Texas is home to some of the USA’s most treasured attractions and natural wonders. But you don’t have to follow what every other tourist is doing to truly experience the magic on offer. Below, we share some of Texas’ most exclusive travel activities to elevate your adventure.
7. Wake Up in Luxury at ARRIVE East Austin
You need a great night’s sleep with all these adventures, right? We recommend choosing ARRIVE East Austin as your base for the most luxurious stay.
Located in one of Austin’s trendiest areas, you’re just a few steps from the most buzzing bars and talked-about eateries. Moreover, the hotel offers a boho style that’s both modern and effortlessly timeless. Enjoy complimentary beer or wine on check-in and take your pick from any of the 83 luxuriously appointed guest rooms.
6. Space Center Houston NASA VIP Tours
Imagine if you could witness fragments of a 4.5 billion-year-old asteroid or meet a real-life astronaut without the hassle of jostling with hundreds of tourists. Well, you can. With Space Center Houston NASA’s VIP tours, you can enjoy all the exhibits and behind-the-scenes access to astronaut training facilities in groups of no more than ten people.
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In the morning tour, you’ll tour the Crew Systems Laboratory, Shuttle Avionics Integration Laboratory, Apollo Mission Control Center, and the all-important ISS Mission Control. If you find yourself on the afternoon tour, you’ll head to the Jake Garn Simulation and Training Facility, Astronaut Training Facility, and the Neutral Buoyancy Lab. These locations showcase the high-tech ways astronauts prepare for their physically demanding missions into outer space.
NASA VIP Tours take place on weekdays. Guests must be 14 years old or older to participate. Tickets start at $199.95 per person per tour.
5. See Texas From Above With a Private Hot Air Balloon Adventure
Between San Antonio and Austin, in the heart of Hill Country, Air Carriage Over Texas has been delighting passengers for over a decade. For the ultimate luxury travel experience in Texas, level up your Hot Air Balloon experience by booking an exclusive private ride.
Arrive just before sunrise in the beautiful city of San Marcos, load into a chase vehicle, and travel to one of a few different launch sites, depending on ideal wind conditions.
As the sun rises over the Texas Hill Country, cruise over the river and marvel at the breathtaking views guided by wherever the wind takes you. You’ve got the whole balloon to yourself, so think of it as a private tour of the Lone Star State with your expert guide.
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Tickets start at $2,500 per party. You can look forward to a 45-minute scenic sunrise flight with a complimentary champagne toast, a private and personalized tour, and a free ride back to your vehicle.
4. Hire a Limousine to Travel Texas in Style
If you’re celebrating a special occasion or want to get around the state in style, look no further than Texas Coast Limo. With a fleet that includes a Large Party Bus, Stretch Hummer Limo, and the more understated Black Lincoln Stretch Limo, ensure you’re the envy of all passersby as you toast another day of exclusive exploration wherever you are in Texas.
3. Charter a Private Jet For a Day of Texas Sightseeing
At almost 700,000 square kilometers, Texas can be an overwhelmingly large place to get around. Driving from San Antonio to Dallas can take over four hours, but with premium air charter services, you could complete it in a little over an hour.
Instead of spreading out your Texas trip over four or five days and spending much of that time driving, you can hire a private jet and enjoy the same excitement in one or two. Spend the morning at Space Center Houston NASA before jetting to Austin for lunch and walking around McKinney Falls State Park. Hop back in your private jet to witness sunset at The Alamo before wrapping up your day in Houston with a ballgame at Minute Maid Park.
Traveling by private jet maximizes comfort and security, with your dedicated team caring for all your needs. Last-minute change of plans? No problem. With a premium air charter service, you set the schedule.
2. Watch the Houston Astros in the Phillips66 Diamond Club
Baseball is one of the great all-American pastimes, and the Houston Astros are undoubtedly the best team in Texas. Seeing the Astros is almost a rite of passage, so this one should be at the top of your Texas bucket list.
