Weekend GetAways: New Braunfels

Whew!  The last few days have really been scorchers for us!  We had such a great response from our first Weekend GetAways post (Galveston Island), that I thought we’d do another…this time let’s look at a beautiful part of the state full of rivers, shade trees and history…New Braunfels! 

From Katy, head West on I-10 to begin your adventure.  Ask anyone who has lived in our area for a long time, and they probably have fond memories of time spent on the rivers in the New Braunfels area.  The Guadalupe and Comal Rivers offer a refreshing, relaxing escape from a hectic week.  Here are some of our favorites places to go and things to do in this part of Texas…

Mountain Breeze Campground.  Family owned & operated by our long-time friends, Mountain Breeze is located on River Road right on the banks of the Guadalupe River.  Offering cabins, RV sites, and tent camping, these guys are also your full source for tubes and rafts for your trip down the river.  Other amenities include fishing, lighted volleyball & horseshoe pits, and hot water showers.  Their sports bar & grill has a deck overlooking the river.  If you like to camp or you want to float down the Guadalupe…this is your place!

Gruene Hall.  Texas’ oldest dance hall!  Gruene Hall was built in 1878.  The list of entertainers who’ve performed there is like a historical who’s who in Texas music.

The Gristmill River Restaurant.  Located in historic Gruene, next to Gruene Hall, the Gristmill makes its home in what was the boiler room of the old water powered cotton mill built in 1878.  Sitting on a bluff overlooking the Guadalupe River, this place is a destination of its own…and the food is good too!

Natural Bridge Caverns.  Recognized as a national natural landmark, the caverns were discovered 50 years ago by spelunking college students.  They offer several different types of tours…everything from the popular walking tour, to lantern tours, and even adventure tours.

Schlitterbahn.  No discussion of things to do in New Braunfels is complete without Schlitterbahn!  Featured many times on the Travel Channel, the original Schlitterbahn Waterpark is a true Texas gem.  Launched in 1966 and opened in 1979 by the Henry family, this is the world’s first “water resort”.  Arguably the first family of waterparks, the Henrys created the first surfing ride, the first uphill water coaster, and the first tidal wave river.  Schlitterbahn is still family owned.  The New Braunfels parks now cover 65 acres and include the original section Schlitterbahn West as well as Blastenhoff and Surfenburg at Schlitterbahn East.  And get this…parking is FREE, tubes are FREE, life jackets are FREE and you can bring in your own picnic!

Other family activities in the New Braunfels area include the New Braunfels Railroad Museum, Landa Park (featuring paddle boats, mini golf, mini train rides and walking trails), the City Tube Chute (billed as the longest tube chute in the world) and McKenna Children’s Museum.

And on your way to and from New Braunfels, don’t forget to follow the famous beaver signs to Buc-ee’s on I-10 in Luling…known for their clean restrooms and jerky of all kinds (“except beaver”). 

Safe travels!

Making Memories…What Can Be Better Than That?

It’s been a CRAZY week!  Here it is 10pm on Friday night and I finally have a minute to sit down and blog…YEA!  With our hectic schedule this week, we’re definitely ready for some family time this weekend.  Have you been making fun memories with your friends and family so far this summer?  Well, if not…what are you waiting for??  Step away from the computer and get out there!  (Oh…but read this first…thanks!) 

So what do you like to do?  Now that Tropical Storm Bonnie has been demoted (sorry Bonnie) to a Depression, our chances of rain have subsided a bit over the next few days.  So here’s a few ideas for spending time outdoors…

• Bust out the kites and generate some wind power
• Play a few rounds of mini golf over at Katy Minature Golf & Batting Cages or Mary Jo Peckham Park 
• Go for a stroll around your neighborhood and chat with your neighbors
• Grab the bikes and head over to George Bush Park for a nature ride or meet other riders at Bike Barn Katy for a Saturday morning ride
• Is running more your thing?  Katy Fit is kicking off the training season this weekend!

