Texas travel guide: what to see and when to go

Texas is bigger than many countries and cannot be seen in one go. Between Austin and its music scene, San Antonio and its Spanish missions, Houston and NASA’s space center, the hills of the Hill Country and the deserts of Big Bend, you have to choose. This Texas travel guide helps you pick your stops, your season and your budget.

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What to see in Texas: the highlights

Austin

The state capital, Austin bills itself as the « Live Music Capital of the World ». Music venues are concentrated on 6th Street, Red River and the more commercial South Congress district. Lady Bird Lake can be explored on foot, by bike or by kayak, and the spring-fed natural pool of Barton Springs stays at about 20 °C (68 °F) all year. From late spring to early fall, hundreds of thousands of bats fly out at dusk from the Congress Avenue Bridge: a free show, best seen from the bank.

San Antonio

San Antonio is the city most marked by Texas’s Hispanic heritage. The Alamo, a former mission that became the symbol of the Texas Revolution of 1836, is at the heart of downtown. The River Walk, a promenade set below street level along the San Antonio River, is lined with restaurants and hotels; river boats let you tour it seated. South of the city, the four missions of San Antonio Missions National Historical Park (Concepción, San José, San Juan, Espada) form, with the Alamo, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Houston

The fourth-largest city in the United States, Houston is spread out and best visited by car. Its main draw is Space Center Houston, the visitor center of NASA’s Johnson Space Center, about 40 minutes southeast of downtown: space history galleries, a Saturn V rocket and, on some days, tram tours of the facilities. In town, the Museum District brings together many museums, including the free Menil Collection.

The Hill Country

Between Austin and San Antonio, the Hill Country is a region of limestone hills, rivers and small towns. Fredericksburg, founded by German settlers in the 19th century, keeps its stone houses and a lively main street; the region is also known for its vineyards. In spring, usually from March to April, roadsides are covered in bluebonnets, the state flower.

Big Bend

Big Bend National Park, in far West Texas, follows the great bend of the Rio Grande, which marks the border with Mexico. It combines three landscapes in one: the Chihuahuan Desert, the Chisos Mountains, where most hiking trails are found, and the river canyons, including Santa Elena, with walls several hundred meters high. The park is very isolated: the nearest towns are more than an hour’s drive away, there is almost no cell coverage and gas is scarce. In summer, temperatures in the low desert make hiking dangerous: the visiting season runs mainly from fall to spring.

The Gulf of Mexico coast

The Texas coast does not have Caribbean turquoise water: the sea is often brown and the beaches wide. Galveston, about an hour from Houston, combines a beach with a historic Victorian district. Further south, Padre Island National Seashore protects long, little-developed beaches.

Itinerary ideas for Texas

10 days: Houston, San Antonio, the Hill Country and Austin

1. Days 1 and 2: Houston (Space Center Houston, the Museum District)
2. Day 3: Galveston, or drive straight to San Antonio (about 3 hours)
3. Days 4 and 5: San Antonio (the Alamo, the River Walk, the missions by bike)
4. Days 6 and 7: the Hill Country (Fredericksburg, Enchanted Rock, vineyards)
5. Days 8 to 10: Austin (the Capitol, Barton Springs, South Congress, live music), then flight home

2 weeks: the triangle and Big Bend

1. Days 1 to 7: Houston, San Antonio and the Hill Country, as above
2. Day 8: long drive west (about 7 hours), night in Fort Davis, Alpine or Marfa
3. Days 9 to 11: Big Bend (the Chisos, Santa Elena Canyon, the Rio Grande road)
4. Day 12: Marfa and its contemporary art scene, then head back east
5. Days 13 and 14: Austin and flight home; alternative: drop the car in El Paso, if the rental company allows it

When to go to Texas?

Central and East Texas have a humid subtropical climate: mild winters, long and very hot summers. The best periods are March to May, with Hill Country wildflowers and still bearable temperatures, and October-November. From June to September, average highs exceed 32 °C (90 °F) in Austin and reach 36.6 °C (98 °F) in August. Winter is mild but variable: cold snaps and, rarely, ice storms can occur.

