Texas Tourism comes to town

At a breakfast event held at Toronto’s Windsor Arms hotel yesterday morning (Nov. 15), Texas Tourism – together with partners at Visit Houston and Visit San Antonio – highlighted all there is to see, do and experience in the Lone Star State.

A popular destination among Canadians – “Canada is the second largest source of international visitors to Texas after Mexico,” said Chris Radley, account manager for Texas Tourism in Canada, with more than 153,000 Canadians visiting the state in 2015, and the largest contingent hailing from Alberta at approximately 26 per cent – it was made clear that while still a big part of its unique identity, Texas is so much more than cowboys and rodeos.

Home to more than 180 wineries, making it the fifth largest producer in the U.S., and more than 80 craft breweries and distilleries, this is a place that is as much about the finer things in life as it is the rough and tumble.

When it comes to its cities, Houston – the fourth largest city in the country – is noted as being the cultural and culinary capital of the southern U.S., offering more than 10,000 restaurants, 19 museums, eclectic street art and easy access (45 minutes by car) to the beaches and many attractions on the Gulf of Mexico. It is also the host city to Super Bowl LI, which will be held on Feb. 5, 2017, and of course the famed Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, which is one of the largest live entertainment and livestock exhibitions in the world, which will run from March 7 to 26 next year.

Approximately three hours by car due west of Houston, the city of San Antonio is gearing up for its 300th birthday in 2018, which means lots of festivities to enjoy over the coming year. Additionally, the River Walk expansion, which is now complete following its US$358 million overhaul, is bigger and better than ever, now featuring 15 additional miles (approximately 24 kilometres), 17 new hotels and 30 new restaurants.

San Antonio is also home to five Spanish missions, including the Alamo, which were recently given the UNESCO World Heritage Site designation, and is a great base for golfers as the city is within an hour’s drive to 50+ courses, which thanks to the favourable climate found here, are generally open year-round.

For more information on Texas, click here.