Live Life. Travel.

Lost Treasure and Last Battles: A History of South Padre Island

By Sheila Rosenberg, Freelance Writer

I love vacationing on the Gulf of Mexico at South Padre Island located on the tropical tip of Texas known most for its sun, sand, and surf. I watch the sunrise once again as the waves rush in chasing each other to the shore to greet me this morning. This attractive, small resort is located on the southern tip of Padre Island across from Laguna Madre Bay. The Bay separates South Padre Island from the mainland. There is no bridge or ferry between South and North Padre. You get to the Island by crossing the Queen Isabella Causeway which is about two miles in length.

Lost and Found in Big Bend National Park

By Chris Ryan, Freelance Writer

June 2006

Deserts get a bad rap. They’re hot, dry, and empty – except, of course, for the rattlesnakes and prickly pear. At least that’s the standard image of deserts, reinforced through countless spaghetti westerns and the outdated idea that only forestlands are worthy of protection and a week spent exploring.

A Taste of Small Town Texas

By Don Miller, Staff Writer

Fact or fiction---who knows? Reportedly early in the last century a circus train stopped in Hutto, Texas. One of the circus hippos escaped and lumbered down to Cottonwood Creek before being recaptured. Since that momentous occasion, the hippo has become the Hutto town symbol and school mascot. To memorialize such exalted status, several hippo statues populate the town (Longhorn hippo, Curves hippo as well as the giant Henrietta hippo in the two block long Historic District). The nifty nickname caught our attention but the Texan Cafe and the adjacent Debbie's Pies are the real reason to visit Hutto. It represents the first of five restaurants scattered around Texas we feel we can recommend.

Discover the Treasures of Texas While Driving the Backroads

By Don Miller

November 2005

Willie Nelson once sang "On the road again, going places where I've never been". Have you ever thought how great it would be to jump into your car, leave your daily routine (and troubles) behind and just drive? No plans, no destination. Be as free as the wind. On a beautiful Saturday during August my wife and I decided to do exactly that. Our only rule was to stay off the major highways if at all possible and to stop whenever we felt like it. In one day, we "discovered" four unique destinations with appeal to a wide variety of people.

McKinney Falls State Park: The Perfect Daytrip for Austinites

By Sharon Miller

I strolled along one of the many paved trails as the sun filtered through the trees above, listening to birds chirping their melodies and families chattering as they enjoyed their Easter picnic. It was easy to forget I was only a 15 minute drive from the center of downtown Austin. Located just 8 miles southeast of the State Capitol, McKinney Falls State Park offers an easy getaway for Austinites.

AROUND TEXAS ARCHIVES

STATE PARKS OF TEXAS

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