Warnings not to visit Florida are global now. It is dangerous for many people. What a commentary

[ExWhoDoesntCare]

111. Texas actually has a great deal to see and do

San Antonio has something like 5 other missions along with the Alamo, and they are now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, I hear the city has done a great deal to make it a more enjoyable experience, like building a big trail to connect all the missions. Don't know where that stands these days. The city also has the Riverwalk, and a couple of major theme parks. Some good museums, and a fairly decent transit system to move between them. I think people can also tour some of the military bases--or people could when I was stationed there. For a laugh, make a detour from the airport towards San Pedro road along I-410, to see the giant boots outside a mall there. They even light 'em up for the holidays.

Austin, from my experience, is a bore. You can do most of what can be done there in a weekend: Capital, Texas History Museum, Barton Springs for a dip, a trawl down 6th street for music and getting wasted. Other that? YAAAAAWWWWNNNN.

The Hill Country has a great deal of hiking and natural beauty to enjoy. There's a drive going out from Bandera to Garner State Park that's quite gorgeous. They aren't kidding about the hills there, though--be careful on some of the roads, because they can be steep and twisty.

El Paso has lots of desert-y outdoor stuff to do nearby, and some mountains quite close as well, plus of course getting across the border for shopping.

The Rio Grande Valley is an internationally renowned bird-watching paradise (a flock of parakeets flew right over my head when I was there visiting once), and I also saw some rare butterflies in the Valley. Easy access to Mexico, too. South Padre Island is down there as well, for those who like beaches. Port Mansfield and Baffin Bay both have excellent fishing, for people into that. The King Ranch is a bit to the north of the Valley itself, and the whooping crane park is a bit further up the coast.

Big Bend is an amazing national park, and I think there are some big national parks of pine barrens in the eastern part of the state. Never went to any of them, but if green and trees are your thing, well, there you go.

Caddo Lake State park on the Louisiana border is extremely weird and a little creepy. It's the only natural lake in the state, and it's sort of swampy and trees with long trails of Spanish moss--that sort of thing. I seem to recall that Jay Gould had a house over near there, but it's been a while. I might have him confused with someone else.

Houston has the Johnson Space Center. I took my son there when he was that perfect age to enjoy it--10-12. Had the time of his life.

Palo Duro Canyon up near Amarillo is the Texas form of the Grand Canyon.

So much for nothing to offer tourists, eh?