On Sunday morning, we'll be packing up Clark and leaving Texas. According to my calendar, we've been here almost eight weeks. We've thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. I think all of us are going to miss it despite the unrelenting heat. (Clark's A/C, however, will not miss Texas. It is due for a nice long vacation.)
Texas has surprised us with its beauty, diversity, food, and outstanding state parks system. In particular, we have appreciated the many quality FREE things to do in south Texas. We're trying hard to save money and still immerse ourselves in our surroundings. We're also trying to incorporate local opportunities into homeschooling. Thus, the free stuff is a boon for us.
Looking back, here are some of the best free things we've done in south Texas:
1. Mission San Jose, San Antonio: We keep talking about this one because it was that good! The Alamo might be the most famous tourist destination in San Antonio, but in our opinion (just our opinion!), it pales in comparison to four gorgeous nearby missions that are part of the national parks system. Mission San Jose was absolutely beautiful: stone buildings draped in flowers, an informative NPS film that provided historical context, and an excellent self-guided tour. We would recommend it to anyone visiting San Antonio.
2. Speaking of free in San Antonio, the Riverwalk is a must-see. If you're a walker, runner, jogger, or biker and you're visiting San Antonio for any reason, head to the Riverwalk early in the morning and enjoy a colorful, peaceful adventure along the San Antonio River before all the tourists come out. Not only does the Riverwalk offer a plethora of shops and beautiful landscaping, it also features plenty of artwork and interesting architectural features. It's total eye candy. (Note: parking later in the day is tricky and expensive, but early in the morning, you should have no trouble finding free parking.)
3. If you're in Austin and needing to get your run or walk in, the Lady Bird Lake Hike-and-Bike Trail is a perfect option. During the week, I parked along Veterans Drive; on the weekend, I parked at Austin High School. I ran several loops along this trail, the shortest being about three miles and the longest being eight. I felt completely safe in the mornings and on the weekends (mainly because there are so many people here) and loved crossing the bridges, watching the paddlers and rowers on the lake, and meeting so many adorable puppies along the way!
4. We have an ASTC science museum membership through the Kentucky Science Center that gives us free admission to science centers across the United States. With the membership, we were able to visit the Children's Museum of Houston and The Thinkery in Austin for no extra charge. The Children's Museum of Houston features an indoor playground, a large water play area, and Kidtropolis (a city run by kids).
One word of warning: The Children's Museum of Houston is loud. Really loud. There's something about the acoustics in that building that seem to magnify any sound times five. It was a little much for us, and we ended up leaving earlier than we'd planned. If you have children who are sensitive to noise, you may want to avoid the busiest times.
The Thinkery is smaller but has some excellent mini-classes, an indoor water play area, and a super-cool outdoor play structure that made me want to be a kid again just so I could climb to the top.
5. Kid's Kingdom Playground, San Angelo: This playground is one of the first spots we visited when we arrived in San Angelo. It's well-shaded, features a wide variety of playground equipment, offers plenty of places to sit, and has an adjacent picnic table/bathroom/water fountain area. It's also located right next to the beautiful Concho River riverwalk, which features plenty of local artwork.
6. The Children's Room at the Tom Green County Library, San Angelo: The children's room at the Tom Green County Library is phenomenal. It's totally kid-friendly: colorful artwork, stuffed animals propped atop the shelves, and built-in reading nooks, and well-labeled shelves. The architecture in this building is excellent, allowing plenty of light into the children's room on the first floor.
7. Art Thursdays at the San Angelo Museum of Fine Arts: Sam and I had the opportunity to participate in a free art activity at SAMFA. We created steampunk stamp art, clay sculptures, and watercolor paintings. Everything was free, and we didn't even need to sign up beforehand. Art Thursdays take place every Thursday from 3-6 PM at SAMFA's education building. The SAMFA is in itself a great little museum - and very affordable at $2 per adult!
This list doesn't include the many of not-free yet still-affordable activities in south Texas, including the spring-fed pools in Austin (such as Deep Eddy and Barton Springs) and the state parks (we visited McKinney Falls State Park and San Angelo State Park - both excellent).
For those of you who have spent time in south Texas, what other free attractions would you recommend?
No comments:
Post a Comment