Fort Worth is "Where the West Begins." It's a large metropolitan city embracing its western-ness and not afraid to show it. In the midst of downtown, people still take the time to mosey, and you're apt to see businessmen wearing cowboy hats.

Forests abound in the east Texas region of Piney Woods, with about 750,000 acres of National Forests and National Preserves. Piney Woods region runs along east Texas from about Beaumont all the way north to Texarkana, and includes several towns: Athens, Henderson, Longview, Marshall, Nacogdoches, Palestine and Tyler are just a few.

Stephenville, Texas is a historic small town with a great deal of vitality. Although founded in 1856, there is nothing worn or tired about Stephenville and it's not just a curiosity from the past. The "Cowboy Capital of the World" is also one of Norman Crampton's "100 Best Small Towns in America."

Like Dallas, Waco has a restored warehouse district and revitalized downtown, but without all the hustle and bustle. Once you get away from the highway, Waco's natural beauty is imminent. Large trees line the rivers and the leaves turn a variety of colors in the fall.