Best drop biscuits ever-ever, originally uploaded by happykatie.

Texas is a huge state with a diverse population. No surprise, then, that Texas boasts a wide variety of tasty foods. When next you travel the Lone Star State, you will undoubtedly enjoy fine home cooking at various bed and breakfasts Texas. But while you are out on the road (and trust me, Texas has some long, long roads), keep an eye out for the following foods:

Biscuits. Biscuits for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Biscuits smothered in gravy and dripping with butter. Flaky, hot, Texas biscuits. My, that’s good.

Barbecue. It’s long been a favorite in Texas, and each region serves up its own twist on the classic. Try them all.

Steak. Cattle roam through much of Texas, to the great delight of meat eaters. Ask the innkeepers of your bed and breakfast Texas where to find the best steaks in town, and head there with a big appetite.

Cornbread. Sop up barbecue sauce with it, eat it with beans, or put any kind of meat between two pieces and call it good.

Chicken fried steak. A favorite of husbands, brothers, sons and fathers around the country.

Pecan pie. Need I say more?

Sopapillas. Light, airy, and smothered in honey. The perfect way to end a meal.

Wash down all those lunches and dinners with buckets of iced tea, bottles of beer and a variety of Texas wines. Sounds like the perfect vacation to me!

texas panhandle, originally uploaded by abradyb.

The Texas Panhandle is full of surprises. One surprise is Caprock Canyons State Park, outside of Quitaque, Texas (about 2 hours from Lubbock). Quitaque is primarily a ranching and farming community, but people travel from all over the world to visit Caprock Canyons State Park. Isn’t it time you stay in a bed and breakfast Panhandle Texas and explore all this area has to offer?

Caprock Canyons State Park is comprised of over 15,000 acres. A Rails-to-Trails trail runs more than 64 miles through the park – over 46 bridges and through one tunnel – from South Plains to Estelline in the Red River Valley. Hike, bike or horseback ride a stretch of the trail, or bring camping gear and do it all. It travels through some amazing land.

Horseback riding is a great way to travel around Caprock Canyons. It is possible to rent horses at Quitaque Riding Stables, and experienced riders may go on unsupervised rides. Mountain biking is also a popular way to explore the park. There are a good 90 miles of trails traversing the park, ranging from super steep to relatively flat. Be sure to carry lots of water, food and sun protection as you explore.

After a day or two scrambling all over Caprock Canyons State Park, return to your Panhandle Texas bed and breakfast and indulge in a little luxury: a soak in hot tub, a soft bed, a glass of Texas wine or two. You’ll have earned it!

Salute, originally uploaded by Satxvike.

Odessa, in West Texas, has a good number of museums worth visiting, if you happen to be heading to an Odessa Texas bed and breakfast. One of these is the Commemorative Air Force Airpower Museum, pictured above.

Their mission is to “help history soar,” and they do it by acquiring, restoring and preserving “a complete collection of combat aircraft which were flown by all military services of the United States, and selected aircraft of other nations, for the education and enjoyment of present and future generations of Americans.”

The planes are ready to fly if and when the chance arises. Indeed, the chance does arise from time to time. The CAF holds AIRSHO each October. At that time, over 100 historic planes are available for viewing, and many pilots and crew members are present to field questions and share their passion for these planes.

The Commemorative Air Force Museum is truly remarkable. It began as a hobby, but grew into an organization that has restored and preserved hundreds of historic planes. Check it out the next time you stay at an Odessa bed and breakfast. You may find yourself compelled to return during AIRSHO 2010.

For more detailed information about the museum or AIRSHO, please visit the Commemorative Air Force website.

Bed of Roses, originally uploaded by nyomee wallen.

Valentine’s Day will soon be upon us. Folks interested in getting away with their sweeties must be pleased that Valentine’s Day falls during the long President’s Day weekend in 2010. That makes it easier to hop in the car and whisk your loved one off to a romantic Texas bed and breakfast.

