Texans think and act big, and their homeland has vast skies and grand scenery, but away from the hyperbole this is a charming slice of America with varied, often green landscapes, almost folksy charms, and a fascinating history.

The drive times are short by Aussie standards, but the attractions are plenty, so we’ve narrowed them down. Here are six must-dos for your Texas itinerary.

AUSTIN

The state capitol building in Austin is 7m taller than the one in Washington DC that it’s modelled on, but the rest of the city is likably low key. Live music emanates from every bar, and the city hosts the South by Southwest music festival and entertains half a million festivalgoers at the Austin City Limits Music Festival too.

The area known as So-Co is Austin’s hipster central. The Avenue Barber Shop was opened in 1933, the Roadhouse Relics gallery fashions neon lighting into art, and Allen’s Boots stocks row upon row of the state’s iconic footwear. For night-time fun Rainey Street’s Container Bar has a great vibe across its seven carefully arranged shipping containers; while two doors down is the roguishly hokey Blackheart whiskey bar, and opposite is Banger’s Sausage House serving 100 beers on tap and 26 types of sausage.

GET OUT OF TOWN

With your new boots and a haircut, hitting the great outdoors is a cinch — either at Palo Duro Canyon, Enchanted Rock State Park or Big Bend National Park. Or just a 90-minute drive away from Austin, through the rolling green Hill Country is Bandera, the settlement where many a city slicker has tasted the cowboy lifestyle.

Dude ranching for tourists began here in the 1940s and it’s now a centre for cookouts, horse riding and lassoing lessons. Some bars even have hitching posts outside, and at Arkey Blue’s Silver Dollar Saloon there’s sawdust on the floor, chequered tablecloths and locals boot-scootin’ the two-step in between.

SAN ANTONIO

San Antonio is an hour to the south and home to the 18th Century mission called the Alamo. A totemic battle of the Texas Revolution was fought here in 1836 and thousands visit daily. The sunken city centre Riverwalk is the soul of San Antonio’s night-life — here small squat boats cruise channels in the San Antonio River between rows of atmospheric bars and restaurants.

These days’ food trucks and fine dining are the Texan fashion, but Mi Tierra in central San Antonio remains an unreconstructed 650-table marvel of TexMex kitsch. Waitresses flit in frilly dresses, mariachi bands serenade, and the food is hilariously indistinct. There’s even periodic entertainment — if any more were needed — from an “Hispanic Elvis”.

DALLAS FORT WORTH

International flights from Australia land in Dallas Fort Worth — twinned towns showcasing Southern corporate glitz and “Cowtown” heritage respectively. Just north of Dallas you can tour the eponymous TV show’s Southfork Ranch museum, and 56km away in Fort Worth you can stroll the historic Stockyard District and party in downtown’s Sundance Square.

HOUSTON

The biggest city in the state is Houston, with a renowned Museum District and the NASA Space Center; where a tram tour visits the mission control room where the world first heard the lines “Houston, we have a problem” and “The Eagle has landed”.

GULF COAST

The state’s final surprise is its 550km of Gulf Coast beaches. Start in Galveston’s historic Strand, visit the Padre Island National Seashore and finish at the Port Isabel Lighthouse, with lots of seafood and swimming in between.

More information at traveltexas.com