The Wonders of Travel in Texas

The most practical way to experience the vast wonders of Texas is by automobile.

You can see up close the 260,000 square miles of deserts, mountains, sand dunes and prairies of all regions of Texas. With over 79,000 miles of roads, Texas has by far the largest highway system in the country.

The state tourism board offers driving tours that allow you to sample Texas barbeque, take in the Texas of the Wild West, explore ghost towns and much more.

Texas pioneered highway rest stops with miniparks, and so the state has many places where you can get out, stretch your legs and enjoy some of the magnificent scenery.

Some of the major interstate highways include:

40, which crosses the Panhandle through Amarillo.

20, which cross much of the state

35 goes north and south through Fort Worth, Austin and San Antonio.

Highway speed limits are 70 MPH during the day and 65 MPH at night.

Several major cities have light rail systems, but train service between cities is limited to just a few Amtrak lines.

The Texas Historical Commission coordinates the Texas Heritage Trails Program, a series of self-guided driving tours for tourists to learn more of Texas' history and culture. These include:

The Texas Forts Trail -- Eight frontier forts built by the U.S. Army in West Central Texas from 1848 to 1900.

The Texas Independence Trail -- Commemorates Texas' struggle for independence from Mexico. Starts in San Antonio at the Alamo.

The Texas Forest Trail -- East Texas history including the Chisholm Trail and Spindletop, the first oil well in Texas.

Of course, the best way to travel in Texas is the traditional way -- by horseback. You can ride through the wide-open deserts and plains or into the mountains or along a sparkling beach.

Quarterhorses, Arabians and Thoroughbreds are available in stables throughout the state. Pretend you're chasing an outlaw wanted dead or alive, a cowhand overseeing a herd of thousands of head of cattle or one of the original Spanish conquistadores exploring this great land hoping to find the city of gold, El Dorado.