With cultural and geographic traits of both the South and the Southwest, Texas has long been a state — and a state of mind — that defies categorization. At once traditional and progressive, it’s home to vast rural spaces and densely populated cities such as Dallas, Houston and San Antonio, and its diverse landscape changes from the piney woods of the east to the desert of the west. Dallas-Fort Worth’s art scene is world-class, with Fort Worth’s downtown cultural district a must-visit. Austin’s music scene thrives during renowned annual festivals. And San Antonio’s bustling River Walk is lined with shops, hotels and restaurants. Houston, the state’s largest city, sprawls in the southeast, and its cultural attractions — the extensive Museum District, for instance — are blended with distinctly Texan ones, like the world’s largest indoor rodeo and an abundance of Tex-Mex and steakhouse venues. For a taste of Texas’ natural grandeur, visit Big Bend National Park in the southwest, where desert flora and fauna flourish under the relentless sun.