Introduction with Resources

North Texas

N O R T H E R N - T E X A S Texas truly is a large state, covering over a quarter million square miles. And that area encompasses lush semi-tropical areas along the Gulf of Mexico to very flat, dry and arid land up in the north and west. Rivers have always been important in Texas life, and today even the northern, eastern and southern borders are largely defined by rivers, the Rio Grande, of course, being the best known. Northern Texas, for our purposes here, includes the Panhandle, northeastern and central portions of Texas, centering around the great cities of Dallas and Fort Worth, and generally the state above the southern border of New Mexico. This is the country America thinks of as the true home of the cowboys and the get-rich-quick oil strikes. And at one time that was true. A tour that will introduce the family to the land of cattle raising and cattle drives would include Amarillo, Lubbock and Abilene. The oil boom side of things is best explored in Dallas. Dallas is a diverse and exciting city with parks and entertainment throughout. Lakes and rivers provide water sports, and of course professional sports are well represented. Then again, in the eastern part of Texas is Texarkana and yet another region of farming and waterways. The state just seems to go on and on. Here are some resources to help you pin down your vacation planning: TOURISM DIVISION Texas Department of Commerce Box 12728 Austin, Texas 78711 (512) 936-0101 TRAVEL & INFORMATION State Department of Highways P.O. Box 5000 Austin, Texas 78763 (800) 452-9292 U.S. FOREST SERVICE 701 North First Street Lufkin, Texas 75901 (936) 639-8501 (409) 639-8501 (800) 283-CAMP PARKS & WILDLIFE 4200 Smith School Road Austin, Texas 78744 (512) 389-4800 (800) 792-1112

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