Page 491 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - USA

PR A C TIC AL INFORM A TION  489

Sports Cotton Bowl, a championship have a number of popular
Springtime in Texas is synony­ football game played between music venues. The Mohawk
mous with baseball. Major two of the top universities in and Emo’s East are reliable
league baseball is represented the country. spots for music. In Fort Worth’s
here by the Houston Astros Winter is also basketball lively Stockyard District, Billy
and the Texas Rangers, both season in Texas. At the Bob’s, the world’s largest honky­
of which play in state­of­the­art professional National Basketball tonk, is just one of hundreds of
stadiums, though the Astros no Association level, Texas has the nightclubs and perfor mance
longer play in the Astrodome – Houston Rockets, the Dallas venues all over this music­
once the world’s largest indoor Mavericks, and the San loving state. More refined music
space. Tickets for major league Antonio Spurs. can also be enjoyed in one of
baseball games, however, can Fort Worth’s finest music
be expensive and hard to come venues, the Bass Performance
by. In any case, a better sense Outdoor Activities Hall, home to the city’s
of the game and its importance Visitors can participate in a vast symphony, opera, and ballet.
to Texas can be experienced range of outdoor activities all
by attending a Texas League over Texas. From golf to fishing,
baseball game, which may not river rafting to cycling, Texas has Shopping
be as slick, but is often more something for everyone at all Visitors wanting to bring home
fun. Played in smaller arenas in levels and abilities. There are golf a souvenir of Texas should try
front of a close­knit crowd of courses all over the state, most of cowboy boots. Western­wear
enthusiastic fans, the main them open to the public. Fishing, shops all over the state may
Texas League teams is the in a variety of freshwater lakes have the perfect pair, but
San Antonio Missions. and in the Gulf of Mexico, is some visitors may wish to take
As summer fades into fall, the regulated by the Texas Parks advantage of the discounts
American football season begins. Department. River rafting along offered close by at El Paso­
A number of intense intrastate the Rio Grande through Big Bend based Tony Lama Boots, one
rivalries, such as that between National Park draws people from of the country’s largest and
the University of Texas and Texas all over the world, so advance most famous boot makers. For
A&M University, enliven the reservations are essential. Biking is more upscale needs, nothing
college football season. At the also a popular activity. beats Neiman-Marcus, one
professional National Football of the nation’s most exclusive
League (NFL) level, the pride of department stores, which
Texas is the Dallas Cowboys, Entertainment started in Dallas and is still in
self­proclaimed “America’s Team”, Austin is known for its music business downtown. The sales
whereas Houston Texans do not scene, which goes beyond tax in Texas is 6.25 percent, and
draw the same fervor. The New country and western music. cities and counties may impose
Year kicks off in Dallas with the Sixth Street and River Street an additional tax of 2 percent.
DIRECTORY
Tourist Annual Events Houston Rockets Entertainment
Information & Festivals Tel (713) 627­3865.
Bass Performance Hall
Travel Division Kerrville Folk Festival Houston Texans 525 Commerce St, Fort
Texas Visitor Information: ∑ kerrville-music.com Tel (832) 667­2002 Worth. Tel (817) 212­4200.
∑ traveltex.com South by Southwest San Antonio Billy Bob’s
Road Conditions Info: ∑ sxsw.com Missions Texas Rodeo Plaza, Fort
Tel (800) 452­9292. Tel (210) 675­7275. Worth. Tel (817) 624­7117.
∑ drivetexas.org Texas State Fair San Antonio Spurs Emo’s East
∑ bigtex.com Tel (210) 554­7787. 215 E Riverside Dr.
Natural Hazards
Sports Texas Rangers The Mohawk
National Hurricane Tel (817) 273­5100. 912 Red River St.
Center Dallas Cowboys
Tel (972) 556­9900. Outdoor Shopping
∑ nhc.noaa.gov Activities
Dallas Mavericks Neiman-Marcus
Getting Around Tel (214) 747­6287. Big Bend National 1618 Main St, Dallas.
Park Tel (214) 741­6911.
Amtrak El Paso Chihuahuas Tel (432) 477­2251. ∑ neimanmarcus.com
Tel (800) 872­7245. Tel (915) 533­2273.
Texas Parks Tony Lama Boots
Greyhound Houston Astros Deptartment 7156 E Gateway, El Paso.
Tel (800) 231­2222. Tel (713) 259­8000. Tel (512) 389­4800. Tel (915) 772­4327.

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