Going to Texas

[Dragoforce]

Right. Me and the girl are going to visit my sister-in-law who studies at Port aransas Texas. As we will be staying there for a bit over two weeks I was wondering if any of you guys know of any cool things to see? So far we've decided to rent a car and visit New Orleans, Houston (mainly for the space center) and Big bend national park.

[robivy64]

I have travelled all over the United States, and I have to say that Texas is one of my favorite states to visit.

New Orleans is a bit of a drive from where you'll be, but it's definitely a place you will want to experience. Southern Louisiana has a very unique culture that no other region of the United States can match. Make sure you try out some cajun food while you are in that area.

I would recommend a trip to Austin, TX if you have the opportunity. There is an arcade located in Austin called "Arcade UFO" that often has several Cave and other shmups on hand (I believe they now have DaiFukkatsu). San Antonio is also a very nice city.

[Octopod]

Austin is a super nice city. You do realize that Big Bend is like over 800 miles from Houston right? Long drive.

New Orleans is awesome too. I have lived in all three of the cities mentioned and New Orleans is probably the funnest. I have not been back sine Katrina though so I am not sure how it is now.

[Dragoforce]

Yeah, I know Big bend is way off but the women insisted on it so I didn't have any say. I'll defintly try to make it to Austin as well, we're probably heading to San Antonio so a trip to Austin should be doable

I'm really looking forward to it, less than a month away now. I'd love to meet up if anyone lives in any of the areas we're going to btw.

[Davey]

I've never been to Texas, but even I know that Austin ain't Texas.

[robivy64]

When you go to Big Bend, stop by Marfa, TX one night and see if you can spot the Marfa lights.

[professor ganson]

Austin is terrific. If at all possible, try to check out the amazing flux of bats that depart at dusk from under one of the main bridges-- you've never seen anything like it!

[DietSoap]

I've never been to Texas, but even I know that Austin ain't Texas.

Honestly, aside from the politics (and even then, Ron Paul is the man of choice there), Austin is as "Texas" as it gets. Definitely worth seeing. Personally I'd live there if it weren't so damn expensive.

Bunch of stuff to see in and do in Houston, especially if you're big into nightlife. Just make sure you stay safe.

Also if you're already going to all those places, you might want to check out Padre, too. IIRC the hotel rates are way down right about now and it's still pretty warm there.

[Bloodreign]

New Orleans is a bit of a drive from where you'll be, but it's definitely a place you will want to experience. Southern Louisiana has a very unique culture that no other region of the United States can match. Make sure you try out some cajun food while you are in that area.

As someone who lives in South Louisiana I can vouch for the cuisine, it is like nothing else, plus the people are friendly and the culture unique.

[Slump]

Not sure how far it is from where you'll be but San Antonio's Riverwalk is pretty neat especially during new years/christmas time. I got to spend a few days there for a wedding several years ago. Kinda a cool nightlife area with some neat restaurants and stuff.

[GaijinPunch]

Go to Austin. It's the only place worth mentioning within a single days drive. New Orleans would be second. It's REALLY far by car though. Texas is bigger than most European countries.

[sven666]

Go to Austin. It's the only place worth mentioning within a single days drive. New Orleans would be second. It's REALLY far by car though. Texas is bigger than most European countries.

naaah it aint that bad, besides the us is a great car-country, you eat highway miles like nothing.

going 1000kms in europe is much more of a hassle due to our aincent road system.

[GaijinPunch]

Go to Austin. It's the only place worth mentioning within a single days drive. New Orleans would be second. It's REALLY far by car though. Texas is bigger than most European countries.

naaah it aint that bad,

As in isn't that big, or the geographical area I grew up in isn't lame for the most part b/c of everyone fixes stuff with duct tape? I know I'm harsh, but I left for a reason.

besides the us is a great car-country, you eat highway miles like nothing.

You can drive from the east tip of Texas to El Paso in about 12 hours driving a bit over the speed limit, assuming you don't stop to take a shit. My sister "dropped me off" at the airport in Gratz... she lives in Croatia. We even passed through Slovenia. That was all in about 90 minutes. If you like driving, the US is great. I'd rather pass out on a train and leave all the liability up to someone else.

going 1000kms in europe is much more of a hassle due to our aincent road system.

Yeah, but you have those machine guns at the borders... and in all honesty, the South (at least Texas) is only green for a few months a year, in comparison.

Interesting Chart

[robivy64]

Beaumont to El Paso is pretty damn rough. It's nearly 900 miles (450 Km). Once you are West of San Antonio, you can make good time, since you are in an extremely remote and sparsely populated area.

My record for driving in one stretch is from Montgomery, AL to Missoula, MT.

40 hours and 2500 miles FTW.

[sven666]

As in isn't that big, or the geographical area I grew up in isn't lame for the most part b/c of everyone fixes stuff with duct tape?

im not arguing the size of texas, thats plain for everyone to see (shit is big!), im not JAPJAC living in my own little world... was just pointing out that long distances in the US arent as much of a hassle as they are over here.

roadtrips here involve a shitton of ferries, borderpatrols and fingers in orifices..

