Category Archives: Weekend Adventures

Winter Weekends Near Dallas

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While our northern neighbors are shoveling snow, Dallasites can take advantage of moderate winter weather. In fact, many of these destinations are best visited in winter or early spring before our hot summer heat makes outdoor activities unbearable. Whether it’s a family safari, gathering fossils or diamond hunting, here are five family-friendly winter weekend destinations within driving distance of Dallas.

Mineral Wells, Texas.

Mineral Wells Fossil Park will capture young paleontologists’ imaginations. Located just 80 miles southwest of Dallas, the park contains thousands of small, prehistoric sea life fossils. The park was once a borrow pit used by the city for dirt fill. Years of rain and erosion exposed the 300 million old fossils with many readily visible throughout the pit.

Gathering fossils is easy – no digging necessary. Bring a small baggie for collecting treasures. You won’t find a dinosaur here, but you can keep what you unearth! The park is free, and is open Friday through Monday.

Glen Rose, Texas

Fossil Rim Wildlife Center is as close as you’ll get to an African safari without boarding a plane. Spanning 1800 acres near Glen Rose, Texas, the sprawling complex is home to North Texas Ramblingsover 50 species of exotic African and Eurasian animals. The most common way to observe the animals is from your car. Buy a bag of animal feed and you’ll make a herd of new friends as you drive the nine mile park route.

Nearby Dinosaur World will thrill pint-sized dino lovers with over 100 dinosaur replicas.

Waco, Texas

Waco Mammoth Site is an often overlooked destination. In 1978, two teenage boys spotted a bone embedded in a dry Waco creek bed. The boys’ find became the largest nursery herd of Columbian mammoth (19 mammoths and a camel) discovered. The Waco Mammoth Site opened to the public in 2009. Docent-led tours take you through a climate-controlled building surrounding the dig site where you can see mammoth bones as they were found.

While in Waco, stop by the Texas Rangers Hall of Fame. Most of the museum focuses on real Texas Rangers, but one section is dedicated to our fictional heroes like those in Lone Ranger and Walker Texas Ranger television series.

Murfreesboro, Arkansas

Crater of the Diamond State Park may make you rich. Or so you hope. About 250 miles east of Dallas, the park is the only diamond mine open to the public. To the uninitiated, the mine looks like nothing more than a plowed farmer’s field. But appearances can be deceiving. Hidden in the dirt furrows are diamonds, agate, jasper and quartz.

Park visitors find over 500 diamonds each year, though most diamonds are less than the size of a pea. Adventurous families can camp at the park or the Queen of Diamonds Inn in Murfreesboro offers affordable and comfortable lodging.

Grapevine, Texas

Great Wolf Lodge Grapevine fits the bill for those wanting a weekend escape without the car drive. Your stay at the lodge includes access to their massive indoor water park – a guaranteed winner with the youngsters. Great Wolf Lodge offers special discounts for multiple night stays (up to 20 percent off) and even deeper room discounts for families staying during the weeknights.

While it’s possible to spend an entire weekend just at the lodge, be sure to take advantage of all the nearby Grapevine offers. Reopening February 22, 2013, the Grapevine Vintage Railroad transports passengers from Grapevine depot to the Stockyards in Fort Worth via old time rail cars pulled by either Puffy (a 1896 steam engine) or Vinny (a 1953 diesel engine).

Whooping Cranes in Rockport

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Rockport is a picturesque seaside town with quaint downtown shops and a working port filled with fishing boats. But the area’s biggest attraction is not a place – it’s a past time – birding.

Rockport provides seasonal respite to migratory birds including the regal whooping crane.  The largest North American bird, the whooping crane stands nearly five-foot, mates for life, and has fought its way back from the brink of extinction.

The Whooping Crane – Aransas National Wildlife Refuge

Numbering just 16 wild whooping cranes in 1941, the bird faced extinction.  Extensive species management including captive breeding programs brought the bird back from the brink, though its numbers are still limited (about 250 wild and an equal number in managed breeding programs).  The only natural wild flock of whooping crane winter in and around Aransas National Wildlife Refuge.

North Texas Ramblings Whooping CraneThe best way to view the birds is by boat. Tours operate from Fulton Harbor, taking bird enthusiasts through bays, along the refuge’s shoreline and to Matagorda Island.   In addition to whooping crane, you’ll see osprey, heron, pelican, ibis, cormorant and shore birds. For an exceptional birding experience, try an outing on the Skimmer skippered by Tommy Moore. Moore knows his birds and their favorite places to ‘hang-out.’

