Five Things I Love About Texas

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Photo: nan palmero

After spending two full days in the Lone Star State, I love with everything Texas has to offer. Here are five reasons why, in countdown order:

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5. Texas exits.

If you’ve been on a Texas highway, you’re familiar with the Texas exit. This is when a driver decides to make their own freeway exit, cutting through the grass and onto the frontage road. This devil-may-care driver’s attitude is refreshing and it just screams Texas:

I’m a man (or lady). I have a giant cowboy hat and an F-250. I don’t use off ramps, I make my own.

They’re everywhere. Some iterations are now full dirt paths, while others barely show the semblance of a single car’s passing. Each set of tracks relays a uniqueness that is found in Texas and Texas alone. The independence matters.

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4. The people.

I met some great people in the state of Texas. They are some of the most warm, inviting, hospitable people I’ve ever met; it was very refreshing. In general, people from Texas seem to have a generally rosier disposition. Maybe it’s the I-have-a-big-state syndrome and they’re more confident. Who knows.

What I know is this: it makes a difference. If I am cheery and nice to you, chances are, you’ll be cheery and nice to somebody else. Call it compounding happiness.

(And I love it.)

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3. The San Antonio Riverwalk

America’s best kept secret? Definitely.

The San Antonio Riverwalk is a downtown cut of the San Antonio River, completely walkable and sandwiched in between hotels, attractions, and restaurants. It’s Venice meets Texas in every sense of the word.

I can’t imagine a scenario in which I do not surprise my future wife with a trip to the Riverwalk. Baby, if you’re reading this, don’t act like you won’t be surprised. You might know it’s happening… but good luck getting excited every weekend in hopes of taking a trip to Texas! Hah.

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2. Everything’s bigger in Texas.

The nachos. The freeways. The cattle.

Although I did not see one giant foam cowboy hat (seriously–––what gives?), everything’s bigger and it’s humorously better.

In Texas, I’ve seen some of the biggest freeway interchanges in my life. You can practically see Cowboys Stadium from space. The food is bigger and portions heftier. All in all, you can very easily become accustomed to the sense of grandeur accompanying the state.

If Texas were to secede (which could be a real possibility after November 6th), it would be the 15th largest economy in the world. See what I mean?

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1. Everything is more authentic, too.

This is the striking contrast that I have found in just about every city in comparison to Palm Beach–––everything is more real. It’s not fake history, it’s actual history (and that matters). In fact, it’s the best part of Texas.

On the whole, Texans know themselves well. Dallas is city; Fort Worth is country. San Antonio is all picante (I don’t really know what this means, but it fits) and Austin is a good college town. There’s no faking here. Texas says, ‘we are what we are, like us or not.’

And that’s why I love Texas so much.

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[box_light]Sound Off: What’s your favorite thing about Texas? Let us know in the comments.[/box_light]

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