Texan Magazine
By Bill Dante
Spring break is not necessarily just for students who get a week off from school in March of every year. After the major freeze we experienced in Texas and most of the country this past January, (it even snowed in Florida), you may be looking forward to the warmth of spring weather yourself.
Getting out in the fresh air to do something fun is for everyone whether you have school aged kids or not.
This article is not necessarily about all the obvious and fun things you can do during spring break.
Yes, Texas has some beautiful beaches. You already know all of that. Of course there are those who prefer a snow and ski vacation. Destination resorts in Utah, Colorado, New Mexico, and my favorite, Lake Tahoe come to mind. And of course you can’t forget about the theme parks. Texas has some great theme parks.
But all of of those places mentioned above will be jam packed and crowded for sure….. Maybe you want to avoid all of that, or are just looking for more budget friendly alternatives, or perhaps you just want to change it up this year.
What’s great about being a Texan, is that it’s a big state and there is a lot to see and do.
Don’t get me wrong, there is nothing better than beautiful blue water, pristine sandy beaches, the smell of salt water in the air, a slight breeze, and just the overall feeling of being on the beach.
Now I have been to all of the beaches in Texas and have found Galveston, yes Galveston, to be one of the best, charming beaches in Texas. If you disagree it’s only because you haven’t been there lately. It is not your grandparents destination anymore. Galveston, besides being close to Houston, which adds another day of things to do offers fun for the entire family. Port Aransas is close to Corpus Christi museums and even an aircraft carrier, the USS Lexington that you can explore.
Did you know that Corpus Christi, Galveston and South Padre have horseback riding on the beach? That’s right. Starting early in the morning throughout the day and into the sunset hours, you can go horseback riding on any one of select beaches with guides who know what they’re doing. It’s fun for all ages.
So let’s move away from the beach, maybe you’re not in the mood for the water. Think about a day or two in one of the big cities that you don’t often visit. Houston, Dallas, San Antonio and Austin, each of those cities has much to do from special museums to great shopping. Now, if you prefer a more rural experience then there are many miles to travel in and through from Del Rio all the way over to Austin and north. Speaking of Austin, what’s not to like including one of my favorite cities, Dripping Springs. You can do both in one day or maybe two days. Enjoy everything from rivers, sunsets, even wineries and olive groves.
But only in Austin will you enjoy a trip to the Texas State Cemetery, Yep, I did say the State Cemetery. I’m a HUGE history buff. In fact, if I hadn’t spent my entire career as an on-air television meteorologist I would have loved to have been a history teacher. Last spring, when I mentioned to my wife about going, she looked at me like I was crazy. I only convinced her to go because I promised her a romantic lakeside dinner in Austin after our cemetery excursion.
Long story short, she said it was like exploring the grounds of an exquisite and fancy, well manicured country club, complete with beautiful water features and fascinating history honoring individuals who have made significant contributions to Texas. The beauty and serenity of the place is really unmatched.
The cemetery is 22 acres and is also called the Arlington of Texas and is located about 1mile east of the capital
Besides offering pristine and rolling landscaped, grounds as I mentioned, including many famous monuments, they have a fabulous visitor center. Plan on spending about two hours there. They have guided tours or you can do a self guided tour. Either way, walking around and taking a look at some of the monuments and graves of famous Texans is a surreal experience.
Imagine seeing the final resting places of Stephen F. Austin and Ann Richards, and John Connolly, former Texas governors. Chris Kyle, the US Navy seal and author of the American sniper and some other folks like James Michner another famous author also rest there. Did I mention Jerry Jeff Walker? I mean it just goes on and on and on, it’s a “walking outside” tour of a Texas museum. You’ll enjoy it. I promise.
As you leave you will have a great inner feeling of peace, saying to yourself, “I’m proud to be a Texan.”
Speaking of spring break destination museums…Did you know that the NUMBER ONE rated Western Museum in the entire United States is in Kerrville, Texas. The Museum Of Western Art will leave you in awe of their paintings, sculptures, and museum grounds. They also feature an interactive children’s gallery that offers kids a chance to experience life on a wagon train, with period costumes and a covered wagon!
Now, let’s head south towards San Antonio going through new Braunfels, over the Guadalupe river and past San Marcos. Surprisingly, not that long ago San Antonio per year received about 30 million visitors a year with 80% of those visitors being Texans. How about that. Which means if you haven’t been to San Antonio then you’re one of the few Texans that has not been there at least once but probably many times. Of course San Antonio is known for the Alamo. You need to visit the Shrine of Texas.
But one of the biggest attractions is of course downtown San Antonio and the fabulous restaurants and River Walk.
There are many great spring break getaways in Texas. Some are just an hour or two drive from where you may be located.
I hope this gave you some great ideas!
There is so much to see and do in and around our beautiful state. You have to admit it’s great to be a Texan.
