What should we see, do, eat, visit before LEAVING TEXAS???

[Corie]

Just wondering what I should try to squeeze in before
we move!! Not actually sure how much time we have left here.

I will know more specifics in the next couple of days.

Thanks!!

[chiqanita]

Wow Corie, if you had time to drive I'd say to head west...beautiful country between El Paso and DFW area. How about heading north to OK, visiting the memorial at the site of the Murrah bldg.

[COElizabeth]

I was going to say go west, too, to Big Bend National Park. It's very remote and not some place you would be likely to visit from out of state, but it has beautiful scenery and is a great escape from big cities. It's terribly hot in summer, though, so it would be better if you could wait until fall. If you're really leaving very soon, I would try to do things like visit Barton Springs in Austin, inner tube on the river in New Braunfels, and visit Schlitterbahn, which is also in New Braunfels (unique water park, and it actually has a good deal of shade).

Elizabeth, Mom to James, 9-20-02
and Charlotte, 11-04-04

[crayonblue]

BBQ! Oh, how I miss Texas BBQ! I also miss true Tex-Mex. Not chain Tex-Mex but the local Tex-Mex places.

I can't remember when the bluebonnets are out but every year I wish I could take pictures of Lauren sitting in the bluebonnets!

BlueBell icecream. I am not actually a big fan (I much prefer Ben & Jerry's) but if you are fan, better eat some now!

[BaileyBea]

How about Austin and San Antonio? ;-)

I haven't posted on your announcement yet.. I haven't been online much in two days. But congratulations! DH and I are ready to move out of Texas too. This summer has made us go nuts for a change of weather.

You and the family are going to have fun on the East Coast. I hear wonderful things about R.I.

We'll miss you in Tx..... ;-)

[jbowman]

I'm with Lana--eat BBQ, and lots of it! I'd definitely visit San Antonio. And I'd get one last look at the Kimbell, the Amon Carter, and the Modern museums in Fort Worth. ;)

[writermama]

I'm not a texan, but I've been a tourist and I'm a bit of a foodie.

If you like Texas style chicken-fried steak (or it's oddly named but delicious cousin, chicken-fried chicken), you might not find it elsewhere. (Southern style is different and it's what you're more likely to find elsewhere, if you find it at all.)

Also, as pp suggested, true tex-mex. And, if you're a grits fan and Texas is grits country (I don't remember how far west the grits-belt goes), get 'em while you can. Grits are hard to come by north of southern VA (unless you make your own, and even then, some stores don't carry them).

On the upside, if you like donuts, Providence apparently has the highest concentration of donut shops per capita (according to a friend who just moved there).

[crayonblue]

Oh, yes, chicken-fried chicken! I worked at a summer camp in high school in Texas and had chicken-fried chicken once a week for 12 weeks. YUMMY!

[babymama]

So sorry you are leaving. Here are some recs from a native Texan

Float the Guadalupe River (long) or the Comal River (short) in innertubes. This is fun to do with a group of girlfriends. I wouldn't put my kiddies in the river - that's me personally. Schlitterbahn is totally family friendly, though.

Dancing at Gruene Hall in Gruene. You can eat at the Gristmill before.

Visit the missions in San Antonio

Have margaritas on the Riverwalk in San Antonio

Eat as much Tex-Mex food as possible

Swim at Barton Springs in Austin.

Big Bend??? I've never been. Dying to go, though.

Lydia
Mama to 2 sweet babies

Oh what fun it is to potty train & BF at the same time!

[sadie_beth_1124]

If you can manage to score some tickets (unlikely as it may be), then you should try to attend the Austin City Limits music festival next month. I had a blast both times I attended & camped in Bastrup park about 20 min away to avoid inflated hotel prices. www.aclfest.com
If you have till spring, try the SXSW music/film fest, which is much pricier though.
Then while you're in Austin, visit the Alamo drafthouse. www.originalalamo.com

[maestramommy]

I hear from a native Texan that the Texas state fair is going on next month. She is taking her DS with the grandparents because it's been a family tradition since she was little. Must be a nice state fair!

[o_mom]

Not sure what part of Texas you are in, but I would load up at IKEA before I left! That is the one place we always have to go when I am down there. :-)

[TaChapm]

You can come to Lockhart and eat BBQ! We are the BBQ Capital of Texas! After that you can take a 15 minute trip to the outlet malls in San Marcos.

You can hit San Antonio and load up on good mexican food and margaritas at Casa Rio on the Riverwalk. You can also go to Sea World while there.

One thing that I wouldn't leave the DFW area without doing is eating at Joe T Garcia's! DH and I ate there once a week when we were living in Ft. Worth. I miss it!

