We get a lot of tourists here in Texas considering our state’s size and the large number of attractions we have. We also have quite a few traditions and values that these outsiders don’t understand since they didn’t grow up here. Out-of-towners stick out like a sore thumb because they’ll ask dumb questions like, “Can I have unsweet tea?” or use the dreaded phrase, “you guys.” If you’re unfortunate enough to encounter a tourist, you’ll probably have to explain these 15 things to them.
- We put our state’s shape on everything.
Flickr/tyle_r Waffles, chips, swimming pools…things just look better shaped like Texas.
- If you need us on a fall Friday night, we’ll be cheering on our favorite high school football team.
Flickr/stuseeger It’s not just a sport, it’s a lifestyle.
- Lots of our towns have strange names.
Flickr/rutlo Don’t worry, we’ll help you pronounce them.
- EVERYTHING is bigger here.
Flickr/bk1bennett The food, the buildings, our egos…the list goes on.
- Tacos are acceptable at any time of day.
Flickr/lookingforjanis As long as there’s hot sauce involved. Lots and lots of hot sauce.
- There’s English…and then there’s Texan.
Flickr/D.Fajio You’ll learn what “fixin’ to” and “y’all” mean after hearing them a couple hundred times a day. Let’s hope you don’t hear “bless your heart” too often.
- We only drink sweet tea here.
Flickr/joshlowensohn And if it gives us diabetes, so be it.
- Our weather is extremely unreliable.
quickmeme.com In the winter, be prepared to wear a thick coat and long pants only to be sweating profusely a few hours later.
- “Coke” doesn’t mean Coca-Cola.
Flickr/allencheng It’s a generic term for soda. - I think y’all Yankees call it “pop.”
- Contrary to popular belief, we don’t ride horses to work.
Flickr/abqtrucker …but you might see one in a drive thru every now and then.
- We can’t tell you why we steal the Whataburger numbers - we just do it.
Flickr/minhimalism You don’t mess with tradition.
- Barbecue is taken very seriously here.
Flickr/wallyg We won’t eat just anywhere, so be prepared to travel hundreds of miles for some good meat.
- The entire state shuts down at the first sign of winter precipitation.
Flickr/journeyguy We don’t know what to do, so we just shut ourselves in our house and hope for the best.
- We don’t put beans in our chili.
Flickr/jamiepatra And we’d like to keep it that way.
- Distance is measured in hours, not miles.
Flickr/patrice-photographiste Because it just makes sense when our state is nearly 900 miles across.
Have you ever had to explain something to a tourist that’s obvious to us Texans? If so, what?
Flickr/tyle_r
Waffles, chips, swimming pools…things just look better shaped like Texas.
Flickr/stuseeger
It’s not just a sport, it’s a lifestyle.
Flickr/rutlo
Don’t worry, we’ll help you pronounce them.
Flickr/bk1bennett
The food, the buildings, our egos…the list goes on.
Flickr/lookingforjanis
As long as there’s hot sauce involved. Lots and lots of hot sauce.
Flickr/D.Fajio
You’ll learn what “fixin’ to” and “y’all” mean after hearing them a couple hundred times a day. Let’s hope you don’t hear “bless your heart” too often.
Flickr/joshlowensohn
And if it gives us diabetes, so be it.
quickmeme.com
In the winter, be prepared to wear a thick coat and long pants only to be sweating profusely a few hours later.
Flickr/allencheng
It’s a generic term for soda. - I think y’all Yankees call it “pop.”
Flickr/abqtrucker
…but you might see one in a drive thru every now and then.
Flickr/minhimalism
You don’t mess with tradition.
Flickr/wallyg
We won’t eat just anywhere, so be prepared to travel hundreds of miles for some good meat.
Flickr/journeyguy
We don’t know what to do, so we just shut ourselves in our house and hope for the best.
Flickr/jamiepatra
And we’d like to keep it that way.
Flickr/patrice-photographiste
Because it just makes sense when our state is nearly 900 miles across.
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