Rockport – Shopping, Aquarium, and Science on a Sphere

Downtown Rockport sports a surprising number of art galleries, antique shops and boutiques. If you are looking for a unique wedding ring or anniversary gift, check out Sazon Studio and Galleries where artist Ruben Villareal-Aiken handcrafts jewelry inspired by his muse, the whooping crane. The gift shop 4 the Birds is your go-to spot to get the latest information on area bird watching, and the store houses nature photographer Diane Loyd’s Salt Flats Gallery.

The Aquarium at Rockport Harbor has a collection of native fish. This small aquarium is fun for all ages. Be sure to take time to chat with the aquarium volunteers, and say hello to the star attraction Marley, a leopard eel.  The aquarium is open Thursday – Monday from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.

Also at Rockport Harbor, you’ll find the Bay Education Center. In addition to its estuary exhibit, the Bay Education Center houses a Science on a Sphere theater. This unique system, developed and fielded by the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration, projects films about earth science onto a suspended sphere instead of movie screen. Bay Education Center is one of just 50 U.S. facilities to host Science on a Sphere. Films are Tuesday – Saturday at 2 p.m. and 3 p.m.

Admission to the Aquarium at Rockport Harbor and Bay Education Center is free.

Lodging and Dining in Rockport

Miss Kitty’s Fishing Getaways and Vacation Rental by Owner are two online sites for a list of vacation property rentals available in the Rockport area. For a more traditional hotel experience, highly recommend the Lighthouse Inn at Fulton Harbor. The well-run hotel is affordable and ideally situated with bay view rooms.

Restaurants are peppered throughout the area. For a funky, no-frills seafood boil dinner, try the Boiling Pot; Latitude 28 02 offers fine dining in a beautiful art gallery setting; and Moon Dog has oysters and a view of the bay.

 

Johnson City

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Johnson City, in Texas Hill Country, is a great destination for families. Here are three family-friendly activities you’ll not want to miss during your visit.

Sauer-Beckmann Farm. Travel back in time at the Sauer-Beckmann Farm, a living North Texas Rambling Sauer Beckmann Farmhistory farm located in the Lyndon B Johnson State Park and Historic Site. The farm gives visitors a look at Texas Hill Country life at the turn of the twentieth century. Costumed interpreters perform farm tasks like canning fruits and vegetables, milking, and soap making. A dogtrot styled farmhouse outfitted with turn of the century furnishings offers kids a glimpse into what it might have been like to live in Texas Hill Country a hundred years ago. During my family’s visit, our son shared the chores by fetching eggs from the hen coop. The Sauer-Beckmann Farm is open 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. There is no charge for touring the farm though donations are welcome. Nature trails collocated at the farm make for an easy hike, even for small children.

LBJ Ranch Tour. At the Lyndon B Johnson National Park, your family can explore recent American history by taking the LBJ Ranch Tour in your car. An audio CD narrates the tour route and highlights aspects of the Johnson presidency. The tour also examines factors that influenced him during his childhood years. Stop at the re-creation of his birthplace, and visit LBJ and Lady Bird’s gravesides. Learn about his vocation as a schoolteacher and his dedication to education, including the formation of the Head Start program. The tour highpoint is a stop at the Texas White House. Guides conduct tours inside the home from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. daily. The downstairs portion of the house has been restored to its 1960s appearance. The show barn and airplane hangar contain many of LBJ’s automobiles and his presidential plane. The driving tour is free though there is a $3 fee for the Texas White House Tour. You can obtain your driving tour pass and audio CD at the park visitor center.

Exotic Resort Zoo. Take a walk on the wild side at the Exotic Resort Zoo (235 Zoo Trail, Johnson City). The animal park boasts 60 different species and 500 animals. You’ll find the animals on the open range and in a petting zoo environment. Zoo tours are available daily. Tractors pull trailers outfitted with a canopy and seats. Zoo guides narrate the Texas Hill Country safari. Be sure to buy at least one bucket of food pellets for the hour-long tour. Bison, zebra, ostrich, antelope, llama, aoudad and emu abound. The animals converge on the safari mobile for handouts and some will even lop next to the moving vehicle for their treats. Beware the very friendly camels. Omar, the older of two camels, sometimes steals an entire food bucket from unsuspecting visitors. Cabins are available for rental on the zoo property and make an ideal spot for family reunions.

