Texas.
The Lone Star State!
There’s no place on earth quite as ‘big’ (metaphorically speaking, of course).
You know what they say—everything is bigger in Texas.
Well, there’s at least a certain measure of truth to that.
And in this post, you’re about to learn a few things to keep in mind while traveling for a visit.
Whether you plan to drive through, stay awhile, or even relocate to this pure American chunk of ground, there are a few things that you should know.
This article will get you up to speed and ready for action.
1. Pack The Right Clothes
In the summer, Texas is hot and dry.
That means that you’ll want to dress appropriately for the weather.
As it turns out, all of those westerns you watched as a kid actually got something right.
The ideal clothing to wear if you plan to get out and do stuff in the summer Texas months are things like denim and cotton. Bring some short-sleeved tops, and don’t forget your boots (especially if you plan to go horseback riding).
Oh. And a wide-brimmed hat will come in handy as well, to protect your face and ears from the sun.
2. Gas Is Usually Cheaper
One of the great things about Texas is that its economy tends to be a bit ‘easier on the consumer’ than the economies in some of the other states.
For example:
Gas in Texas is usually quite a bit below the average price in the United States.
So you may want to fill up your tank before heading out.
You’re likely to pay a lot more once you cross state lines and start heading somewhere else.
3. You’ll Need A Medical Marijuana Card If You Want To Use Cannabis
Texas is ahead of the times in some ways.
But when it comes to cannabis legalization, they’re a bit behind the curve.
You’re going to need to talk to a licensed Texas Medical Marijuana doctor to get approved for a Texas Medical Marijuana Card in the Lone Star State.
So don’t bring your green over the border with you unless you meet the criteria, lest you run into unwanted legal entanglements.
3. Get Ready To Experience A Lot Of History
There’s a lot of history in Texas.
From the Alamo, to Austin being considered the ‘live music capital of the world,’ to multiple professional sports teams—there is definitely no shortage of awesome things to see and do.
In other words:
Make sure to make time for some local culture; because there’s plenty of it to go around.
4. It’ll Take You About 14 To 16 Hours To Drive Across The State
Just passing through?
Well, Texas may be even bigger than you realize.
There are about 870 miles to cover, border to border.
If you stop twice for 2 hours each time (to eat and stretch your legs), you’re looking at a trip that’ll take you about 15 hours in total.
Of course, this is a little bit different if you’re going through the panhandle. That time will be significantly reduced.
You can check out this page for a handy table that’ll tell you exactly how long the trip will take you, depending on where you’re going and what highway you plan to take.
5. For The Most Part, Texans Are Kind, Friendly People
If you’re worried about tough cowboys acting mean and putting a dent in your trip—you may be able to put those fears to the side.
As a general rule, the majority of people in Texas are said to be extremely friendly.
We can actually vouch for this, with plenty of time spent not just in the big cities, but also in small towns.
So if you’re a fan of that good old-fashioned midwestern politeness and charm, you’ll find no shortage of it in the Lone Star State.
6. Texas Has Its Own Power Grid
This may or may not matter to your trip.
But it’s still interesting to know.
There are three major power grids in the United States.
One of them spans the western half of the country, one of them spans the eastern half—and the third one is specifically dedicated to the state of Texas.
In theory, this means that even if all of the other grids go down, you’ll still have electricity for ‘fixin up viddles’ with.
Plus, those frozen margarita machines (which were invented in Texas, by the way) will still be churning out those ice-cold beverages, even if the northern part of the country is ‘lights out’ for one reason or another.
And hey; there’s no reason to complain about that, right?
Conclusion
All jokes aside, Texas actually is a really cool place to visit.
If you’ve never been, odds are good that you’ll love it.
Just make sure that you set aside some time to see the sights.
There’s a lot to experience!
You don’t want to hurry up and miss out on all of those awesome memories by flying through a bit too quickly!