Signs That You Grew Up in Texas

Greetings, Vocal creators! We're going to talk about arguably the best state in this country. I'm talking about Texas and it's also my home state, in case you didn't know. Nicknamed The Lone Star State, it has over 31 million people as of 2024 and is the second largest in the country. Last year, I wrote a story about the things that I loved about Arlington, which is where I'm originally from and where I grew up. Some notable people from the 28th state include Matthew McConaughey, Nolan Ryan, Matthew Stafford, and Willie Nelson. You can read the full story by clicking the link down below. The following entries are not in any particular order.

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Wet 'n Wild

I was born in New York and less than a year after my birth, my family and I moved to Texas. We ended up in Arlington, which is where I grew up. As a kid, I remember going to Wet 'n Wild only once. Going to a water park for the first time was so much fun. The location of it was at 1800 East Lamar Boulevard. Wet 'n Wild opened in 1983, but in 1995, Six Flags purchased it. Two years later, it was renamed as Six Flags Hurricane Harbor. I didn't go to Hurricane Harbor until decades later. Wet 'n Wild will always have a place in my heart. The 80s were a great decade to be a kid.

George Strait

Country music in the 80s, 90s, and even in the 2000s were the best decades for the genre. We loved artists such as Garth Brooks, Brooks & Dunn, Reba McEntire, Faith Hill, Tim McGraw, and the late Toby Keith. However, in Texas, the one country music artist that was and still is relevant today is none other than George Strait. With such hits as Carrying Your Love With Me, Write This Down, Fool Hearted Memory, and Amarillo By Morning, The King of Country Music's immaculate career spans 45 years, 60 #1 hits, and has sold over 70 million albums (120 million globally). He has released 31 studio albums, with the most recent one, Cowboys and Dreamers, released in September 2024. I didn't get into country music until I was in high school. Yes, it's true and it's the one thing that I was too embarrassed to admit. A black guy listening to county music and loves it? You bet your cowboy boots I do. I still love it and George Strait was the artist I listened to the most. You couldn't turn on the radio without hearing at least one song from him. George Strait is still loved, admired, and respected in Texas. Besides, he's an unapologetic Texan. Born and raised. I was gifted one of his albums before Christmas when I was a sophomore in high school from one of my classmates, 50 Number Ones. It was a compilation album that had 50 of his best songs. I wore that CD out so much and enjoyed it from start to finish. Once you listen to a George Strait song, you'll want to listen to more of them.

Blue Bell Ice Cream

Founded in Brenham, Texas in 1907, Blue Bell is the second best-selling ice cream manufacturer in the United States. Growing up, this was the only brand of ice cream we loved having. There are many flavors to choose from, but my personal favorite is Homemade Vanilla. Every once in a while, I'll buy my favorite flavor and just indulge it. No other ice cream brand will ever hold a candle to Blue Bell.

The Ballpark in Arlington

From 1994 to 2019, this iconic stadium was the former home of the Texas Rangers. Despite undergoing several name changes in the 25 years that the team has played there, it'll always be The Ballpark in Arlington to us. Their current ballpark, Globe Life Field, has been open since 2020. Their old ballpark is now known as Choctaw Stadium. I haven't gone to a Rangers game at GLF as an adult yet, but I'm determined to finally make that a reality soon. We grew up watching Rangers players such as Nolan Ryan, Pudge Rodríguez, Rusty Greer, Michael Young, and Ian Kinsler. I went to my first Rangers game in 2001 when I was 13. It was on a warm August night and I had a great time there. That was the night I became a Rangers fan. I've been a fan for nearly 25 years and still stand by my team. We won't talk about that other Texas baseball team, for obvious reasons. To Rangers fans, they're not worth mentioning by name or discussing. Let's just say that we heavily despise them.

Whataburger

This fast-food joint celebrated their 75th anniversary in 2025. We all know Whataburger is way better than McDonald's. Sorry not sorry. No matter what you order from their menu, the drink of choice has to be Dr. Pepper. Everyone has eaten at least something from Whataburger at least once in their lifetime. As an adult, I still love Whataburger. I also love their cinnamon rolls. They're so delicious and are worth trying.

Six Flags Over Texas

I'm not a fan of rollercoasters anymore, but my favorite ride was The Texas Giant. If you attended the park during Fright Fest and Holiday in the Park growing up, those were the best times where you enjoyed everything about both events. Fright Fest is now known as Fright Fest Extreme, as of 2024. Six Flags Over Texas in Arlington has been in operation since 1961 and will celebrate its 65th anniversary in August 2026. One other thing I liked about Six Flags was their commercials, especially featuring an old man dancing to We Like To Party by Vengaboys.

Dallas Cowboys

The final entry on this list is another professional sports team that I'm a huge fan of. Also known as America's Team, there was no doubt that the 1980s and 1990s were outstanding decades to watch our boys play every Sunday. The Cowboys played at Texas Stadium in Irving, which is a suburb west of Dallas, from 1971-2009. Their current home, AT&T Stadium, opened in 2009 in Arlington. I've been a Cowboys fan for over 30 years and growing up, my favorite player was Troy Aikman. Don't get me wrong. I was a fan of Emmitt Smith and Michael Irvin, too, but Aikman was the kind of quarterback everyone admired. In the three decades I've been a fan, I have never been to a game. Hopefully someday, I'll cross that item off my bucket list. I've heard every joke about our team, but we don't care. Us Cowboys fans hate the Philadelphia Eagles. They hate us, but again, we don't care. Our fanbase is a thousand times better than theirs. We bleed blue and silver. Oh, and one last thing:

HOW BOUT THEM COWBOYS?!

My fellow Texans, what are some of the things you grew up loving about this wonderful state? Let me know in the comments section below. If you enjoyed this story, please give it a like. Make sure you follow me on my socials. Finally, please leave a generous one-off tip. It'll be found at the end of this story. Big or small, your tips will support creators like me so we can keep publishing new stories and share them with everyone.