Best of Texas

Enjoy included airport lounge access before your flight to Dallas / Fort Worth where you'll make your way to your city-centre hotel. You'll then spend the following day exploring Dallas's many and varied highlights. Start with a visit to iconic Reunion Tower, then head to the Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza to learn more about the Kennedy Assassination. For lunch, make your way to the Dallas Farmers Market, and spend the afternoon at Southfork Ranch, or at the Dallas Arts District. When the sun comes down, Dallas’ quaint culinary neighbourhoods are your ticket to bold Texan flavours while its five professional sport teams offer the chance to see a live game and celebrate the city's remarkable sporting prowess.

Stay: Magnolia Dallas (Superior)

Today you'll collect your hire car and drive to Houston, stopping along the way at Tyler, a charming and typically southern town that hosts the annual Texas Rose Festival as well being a great base from which to explore a number of antebellum plantation houses in the region that are open for tours. The following day you'll be able to explore Houston, the fourth largest city in the United States and home to some great attractions including the Johnson Space Centre, the Museum of Fine Arts and a number of superb live music venues and a vibrant restaurant scene.

Stay: The Westin Oaks Houston at the Galleria (Superior)

Continue your journey today as you head to the town of Corpus Christi in the Gulf of Mexico - a popular coastal town with mile upon mile of beautiful sandy beaches, making it a perfect spot sunbathers. The country around Corpus Christi is also superb for bird watching and Padre Island National Seashore, an area including over 133,000 acres of undeveloped barrier islands, is the region's most treasured natural gem and just a few miles south east of the city.

Stay: Holiday Inn Corpus Cristi Downtown Marina (Superior)

Today you'll drive to San Antonio where you'll have two days to explore this charming city's restaurants, galleries and shops as well as the famous Alamo where Texan troops valiantly held out against Mexican opposition for 13 days before finally being defeated.

Stay: The Emily Morgan San Antonio (Superior)

Home to almost 200 live music venues and the world-renowned South by Southwest music festival, Austin is known as the 'live music capital of the world' making this the perfect place for music lovers. Its also the state capital of Texas, so in between checking out your favourite bands there's plenty on offer for the culture vulture as well, with numerous galleries and museums to explore as well as a plethora of restaurants, bars and shops.

Today your drive will take you through the beautiful North Texas Hill Country to Wildcatter Ranch. This Texan guest ranch immerses you in the true spirit of the region, with Western style guest rooms and 25 miles of horseback riding trails to explore. Your two-night stay includes full board and a horseback ride but there are many other activities available too. Perhaps enjoy sunset views from your back porch or spend a day on a historical Jeep tour or trying your hand at archery, tank fishing and sport clay pigeon shooting. For those that prefer to relax, the ranch’s infinity pool, hot tub and massage room are all appealing options to extend your stay further.

The last stop on your Texas self-drive holiday will be Fort Worth - 'City of Cowboys and Culture' where you drop off your hire car. Make sure you visit the famous Fort Worth Stockyards National Historic District with its shops, restaurants and twice-daily cattle-drives for a true taste of the southern States before wetting your whistle at Billy Bob's - the world's largest Honky Tonk. 

Make your way to Dallas Fort Worth airport for your onward flight arriving back in the UK on day 14.