Things to Do in Texas

The Sixth Floor Museum chronicles the events leading to the assassination of President Kennedy in November 1963.

It’s a moving and eerie experience to visit the museum, taking up the very spot Lee Harvey Oswald fired the shots that perhaps killed the president.

Film, photographs, artifacts and exhibits examine the event and the ensuing investigations.

Oral history and eyewitness accounts form an important part of the museum’s collection, and you can take an audio walking tour of the area.

Houston residents love their Astros—and they also love their park. Ever since 2000 when the stadium opened to immediately rave reviews, Minute Maid Park has been one America’s most loved park’s for baseball. Hitters love how the left field wall is only 315 feet away, and fielders love how natural grass is used instead of turf. Spectators love how the retractable roof can create the ideal conditions, as well the train that chugs on the tracks with every Astros home run. In a nod to the city’s railroad history, part of the park has incorporated the historic Union Station, which now serves as the park’s main entrance adjacent to the left field wall. During days when there isn’t an Astros home game, visitors can enjoy a tour of the park that includes the broadcasting booth, press box, luxury suites, dugout, and historic Union Station. Or, if it’s a day when Houston is gearing up to cheer for their hometown team, there are 40,963 seats if you’d like to purchase a couple of tickets and be an Astros fan for a day. 

The Texas State Capitol building and its stunning presence on the Austin landscape earns its place on the National Register of Historic Places with ease. An extraordinary example of stonework and 19th-century architecture, the Texas State Capitol is widely regarded as one of the nation’s most “stately” state capitols with its elaborate limestone work and impressive dome, which reaches 15 feet above its Washington counterpart.

Offering a panoramic view over all of Austin from the capitol dome, the 1888 Texas State Capitol has the largest square footage of any state capitol in the Unites States, and is only seconded by the National Capitol in Washington D.C. A tour through these beautiful grounds will do more than expose you to the history of Texas legislation, but will tell “a true Texas story.”

Got expensive taste but limited budget? This is where Tanget Outlets come in. The real estate company has a branch just south of Houston and is committed to bringing its customers the best shopping experience possible by offering the best deals from preferred designers and brand-name stores, through strategic alliances with brands such as: Liz Claiborne, Gap, Banana Republic, Old Navy, Polo Ralph Lauren, Reebok, Tommy Hilfiger, Nautica, Abercrombie & Fitch, Hollister, Eddie Bauer, Brooks Brothers and Nike. Originally founded in North Carolina in 1981, Tanger Outlets have now spread to 24 states as well as Canada. The company currently owns 46 outlet centers across North America and attracts over 185 million bargain hunters every year.

This mission was originally established in 1716 as Nuestra Señora de la Purísima Concepción de los Hainais in East Texas with the purpose of converting  local Native Americas to Christianity. It was moved to San Antonio in 1731, and today stands as the best preserved of the Texas missions. An interesting fact about these missions is they were not churches but Indian towns with the church as the focus where Native Americans learned to become Spanish citizens -- a process that required becoming Catholic.

Visiting the site today, you’ll get a clear sense of what mission life was like hundreds of years ago. It’s also interesting to take in the stone building with its Spanish Colonial architecture. Notice the intricate Renaissance details, colorful Moorish designs, Romanesque attributes and gothic arches. On the grounds, you can still see the quarry from which the Native Americans collected the stone to build the mission. The preserved church is now an active parish where you can attend services and hear the choir sing beautiful Spanish songs. While much of the facade’s geometrical designs have faded, you can still view original symbolic and decorative frescos in several of the rooms. The most well-known fresco resides on the convento room ceiling, thought to be a rendering of God as a mestizo.

The oldest continuously operating religious community in Texas, San Fernando De Bexar Cathedral was constructed between 1738 and 1749. In fact, the dome of the original church was the point from which all mileage in Texas was measured in the 1700s. The cathedral is well-maintained, and mass still goes on daily so make sure to be respectful when entering. One major attraction inside the sacred space is the Alamo Coffin, located near the church entrance, which is believed to hold the remains of the men who lost their lives at the Alamo. The cathedral played a part in the battle, as it was President-General Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna’s headquarters during the siege of the Alamo, and from where he sent a terrifying message. Instead of flying the tri-color Mexican flag from the church’s belfry he flew a blood-red flag, letting the defenders of the Alamo know he would kill them even if they surrendered.  

Inside the church there are many beautiful points of interest, for example, the gold gilded alter, intricate stained glass windows and dramatic columns and archways. Outside, visitors can admire the mix of Gothic and American Colonial architecture.

As the church is not only beautiful and sacred but also historical, visiting the museum next to the gift shop can help enlighten you on its heritage. Additionally, the church offers both self-guided and group tours. You can either purchase a guidebook at the gift shop explaining the highlights and artwork of the cathedral or take a 45-minute guided tour with a knowledgeable docent.