fetty, and George Nihil; Texas Rising: The Epic True Story of the Lone Star Republic and the Rise of the Texas Rangers, 1836-1846 by Stephen Moore [the official nonfiction companion to the History Channel series Texas Rising], Urban Cowboy by James Bridges and Aaron Latham, Oscar Wilde, O. Henry, Hamilton by Lin-Manuel Miranda [based on] Alexander Hamilton by Ron Chernow; Waitress by Sara Bareilles and Jessie Nelson [based on] Waitress by Adrienne Shelly, Chicago by Maurine Dallas Watkins, The Nutcracker by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky [based on] The Nutcracker and the Mouse King by E. T. A. Hoffmann; Annie by Thomas Meehan [ based on] Little Orphan Annie by Harold Gray; Wicked (known in full as Wicked: The Untold Story of the Witches of Oz) by Stephen Schwartz and Winnie Holzman [based on] Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West by Gregory Maguire, with illustrations by Douglas Smith [based on] The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum [and based on] The Wizard of Oz by Noel Langley; James A. Michener, Travels with Charley: In Search of America by John Steinbeck
Songs for the soundtrack: “Cotton-Eyed Joe” published Before 1861, “The Yellow Rose of Texas” published in 1858 by Firth, Pond & Company; "The State I Am In" by Belle and Sebastian, "Made In Texas" by Willie Nelson, "Beautiful Texas" by Willie Nelson, "There's A Little Bit Of Everything In Texas" by Willie Nelson, "No Place But Texas"by Willie Nelson, "Luckenbach, Texas (Back to the Basics of Love)" by Waylon Jennings, "That’s Right (You’re Not From Texas)" by Lyle Lovett, "Texas 1947" by Robert Earl Keen, "T For Texas" by Robert Earl Keen, "Blue Skies For Everyone" by Bob Schneider, "Milk Cow Blues" by Wynton Marsalis with Willie Nelson, "Back To Texas" by Kacey Musgraves, "Colors" by Black Pumas, "Tití Me Preguntó" by Bad Bunny, "Don't Tell Me" by Madonna, "Blue Yodel #1 (T for Texas)" by Memphis Slim, "Kidney Stew Blues" by Pinetop Perkins, "Texas Me" by Doug Sahm, "Texas Tornado" by Doug Sahm, "Beautiful Texas Sunshine" by Doug Sahm, "(Is Anybody Going To) San Antone" by Doug Sahm, "Halfway to Texas" by Taylor Swift, "Bob Wills Is Still the King" by The Rolling Stones, "Wild Texas Wind" by Dolly Parton, "He Rode All the Way to Texas" by Dolly Parton, "Waltz Across Texas Tonight" by Dolly Parton with Linda Ronstadt and Emmylou Harris, "That's What I Like About Texas" by Dale Watson, "Everybody's Somebody in Luckenbach, Texas" by Dale Watson, "Texas Armadillo" by Dale Watson, "Way Down Texas Way" by Dale Watson, "South of Round Rock, Texas" by Dale Watson, "South Texas Lawman" by James McMurtry, "Levelland" by James McMurtry, "Talkin' At The Texaco" by James McMurtry, "Stella By Starlight" by Miles Davis, "Let's Dance" by David Bowie, "The Late Great Johnny Ace" by Paul Simon, "Texas Flood" by Stevie Ray Vaughan, "The Yellow Rose of Texas" by Buddy Holly, "Gettin' By" by Jerry Jeff Walker
Memorable Quotes: THE CALIFORNIA INVASION
Lured by better employment opportunities, more affordable housing, and no state-income tax, a sizable population of Californians have been packing up and heading from the Golden State to the Lone Star State. Since 2021, the move from California to Texas has been the most popular interstate move, with more than 100,000 people relocating each year or roughly 300 per day. And it’s not just individuals who are moving. Since 2020, nearly 50 companies have moved their headquarters from California to Texas, primarily to the Dallas–Fort Worth area (known as the metroplex), Houston, and Austin. Some Texans gripe that the relocated Californians, especially those in the tech industry, have increased housing costs and made the traffic on the state’s highways even more congested. Austin especially has become very pricy and is now the most expensive city in Texas in which to live; however, the cost of living in Austin is still a little bit below the national average.
BARBECUE
Smoked brisket is king here, but ribs, pulled pork, chicken, and sausage are other meats frequently slow cooked in a barbecue pit. The wood used for the fire might be mesquite, which leaves a strong smoky undertone; oak, for a medium-to-strong flavor; or pecan, which produces a sweeter taste.
