Texas

In every sense, Texas is a large state. It's the largest of the lower 48 states (Alaska is bigger), and just about everything in Texas claims to be bigger and better than anywhere else. Texans are loud, open and friendly, and both fiercely independent and proud. As an old saying declares, 'Don't Mess with Texas'.

This brash personality is a product of the state's history. Once an independent country called the Republic of Texas, the residents are mistrustful of the federal government to this day. And in the frontier days, Texas was the heart of cowboy territory, where great cattle drives took place across the wide open southern and western parts of the state. Despite the current prevalence of paved roads and pickup trucks, many residents like to believe they are sill cowboys deep down.

Visitors to Texas might be surprised at what they find today, though. Dallas and Houston are large cities driven more by the money flowing from oil wells across the state than by any ideas about cowboys and Indians. These days, banking and real estate are far more important than cattle drives. San Antonio has a notable Mexican influence and a relaxed feel. And the state capital, Austin, has a thriving cultural life and music scene that makes it the arts capital of the Southwest.