Tips for a Great Texas Road Trip

Texas is larger than some countries, and it boasts many destinations that make it an excellent place to plan a road trip. Everything about the state is big. There are big destinations, big distances and big areas of emptiness. Taking a road trip through Texas can let you experience the epic scenery, the vast wilderness, the thriving culture of the cities and much more. Here are some tips for planning a great Texas road trip.

Know where to find the best barbecue

A road trip through Texas should always include stops to sample the barbecue. This quintessentially Texan cuisine is something that every visitor to Texas should try. There are different styles of barbecue in different areas of Texas. In eastern Texas, the meat is slow-cooked over hickory wood for so long that it literally falls away from the bone and is marinated in a tomato-based sweet sauce. Central Texas barbecue features meat that is rubbed with spices, salt and pepper and then cooked over indirect heat from mesquite or several different types of wood. If sauce comes with your meat, it will generally be served on the side. South Texas barbecue is noted for the thick, sweet sauces that help to keep the meat very moist. In West Texas, you can enjoy the mesquite flavoring in the meat that comes from cooking it over direct heat from the wood. Your ideal Texas road trip should include the chance to sample all of the varieties of great Texas barbecue so that you can find the style that fits your taste preferences the best.

Hit the smaller roads to see the best of Texas

When you plan a road trip in Texas, you might be tempted to stay on the interstates and toll roads so that you can take advantage of the 85 mph speed limits. While that may be tempting, the best way to experience the state is to take some of the smaller roads. For example, you might want to take 290 West through the Texas Hill Country so that you can see the beautiful bluffs and meadows. Turning off on Route 71 can allow you to experience the beauty of the Hamilton Pool Preserve while you take a quick swim. You should also make certain to plan your journey so that you can see some of the vibrant wildflowers that dot the state. The smaller roads in Texas allow you to experience much more of what this beautiful state has to offer.

Planning a Texas road trip can allow you to experience the beauty and scenery of the state. When you plan it well, you will want to return again and again or possibly even decide to relocate to the state.

Plan your gas stops well

There are many areas in Texas where you might travel 40 miles or more between gas stations. If you are planning to drive from the eastern part of Texas to the west towards Hill Country, you might find miles tick by without a gas station in sight. This makes it important for you to plan your route carefully so that you can identify when and where you should fill up your tank. If you know that you have a long distance ahead of you, go ahead and fill up instead of thinking that you probably have enough to make it.