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The Phillips66 Diamond Club offers the finest personal entertainment with a “front row seat” that puts them closer to the batter than even the pitcher or the 30-foot projection screen in the dining room. Enjoy a pre-game dining experience with menus inspired by Houston celebrity chef Dominic Soucie and a guaranteed seat on one of the first nine rows behind the home plate.
Getting seats here isn’t easy, with tickets in the Diamond Club often going for between $500-$1,000 per game, but if you’re looking for exclusive Texas experiences, they don’t get much more exclusive than this.
1. Embark on a San Antonio Day Trip With Alamo and Boat Cruise
Few things are more exclusive than sipping champagne on a river cruise in the Texan sunshine, so why not enjoy a full-day trip that includes a 15-mile boat cruise along the San Antonio River? This 7-hour tour from Austin consists of a visit to the Alamo, Riverwalk, and the Tower of Americas observation. Learn about the region’s complex and colorful history from experienced tour guides with encyclopedic knowledge of one of the nation’s largest states.
After the drive from Austin to San Antonio, with pitstops at all the famous landmarks along the way, you’ll meander down the winding river, passing the first neighborhood, La Villita, the Old Mill Crossing, and Selena’s Bridge.
Tickets start at $254 per person for this full-day experience.
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Exclusivity Awaits
With so much to do and so little time, treat yourself to any of the above luxury experiences to save time, gain insight, and, most importantly, travel in style.
Looking for more of the best travel experiences? Check these out!
The USC Trojans are currently in a recruiting war with the Texas Longhorns over four-star offensive tackle Austin Attalah. The 6-8, 270-pound lineman currently has 29 offers from programs such as Ohio State, Oregon, Oklahoma, Alabama, Florida, Miami and Notre Dame. To help narrow down his choices, the four-star prospect has planned visits throughout the summer.
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Although Attalah has been vocal about USC and Texas standing out among the rest, Attalah’s most recent trip to Austin could give USC a run for its money.
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Sep 20, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Southern California Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley watches game action against the Michigan State Spartans during the second half at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images | Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images
Four-Star Tackle Austin Attalah’s Recruitment
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Playing out of Cajon High School (San Bernardino, Calif.), Attalah is nationally ranked No. 15 by On3/Rivals and No. 50 by 247Sports and is the top-10 of his position – No. 2 and No. 6, respectively.
His size and physicality pop when looking at his film. Attalah rarely gets pushed back during one-on-one blocking assignments and turns into a bulldozer when a running play is called his way. He is quick enough to reach the second level and takes pride in finished blocks
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Austin Attalah’s Recruiting History With the Texas Longhorns
On March 27, Attalah received an offer from Texas. Then this past weekend, Attalah met with head coach Steve Sarkisian, offensive line coach Kyle Flood and the rest of the Texas staff. Adam Gorney of Rivals has confirmed that the visit went well and that Attalah was impressed with the facility, staff and camp.
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Texas’ main recruiting pitch to Attalah seems to be that they have become an offensive line factory. Since Sarkisian took over at Texas, he has had five offensive linemen selected in the NFL Draft – Christian Jones (2024, Round 5), Kelvin Banks Jr. (2025, Round 1), Cameron Williams (2025, Round 6), Hayden Connor (2025, Round 6) and DJ Campbell (2026, Round 6).
Dec 31, 2025; Orlando, FL, USA; Texas Longhorns head coach Steve Sarkisian looks on before a game against the Michigan Wolverines at Camping World Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Pendleton-Imagn Images | Matt Pendleton-Imagn Images
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In comparison, USC under Lincoln Riley has only had three linemen drafted – Andrew Vorhees (2023, Round 7), Jarrett Kingston (2024, Round 6) and Jonah Monheim (2025, Round 7).
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Another advantage that Texas has over Southern Cal is Attalah’s familial ties to the state. His grandparents currently reside in Floydada, Texas, where Attalah has spent summers at the family ranch.
