Texas Archives | Page 5 of 7 | Golden Country Cowgirl

Home of the Painted Churches — Schulenburg, Texas

There are as many as 20 painted churches throughout the Hill Country of Texas and at least 15 of these churches are listed on the National Registry of Historic Places. When you visit Schulenburg, Texas, you’ll be able to see four of the most well-known and impressive examples of the painted churches. You can easily visit these four painted churches of Schulenburg in one day as they are just a short distance from one another. Schulenburg is officially designated “Home of the Painted Churches.” What are the Painted Churches? The Texas Hill Country was settled in the 1800s by German and Czech immigrants, many of whom were fleeing religious oppression. They built the churches in the late 1800s and early 1900s and decorated them to…

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An Unexpected Delay — Car Trouble at Apache Pass

Car trouble. The possibility is always in the back of my mind when I’m traveling. I don’t dwell on it but I know it is a possibility. On the Friday before Veteran’s Day, I had planned to boondock for just one night at Apache Pass through Harvest Hosts. My car had other ideas. Apache Pass Apache Pass is a 1,000-acre working pecan and hay production farm on the San Gabriel River near Rockdale, Texas. There is an event center, the Steakhouse, the Icehouse (a more casual restaurant), an RV park, and an airpark with three runways. A 325-foot suspension bridge that was hand built by the owners spans the river. The property has been in the Worley family since the 1800s but has only been…

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Texas Legato Winery — On the Edge

barrels and a waterfall in front of large grassy field with text overlay: Visit the northern edge of Texas Hill Country AVA Texas Legato Winery

Staying with participating wineries through Harvest Hosts is one of the ways I discover some wonderful, and sometimes lesser known, wineries. That’s how I found Texas Legato Winery. It is a family owned and operated winery in Lampasas at the very northern edge of the Texas Hill Country AVA (American Viticultural Area). Sulynn and Bill Bledsoe are the owners of Texas Legato Winery and Vineyard. As a Harvest Hosts member, I called ahead to make sure they had room for me on the night I wanted to stay. Bill greeted me when I arrived and directed me to a spot near the parking lot because it had been raining and the ground was too wet to risk parking farther away by the vineyard. It was…

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Best Things to do in Glen Rose, Texas — Dinosaurs, Wildlife, History

Paluxy River in Dinosaur Valley State Park with text overlay: Discover all the best things to do in Glen Rose, Texas

When I made my trip from California to Texas last year, Glen Rose was one of my stops in Texas (see Oakdale Park below). While I was there on that trip, it rained most of the time. In fact, the weather was so stormy that I extended my stay by a couple of days to avoid driving in the bad weather conditions. I wanted to add Glen Rose to my itinerary on this trip because there are so many interesting things to see and do that I missed on my last trip. Glen Rose is a great getaway from the Dallas/Fort Worth area or well worth a detour if you are passing nearby. Best Attractions in Glen Rose, Texas Fossil Rim Wildlife Center Fossil Rim…

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Exotic Resort Zoo — Wildlife Safari Experience in Johnson City, Texas

When I travel, I try to balance seeing some well known attractions with a few things off the beaten path. On my list of things to do while I was in Fredericksburg was visiting wineries, walking around the historic downtown, experiencing the bat emergence at Old Tunnel State Park and seeing the Lyndon B. Johnson Ranch. When I woke up on the morning I planned to visit the LBJ Ranch, I just wasn’t feeling like being a tourist and was wishing for something a little different to do. I was in the office of my RV park picking up a package when I saw a flyer for The Exotic Resort Zoo in Johnson City, Texas, and thought that could be just what I was needing.…

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Old Tunnel State Park — What’s the Draw of this Smallest Texas State Park?

Tunnel entrance at Old Tunnel State Park

Although the 16.1-acre Old Tunnel State Park in Fredericksburg is the smallest state park in Texas, it serves a very important function. There’s no camping and only limited hiking. It’s main function is to protect and preserve the colony of up to 3 million Mexican free-tailed bats and 3,000 cave myotis bats that live in the old railroad tunnel. Old Tunnel State Park History Over 100 years ago, on August 16, 1913, the first train steamed it’s way through the Old Tunnel. The farmers of Fredericksburg wanted a faster method to get their goods to market and were looking to the railroad. The businessmen of Fredericksburg were disappointed when a spur was built only as far as Kerrville so they decided to take matters into…

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Where to Eat in Harlingen — Readers’ Choice Best Places

a seafood dinner with text overlay: Best places to eat in Harlingen, TX Readers' Coice Awards Valley Morning Star

I don’t eat out a lot so, when I do, I look for restaurant recommendations from locals-in-the-know wherever I am. Review apps can be helpful but those reviews are often by tourists who may not know about local favorites. Checking out the “Best of” winners in local newspapers is a good resource. Therefore, I always looked forward to the Best of Orange County when I lived in southern California. So, when the Readers’ Choice Winners for the Valley Morning Star came out, I was eager to learn who won for the best places to eat in Harlingen. Would they be the same as the top restaurants on TripAdvisor and Yelp or would they be hidden gems? How are the Readers’ Choice Winners Selected? The Valley…

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Authentic Texas Barbecue — What it is and where to find it in the RGV

typical authentic Texas barbecue plate with text overlay: Authentic Texas Barbecue Where to find it in the RGV

I have to admit, when I was growing up, barbecue was not one of my favorite foods. Barbecue, to me, always brought to mind neighborhood parties with chicken on the grill with burnt on barbecue sauce. Or maybe it was dry baby back ribs, which don’t have enough meat on the bones to be worth the effort, with that same burnt on sauce. The only kind of barbecue I was even remotely fond of was a pulled pork sandwich with sweet barbecue sauce. Even in my adult life, it is not a food group I seek out. This lack of desire for barbecue was cemented in my mind even further when, a few years ago, I went to a barbecue joint in southern California with…

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Indoor Activities in Harlingen – When it’s just too hot outside!

large aquarium and bowling lanes with text overlay: Best indoor activities to beat the heat in Harlingen, TX

The Rio Grande Valley has wonderful sub-tropical weather which makes for enjoyable outdoor activities — most of the time. Some days during the summer, though, it’s just too darn hot to go outside, except in the early morning. If you are still itching to get out and explore, that’s when it’s time to find some entertaining indoor activities. Here are my recommendations for the best indoor activities in Harlingen, Texas. Best Indoor Activities in Harlingen Texas Travel Information Center – Find all the Best Indoor Activities in Texas I told you about this awesome location in a previous post. It’s the perfect place to visit to learn more about the whole state of Texas and what there is to do anywhere in the state. They…

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Port Isabel — What to See and Do in this Charming Bayside Town

View of Port Isabel from Pirate's Landing Fishing Pier

12 Best Things to See and Do in Port Isabel, Texas Port Isabel is a charming town on Laguna Madre on the very southern tip of Texas where you’ll find history, adventure, nature and lots of fun things to see and do. Like many towns, it has had several names over the years, including Point Isabel. The town was incorporated in 1928 and its name was changed to Port Isabel. These 12 things to see and do in Port Isabel are truly in Port Isabel. This list does not include attractions on South Padre Island like some lists of best things to do in Port Isabel. Yes, South Padre Island is just across the causeway but there are plenty of interesting things to see and…

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