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.
If you’re looking for a relaxing get away with all the comforts of home, Sonora‘s the place.
It’s on I-10, just south of Eldorado, and it’s home to X Bar Ranch Nature Retreat and the Caverns of Sonora.
I was tired when I arrived at X Bar Ranch. Before Sonora, I visited Balmorhea, where I camped, and Marfa, where I slept in a safari tent and bathed outdoors. I loved doing all of those things, but four days of traveling, living outside (in the rain) and packing in as much activity in as I possibly could made me ready for some peace and quiet.
It’s a true oasis in the middle of the west Texas desert.
When planning my trip out to west, I had a whole list of places I wanted to go. Balmorhea wasn’t one of them.
I looked at the map, studying small towns along I-10 on the way to Marfa. I saw Fort Davis and Fort Stockton and a few others on my wish list, but then I saw Balmorhea State Park.
Hmm…how do you even pronounce that? I looked it up on the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department web site and, much to my surprise, Balmorhea moved up to the top of my list.
It’s a tiny town about an hour north of Marfa in west Texas. It’s in the middle of the desert, surrounded by mountains, and home to San Solomon Springs and the world’s largest spring-fed swimming pool. (Among other surprises.)
Balmorhea is the perfect place to make a refreshing stop for the night on your way to or from Big Bend Ranch State Park or Big Bend National Park.
This time of year work is slow. It’s the end of summer, all of the festivals are over and everyone’s gearing up to go back to school. Soon football season will start and a routine will ensue, but until then, freelancers all over the country are searching for things to do.
Last Sunday afternoon I sat at the kitchen table with my husband and I was a bit down. He suggested I go do something fun, but all I wanted to do was get away. I had an appointment Tues. morning in Kyle, so I only had about 30 hours or so before I had to be back home. Not a lot of time for travel.
“Why don’t you just go down to the coast?” Nick asked. Read more
