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?”
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!
For most of my adventures, I spend at least a couple hours researching where I might go and what I might do when I get there. There’s always some flexibility in my plan – these are adventures after all – but I usually have a list for each place.
Recently a friend asked me, “how was your trip?” Because of my busy schedule, I hadn’t planned as much as I normally do, so I answered, “it was good, but I think I need to plan more next time.” He responded, “or less.”
Huh. He had a point.
So this time, I set out on the road with no plan.
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 EspÃritu 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.
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.
