Sometimes people with an East Coast orientation do not have an appreciation of the great distances out west. Texas can be a great example. DFW covers a very large dispersed area as does Houston.
Driving across Texas from Texarkana at the east side to El Paso at the far west side covers over 800 miles. That's like driving from New York City to Chicago. Or from NYC nearly to Florida.
To visit my cousin over in the Houston area I drive all the way across southern California, all the way across Arizona, and all the way across that southern leg of New Mexico into Texas at El Paso. I then continue another hundred miles and I'm finally half way to my cousin's house. Only half way!
Come on out but keep an eye on the gas gauge.