Month	High	Low	Precipitation	Verdict
January	16.9 °C (62 °F)	5.4 °C (42 °F)	67 mm (2.6 in)	✅ Mild, ideal for Big Bend
February	19.2 °C (67 °F)	7.7 °C (46 °F)	48 mm (1.9 in)	✅ Mild, few people
March	22.9 °C (73 °F)	11.2 °C (52 °F)	73 mm (2.9 in)	✅ Wildflowers, festivals (SXSW)
April	26.8 °C (80 °F)	14.9 °C (59 °F)	61 mm (2.4 in)	✅ Hill Country wildflowers
May	30.5 °C (87 °F)	19.3 °C (67 °F)	128 mm (5.0 in)	⚠️ Hot, wettest month
June	34.0 °C (93 °F)	22.7 °C (73 °F)	93 mm (3.7 in)	❌ Heat, start of hurricane season
July	35.9 °C (97 °F)	23.9 °C (75 °F)	50 mm (2.0 in)	❌ Very hot
August	36.6 °C (98 °F)	23.9 °C (75 °F)	70 mm (2.8 in)	❌ Hottest month
September	33.0 °C (91 °F)	21.2 °C (70 °F)	88 mm (3.5 in)	⚠️ Heat, peak hurricane season
October	28.1 °C (83 °F)	16.0 °C (61 °F)	99 mm (3.9 in)	✅ Pleasant temperatures return
November	21.9 °C (71 °F)	10.3 °C (51 °F)	74 mm (2.9 in)	✅ Mild, ideal for Big Bend
December	17.7 °C (64 °F)	6.3 °C (43 °F)	69 mm (2.7 in)	✅ Mild, holiday lights

Texas is vast and climates vary. Houston, near the Gulf, is slightly less hot in summer afternoons (34.2 °C / 94 °F in August) but more humid and wetter: about 1,413 mm (55.6 in) of rain a year at Hobby Airport, versus 921 mm (36.3 in) in Austin. San Antonio has temperatures close to Austin’s (an average high of 35.6 °C / 96 °F in August). In the desert west, around Big Bend, the air is drier: summer is scorching in the lowlands, and winter is mild by day but cool at night, especially in the mountains.

Hurricanes and storms

According to GOV.UK, the Atlantic hurricane season normally runs from June to November; the Gulf Coast, from Galveston to Corpus Christi and Houston, is the most exposed. In spring, central and northern Texas get severe thunderstorms, sometimes hail and tornadoes. The Hill Country is also prone to flash floods, like the deadly floods of July 2025 on the Guadalupe River: never drive onto a flooded road and follow National Weather Service alerts, as GOV.UK also advises.

Period	Event	Place
March	Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, one of the largest rodeos in the world	Houston
March	South by Southwest (SXSW), music, film and tech festival	Austin
April	Fiesta San Antonio	San Antonio
September – October	State Fair of Texas	Dallas
October	Austin City Limits Music Festival	Austin

Area	Best for	Type of accommodation
Austin: downtown, South Congress	Live music, nightlife	Hotels, renovated motels
San Antonio: River Walk	Everything on foot	Chain hotels, historic hotels
Houston: Downtown, Museum District	Museums, transport	Chain hotels
Fredericksburg	Hill Country, vineyards	B&Bs, guesthouses
Big Bend: Chisos Mountains Lodge, Terlingua, Study Butte	Hiking, starry skies	Park lodge, motels, campgrounds
Marfa, Alpine, Fort Davis	Stopover on the way to Big Bend	Motels, characterful hotels

Getting around Texas

• Car: essential as soon as you leave the city centers. Highways are wide and speed limits can be high. Some expressways around Houston, Dallas and Austin have electronic tolls with no booths: ask the rental company how tolls are billed. UK travelers: GOV.UK says a UK photocard licence can be used, but you may also need the 1949 international driving permit, depending on the state and the rental company.
• In town: downtown San Antonio is walkable; Austin has buses and bike-share; Houston is very spread out.