Are you sure you want to leave Texas? ;)

Tara
Mommy to Jackson 11-10-02
Tyler 6-9-05
& Baby Jaci 8-10-06


http://b4.lilypie.com/gzWfm8.png

http://b2.lilypie.com/sJmVm7.png

http://b1.lilypie.com/EZwnm7.png

[Corie]

After these over 100 degrees days, I am so ready to go!!
The heat is killing me!

[Corie]

Lana,

My husband used to work at the BBQ House in Nacogdoches.
He worked there all through college and he got to eat
BBQ for free. It was so good!!

[Corie]

I LOVE donuts!! I think that's how I gained 60 pounds for
each of my pregnancies! Delicious! :)

[kristenk]

Corie, this sort of fits into the chicken-fried theme. :) Go to Babe's Chicken Dinner House. We've been to the one in Roanoke (where your DD would *love* the "hidden" bathroom doors) and the one in Carrollton. The menu's a little broader in Carrollton. Here's the link to it on Guidelive: http://www.guidelive.com/portal/page?_pageid=33,97400&_dad=portal&_schema=PORTAL&item_id=28369

I don't know if it's a must-do, but it's fun if you haven't been. Definitely try to go for an early-ish lunch if you go on Sunday and don't want to wait...and wait...and wait.... :)

[bunnisa]

Go have a drink and watch the sunset at The Oasis in Austin on Lake Travis.

BBQ at Louis Mueller's in Taylor, & at Kreutz in Lockhart.

There's great country fried steak and tons of GREAT German food, plus an authentic German biergarten (live music and dancing, children and people of all ages) at The Walburg Restaurant. This is one of my favorite places, ever. http://walburgrestaurant.com/

...blessed wife and mama to two!

"And children are always a good thing, devoutly to be wished for and fiercely to be fought for."
-Justin Torres

[happy2bamom]

I'm not sure what part of Texas you are leaving, but if you are near Dallas I would go shop at Sam Moon. I miss being able to buy purses and jewelry for dirt-cheap prices. (I wouldn't go on the weekend b/c it is crazy busy). When I lived in Texas, everyone that visited me wanted to shop at Sam Moon.

[Corie]

Actually, Sam Moon is a great idea! Not for me but my
daughter. :)

I am so not a jewelry or purse person!! But my sister
and daughter are. :)

The 3 of us went to Sam Moon one day and I wondered around
aimlessly while my sister & daughter shopped like maniacs.
Keep in mind that my daughter is only four!!

[writermama]

I second the suggestion of the Oasis in Austin. Lovely place.

[madelinesmom]

We live in East Texas and are here in San Antonio with our neighbors and their 2 children... I would go to Schlitterbahn and Sea World they are open on Sat. and Sunday only right now but we have had a wonderful time with a 4, 3, 2, and 8 month old... It has been great and tomorrow we are going to San Marcos...

Jane
Madeline and Emily's Mom
1/20/03 11/29/05

[jbowman]

Someone else is in East Texas? Wow! :)

[cmdunn1972]

BBQ is exactly what I was thinking about too. Also chili. Everywhere else in the country might advertise "TX BBQ" or "TX Chili", but I'm sure none of it measures up to what you actually find in TX.

[Corie]

Jill,

I met my husband at SFA in Nacogdoches!! :)

[jbowman]

Corie--

It just seems funny to me b/c everyone seems to be from DFW, Austin, or Houston. It's nice to see the area around the Rose City represented. ;)

I love Nacogdoches--oldest city in Texas, right?

[Corie]

My husband and I loved Nacogdoches!! You are right!
It is the oldest city in Texas!! :)

Next time you go to Nac, stop in the BBQ House for a sandwich!
My husband worked there all through college. He always
smelled like BBQ. :)

[crayonblue]

I've never eaten at the BBQ House in Nacogdoches. Is it still there? We had our rehearsal dinner at a BBQ place in Lufkin.

[crayonblue]

I think I mentioned this before...I was born in Nacogdoches and lived there until 8 years old. I wish we had stayed as Nacogdoches is a thousand times better than Lufkin!

[Corie]

It's still there but it has moved. It used to be directly
across the street from Walmart.

I have not seen the new location. They moved after we
graduated.

The man who owns the BBQ House has a brother in town
who owns a different BBQ place. (Their parents are the
original owners of the BBQ House.)

[bunnisa]

>My husband worked there all through college. He always
>smelled like BBQ. :)

No wonder you fell in love with him! ;D

...blessed wife and mama to two!

"And children are always a good thing, devoutly to be wished for and fiercely to be fought for."
-Justin Torres