Daytrips - Page 14 of 14 - The Daytripper

Killeen, TX

Many see Killeen as a military stop, but few see it for the Central Texas hotbed of history and food that it is.

After soldiers explore the world, many come back with appetites for the foods of the world and so Killeen has an amazing collection of foreign restaurants. My favorites are C&H Hawaiian Grill, Partin’s Jamaican Bakery, Korean Kitchen, and the Chinese Dragon.

For the history of Fort Hood, check in at the gate, then proceed to explore the many artillery fields with tanks, guns, and helicopters, then head indoors to explore the 1st and 3rd Cavalry museums, honoring two of the decorated divisions stationed at Fort Hood.

To explore the outdoors, head to BLORA or Chalk Ridge Falls below Stillhouse Lake.
And if the military base and museums make you hungry for warfare, head to Mandatory Fun Paintball Field.

Waco, TX

To most, Waco is a highway. Nothing more. A pass-through, not a destination. But to those who are willing to look a little deeper, Waco is much, much more.

FOOD

Kick your day off with a caffeine jolt to the mouth at Common Grounds, a locally-owned coffee shop. Common Grounds has all forms of caffeine to fuel your day trip from classics like cold brewed coffee and espresso to specialties like iced coffees with peanut butter and chocolate.

At Health Camp, they’ve got the three main food groups: Burger, Cheeseburger and Bacon Cheese Burger. If it’s soy burgers and salads you want…you won’t find them here at this 60-year old, ironically-named burger joint on the circle. Just delicious burgers and fries. And for a definitely-not-healthy dessert, try their frozen custard that comes in amazing flavors like Chocolate Chip Cheesecake, Toasted Marshmallow, Peach and more!

Hit up Tony DeMarias Bar-B-Que for some fantastic BBQ…well, if you arrive before they sell out. If you want pizza and secret hideouts, look no further than Poppa Rollos. You can try one of their specialty pizzas or create your own…and behind a secret door near the phone booth you might just find a bar.

One of my favorite things to do in Waco is grab a cold one and relax at George’s Restaurant. It’s been serving up chicken fried steaks and homecooking since 1930.

OUTDOORS

Other stops in Waco include Cameron Park, which has some of Texas best mountain biking and beautiful views of the Brazos and Bosque Rivers. And while you’re at the park, check out the Cameron Park Zoo to say “hello” to the bears, giraffes and elephants. They even have Komodo Dragons!

Right off I-35 is Texas’s Oldest University, Baylor University. Take a stroll around Baylors campus to check out Baylors Bear Habitat where they keep the mascots and also stop by the famous Pat Neff Hall.

CULTURE

If a university tour has you in the mood to learn, Waco has museums for every kind of curious tripper. History buffs should check out the Texas Ranger Museum. Science junkies should head to the Mayborn Science Museum on the Baylor University Campus.

Sports Fanatics can head to the Texas Sports Hall of Fame. But everybody should go to the Dr Pepper Museum to learn how the oldest major soft drink on the market was invented in Waco. And dont miss the old-fashioned soda fountain at the end where you can enjoy a frosty glass of Dr Pepper or an ice cream float.

Mineral Wells, TX

For years, people have been CRAZY about Mineral Wells and for good reason too. Whether you stop in to drink some of its healing waters or maybe just take in the gallons of history around each corner, this town will have you satisfied by the end of the day.

CULTURE

To really understand the special kind of crazy surrounding this town, youll want to visit Downtown Mineral Wells where tucked away in a parking lot, youll find the well that started it all. Tired of traveling to other towns for fresh water, James Lynch dug his own well in the 1900s. After drinking from it, he noticed that he felt healthier than he ever had. People traveled from near and far to get a taste of his healing water and so Mineral Wells was built.

Sadly, all of the wells dried up but one. If youre hoping for a taste of the crazy, you can find it at the Famous Mineral Water Co. The company bottles the water from the remaining well and sales this liquid vitamin in water bottles and sodas.

While youre in town, you should also check out the hauntingly beautiful Baker Hotel and Crazy Water Hotel. Both were built during the crazy water hay day to accommodate the massive crowds that flooded into town just for a taste of the healing waters. And both, which are still standing today, were abandoned after all the wells dried up.