Budget for a trip to Texas

Texas is cheaper than New York or California. Indicative amounts per person per day, excluding international flights:

Item	Budget	Comfort
Accommodation (based on a shared double room)	about US$45 to 80 (motel, camping)	about US$100 to 200
Meals	about US$30 to 45 (barbecue, Tex-Mex, food trucks)	about US$55 to 100
Transport (shared car, gas)	about US$20 to 40	about US$40 to 65
Activities and sights	about US$10 to 30	about US$35 to 80 (Space Center, concerts)
Total per day	roughly US$105 to 190	roughly US$230 to 450

Entry requirements, health and safety

• US citizens: a trip to Texas is domestic travel, with no entry formalities.
• UK citizens: according to the UK FCDO (GOV.UK, updated 18 August 2026), you need an approved ESTA (only via the official ESTA website or ESTA Mobile app) or a US visa before you travel; some travel histories (Cuba since 12 January 2021, Iran, Iraq, Libya, North Korea, Somalia, Sudan, Syria or Yemen since March 2011) and arrests or criminal records can make you ineligible. Your passport must be valid for the length of your stay.
• Health: medical treatment is expensive and some hospitals ask non-residents for a deposit; UK prescriptions are not valid in the US (GOV.UK). Take out insurance covering medical costs. Emergency number: 911.
• Driving: GOV.UK says you can use a UK photocard driving licence, but you may also need the 1949 international driving permit (IDP), depending on the state, and car hire companies may set stricter conditions.
• Heat: from June to September, drink plenty, hike early in the morning and never leave a child or pet in a closed car. In Big Bend, carry several liters of water per person per day.
• Natural hazards: hurricanes from June to November on the Gulf Coast, severe storms and tornadoes in spring, flash floods (GOV.UK). Follow the instructions of the authorities.
• Safety: GOV.UK notes that violent crime and gun crime rarely affect tourists, but advises taking care in unfamiliar areas and not leaving items on display in your car. It also warns that crime linked to illegal drugs is a major issue in the Mexican states bordering Texas: research the area before crossing the border.

Practical tips for Texas

• Money: cards are accepted almost everywhere; keep a few bills for tips. Our currency converter helps you convert prices.
• Mobile data: good coverage in cities and on major highways, very weak in the west and in Big Bend: download offline maps. A US eSIM avoids roaming charges.

Who is Texas for?

Our verdict by profile, based on the information in this guide:

• Road trip: yes: a car is almost essential, between the Austin – San Antonio – Houston triangle, the Hill Country and Big Bend.
• Music and nightlife: yes: Austin and its live scene (6th Street, Red River, South Congress), SXSW and Austin City Limits.
• Families: yes: Space Center Houston, the San Antonio River Walk by boat, Barton Springs; avoid hiking in the heat of the day from June to September.
• Tight budget: fair: roughly US$105 to 190 per day; Texas is cheaper than New York or California, but sales tax and tips add up.
• Nature and hiking: yes: Big Bend from fall to spring, Enchanted Rock, Hill Country wildflowers in March-April.
• Beach: no: the Gulf Coast sea is often brown; Galveston and Padre Island are secondary stops.

Further reading

Texas does not yet have a dedicated climate page: the month-by-month table above and our United States travel guide will help you combine the state with other regions. Most of the state is on Central Time: our page on time differences in the United States covers the time zones.

Frequently asked questions

Our sources

• Entry, safety and health information read on 26 October 2026: UK FCDO, foreign travel advice for the USA (GOV.UK, updated 18 August 2026)
• Climate normals: NOAA (National Weather Service) 1991-2020 normals, Camp Mabry station in Austin, values converted to °C and mm; Houston (Hobby Airport) and San Antonio (international airport), NOAA 1991-2020 normals
• European Central Bank euro reference rates, 23 October 2026 (budget conversions)
• Our methodology

Updated October 2026.

For other regions, see our United States travel guide, our California guide and, across the Rio Grande, our Mexico guide.