There is something inherently romantic about the Bed and Breakfast. Larger hotels can be lovely, of course, but the smaller scale of our inns feels more intimate. The rooms don’t all look alike. The food reflects the tastes and personalities of the innkeepers, and it is fresh and made from scratch. Inns feel homey, so guests are relaxed.

Many of our Texas inns offer romance packages. Flowers, chocolates, wine, champagne,… these items help create a celebratory mood. Massages, candlelit dinners, and in-room breakfasts may also be offered. These can be wonderful additions to an already special vacation. They are an ideal way to enhance occasions such as anniversaries or birthdays.

So something different this year for the person you love. Put everything else in your life on hold, and have an adventure together. Be creative. Surprise her/him with a hot-air balloon ride. Plan a horseback ride together, or an afternoon at a spa. Texas bed and breakfasts are diverse and unique; find one that is just right for the two of you.

You may find that you can turn a business trip into a romantic getaway, by staying at an inn that will bring a bottle of wine or a bouquet of roses to your room in the evening. What better way to surprise and delight your spouse, left alone during your business meetings? Or perhaps you will find a girlfriends getaway package that will inspire you to call up a few of your long lost pals and have a bit of a reunion. Sometimes inns will have special deals at nearby golf courses for a round or two. It is not unusual to find price reductions for booking a room midweek or at the last minute.

You never know what you will find when you look into bed and breakfast specials throughout Texas. You may not find anything just right for your next trip, but you may just find something worth planning for!

Still, bed and breakfasts continued to exist, particularly in areas off the beaten track. Towards the end of the twentieth century, bed and breakfasts came into their own, offering travelers a truly different experience than could be found in the corporate hotels that had come to dominate the hospitality industry. Word spread, and soon many travelers were viewing bed and breakfasts not just as lodging, but as an integral part of the vacation experience.

Bed and breakfasts are now often a destination unto themselves. People often lead busy and hectic lives, and for them the ultimate weekend getaway is to find a quaint b&b in a beautiful location and be pampered by the innkeepers.

Texas bed and breakfasts lends themselves to this type of experience. It is easy to hop in the car and drive for days around Texas, exploring country roads and seeking hidden wonders. Stay in a Central Texas or Hill Country bed and breakfast during a wine-tasting weekend. Find a B&B on the Gulf Coast for a weekend at the Texas shore. Perhaps an inn nestled in the quiet woods of East or North Texas is just what you need to escape the buzz of Dallas, or maybe an urban b&b is the best way for you to feel at home while visiting a city. Inns in West Texas and the Panhandle can be an oasis after long hours on the road.

Whatever your reasons for traveling, and no matter where you go, remember that when you stay in a Texas bed and breakfast you are part of a long tradition of generous hospitality. When innkeepers open their homes to you, they are letting you into their lives. Cherish that unique and special experience.

Hot Air Balloon Original, originally uploaded by cyclist451.

The next time you are looking for a way to lift your spirits, consider a hot air balloon ride over Texas. Plan a weekend getaway with girlfriends, or a romantic retreat with your sweetie, and soar into the sky together. When you return to earth, cozy up in the comfort of a Texas bed and breakfast.

The Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza

The Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza at 411 Elm Street, Dallas, TX, educates visitors about President JFK. It was from the sixth floor of this building that alleged killer Lee Harvey Oswald fired the shots that killed the president as he passed through Dealey Plaza with his motorcade on November 22, 1963. Travelers to Dallas should try to make time to visit this important museum.

The Sixth Floor Museum is housed in an early 20th century warehouse, and was formerly known as the Texas School Book Depository.

Maybe you want an inn that is haunted and maybe you want one that isn’t. It seems fair to want to know what’s going on at your lodging. Of course, there are innkeepers who enjoy discussing this topic and others who don’t. If you are interested in the topic, keep an eye out for inns that offer special ghost-related activities. At the other end of the spectrum, if you meet an innkeeper who doesn’t like to talk about this topic, it is safe to assume that inn is not a Haunted Texas bed and breakfast. Please respect your innkeepers’ policies regarding ghost hunting or seances.