Bishop's Palace, one of the many, many magnificent historic buildings in Galveston, which was 'the Wall Street of the West' in the late 1800s

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A San Antonio Girlfriend Getaway: On the Rocks with Salt

Texas for Two: If there’s one thing I look forward to every year, it’s meeting up with my favorite roommate from college for a weekend of shopping, drinking and lots of catching up. I’ve quickly learned from these trips that it is, indeed, the company you keep that makes the trip, but give us a destination with all of the prerequisites—treasures to buy, cocktails to drink and a change of scenery to explore—and we’ll go home with a weekend full of stories and a promise to do it all over again the next year.

Since neither of us had been to Texas (not counting layovers in DFW), we decided San Antonio would be a good introduction to the state. After hearing about their River Walk, it sounded like everything we could ask for would be within walking distance.

Galveston, Texas: The Indomitable Island

Galveston is one of those destinations where there really is something for everyone. I happen to love those parts of America where the culture was shaped by other nationalities like the Dutch in New York or the French in New Orleans.

In Galveston you can really feel the grandeur of Spain, most notably in the Hotel Galvez that fronts boldly on the Gulf of Mexico, named for Governor Bernardo de Galvez, one of the most interesting characters in the history of the Gulf Coast. Read more of Steve Hartshorne's story about attractions in Galveston.

Riding into North Texas Horse Country

For a place destined to surpass Los Angeles in size and sprawl, a tract just northeast of the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex keeps a tight rein on its country ways.

Every mile or so along the blue highways of Denton County, the pickup banging along ahead of you pulls off into another horse farm. Read more about Larry Parnass's experiences of riding horses in Texas.

Beaumont, Texas: Wildlife and Nightlife in the Heart of the Oil Patch

I'd never set foot in the Republic of Texas until last month, when I discovered Beaumont, about 90 minutes east of Houston. It's a city with big plans afoot.

Their sidewalks are being ripped up and replaced with quaint brick, and black iron streetlights are being added to give the main drag, Calder Avenue, an old time feel. The reason is drainage but the effect will be to make it look more old timey and charming.Things are looking up in this city of refineries. Read more of editor Max Hartshorne's experience in Beaumont.

A ranch hand at Mandolynn Hill brings an Arabian horse for a medical treatment.

Dallas: The Big D Offers Museums Galore and Even Places to, um, Walk!

Visiting Dallas Texas is like taking a crash course in cultural anthropology. No longer do you need to travel to Beijing to see great works of Chinese art or Venice, Italy, to ride a gondola or Napa Valley for great wine tasting. I found activities like these and much more in the Bluebonnet State. Read more of Sony Stark's story about Dallas.

Read more GoNOMAD stories about Texas:

Three Hip Hotels in Plano Texas

Houston, Texas: A Great Place to Be Yourself

Houston's Art Car Parade: A Celebration of Individuality

Family Fun: The Texas Gulf Coast Has It All