WHATABURGER
Easily recognized by its bright-orange flying W logo, Whataburger began in 1950 as a family-run burger stand in Corpus Christi and grew into a fast-food chain with hundreds of restaurants across the state. The menu is centered on the item Texans are most passionate about: red meat. Burgers are normally served with mustard, though they can be dressed up in many possible ways.
With 300 days of sunshine per year, San Antonio, Austin, and the Texas Hill Country are year-round destinations. Fall and spring are the most pleasant times to visit, though it can rain much of May and November. Winter can be enjoyable, too, as it is often still warm, while summers tend to be quite hot and humid. Some of the most popular festivals are in spring and fall, including South by Southwest in Austin in March, Fiesta San Antonio in April, Burnet’s Bluebonnet Festival in April, the Austin City Limits Music Festival in October, and Fredericksburg’s Oktoberfest in October.
Scenic drives, shopping for antiques or local items, exploring museums, and thrill seeking at the theme parks, including Morgan’s Wonderland, SeaWorld, and Six Flags Fiesta Texas in San Antonio and Schlitterbahn water park in New Braunfels, are popular activities. So are seasonal festivals that offer culture, music, and great food. And speaking of food, let’s not forget all of the fun eating, from Tex-Mex and authentic Mexican tortillas, tamales, and more to the bounty of barbecue and German and Old Word fare, such as kolaches and schnitzel. Wine-tasting at the Hill Country wineries and vineyards is also a key activity.
Dining
Tex-Mex, barbecue, and steak are all popular items on Texas menus, as are hamburgers, chicken-fried steak, and seafood. And you’ll find plenty of international options, particularly Middle Eastern, Asian, and Italian in the big cities, and German in Fredericksburg, New Braunfels, and some other towns in the Hill Country. In Austin, there are a number of restaurants catering to vegans and vegetarians, and in San Antonio you can find many establishments serving authentic Mexican dishes. For dessert, pie is likely on the menu, particularly if you’re in the Hill Country.
MEALS AND MEALTIMES
In San Antonio and Austin, breakfast, lunch, and dinner tend to be offered at typical times, with breakfast beginning at 7 am or 8 am and finishing by 10 am or 11 am, lunch between 11 am and 2 pm, and dinner beginning at 5 pm, with late dinnertime reservations available. In the Hill Country, however, the restaurants usually close earlier for dinner. So there, a dinner reservation between 5 pm and 7 pm is ideal. Brunch is often served on weekends. As noted above, the best barbecue establishments are generally only open for lunch.
PAYING
Most restaurants take credit cards, but it’s a good idea to have cash just in case you stumble upon a small mom-and-pop that doesn’t. Cash also comes in handy for buying fresh fruit at farmers’ markets and roadside stands. For dining out, follow general tipping standards of at least 15%, though at high-end restaurants waiters expect an 18% to 20% or more tip. Some restaurants add an automatic gratuity for groups of six or more.
➡️ Restaurant prices are per person for a main course at dinner or if dinner is not served, at lunch.
It is also the home of The Last Three, the 17-foot tall bronze sculpture of the then-three (now only two) remaining Northern white rhinos on earth.
At least 500 years old, this historic live oak (between 5th and 6th Streets) is the last survivor of a sacred group of trees known as the Council Oaks, used in ceremonies and meetings by Native American tribes. The tree’s name derives from a legend that Stephen F. Austin negotiated the first boundary agreement between local tribes and settlers underneath its branches. In 1989, a disturbed individual attempted to poison the tree with a powerful herbicide and was later apprehended. Intensive efforts to save the tree were successful, although nearly two-thirds of the Treaty Oak died and it is now a shadow of its former self.
Central Market MARKET | FAMILY | This upscale, foodie-friendly offshoot of the giant Texas-based H-E-B supermarket chain is a few years older than its competitor, Whole Foods, down Lamar Boulevard, but no less popular (expect big weekend crowds). It’s equally serious about the cheeses, wine, beer, meat, and deli products it purveys, but compared to Whole Foods it seems more like a place real people go to shop (rather than promenade). It’s a great spot to grab organic prepared foods on the run or at the in-house café, where an outdoor patio is ideal for families and large groups. Live music is hosted on weekends. ECentral Park Shopping Center, 4001 N. Lamar Blvd., North Austin P512/206–1000 wwww.centralmarket.com.
The question is: what defines an authentic bowl of “Texas red”? The simple answer is small chunks of sirloin (or coarsely ground meat) simmered with crushed chiles (or chili powder), garlic, and cumin—no beans are allowed in the chili of any self-respecting Texan. From there, myriad additions—possibilities include tomato, onion, venison, and the ever-controversial beans (family feuds have erupted over whether or not to include the protein-packed legume)—can lead to millions of different tasty end-results.
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