5 Cities in Texas That Will Instantly Feel Like Home

The great thing about a state as big as Texas is that there is literally something for everyone and a city to live in that fits your personality is no exception to this rule. Whether you are looking for your own quiet family-oriented area, a bustling nightlife, or the sights and sounds of major sports venues, Texas has a place for you. Find your perfect city as we examine the five cities in Texas that will instantly make you feel right at home.

1. Best City if You're A Big Sports Fan

No city in Texas does sports quite like Dallas in quality, quantity, loyalty, and success. The Dallas Cowboys are so popular all across the U.S. that their fame earned them the nickname "America's Team." But long gone are the days when the Cowboys were the only good show in town. You may know him as the wealthiest businessman on the hit television series Shark Tank, but Dallas residents know him for bringing quality basketball to the city. The Mavericks had been around a long time with few people paying attention due to the decades of bad basketball. Along comes Cuban and the Mavericks became champions. For hockey fans the Dallas Stars are a major draw and have had plenty of success and after years of sub par baseball the Texas Rangers have made two World Series appearances. From 2010 to 2014 Dallas has enjoyed hosting a Super Bowl, two World Series, NBA Finals, a NCAA Final Four, and the first ever NCAA College Football Playoff championship game. With a brand new stadium Dallas will always be a football town first, but it is one of the best all-around sports cities in the country and that respect will keep national events coming to town for years to come.

2. Best City if You're an Intellectual

While it is true that Austin is widely considered Texas' town of free-thinkers and intellectuals, Houston actually comes in first in this category for a number of reasons. The sheer number of libraries, universities, community colleges and quality of education has Austin and the formable University of Texas beat. The presence of Rice University alone trumps any Texas college in academic excellence and is considered on par with the Ivy League Schools. And just a few miles away sits the University of Houston, which has completely reinvented itself in its relentless drive for Tier One status. Right next door sits Texas Southern University, and downtown offers the University of Houston Downtown and South Texas College of Law. The University of St. Thomas is another highly praised private school the city offers and two of the best community college systems in the nation resides in or very near the city in Houston Community College and the Lone Star College system with branches all over the city. Whether its academic excellence, or sheer volume of choices, Houston is an intellectual's paradise.

3. Best City if You Crave Outdoors Activities

Corpus Christi is the beginning of Padre Island National Seashore which runs roughly 75 miles to the Port Mansfield Cut and contains the largest undeveloped barrier island beach in the world. While the city itself hosts some of the best public beaches in Texas, there are also some of the most remote beachfront area in the state. Whether it's surfing, camping, fishing or just collecting shells, Corpus Christi is the gateway to some of the finest outdoor activities in a state that prides itself on water activities as part of the Gulf of Mexico. For nature lovers this stretch of beach is also home to several sea turtle nests.

4. Best City if You Love the Nightlife

The capital city is the absolute undisputed king of Texas nightlife with the closest thing you will find to the New Orleans French Quarter in 6th Street. The street is one huge line of bars and the most difficult challenge will be deciding which one to visit. If you happen to stop by the Ice Bar you may want to bring a coat as the staff takes their name a bit literal. The entire bar surface is made of ice so no worries about getting a warm draft there. In addition, Austin is known nationally for its music scene with national acts often making surprise appearances in small venues. The place is a hotbed for thriving musicians and hosts the annual South By Southwest Music Festival, one of the biggest of its kind in the U.S.

5. Best City if You're Raising a Family

While this town south of Dallas often gets made fun of for its name, Plano, or as the good natured ribbing suggests "Plain 'Ole," there is absolutely nothing plain about the education system in this town which boasts some of the highest graduation rates in the nation. The city teams up with the school district to keep children educated year round with special activities from field trips and camps to children's festivals. With numerous playgrounds and recreation centers it's almost like this town was built for kids especially when you consider it hosts one of the most highly rated pediatric centers in the nation in the Children's Medical Center Plano. Three movie theaters and several quaint shops and restaurants downtown provide for plenty of opportunities for quality time with family. The Plano Aquatic Center is a town favorite. And as one of the safest Texas cities you will always be in a safe and nurturing family environment.