State Fair of Texas

The State Fair of Texas traces its start to 1886, and Big Tex, the giant cowboy who greets visitors in Fair Park, has held that job since 1952. Food is the main draw. Fletcher's corny dogs are a fixture, and since 2005 the Big Tex Choice Awards have singled out new fried creations each year. The Midway has more than 70 rides, led by the 212-foot Texas Star Ferris wheel, while the Texas Auto Show and the livestock barns fill buildings of their own. The grounds were transformed for the 1936 Texas Centennial Exposition, and Fair Park was named a National Historic Landmark in 1986. DART's Green Line stops at the fairgrounds entrance, so the train is the easiest way to skip parking.