• A dude ranch makes for an enjoyable vacation.horse at dressage tests in the park image by Elnur from Fotolia.com
  
  A state that is a thousand miles wide and almost as tall is bound to have a lot of premier vacation opportunities for the casual visitor or traveler. The Lone Star State, which is the second-largest state in the country, fits the bill on both accounts. From the clean, sandy beaches of the Gulf Coast to the high desert mountain ranges of the far west, Texas offers many enticing resorts and inns where visitors can relax in peace and quiet.
  
  

Bolivar Penninsula Beach House

• Avoid the spring and summer crowds of Mustang Island and Padre National Seashore in South Texas by heading northeast from Galveston to the Bolivar Peninsula. Crystal Beach is the big attraction for those looking to stay on the Gulf, but more venues do exist as far up the peninsula as Rollover Bay.
  
  Options for those seeking privacy on the Gulf include a bed-and-breakfast, guest house, private house rental or seaside inn. Most of these kind of places to stay occur within the the first 15 miles of beach once you exit the ferry at Port Bolivar. After Gilchrist there is mostly empty beach protected either by state park or national wildlife refuge. Those searching for a weekly rental should see References or check the Houston Chronicle and Galveston County Daily News for vacation rentals.
  
  

Dude Ranches

• For a week or just a weekend on horseback, head for the beautiful rolling landscape of the Hill Country that lies between San Antonio. This is a popular and unique part of the state, where visitors will find many places to stay, including the "dude ranch." With places such as the Running-R, Twin Elm, Mayan Dude and Flying L, there is a lot to choose from in this part of the state.
  
  Or you can travel even farther west to the Pecos River, Fort Davis Mountains and Big Bend area of West Texas for a more remote view and taste of Texas on horseback. The land and terrain west of the Pecos is well worth the long journey through the sparse landscape. Here you might try the Prude Ranch or the Madeira Hills Ranch, both located near Guadelupe National Park.
  
  

Historic Inns and Bed-and-Breakfasts

• The architecture of Texas is just as interesting as the colorful history of the Lone Star State. Countless buildings still stand from the era when cotton was king and money was available to build stately structures all across the state. Take a journey to architecturally preserved places such as Fredericksburg, New Braunsfel, Round Top, Granbury or Smithville for a relaxing stay in an old town. Texas has 50 inns and bed-and-breakfasts on the National Register of Historic Places. They can all be found at the Bed&BreakfastInns Online listing in References.