Texas Bucket List

New Braunfels

Emily Rice

May 13, 2021

New Braunfels is a well-populated town near San Antonio, in our dear state of Texas. The city is known for the Guadalupe and Comal rivers that pass by Landa and Cypress Bend. The drive totals out to be 5 hours, venturing through cities like Junction and San Angelo. New Braunfels is full of several attractions and picture worthy sights.

Some interesting sights include:

• Natural Bridge Caverns

• Shop in Gruene

• Float the Guadalupe River

• Stars and Stripes Drive-in Theater (one of the last ones in Texas)

• New Braunfels Railroad Museum

• Texas Ski Ranch

• Schlitterbahn

• Barn Pottery

And several others.

Out of the above sights and recreations, many agree that “The river and Shlitterbahn,” are the all-around favorites of what New Braunfels offers.

“The river was fun and cool and it was fun to float,” Nevaeh Hernandez added.

All in all, the far, but not too far, town of New Braunfels proves to be the perfect weekend getaway...no matter the occasion.

Cadillac Ranch

Hope Balog

May 13, 2021

Driving along Route 66, west of Amarillo, Texas, you might see some cars; standing up and spray painted. This is Cadillac Ranch. Cadillac Ranch was made by a group who calls themselves, “The Ant Farm.” A billionaire named Stanley Marsh was their silent partner in this invention, who wanted something made to shock the locals. In 1974 The Ant Farm came up with the Cadillac Ranch to make a tribute to the Cadillac tail fin. 10 Cadillacs were buried in the dirt, nose-down, facing west in a line. For years, people have stopped on the side of the highway and graffiti and tear apart these cars. The Ant Farm actually came to love and encourage the idea of defacing the Cadillacs. Even to this day, people still spray paint on them. If you got to see them it’s best to bring a couple of spray paint bottles with you, but if you forget… you will definitely find some on the floor from others who came to show their artistic ways.

Fredericksburg

Caylee Myers

May 13, 2021

Fredericksburg, Texas is a lovely place to visit with family and friends. It has many shops and restaurants to explore and try. Fredericksburg is a town with a lot of German background. Its residents and tourists enjoy German themed restaurants and pastries. It is also famous for its many festivals. Fredericksburg is home to the famous Trade Days occurring several times throughout the year. Trade Days include food, clothes, and music. Fredericksburg is 3 hours and 30 minutes away from Big Spring, Texas. “I really enjoyed my trip there. I had lots of fun.” said Madry Bagwell who recently took a trip to Fredericksburg.

Abilene Zoo

Jayden Tollison

May 12, 2021

In Texas, there are many places nearby to take your family, kids, friends, and even to take class field trips on. Abilene, TX has many things to do there, with one of them being the Abilene zoo. The Abilene zoo has over 1,000 animals and over 250 species of animals. The cost for the zoo is only $3.50 for kids ages 3-12, $6 dollars for adults ages 13-59, $5 for the seniors ages 60 and up, and children under 3 get in for free. At the zoo they have many animals to see, a large aquarium, giraffe feedings, places to stop and eat, train carts, places to have birthday parties, feeding the fishes, as well as fishing is allowed, and swan paddle boats to use on the lake in the zoo. The zoo is about 16 acres big with many amazing animals to see. The Abilene zoo has been open since 1966 and has had well over 250,000 people visit the zoo since then. The zoo is a place of learning, adventure, where families make memories, where everyone can share the joy of discovery, and even become inspired to preserve wildlife. Katelynn Turner says that the zoo is amazing and her daughter loves going to the zoo and the park that is also at the zoo. She says it is a good day trip to take her family on since they live in Abilene near the zoo.

Luckenbach

Caylee Myers

May 10, 2021

Luckenbach, Texas is a small town outside of Fredericksburg. Luckenbach is a big place for country music and consists of a post office and general stores. Along with a dance floor and restaurant. It is 3 hours and 40 minutes away from Big Spring, Texas and usually makes a good day trip. “It was a fun trip and I really enjoyed it.” said Hilary Thompson who visited while passing through with her family. Luckenbach is famous for the song written by Waylon Jennings and Willie Nelson called “Luckenbach Texas”. You can take pictures at the Luckenbach Kissing Booth and the old town dancing hall. There are currently only 13 living residents of Luckenbach but it is always swarming with happy tourists.

Cinergy

Ayannia Anchondo

May 10, 2021

When it comes to vacation, you normally don’t think of going to Texas. Not even people in Texas think about staying for vacation. But believe it or not, there are some fun places in Texas that you might actually enjoy. The first one is a movie theatre, this specific movie theatre is named Cinergy and is located in Midland and Odessa, Texas. “My favorite part of Cinergy is the Laser Tag,” as said by Celeste Cortez. You heard it right folks, the Cinergy is not a normal movie theatre. It has an arcade, fun activities like an escape room and as Celeste said, laser tag. “I love how the seats can recline far back, it’s very much relaxing.” The movie seats recline with just a button tap and they come with trays that go above your lap so you can enjoy your snacks and drinks while you watch the movie. Cinergy is no doubt the best experience for your family and friends and is a day or night that you will never forget.