Hangar Hotel

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Strains of Glenn Miller’s Moonlight Serenade softly compliment the evening’s last light as Hangar Hotelwe sip cocktails on the veranda.  The sun appears as a glowing orange orb resting on the hilltops as a Cessna makes its landing approach on the airfield in front of us.  Now, Chattanooga Choo Choo entertains us with its upbeat melody.  Closing our eyes, we travel decades into the past.  Such is the mood set by a stay at the Hangar Hotel in Fredericksburg.

Officers’ Club. Staying at the Hangar Hotel is like stepping back in time to a Bachelor Officer Quarters from World War II.  A converted hangar on the edge of Gillespie County Airport houses this elegantly simple hotel.  Large ceiling fans, antique switchboard, and palm trees greet guests as they check in.  Off the hotel lobby is the Officer’s Club, open weekends.   Rooms are furnished in rusty reds, mossy greens and rich browns.  Weathered leather chairs, vintage style dresser and armoire furnish the room.  Every detail, from drapery pattern to reproduction phone, transports you back in time.  The black and white tiled bathroom completes the setting.  There is even a green, wool army blanket on the bed.  The room television is the only concession to the 21st century.

Details. The Hangar Hotel is located at 155 Airport Road, Fredericksburg. Room rates begin at $119 (weekdays) and $179 (weekends). The hotel offers senior (over 65) and military discounts.  To make a reservation, call (830) 997-9990 or visit the hotel website at hangarhotel.com.

 

Marble Falls

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Marble Falls, an often overlooked area of Texas Hill Country, offers visitors gorgeous natural scenery, unique wineries and relaxed shopping. Located just 50 miles from Austin and 200 miles from Dallas, Marble Falls is an ideal weekend getaway.

Marble Falls – a town with the wrong name. Don’t go looking for the falls. The falls disappeared in 1951 with the damming of the Colorado River and the creation of Lake Marble Falls.

And the town sits on an 866-foot granite (not marble) mountain. Marble Falls gained recognition for its Texas pink granite, some of which was used to build the Texas State Capital. Granite is still quarried just west of town.

Despite the name misnomer, Marble Falls is in one of the most picturesque areas of Texas Hill Country. The town’s Main Street houses a wonderful assortment of gift and antiques shops. La Ti Da sells items made by Texas artists and is well worth a visit. Sculptures on Main gives Marble Falls a festive atmosphere with its quirky large-scale sculptures decorating the old town area.

Pie Happy Hour. No stay in Marble Falls is complete without a visit to the famed Blue Bonnet Café. Opened in 1929, the Blue Bonnet Café boasts ‘mile-high’ meringue pie. north texas ramblings blue bonnet cafeThe no frills diner serves some of the best pie around – buy it by the slice or a whole pie to take home. Southern Living magazine recognized the Blue Bonnet Café’s German chocolate pie as one of the South’s best pies.

Take advantage of Blue Bonnet Café’s Pie Happy Hour from 3 to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. Along with pie, Blue Bonnet Café is a great spot for breakfast. Blue Bonnet Cafe is at 211 US Highway 281, Marble Falls.

Flat Creek Estate. Vineyards dot Texas Hill Country like spots on a leopard. Flat Creek Estate stands out from the rest by coupling good wine with incredible food. The Bistro at Flat Creek Estate uses a wood fired oven to serve delicious entrees like ribeye steaks and lime cilantro chicken – those wanting a lighter meal can choose from a selection of wood fired pizzas. But that’s just the tip of the iceberg. On the first Saturday of each month, the Bistro hosts an internationally inspired, multi-course, wine-paired dinner. For weekend visitors, the Bistro serves a three-course, wine-paired lunch. The weekend our family dined at the Bistro, the lunch menu included seared scallop and radish salad to start; New England shellfish roast as entrée; and finished with wood fired Texas peaches.

And did I mention their wines? A beautifully appointed tasting room is open to sample Flat Creek Estate wines. Flat Creek Estates is located at 24912 Singleton Bend East, Marble Falls. The estate is out in the country and can be difficult to find. The winery suggests taking Highway 1431 to Singleton Bent, going about 2.5 miles and then left onto Singleton Bent East.