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Texas' fine cities have everything to offer in the way of nightlife that you could possibly desire: Austin has music, Houston culture, Dallas a unique blend of fine dining and sweaty sports, whilst San Antonio's twinkling cityscape is very easy on the bleary eyes of night owls.

Spain, France and Mexico are just three of the countries that have tried to lay claim to Texas over the years. From a distance, the Lone Star State, America's second biggest just behind Alaska, might look like an arid landscape dotted with errant steer, granite-chinned cowboys and oil wells spurting into lucrative life. Look a little closer though, and you'll see why nations fought to call it their own.

While such landmark sites as The Alamo can draw over two and a half million visitors a year and should definitely be on your list of things to see, point at and get photographed in front of, it's the vibrant and diverse nightlife of Texas' cities that will demand your attention as the day's light cools. From Austin's enigmatic and willfully eclectic music scene to the extensive and glittering haute cuisine eateries of Dallas, the extensive art houses of Houston and the sublime delights of San Antonio, Texas will make you put your preconceptions on hold, leaving you to marvel at your surroundings as the sun finally goes down and the state really begins to light up.