Follow photojournalist Ashley Landis as she spends 24 hours in Texas towns, cities and state parks.
While looking for places to go during the winter months, I ran across San Angelo. The small west Texas town is known as a rugged place of history, out where the buffalo roam – literally.
But there’s another side to this town. The quirky, artsy side.
The Chicken Farm Art Center embodies that spirit perfectly.
Okay, I’ll admit it. Up until now, I’ve put a lot of thought in to where I travel for this project, but this time it snuck up on me. It was Sunday night and I realized I had nothing to post this week and no travel plans. Plus, the weather forecast predicted sleet and snow. Where was I supposed to go?
I needed some place that had indoor activities and that wasn’t too far away, just in case driving conditions got bad. Obviously I couldn’t camp.
Monday morning I woke up and started researching. I looked up the painted churches of Texas. Schulenburg? That’ll work! Read more
Every June I make a stop at Palmetto State Park during the Texas Water Safari, an annual canoe & kayak race. I stay for the evening, watching teams come in and out of the race check point via the San Marcos River, but I’ve never really gotten to see what the park has to offer.
It turns out there’s quite a bit more to this place than paddling. (*gasp!* Safari folk, I’m not betraying you, I promise.)
Let’s start with a few clips from my video diary. (Keep reading for more photos.) Unfortunately, the trip started with rain.
It’s 2014 and I’m back to adventuring!
Santa brought me a new tent and some camping gear for Christmas, and I couldn’t wait to try them out. As soon as the temperature rose above 65 degrees, I hit the road to Goliad State Park.
The town of Goliad is important in Texas history. It was a key location during the Texas fight for independence.
The Mission Nuestra Señora del Espíritu Santo de Zúñiga and the Presidio La Bahia, which protected the mission, were sites of bloody skirmishes, and they still stand today in and near the state park. Read more
Frohe Weihnachten!
That’s Merry Christmas in German! I learned that recently while checking out what the German town of Fredericksburg has to offer for the Christmas season.
I stayed at the Main Street B&B, which is exactly where you think is. It’s a perfect location for exploring the down town shops, museums and restaurants, and it has a balcony that overlooks Main Street.
It’s that special time of year between Thanksgiving and Christmas when the To Do lists pile up with gift shopping, meal preparing, house cleaning, party planning, seeing family and friends, traveling, eating and generally stressing.
When I go “home” for the holidays, I exhaust myself trying to see as many people and do as many things as I possibly can. That was the case during the Thanksgiving holiday and I came back feeling completely overwhelmed.
Fortunately central Texas heated up for a few days, just long enough for me to have an escape to Buescher State Park near Smithville, TX.
A few years back I almost got a job at the Waco Tribune-Herald. I went to Waco for an interview and Rod Aydelotte, the photo chief, showed me around and told me Waco is the smallest big city you’ll ever see.
That’s so true. Waco has a major university, multiple museums, a zoo, historic buildings, a sprawling park that lines the Brazos River, among other attractions, all inside of a 95 square mile town.
Waco is also home to a handful of B&Bs. I found the Spencer House, which is a bed & breakfast owned and operated by Dan and Viviann Capps.
