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Texas coast.

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The Texas coast is like a sandy magnet that draws urban tourists by the millions seeking to reconnect with Mother Earth. The pilgrimage begins around spring break and continues well past Labor Day. The sun, sand, and surf seem to massage the stress out of city dwellers, sending them home totally relaxed and reacquainted with nature. Of course, there's more to do than feel the sand between your toes. The Texas coast also is home to restaurants, shops, and tourist attractions offering nourishment, souvenirs, and entertainment. What follows is a guide to help you plan a trip that will leave you relaxed and recharged.

Orange

Orange, Texas's easternmost city, sits on the Louisiana border. Along with Beaumont and Port Arthur it forms what is known as the Golden Triangle. Its proximity to Louisiana explains the Cajun influence that flavors the food, music, and just about everything else here. The wild orange groves growing along the banks of the Sabine River give this town its name. Although not actually on the coast, Orange is a port--an inland port connected to the Gulf of Mexico by the Sabine.

The Stark Museum of Art features an extensive collection of American Western art, reflecting the interests of the museum's namesakes, Lutcher and Nelda Stark. Inside you'll find works by John James Audubon, Frederic Remington, Charles Russell, and others. Indian artifacts, Western bronze and wood sculptures, and a series of Steuben crystal bowls representing all 50 states fill out the collection.

A swamp tour is one of those experiences everyone should try at least once. How often do you get the chance to glide across the water on a flat-bottomed airboat for a close-up view of alligators, raccoons, and turtles? Super Gator Tours offers both daytime and nighttime excursions.

The daytime tours are an invigorating experience for the casual naturalist. At night, with all those red eyes staring out from the darkness, the trips will appeal to the more adventurous. Just don't fall in the water!

Beaumont

Spindletop made Beaumont what it is today, home to one of the largest concentrations of petrochemical plants anywhere. The oilfield first gushed black gold into the air on January 10, 1901, altering the state's economy and its image forever. Oil is still produced here, and refineries keep the Port of Beaumont busy with oil tankers cruising up and down the Niches River, which connects the port to the Gulf of Mexico.

The place to visit here is the Spindletop--Gladys City Boomtown Museum, on the Lamar University campus. This museum reconstructs the boomtown that sprouted up overnight after that first well popped its top (although they wisely declined to soak the whole thing in oil). You can even take home a souvenir bottle of crude oil.

Crockett Street is Beaumont's newest entertainment district, designed with an eye toward history. Five historic buildings form the core of this district, which includes streets paved in bricks to give it that nineteenth-century look. Here you'll find live music, festivals, a trolley, restaurants (Spindletop is a good choice for steaks and seafood), and bars and nightclubs. Another spot to visit is the Art Studio, Inc., where you'll find original artwork at starving-artist prices. Don't leave town without Taxjoy Steak Seasoning, locals put it on everything from popcorn to steak.

Port Arthur

Port Arthur may be the only city in the world designed by brownies, the small people who came to city founder Arthur Stillwell in his sleep. Based on their advice, Stillwell laid out the city on the shores of Sabine Lake, and today it boasts one of the more interesting tourist attractions. The Sabine Neches Canal passes downtown Port Arthur, which means huge ships and barges are as much a part of the scenery as city buses and delivery trucks.

Port Arthur is really...

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