Austin Attalah’s Recruiting History With the USC Trojans
Attalah received an offer from Southern Cal on March 7 during a campus visit. Then on March 26 in Long Beach (Calif.), USC hosted Attalah and other local high school stars for a spring practice. Throughout the practice, the four-star recruit impressed the Trojan coaching staff.
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While USC may not be producing at the NFL level the way Texas has, recent recruiting strategies by offensive line coach Zach Hanson can turn USC into the offensive line hub of the past. In 2026, Hanson signed five-star offensive tackle Keenyi Pepe, the No. 5 overall recruit and No. 1 player at his position, according to 247Sports, as well as Vlad Dyakonov and Esun Tafa, both of whom were top-150 prospects.
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USC Trojans offensive line coach Zach Hanson and freshman offensive tackle Chase Deniz | USC Trojans on SI
It also helps that USC is the home of Attalah’s former Cajon teammate, Taylor Johnson, the Trojans’ freshman linebacker.
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The Trojans currently have 88 offerees in the 2028 class, 12 of which are offensive linemen – nine at the tackle position. If the Trojans are unable to land Attalah, they can get another California talent in four-star recruit Lincoln Fa’alafi from Serra Catholic. Four-star recruits Maui Tonata and Mataio Fano would also be huge gets at the position.
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Attalah is slated for another visit on June 9, according to Gorney and Rivals.
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After more than a decade at 2015 E. Riverside Drive (following the original Red River-era venue closing in 2011), Emo’s current Riverside space will be taken over by AEG Presents when the lease ends later this year. The Los Angeles, CA-based company will assume operations in January 2027 and plans to reopen the building under a new name in early 2027 following upgrades, renovations and a full rebrand.
AEG are also opening a new 4,000-cap venue nearby next spring as part of the River Park mixed-use development in southeast Austin.
C3 Presents, who reopened Emo’s at the Riverside location, say this isn’t the end of Emo’s — they’re working on a new home and plan to move the venue back to downtown Austin, with more updates to come.
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AEG Presents Vice President Robin Phillips shared the following:
There’s like no weirdness or any bad blood or anything. It just, you know, new lease and they’ll [Emo’s] go do something great. They have been important to the Austin music scene, so I have a lot of respect for them.
But I don’t think the Austin music scene or legacy is limited to one name. I know people will remember the original Emo’s and this Emo’s as, you know, both great venues… And I don’t think Austin’s music scene is just a name, it’s the artists, in my opinion.
A C3 spokesperson added:
Emo’s has a long history in Austin and we’ve been working behind the scenes for some time on a new home for this venue. After we wrap up at this venue in December, we will focus our efforts on our new location.
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Emo’s gave the following statement to Austin local news KXAN:
We’re grateful for all of the fans and artists who’ve shaped Emo’s to what it is today: a community of like-minded people who love live music. We have a vision for our future and will be moving into a new building downtown that celebrates our punk rock roots with the new amenities that fans are looking for from a venue. We’ll continue to share updates on the next chapter for Emo’s on social media.
AUSTIN, Texas – State and federal agriculture officials said highly pathogenic avian flu has been found in a herd of dairy cows in Texas.
What we know:
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Officials said the H5N1 virus was confirmed with laboratory tests in late May after cows at an unspecified farm became sick and milk production dropped. The dairy has since been quarantined and an investigation is underway.
This is the first case of avian flu in a Texas dairy herd this year, officials said.
What they’re saying:
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“The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is confident that pasteurization is effective at inactivating H5N1, and that the commercial, pasteurized milk supply is safe,” officials at the Texas Animal Health Commission said in a statement.
A dairy cow is seen at a farm on June 1, 2026. (Tim Evans/Bloomberg / Getty Images)
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Dig deeper:
H5N1 has a high rate of severe disease and death in animals that become infected.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the risk to the general public from avian flu is low. Some sporadic human infections have been reported around the world since 1997. There have been no known cases of person-to-person spreading of avian flu.
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The Source: Information in this story came from the Texas Animal Health Commission, the USDA, the FDA and the CDC.
