Garner State Park, Concan Texas

Garner State Park is located at 234 RR 1050 Concan, TX 78838. It has swimming, hiking, picnics, canoeing, fishing, miniature golf, bike trails, dancing and more.

1. There is 2.9 miles of river to swim and fish in. It’s a great way to cool down from the Texas heat. They have rope swings on the sides of the river tied to the trees. Make sure you check the water for debris and make sure the rope is secured. This can be a lot of fun.

2. They have paddle boats, kayaks, inner tubes, tables, barbeque pits, heaters, fans, and small lockers to rent. Sometimes it’s better to put your valuables in the lockers that they have, for safer keeping.

3. There are a lot of trails but all of them intersect at some point, going from trail to trail. There is about 11 miles of hiking trails. Some of them have steep slopes and lose rocks, so make sure to use caution at all times. They have separated them into two sides but most of them are on the west side of the map you receive at the park entrance.

The longest trail is the Foshee Trail which has most of the sites to see:

• Shady Oak
• Crystal Cave
• Painted Rock
• Big Cedar
• Dianes Patio
• Georges Patio – Top of the mountain
• Horshoe Foot Post

4. They have a lot of events to attend depending on when you go:

• Interpretive hike – a guided and informational hike
• Become a junior ranger – for kids on how to become a ranger and keep the environment safe
• Geocaching – they provide the GPS and teach you how to use it
• Nature Trail Scavenger Hunt – (more for kids) they give you a checklist to go through and find things on your hike and give you a prize at the end
• Dancing – is on summer nights, be there before it gets full (about 8:30)

They have events almost all year around so make sure you check their site for events you want to attend. http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/state-parks/garner/park_events

5. They have plenty of campsites with water and electricity (99 sites). If you want, you can use their screened in shelters (16 sites). They even have cozy cabins with a fire place (13 sites) and without a fire place (4 sites). All sites are near restrooms that also have showers (makes sure to bring your own toilet paper). 

6. Before heading up the mountain, make sure you grab a rock at the bottom to add to the pile on top. Have fun!

Related Articles

Garner State Park Site http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/state-parks/garner

TripAdvisor Reviews http://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g28964-d2305448-Reviews-Garner_State_Park-Texas.html

The National Mall, Washington DC

 The National Mall

If you’re in Washington D.C and looking for some good sites to visit, here are some of the best places to go. Most people walk the National Mall (Capitol to the Abraham Lincoln Memorial) during the day and it can sometimes be crowded, but I think it looks better at night with all of the lights and a lot less people.

1. The Capitol is located at East Capitol St NE & First St SE, Washington, DC 20004. This is where the National Mall begins. You can schedule a tour of the Capitol which generally takes about 90 minutes but is well worth it. You can plan your visit here: http://www.visitthecapitol.gov/plan-visit/book-tour-capitol#.VB9vzxbgKSo

2. The White House is a good stop during the day or at night. You have to go through your Member of congress in order to get inside but regardless it is still a great place to see from the outside. http://www.whitehouse.gov/about/tours-and-events

3. These Memorials are located between the Washington Monument and the Abraham Lincoln Memorial and they are better seen during the day:

• World War 2 Memorial
• Vietnam Veterans Memorial·          
• Korean War Memorial

4. Monuments Dedicated to our Presidents:

•          Washington Monument is right in the middle of the National Mall. It has a very nice view of the surrounding area from the top. You can get free tickets at the Washington Monument Lodge, located along 15^th Street, it opens at 8:30 a.m., For same day, timed tickets on a first-come first-served basis. Get more info here: http://www.nps.gov/wamo/planyourvisit/feesandreservations.htm

•         Thomas Jefferson Memorial is just to the left of the Lincoln memorial. Its built right on the side of Tidal Basin which connects to the Potomac River.

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•      Lincoln Memorial is at the end of the National Mall and has the Reflecting Pool in front of it. It is beautiful to walk at night and has plenty of lights surrounding it.

5. You can walk yourself and explore or you can take a sightseeing tour on foot, bike, bus, or even Segway. Have fun and here is a link to see which tour fits you best: http://dc.about.com/od/walkingtours/a/5BestTours.htm

Related Articles

National Parks Conservation Association http://www.npca.org/parks/national-mall-and-memorial-parks.html

Trip Advisor http://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g28970-d107965-Reviews-National_Mall-Washington_DC_District_of_Columbia.html

San Antonio Botanical Gardens

The San Antonio Botanical Gardens is a great place for a relaxing time, a nice romantic date, wedding or graduation photos, or just to have some photography fun. 

1. Its located at located at 555 Funston Pl San Antonio, TX 78209 and has flowers and plants from all over the world on 38 acres. They have plants and flowers from the Tropical Rainforest, Deserts of Mexico and South Africa, Cycads from the time of the dinosaurs and more, in their own themed environment. 

2. They have a pond that consists of plants and trees found all over Texas. It has a trail that goes all the way around that makes you feel as if you’re in the hill country and not in the city. It even has benched to sit relax and take a break from walking around.They also have reconstructed early homestead (little farms) of the first people to settle in Texas on this trail.

3. They have a lot of different garden sections:

• ·         Old Fashion Garden – consists of older flowers
• ·         Rose Garden – consists of different colored roses
• ·         Sensory Garden – smell and touch your way through
• ·         Kumamoto En Garden – consists of flowers from Japan
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

4. They always have some sort of event that takes place throughout the year.

• Connecting with Legos, where they have Lego sculptures throughout the garden. (September 6, 2014 to January 4, 2015)

• Art in the garden has 9 metal sculptures scattered through the garden. (Through January 2015)

• Brews and blooms, you can sample different types of beer and enjoy a food truck and music in the garden. (September 13, 2014, 5:30 - 10 pm)

• Starlight movies you can enjoy a nice free movie under the sky night. They also offer wine and light concessions for sale. (September 19 Movie – An Affair to Remember and September 26, 2014 Movie – High Society)

• Gardens by moonlight have 5 stages of live music set up in different areas around the garden. (October 11)

•  Family flashlight night have a light maze and activities for children. (November 7, 2014, 6 – 8:30pm)

5. You can always find more dates for these and other events on their home page at the bottom of this post.

They have bird watching, dirt trails, different shaped bird houses and sculptures you can go inside. They have plenty of things for kids like sand pits, little houses and more.

6. They have education classes for adults and children. You will be able to learn about different plant life and their origins. They're opened year around 9am to 5pm. They are closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years. Have fun and enjoy!

Related Articles

San Antonio Botanical Website: http://www.sabot.org/

Yelp Reviews on San Antonio Botanical Gardens: http://www.yelp.com/biz/san-antonio-botanical-garden-san-antonio-2