Texas is the second largest US state by area, covering an expanse from the Mexican border in the south to Oklahoma in the north. This southern region is a magical place, filled with desolate expanses and frontier towns.
If you visit, then there are some sights and places you should pilgrimage to on any road trip, as we discuss below.
La Sal Del Rey
Heading towards the Mexican border in the Rio Grande sits La Sal Del Rey. It is part of the Lower Rio Grande Valley National Wildlife Refuge, well worth a visit in and of itself. One of three salt lakes, it is the only one open to the public with the other two on private property.
Situated in a depression, the lake is bordered by a gentle clay hill. It has no inlet or outlet and is filled with rainwater. Depending on the time of year you visit, you could be visiting a huge lake that is only a meter deep, or a vast, almost Martian-looking salt flat. When the salt forms on it, it shatters, leaving long cracks against the red formations of salt crystals.
Robstown, Texas
If you are a fan of poker, then Robstown is a must. The Texas Hold’em game is one of the most popular variants in poker, if not the most played around the globe. The reasons for this are plentiful, but at its heart is the notion that the Texas Hold’em rules are easy to play, yet very hard to master. Robstown, Texas, is the place officially recognized as the birthplace of the game.
Much of this is down to historical rumor as opposed to fact. What is known is that the game was invented around 1900. In fact, written records don’t start discussing it until the 1930s, and then again in the 1950s. It did not become popular until nearby Nevada took off as the gambling capital of the US.
For things to do, Robstown in fact has very little itself, so once you have paid your dues to poker, you may want to move on to the larger town of Corpus Christi.
Brownsville
Another town you should visit on your Southern Texas jaunt is as southern as it comes before you leave the US for Mexico. Brownsville’s beautiful beaches are a part of its appeal, but they are also a famous border point which holds a lot of American history. The house and battle sites listed on the National Register of Historic Places could fill an article in itself.
For a whistle-stop tour of the area’s history, visit the Brownsville Cemetery. The grounds are pockmarked with informative signs that tell you everything about the town’s past, the people who lived there, and their history.
You can bus or train, but there really is no better way to travel than the road. Make sure your car is up to standard and pack light. Make plenty of pitstops, and enjoy the beautiful scenery and places this part of the US has to offer.
