Texas Bed and Breakfast

Gulf Coast

The Texas Gulf coast stretches from Brownsville, at the Mexico border, to Port Arthur and Beaumont, at the Louisiana line. The over 400 miles of coastline include quaint seaside towns, beautiful white sand beaches, and classic plantation-style architecture.

• The Garden Inn - 1601 Ball (Avenue H); Galveston, TX 77550;(409) 770-0592; (888) 770-7298 - This historic landmark building is located in the heart of Galveston Island's East End Historic District. The three-bedroom inn boasts leaded-glass windows, wood-burning fireplaces, and a house full of period antiques and heirlooms. Guest rooms include air conditioning and CD players, among other features. The well-manicured grounds include a swimming pool and a hot tub.

Panhandle of Texas Bed and Breakfast Inns

The Texas "panhandle" region sits in the northern part of the state, between Oklahoma and New Mexico. The relatively flat, prairie country includes the major cities of Amarillo, Lubbock, and San Angelo.

• Parkview House Bed and Breakfast - 1311 South Jefferson St.; Amarillo, TX 79101;(806) 373-9464 - This charming five-bedroom home, built in 1908 for Amarillo's mayor, sits on the edge of the city's historic district. Rooms include romantic claw-foot tubs and in-suite cable TV and VCRs. The home has a lovely, manicured garden, a hot tub, and a large country kitchen with French doors leading onto the secluded patio.

Prairie

Texas' "prairie" country, in east-central Texas, is one of the state's most populated regions. It includes Dallas, Fort Worth, and Waco as well as a dozen small scenic lakes and miles of sweeping Texas grassland.

• Round Top Cottages - Round Top, TX 78954;(877) 756-2681;(713) 278-8557 - This 65-acre ranch, located between Austin and Houston, offers the quintessential Texas ranch experience, with extra niceities like private baths, antique furnishings, and claw-foot tubs. The ranch offers hiking, fishing, horseback riding, and a main house with a sweeping front porch for sitting back and enjoying the Texas scenery.

Hill Country

The Texas "Hill Country," in the south-central part of the state, includes the state capital and cultural center of Austin as well as the home of the Alamo, San Antonio. The cities are surrounded by pristine lakes and rolling hills, perfect for an escape to the countryside.

• The Oge Inn - 209 Washington St.; San Antonio, TX 78204; (210) 223-2353; (800) 242-2770 - This historic antebellum home sits right on San Antonio's scenic Riverwalk, just a short stroll away from shopping, restaurants, and the Alamo. The inn has five guest rooms, all with private baths, air-conditioning, period antiques, and luxury plush towels and bath products. Most rooms have wood-burning fireplaces and each of the home's three floors has a large front porch.

Austin Texas Bed and Breakfast Inns

Austin, Texas' state capital, deserves its own category. This centrally located city of over 700,000 residents, named for the "Father of Texas" Stephen Austin, is home to the University of Texas, Dell Computer and IBM's headquarters, and a lively music and arts scene.

• The Adams House - 4300 Avenue G; Austin, TX 78751; (512) 453-7696 - This Greek Revival Texas bed and breakfast is located in Austin's historic Hyde Park district, within easy walking distance to the University of Texas, museums, hiking and bike trails, and numerous shops and restaurants. The home boasts spectacular architectural details, such as pine floors, two wraparound porches, 12-foot ceilings, and original fireplaces.