And what about indoor activities?  There are plenty of those to choose from as well!  How about…

• Take in a performance over at Katy Visual & Performing Arts Center (KVPAC)
• Have a friendly bowling competition at Times Square Entertainment or Ten Pins Bowling (bumpers or no bumpers?)
• Check out a movie at AMC Katy Mills, Cinemark, Alamo Drafthouse or Rave Motion Pictures
• Show off your skating skills at Mason Road Skate Center or Bear Creek Roller Rink (you’ve still got it, don’t you?)
• And if you feel like a real adventure, take a drive over to the Houston Museum of Natural Science to see (and smell) Lois, the Corpse Flower bloom!

What other activities are you enjoying this weekend and for the rest of the summer?  Whatever you choose, have fun making lasting memories!

Weekend GetAways: Galveston Island

Can you believe we’re already in mid-July?!?  Even though summer is flying by, it’s not too late to take the family on a weekend getaway!  As natives of the area, we grew up visiting our coastal neighbors:  Surfside…Jamaica Beach…and of course, Galveston Island.  Over the years we’ve seen some old friends shut down.  Gone are the days of Sea-A-Rama Marine Park, and a few of our favorites (like Fullen’s Waterwall) were taken out by Hurricane Ike in 2008.  But even as “The Island” works to rebuild following the beating it received from Ike, it remains one of our favorite nearby family getaways.

I’m always surprised by how little some folks around the Katy Area know about Galveston.  In the past 2 weeks, I’ve had this conversation twice!  So why not put it out there for everyone?  The Island is a lot more than beaches!  So if you’re looking for a quick day trip or mini-vacation, here are some Galveston classics you won’t want to miss!

Cafe Michael Burger.  Sitting on the West end, a little past the end of the Seawall, Cafe Michael Burger features awesome gourmet burgers and German food.  It’s an interesting menu combo and it works!

La King’s Confectionary.  Stepping into La King’s is like stepping back in time to the 1920′s.  They make their own candy using century old equipment…very cool.  And their ice cream is phenomenal!!  Located in the historic Strand.  We never miss a stop at La King’s! 

Magic Carpet Mini Golf.  On your way out to Cafe Michael Burger, check out Magic Carpet Mini Golf on the Seawall.  2 18-hole courses with some of the neatest obstacles we’ve ever seen on a putt-putt course!  Outsmart an ostrich, shoot through a cannon…we usually have so much fun here we play both courses. 

Texas Seaport Museum & the 1877 tall ship Elissa.  Next to the Strand, in the shadow of the cruise ships sits the Elissa.  This, my friends, is NOT a replica…she is the real thing built in 1877 and open to tours.  Parts of the museum are still being restored, but rates are discounted.

Seawolf Park.  A favorite from my childhood (we 1st visited shortly after the arrival of the vessels)…Seawolf Park offers tours of a World War II Submarine (the USS CAVALLA) and the USS STEWART…one of only 3 WWII destroyer escorts still in existence. 

Still Rebuilding After Hurricane Ike:  We are anxiously awaiting the reopenings of the Galveston Island Railroad Museum (“the largest railroad museum in the southwest”) and the Galveston Rail Trolleys.  Watch their sites for restoration information.  These are GREAT family activities!

The fun doesn’t stop there!  Galveston has Duck Tours, the Lone Star Flight Museum, the Grand 1894 Opera House, the Moody Mansion, Schlitterbahn, Moody Gardens, and “the oldest continually operating library in Texas”: Rosenberg Library.  And if you’d like to take a longer vacation, Carnival Cruises and Royal Caribbean sail out of Galveston!  In fact, it was on one of those cruises a few years back that we met Debra, the owner of Cafe Michael Burger…and fittingly enough, we met her when we were assigned to the same table for dinner!

For more info on things to do and places to stay in Galveston, visit Galveston.com and the Galveston Historical Foundation.  So, now you know our favorites?  What are yours?