Ever been to China and visited the Mausoleum of Shi Huang Di and his Terracotta Warriors? Or have you ever been to a cave with a hundred feet tall waterfall inside? Perhaps, a visit to a real Ghost town, would you dare to go?
Sounds interesting, right? If you’re the adventurous type, you would surely enjoy visiting these places in order for you to experience its beauty and history or just simply to have fun. But why go to China if you can experience all these places in our very own country. In fact, you can visit all these attractions in one state.
Welcome to Texas otherwise known as the Lone Star State. It is considered as the second largest US state both in population and area, which is why you’ll find a wide range of places to visit and a variety of recreational activities to do there.
A visit to the Forbidden Gardens
One of the places you can visit while you’re in the state of Texas is an outdoor and open museum that showcases a miniature replica of the Mausoleum of the First Emperor of China and other known Chinese attractions like the Forbidden City of Beijing, The Calming of the Heart Lodge, The Temple of Heaven and the canal city of Suzhou. The museum is located at Katy, Texas, which is in the southeastern part of the state.
The museum offers visitors the chance to experience Chinese history and culture. It is privately owned by a Chinese businessman named Ira P. H. Poon, also known as “Mr. Poon.”
The name of the Forbidden Gardens was taken from two major features. First from a 1:20 scale replica of the Forbidden City, this showcases hundreds of figurines and palace buildings under a 40,000 square foot pavilion. The other is the small grounds, which is use for viewing and walking through additional exhibits.
In the Museum you can get a glimpse the Lodge of the Calming of the Heart, an indoor panorama of a city called the Venice of China (Suzhou), rooms showcasing details of historical weapons and architecture and an outdoor array of 6,000 one-third scale chariots and soldiers from the Terracotta Army tomb of the first Chinese Emperor.
The museum is open on Friday, Saturday and Sunday only from 10 AM to 5 PM. There are guided tours in the museum from 11 AM to 3 PM divided in 5 different batches.
Explore Cascade Cavern’s underground passageways
Another attraction that should be visited by vacationers while in the state of Texas is its underground caves. One of these caves is the Cascade Caverns, which is located in Boerne, Texas.
You can enter Cascade Cavern through a flight of stairs that will take visitors down passing the “Peep in the Deep,” which is a 60 feet drop hole and considered as the original entrance of the cavern.
It is an active cave that has low lying ceiling with stalagmites and stalactite all over. Most of the ground inside the cave is level while some are covered with puddles of water. The lighting system of the cave is much dimmer than any other caves in Texas. Inside the cave the temperature is constant 68°F, a tempting escape from the Texas heat.
The cave is famous for its underground waterfall that stands 100 feet. It is located in largest room in the cave. Interestingly, there is only one way in the cave so after the tour you have to go back where you first enter.
Your Texas Ghost Town itinerary
But among the most exciting of the tours offered in this state is its collection of Ghost Towns. From El Paso to San Antonio, this state offers a taste of what the Old West is like. The landscape around Texas is scattered with the relics of once-thriving towns that just dried up and blew away into the pages of history. These towns are just but a ghost of their former self.
Some of the famous ghost towns are Lobo in Culberson County; Adobes, which was once a thriving farming community; Plata and Casa Piedra in Presidio County; Girvin in Pecos County; and Langtry, which is known for its visitor’s center.
These are but a few of the many places listed in the annals of Texas tourist attractions. But there are still more waiting for you to discover. So pack your bags and experience Southern Hospitality and Texas scenic byways to the fullest.
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