The Daytripper

Chet heads to the State Fair of Texas to explore its history, excitement, and food. He hangs out with Big Tex (the fair's 55-foot tall mascot), see some prize-winning steers and ostrich races in the Livestock Exhibit, and explores the park's diverse fried food, including fried butter, fried thanksgiving dinner, and the original "Corny Dog."

Chet heads to the Marble Falls to explore its art, adventure, and cuisine. He visits the Pogue Foundry to learn about bronze sculptures, peers into historic "Dead Man's Hole," and then pushes his adrenaline levels on an ATV, a stand-up paddleboard, and a hang glider. Along the way he finds time for smoked fajitas, a brew-pub bison burger, and pie happy hour.

Chet heads to Lubbock and explores the Texas High Plains. After a trip through Texas Tech University and its traditions, Chet eats fried cheese and calzones at a few local hangouts, and then dives into history at the Buddy Holly Center, and the world-class archeology site Lubbock Lake Landmark.

Chet heads to Port Lavaca on Matagorda Bay to dive into its coastal food and lifestyle. He goes fishing in the bay waters, bikes to a historic cast-iron lighthouse, and explores the lost port city of Indianola where French explorer La Salle first set foot in Texas.

Chet heads to Grapevine, the "Christmas Capital of Texas" to catch the spirit of the season. He visits main street to eat at a French bakery, tours a winery, sees amazing sculptures of ice at the Gaylord Texan, and finishes it off on the historic railroad bound for the North Pole.

Chet heads to East Texas to the town that invented the hamburger. He visits the Texas Freshwater Fishery Center holding multiple state record fish and placing over a million large mouth bass into Texas water every year. He finishes off the day zip lining through the pines and eating the tastiest pizza in town.

Chet heads to the San Jacinto Battlefield where Texas won its independence. He experiences the renaissance of Baytown’s historic district including visits to a coffee bar and an artist painting every fallen soldier from the war in Iraq and Afghanistan. After enjoying some southern soul food, Chet explores the brackish waters of the bay, and visits Battleship Texas, which fought in both World Wars.

Chet heads to the home of the King Ranch covering approximately 1,300 square miles of South Texas. He explores downtown Kingsville eating at an old pharmacy and soda fountain, then heads to the King Ranch for a history and birding tour of the sprawling South Texas prairie. To polish off the day, Chet dines at the historic King’s Inn seafood restaurant.

Chet heads to the “Sports Capital of Texas.” He eats a Texas-sized donut, takes a beekeeping class from Round Rock Honey, and then explores the history of town on Hairy Man Road and Main Street, where outlaw Sam Bass faced his final shootout. He finishes up the day cheering for the home AAA baseball team, the Round Rock Express.

Chet heads to West Texas and sleds down Monahans’s Sahara-like sand dunes. In town he finds Texas BBQ, culinary masterpieces, and history at a local museum built around an oil pit that could hold over a million barrels of Texas tea. He heads up the road to a museum in Roy Orbison’s hometown, then to another set of dune for a adrenaline-pumping dune buggy ride.

Chet explores the “Painted Churches of Texas” and dives into the German and Czech history of Central Texas with stops to a sausage maker, polka museum, and Texas dance hall serving hot schnitzel. He also visits the Stanzel Model Aircraft Museum honoring the iconic company that made model planes right in town.

Chet heads to no-man’s land to canoe the “most pristine river in Texas.” On this multi-day canoe trip, he fishes, camps on the banks of this blue river, and learns what it takes to survive in the middle of nowhere.

Chet heads north of Houston to explore a town built along the railroad. He visits its many historic sites and takes a flight on a WW2 B-17 “flying fortress” bomber. To polish off the day, he attempts to eat a “Mega Mel” burger coming in a 1 1/2 feet tall.