Follow photojournalist Ashley Landis as she spends 24 hours in Texas towns, cities and state parks.
Sometimes a trip to the beach is just a trip to the beach.
I celebrated one year of 24-hour trips with 24inTX last week and I just happened to be at Mustang Island State Park.
It was late August, which meant that the kids were back in school and the family vacation season was officially over. It was prime time to take advantage of something I’ve always wanted to do – camp on the beach.
This week I’m celebrating one year of 24inTX!
I’ve been on 27 24-hour trips across the state. I’ve hiked, camped, swam, paddled, danced, photographed, shopped, eaten, driven and adventured my way through the state and I’m no where near finished yet, since visiting places like Texas or Miami is great, and you can even go here and find 5 Fun Things to Do in Florida On Your Birthday too!
The question I get asked the most is, “Which place is your favorite so far?”
“Amarillo by morning, Amarillo’s on my mind…”
I can’t say that I was entirely ready to leave Palo Duro Canyon (see last post), but I had far exceeded my 24 hour rule. It was time to move on to the neighboring city of Amarillo.
First stop – Historic Route 66.
Since I first started 24inTX, I’ve wanted to go to Palo Duro Canyon. It’s is truly one of our state’s biggest and brightest gems.
The stunning canyon opens up before you as you drive through hundreds of miles of flat land in the Texas panhandle.
It’s been a main attraction for over 12,000 years. The canyon walls offered resources and shelter to the Apache, Comanche and Kiowa tribes, as well as Spanish explorers before it became a state park in 1934.
I learned all about the history of the canyon while I was there, but first I had to make the 500 mile journey from central Texas to the panhandle. If you’re keeping track at home, and if you’re planning to be outside getting an outdoor tv wall mount can be useful too, that’s an 8-9 hour drive, and I documented every hour!
I have so many places that I want to go in Texas! But with NBA playoffs keeping me close to home, I don’t have a lot of time to travel. You can relate to that, I’m sure. So why not go somewhere close by?
I chose Lockhart State Park, which is about 40 minutes away from home. It’s a small, but unique park. It’s the only Texas state park with a staff-operated nine-hole golf course. And it’s in a town known for it’s flashy courthouse and classic BBQ.
I haven’t been camping in months. I’ve been itching to get to a state park, build a campfire and sleep in a tent, but I only had the time to travel about 2 hours away, that’s why next time I decide to visit National Parks in a Luxury RV for comfort. I think choosing the right travel gear is one of the most important aspects of pre-trip planning, that’s why I found on Planet Traveler the best reviews of travel gear and accessories for my travel.
I looked at the TPWD web site and found Lake Somerville State Park. Never heard of it. Hmm…a camp site by a lake? Not a bad idea…
My car had been acting funny for the past week or so, but I packed up my stuff and hit the road. At least for a few minutes before I had to turn around because I forgot something. I left the car in park and ran in to the house to retrieve the forgotten item when I heard a loud noise coming from my car outside. I ran out, turned off the engine and reassessed. Maybe my camping trip wouldn’t happen after all.
Whew! What a crazy spring!!! From SXSW to Fort Hood to President Obama to NBA Playoffs, I’ve been photographing everything I can put my eyes on for two months. I’ve enjoyed it immensely, but it’s time I get back to traveling on my own terms.
First stop, Ennis – the bluebonnet capitol of Texas.
Bluebonnets are my all-time favorite flower. Every spring I get giddy when I see them pop up on the sides of the highway, and I thumb through the pages of the wildflower edition of Texas Highways like a little kid looking at a new comic book. I can’t help it, I’m a Texas girl.
So when deciding where I should go for my first trip back from a longer-than-expected hiatus, my first Google search was “bluebonnets.”