The 7 Most Unique Modes of Transportation You’ll Find in Texas

1. Walking

Walking is, by far, the easiest and cheapest mode of transportation. However, it will not get you very far. If you’re just planning to go around your neighborhood or to a nearby park, walking is a perfect option for you. Plus, the benefits of walking, not just for you, but for the environment is going to be the best mode of transportation. There are no traffic jams or needing to fill up on fuel. It is just you and the open pavement.

There are many health benefits associated with this type of transportation. It improves your mood, cognition, memory, and sleep. You will also maintain a healthy weight and lose body fat. Walking helps reduce stress and tension and also strengthens your immune system. So, if you have the ability to walk somewhere, it is definitely one of the healthiest things you can do.

2. Ride a Horse

Riding a horse is a great way to get from one place to another. Depending on how you are riding the horse will determine how quickly you can get from point A to point B. A full gallop will most definitely get you to your location faster than a saunter. No matter how you ride your horse, the experience you get along the way is worth the ride.

Horseback riding is a popular mode of transportation in Texas. A lot of police officers will use a horse while they are on duty. Horseback riding allows you to go to many places that vehicles cannot reach. You are not prohibited to just a road, some train tracks, or the water.

3. Ride a Bicycle

Riding a bike is not only a great way to get around town, but it is also an excellent form of exercise. It may not get you there as fast as a car or a train, but it is still a very useful form of transportation. Avid bikers will love the diverse areas of the Lone Star State. Just like riding a horse, a bicycle is not prohibited on where it can go.

There are canyons, deserts, stunning landscapes, coastal areas, empty roads, forest paths, riverbanks, and mountains to choose from. Road cyclists can enjoy traveling through historic towns along the I-10. Mountain bikers can hit east Texas and trek through the Davis Mountains or Big Bend State Park.

4. Segway Through Major Cities

A Segway is a two-wheeled, self-balancing, personal transportation device. It was created in the early 2000s and has become a popular mode of transportation for people visiting a nearby city or going on vacation somewhere. While it is not the fastest way to get around, the Segway is a great way to see the sights and sounds of the city you’re in.

Texas has many towns that offer personal Segway tours. You can either hire someone to show you around, or you and a bunch of friends can rent some on your own and travel around at your leisure. A lot of the major cities across the great Lone Star State offer these to tourists and locals alike. Dallas, Houston, Austin, and San Antonio have many great Segway options to choose from.

5. Party Bike

This unique mode of transportation is a multi-passenger human-powered vehicle. This bike is mostly used for parties and tourism within different towns. It is popular for staff parties and bachelor or bachelorette parties. Made to look like early 20th-century trolley cars, these vehicles can hold eight or more passengers and have a unique quality about them.

Party bikes are also known as pubs on wheels. When renting one, you sometimes have the option of renting a driver and even one or two bartenders. The great state of Texas has many locations where you can rent a party bike for you and your friends. If you are looking for truly unique, Houston is the first location to offer a hip-hop party bike tour.

6. Boat Around Texas

With Texas being a coastal state, boating is a great option when it comes to modes of transportation. There are also over 7,000 lakes across the state. If you don’t already have your own boat, there are plenty of options for you to rent one. Visitors will first need to choose how big of a boat they need, whether they need a captain, and how long they want to use it for.

Boating is a great way to get around to many different places in Texas. Visitors or even locals can charter a sailboat or take a pleasure cruise, through possibly eel-infested waters. People can cruise in style while renting a yacht or feel right at home in a houseboat.

7. Take a Train

If you don’t want to plan or have to drive or worry about anything, then taking a train is the perfect mode of transportation for you. Trains and the railroad system have been around Texas since 1853. Now, there are a few different types of trains you can take when traveling around Texas. There is the Texas Eagle and the Sunset Limited. There is also the Dart Rail in Dallas and the METRO Rail in Houston. Or you could step into history and take a locomotive.

Vintage trains are big in Texas and there are quite a few to choose from. There is the Texas State Railroad. You sit in a 1920s vintage car, have access to food and adult beverage service, and get a historical narration during your trip. Or you can hop aboard the Grapevine Vintage Railroad. You start in Grapevine Texas where you enter into a Victorian-style locomotive and travel along the legendary Cotton Belt Route.

If you are in the Austin area, you can take a ride on the Hill Country Flyer. These locomotives have been restored to their original glory and it’s like taking a ride in a museum. Guests depart from Cedar Park in Texas and travel through the Texas Country Hill. Along the way, you will get to travel through the wooden trestle bridge and continue on to the South San Gabriel River and also the Short Creek Canyon.