[GaijinPunch]

was just pointing out that long distances in the US arent as much of a hassle as they are over here.

Ah, gotcha. Well... don't you have trains for that shit? I recall going London to Paris being a piece of piss. The only hassle for my trip to the airport above was a border check at Slovenia. But I can see where it would suck...especially going through miscellaneous countries.

I guess my furthest car ride ever was a family vacation where we drove from Dallas to Louisville Kentucky. About 16 hours. We did it 2 years in a row. Nothing like killing the environment as a family back in the really early 80's.

[yojo!]

Beaumont to El Paso is pretty damn rough. It's nearly 900 miles (450 Km). Once you are West of San Antonio, you can make good time, since you are in an extremely remote and sparsely populated area..

900 miles is more like 1500 Km.

[CIT]

You should just take a plane from Corpus Christi to New Orleans. Seriously, driving long distances in the States is boring as fuck. At least in Sweden you get elks jumping in front of your car every once in a while. You don't get that in Texas.

Also go to Austin, it's the nicest town in Texas, and one of the nicest in America.

You should also go to Mexico and get some Tacos and drugs. Actually I'm kidding, just get the drugs, you can get awesome Mexican food in Texas.

[robivy64]

Beaumont to El Paso is pretty damn rough. It's nearly 900 miles (450 Km). Once you are West of San Antonio, you can make good time, since you are in an extremely remote and sparsely populated area..

900 miles is more like 1500 Km.

WHOOPS. GOOD CALL SOLDIER.

Mistyped and left out the "1".

[robivy64]

When it comes to Tex-Mex, Pappasito's Cantina will send you into convulsions.

Yes, it's that good.

[Dragoforce]

There are in total three stretches of road in Sweden that doesn't consist of a straight road with thick forest on each side. We even got boring fences to keep the elks of the road

We were thinking of flying to New Orleans at first, but the flights were a lot more than it would cost to get there by car. My experiences tells me that roadtrips can be a lot of fun as long as you make frequent stops along the way. We're doing it as a vacation so it's not like we're in a hurry.

Oh, which places are good to eat at? Any that should be avoided?

[robivy64]

The stretch of Interstate 10 between Houston and New Orleans is mostly swamp and oil refineries. It's fairly scenic compared to most stretches of Interstate in the Southern US. By "scenic" of course I am referring to interesting things to look at, not beauty.

The 18-mile bridge over the Atchafalaya Basin can be interesting, unless there is a wreck on the bridge, at which point the bridge becomes a parking lot.

[brentsg]

I think I might be making my first trip to New Orleans in a couple of weeks for work, so I'll be keeping an eye on this thread. Just got home from 2 trips to Montreal too.. neat city!

[Octopod]

You should just take a plane from Corpus Christi to New Orleans. Seriously, driving long distances in the States is boring as fuck. At least in Sweden you get elks jumping in front of your car every once in a while. You don't get that in Texas.

Also go to Austin, it's the nicest town in Texas, and one of the nicest in America.

In fact you get deer jumping in front of you. I have been in cars that hit them three times before, it is not fun.

[rancor]

Oh, which places are good to eat at? Any that should be avoided?

In Austin:

DEATH METAL PIZZA!!
http://www.yelp.com/biz/hoeks-death-metal-pizza-austin

Dude, - For real - Austin is the greatest city on earth. Such a mixing of cultures, and yet everything still maintains its original flavor. It's got everything you could ever want.
If you get a chance to watch some TV at 2am, be sure to check out some of the public access channels. Wild Stuff..
Also make sure to hit up some of the parks and go to some mexican grocery stores. Watch a documentary about the clock-tower sniper and make sure to check out the bats that fly from under the bridge at dusk. If you do get to Austin, you honestly wont be bored.

Hell, I love Texas. I'll make it back someday.

[Octopod]

Oh hell yeah. Austin public access television can be nuts.

[GaijinPunch]

Pappasito's Cantina will send you into convulsions.

Trudy's. Mexican Martini.

[brentsg]

If you hit San Antonio, visit Rosario's Mexican restaurant.

I used to travel there a lot and it was my favorite by far.

http://rosariossa.com/

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_R ... Texas.html

[Dragoforce]

Change of plans. Instead of going to New Orleans we're heading the other way and doing a roadtrip through Texas, New Mexico, Arizona and a little part of Utah. Our plan is to visit Houston, San Antonio, Big Bend, Marfa, Roswell, White Sands, Monument valley Grand Canyon, Las Vegas and a few other places. In other words there will be a lot of driving. But we're switching between drivers so it should be ok.

Any tips of things to see around those places? We could defintly use with some tips regarding Vegas

[GaijinPunch]

I'm telling you now... and no sane person will disagree with me... you're driving through Texas and not going to Austin? This is a fail of biblical proportions... something akin to going to Amsterdam and not getting high or fucking a whore.

Your basically going to a turd for sight seeing, then a place with good Mexican food. And you're missing the only culturally liberated place in the entire state. The only way you could make this plan worse is to drive up through Dallas which is like Houston on a slightly smaller scale -- sucks for all the same reasons. You realize #1 about 16:00 each day.