Frio River

Jayden Tollison

May 10, 2021

Here in Texas there are many places to visit with your friends and family. The Frio River is located in Texas around the Concan, Leaky area. The Frio is around 200 miles long in total. On average, most people only float the river for around 2 miles, which takes about 3 hours, depending on the water level. There are many fun and adventurous things to do at the Frio like the most popular, floating the river. There are also many hiking trails with amazing views, as well as many shops and boutiques.

Most people go to the Frio to stay with loved ones and float the river as it is one of the most visited rivers in Texas. They have rental places to rent tubes with shuttles that take you to and from the river, costing 15 dollars per person in all. The Frio River is also a very good fishing spot as the water is crystal clear with many many bass. The most popular time people visit the Frio is during the summer. The word Frio is cold in Spanish, meaning the river is very cold, which is why most people tend to go during the summer. The Frio has many breathtaking sight seeing trails that are kid friendly to take your family on. The river is good for fishing, floating, swimming, kayaking, and just relaxing in the sun. Katelynn Turner says that she loves the Frio River and recommends going as a family vacation. She says it is her favorite place and goes there at least once a year.

Fun in Town

Blake Barclay

May 10, 2021

COVID restrictions are slowly being lifted- just in time for the summer. In Big Spring, you can find many activities to do over the summer, such as going bowling, roller skating, and more. However, Big Spring is not limited to indoor activities. Some of the best places for entertaining yourself over this long summer are the Big Spring State Park and Comanche Trail Park.

Big Spring State Park offers a variety of activities for its visitors to participate in. “You can hike the trails and hills,” said Mrs. DeLaGarza, a regular park attendee. “You can go up to the top and play at the park. You can drive up to the top to enjoy the scenery. I love the hills, and I love that you can see over the city,” she said. In addition, Big Spring State Park is a home to many animals and nature. “I love that they have animals to watch, like deer and foxes! I especially love to look at the wildflowers. It’s all so beautiful,” she said.

BSSP is not the only public park people can visit. Another park people can go to looking for entertainment is Comanche Trail Park. “It has a pretty landscape,” said DeLaGarza. “It has lots of trees and windy roads. It’s a pretty place to go and have fun. It’s perfect for families,” she said. There are several things visitors can do at Comanche Trail Park. “It has a playground and a water park,” she said. “You can feed the ducks and fish. They have a golf course, pond, tennis courts, baseball field, several pavilions, and an amphitheatre. It also has a big spring, which is why the city is named after.”

This summer, unlike the previous one, residents and visitors wanting to visit a park will no longer have any restrictions or hindrances stopping them from enjoying these parks. Consider these locations next time you don’t have anything to do during the summer. You can visit https://www.mybigspring.com for more information about each park.

Galveston

Emily Rice

May 10, 2021

There are many wondrous sights and views across the grand state of Texas, certainly including the area of Galveston. I myself have been there on several occasions, from the beautiful sunsets and the colorful ferries, Galveston has certainly proven to be a fantastic vacation destination.

Although Galveston is an eight hour drive, the sound of crashing waves and the refreshing smell of the ocean makes the tedious trip worth it. Despite being located on the Southwest side of Texas, Galveston always proves to be quite populous during the summer months, and for good reason. Dotted with several AirBnb beach houses, the city of Galveston, and it’s accompanying island towns, all provide the means necessary to feel right at home. Galveston has many sights and attractions that are filled with history and interesting stories.

Some include, yet are not limited to:

• The Galveston Historic Seaport- Home of the Elissa 1877

• Seawolf Park- a memorial to the USS Seawolf Submarine

• Bolivar Point Lighthouse- (located in Port Bolivar) a historic lighthouse that was built in 1872

• Historic Downtown Strand Seaport- several shops and restaurants are located upon this strip, all highly rated and enjoyed.

• Dolphin Tours- boat tours dedicated to spotting local dolphins

• Pleasure Pier- amusement park located on the pier of Galveston Island

• And of course, the beach- grazed with gorgeous sunsets and mesmerizing waves

Along with the fun and historic day-spending activities, tourists also seem to love “bicycle rides around Galveston,” as Freshman Erich Byerly put it. All in all, I personally recommend Galveston as a far, but not too far, vacation destination.

“The warm weather and the swimming at the beach are two of my favorite things about Galveston,” said Erich Byerly; and I myself would have to agree.

Jacob’s Well

Maegan Garza

May 10, 2021

Jacob’s Well is located in Cypress Creek, northwest of Wemberly, Texas. Jacob’s Well was first named Jacob’s Well Chapter, originally named after a perpetual artesian spring North of Wimberly. Jacob’s well is believed to be one of the longest underwater caves in Texas. Most people are drawn to the pretty sights but 140 foot deep cave in the middle of the creeks. Many people have visited this breathtaking site, including Kyleigh Heckler who stated that “It was really cool to jump off of the ledge into the water because of the adrenaline rush.” I would say it is definitely worth the experience.