Vote for the top Texas attraction: Big Bend or the Alamo

Perhaps no two places exemplify the idea of Texas more than the Alamo and Big Bend.

Why it matters: Axios Texas readers have voted those two destinations as the state's top two attractions. Now it's up to you to determine our No. 1 attraction.

• Vote by 2pm Thursday and we'll announce the winner Friday.

The big picture: Big Bend National Park , 800,000 acres of rugged beauty, squares off against the Alamo, the site of a world-famous battle that saw 189 Texans perish and became a symbol of Texas independence.

Tale of the tape: Big Bend — where the Rio Grande carves deep canyons and a mountain range rises above the desert — is home to sea fossils, dinosaur bones and a dizzying array of species. And it's about the only place in the state where you can't get a cellphone signal.

• The Alamo was built in 1718 as a Spanish mission, but its significance is imbued by the fateful battle in 1836. The area around the Alamo is undergoing a massive renovation to improve the visitor experience.