There is one area in which I will say that Texas lacks.
Mu Texas girlfriend took me to the beach near Galveston. Having lived most of my life near the NW Florida beaches, I could not believe how awful those Texas beaches were.
The water was dirty brown as was the sand. My wife and I spent our homeymoon near Padre Island. It was a bit better but still not comparable to Seagrove.
I loved my time stationed on the Lexington in Pensacola.
I loved going to the beach. Except when the life guards would kick me out of the water, just because a hurricane was going by.