San Antonio Busy Kids

My first big girl roller coaster ride. I feel like I should get some kind of badge or something. One says, “I survived the Great White.” But alas, no sticker for me. Just bragging rights. And it only took me 50 years to get there.

  There’s much to be learned in nature. Take the killer whale, for example. It’s the oldest female in the family who gets to rule the roost pool. If she doesn’t want it to happen…well…it just won’t. Granted, she has four tons and very sharp teeth to her advantage, but I like this concept. Very [...]

You’ve got ten days…ready, set…build.What’s it going to be? A giant Lone Star State? A cowboy boot? How about a ten-gallon hat or a horse? Maybe the Alamo or a football. A Dallas cheerleader? No, scratch that. A Blue Bell ice cream cone. Whatever Texas creation your child can dream up and build out in [...]

Three-day road trips are a winning vacation strategy for my family. These getaways are long enough to mentally escape daily routines, but require minimal packing and preparation. They also foster fewer expectations than longer trips and make it a little easier to simply appreciate experiences as they arise. Over the 4th of July last year, [...]

Earlier this month, we drove down to Austin to drop Twirl off at band camp. We took the opportunity to spend some time exploring the nooks and crannies I remembered from my college days….starting with the sparkling waters of Barton Springs.     After hanging out by the pool, we headed to the Lady Bird [...]

This weekend, I had the pleasure of hanging with some great friends at AdventureCon at Sea World. We had a blast learning all about writing great blogs, taking perfect pictures and creating fabulous videos. But most of all, we got to enjoy each other’s company, the park and the amazing new Aquatica. But going to [...]

How long has it been since you made it out to Austin for a music festival? Too long? Don’t worry about getting a babysitter, here’s your chance to rock out in Austin and bring the kids! The Pachanga Latino Music Festival is a Latin-themed music, culture, arts and food festival running Friday, May 11, through [...]

A guest post by Colleen Pence  For 37 years the Texas Renaissance Festival, located just northwest of Houston, has provided Texans with a time machine that delivers them to the delights and charms of the 16th Century. And, yes, you can take the kids to one of the nation’s largest and most authentic Renaissance festivals. [...]

We’ve all been so cooped up with the crazy heat…it’s been wonderful to have some cool weather. Take advantage of it and get outside! And this weekend is just about the perfect weekend to do it because it’s the last nationally designated weekend of the year to visit a National Park for free. Not sure you remember what to do once you get out there? How about downloading this great Fall Family Fun Guide from the National Wildlife Federation?

It’s taken me a week to write this story, because it’s taken that long to recover from just one day at the Texas State Fair. But between the rain, the food and the Midway, the State Fair gets two thumbs up from this first timer and her kids.