Travel Archives | Page 5 of 12 | Golden Country Cowgirl

Wildseed Farms – From Albariño to Zinnias

When I was researching what to do in Fredericksburg and Texas Hill Country, several times I came across Wildseed Farms in the list of top recommended attractions. It sounded to me like it was just a large nursery and gift shop so I didn’t put it on my list of things to do. As luck would have it, I came across it after another plan fell through so I pulled into the large parking lot to check it out. Calling it a nursery and gift shop doesn’t begin to do it justice! Display Gardens and Walking Trail Wildseed Farms was established in 1983 by John R. Thomas to fulfill the demand for high quality and less expensive wildflower seeds. The farm has over 200 cultivated…

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Best Wineries in Fredericksburg, Texas

Although the Texas Hill Country AVA (American Viticultural Area) covers 9,000,000 acres (14,062 square miles), Texas Wine Country centers near the charming town of Fredericksburg. If you search the Internet for the best wineries in Fredericksburg, you’ll find that each article lists different wineries. There are a few, however, that most seem to agree on and those are the ones I tried to concentrate on for this visit to Texas Hill Country. Fredericksburg is centrally located in Texas in the very heart of Texas Hill Country. Since it is only about an hour and 15 minutes north of San Antonio and 1.5 to 2 hours directly west of Austin, it is a perfect getaway location. Many of the wineries are located on Highway 290 between…

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Lost Maples Winery – A Winery in Transition

I have been a member of Harvest Hosts since the beginning of my RV adventures in 2018. The program offers interesting and unique places to stay while supporting small businesses. It’s such a win-win program you can’t help but love it. My favorite places to stay through Harvest Hosts is wineries. You usually have a beautiful parking spot with awesome views and you can walk to go wine tasting and never have to worry about driving. Sometimes you meet the winemaker or get a special behind the scenes tour. My stay at Lost Maples Winery in Vanderpool, TX, certainly lived up to all expectations. About Lost Maples Winery History Tom & Glenda Slaughter were the original owners of Lost Maples Winery. The winery sits within…

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Best Places in Brownwood Texas in One Day

five photos from Brownwood with text overlay: Brownwood, Texas Four best things to do in one day

While I was in Abilene, I had a great time visiting with other RVers at the Lolapalooza event. During the week there, I decided to go a slightly different way when I left than I had originally planned. Brownwood, Texas seemed to be a good distance for a stop but I knew nothing about it. I decided to stay at Lake Brownwood State Park which was an awesome choice. I spent a couple of days catching up on writing, including two newsletters and a blog post. After two days of that, I had to get out and visit the best places in Brownwood Texas. After a fair amount of research, I put together an itinerary for the day (Friday). Be aware that the Brown County…

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Tower of the Americas – Amazing Views

When I visited San Antonio in 2018, I didn’t do a whole lot of research before I arrived. As a result, I didn’t really know what I wanted to see and do there other than The Alamo and the River Walk. As I rode around on the hop-on hop-off bus, I learned about so many more things to see in downtown, including Tower of the Americas. Tower of the Americas Fun Facts Built for the 1968 Hemisfair World’s Fair which celebrated San Antonio’s 250th anniversary Construction started in 1966 and took 18 months to complete At 750 feet, it is the tallest observation tower in Texas It was the tallest observation tower in the US until the Stratosphere Tower was built in Las Vegas in…

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Natural Bridge Caverns – A San Antonio Must-see

outdoor display of flowers on a wagon with text overlay: Natural Bridge Caverns A Sam Amtonio Must-see!

If you love caves and caverns as much as I do, then Natural Bridge Caverns should definitely be on your list of things to see in San Antonio. When I lived in Northern California, I visited Mercer Caverns in Calaveras County and Black Chasm Cavern in Amador County. Neither of these caverns prepared me for the breathtaking enormity of Natural Bridge Caverns. Now, don’t get me wrong. Natural Bridge Caverns is definitely not the largest cave in the world, or even the US, by any means. To clarify, the largest cave in the world by volume is Hang Sơn Đoòng located in Vietnam and the largest in the US is Mammoth Cave in Kentucky, which is also the longest in the world. You might wonder…

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Frontier Texas in Abilene – Where the Old West Comes to Life

Museums are at the top of my list for attractions to visit in a new town. Even the smallest museum can give you tremendous insight into a location. So, when you come across a world-class museum like Frontier Texas in Abilene, where the Old West comes to life, it is an awesome bonus. Frontier Texas! opened in 2004 with just a visitor information center, a Texas-themed gift shop and the exhibit “The Century of Adventure.” In 2013 the museum opened the new $2 million exhibit entitled “Blood & Treasure on the Frontier” which is the exhibit you see today. Frontier Texas! From the moment you enter, the building is pretty impressive. High ceilings in the main room let in lots of light to showcase the…

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Animal Enrichment at the Sacramento Zoo

The Sacramento Zoo had a special animal enrichment event in celebration of Valentine's Day. The orangutans made the most of it. Check them out.

I have always loved going to the zoo. When I lived in Southern California, I went to the San Diego Zoo and the Wild Animal Park frequently. Even though it was about 90 minutes away, I had season passes some years. When Kelly told me she saw a special animal enrichment event coming up at the Sacramento Zoo in celebration of Valentine’s Day, I said I was definitely in. It has been raining here almost nonstop for weeks so we were quite lucky to have a beautiful, sunny day for our outing. The Zoo was very easy to get to but I thought the entrance was a little hidden as we almost drove past it. There didn’t seem to be an official parking lot, at least…

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The Hidalgo Pumphouse Brings Water to the Rio Grande Valley

Prior to 1909, the semi-arid Rio Grande Valley was dotted with cattle ranches, mostly owned by Tejanos, Mexicans who found themselves on the US side of the border at the end of the Mexican-American War in 1848. Many of the Tejanos lost their land when droughts in the 1880s and 1890s forced them to sell to Anglo settlers. The railroad arrived in the Valley in 1904 bringing more settlers to buy up cheap land in the “Magic Valley.” A system of steam powered pumphouses constructed along the Rio Grande, including the Hidalgo Pumphouse (also known as the Old Hidalgo Pumphouse) in 1909, transformed the Valley into rich farmland. Hidalgo Pumphouse Museum and World Birding Center In 1993, the Hidalgo County Irrigation District #2 donated the…

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Living History Lessons at the Museum of South Texas History

large cracked bell with text overlay: Pioneer & Ranching Crafts Day Museum of South Texas History

Even though south Texas has subtropical weather, that doesn’t always mean sunny, blue skies. Such was the case last week when the event I had scheduled for Saturday’s post was essentially rained out.* Fortunately, I had planned to attend the Pioneer and Ranching Crafts Day at Museum of South Texas History in Edinburg on Saturday. In contrast to last week’s weather, it was a near perfect day. I burned the midnight oil to get that story ready to publish on Sunday morning. *Be sure to subscribe to my newsletter below to get all the behind-the-scenes scoops. Museum of South Texas History The Museum of South Texas History totally surprised and impressed me. It is quite large and gorgeous and I think it is my favorite…

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