Just outside of town, youll find the Fort Wolters which was the largest base for helicopter pilots during the Vietnam War. You can learn about this well-known base just a little further down the road at the National Vietnam Museum. In the museum, you can see the iconic UH1 (or Huey) Helicopters that pilots learned to fly here or pay your respects at the Vietnam Memorial Garden, a half-scale replica of the memorial in Washington D.C.

For some good, clean fun, head over to the Laumdronat Washing Machine Museum to learn about the evolution of the washing machine. You can also do your laundry because it is a full-functioning laundromat as well.

OUTDOORS

If you enjoy climbing, then youll definitely want to take a shot at the Penitentiary Hollow in the Lake Mineral Wells State Park. This is one of the most unique places to climb in Texas because instead of climbing up it, you top-rope down the towering sandstone into the crevices beneath. It is fragile when wet, so it is closed when it rains. Legend has it that this hollow was named after the jail kept in its crevices. For an amazing bike trail, check out the Lake Mineral Wells Trailway in the state park, a 20-mile path on an old railway line that used to connect downtown Mineral Wells and Weatherford. Plus, Garner, TX, is a nice pit-stop along the way!

You can frolic in flowers at Clark Gardens, a 35-acre botanical garden with every kind of flower and greenery you can imagine. And for all the train-fanatics, theres a model train set that includes a mini Mineral Wells and Baker Hotel!

You can time-travel back to the dinosaur days by digging for fossils at Mineral Wells Fossil Park. While you have to supply your own shovels, you can take home any dino bones you find.

FOOD

When the hunger hits, head to Dees Hometown Diner in Cool, TX. Dees may not be your average small town diner, but it is dee-lish. On the front of the menu, youll find the typical cowboy chicken-fried fare, but on the back is a wonderland of Lebanese delights. Dee serves up everything from stuffed grape leaves to falafel.

If you want a meal thats sure to last you for at least two more, head to Marys Café for the biggest chicken fried steak youve ever seen. Seriously, this steak is the size of Texas, and youll want to be sure to wear some comfy pants to devour this dinner.

Fort Worth, TX

Come along to Cowtown the city of Cowboys and Culture. Youll be glad you did. There are many, many parts of Fort Worth, but here are some highlights.

Fort Worth is famous for the Fort Worth Stockyards National Historic District. This is a must-see place, especially for out-of-staters who want the Texas experience. Get a history lesson at the Stockyards Museum. Walk amongst the greats at the Texas Cowboy Hall of Fame. Ride a bull and do some shopping at Stockyards Station. Take a ride on a horse of your own at the Stockyards Stables. See a real rodeo every Friday and Saturday night at the Stockyards Championship Rodeo. And finallyyou can honky-tonk the night away at Billy Bobs Texas, the worlds largest honky-tonk. If youre hungry at the stockyards, grab a Love Burger for the Love Shack owned by celebrity chef Tim Love. For a steak, head to the legendary Cattlemens Steak House, serving it up the same classic way since 1947. For even older Tex-Mex, look no further than Joe T. Garcias Mexican Restaurant just outside the stockyards. Since 1935, Joe T.s has been serving delicious food and draws a crowd big enough to fill its 1,600 seat patio.

If you are cowboyd out, then its time for some culture a the Fort Worth Cultural District boasting some of the finest art collections in the world. The Amon Carter Museum of American Art holds incredible Remington and Russell western pieces that you might expect in a place like cowtown; however it also holds an American art collection as diverse as our country. For art outside the U.S., the Kimbell Art Museum contains paintings and sculptures from the best of the best, including Michelangelo, Picasso, Frida, Van Gogh, and Monet. You wont believe it. And then finally, the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth holds a vast collection of artwork that will blow your mind. I highly recommend checking out all three if you have time.

These are just some highlights. I didnt even mention Downtown. There is so much to explore that Ill leave to you. Check HERE for more information.

Beaumont, TX

Beaumont is Texas city of lost gold Black Gold that is. Its also the melting pot between Texas and Louisiana, meaning you dont have to jump the Sabine to visit Cajun Country. Its right here in Beaumont.

Beaumonts history began to boom in 1901 when the Lucas Gusher blew at Spindletop marking the first major oil discovery in the state of Texas. Stop by the Spindletop Gladys City Boomtown to take a stroll through a recreated boomtown. If you love museums, you should also check out the McFaddin-Ward House sitting inside a historic mansion and the Fire Museum of Texas, which boasts the largest working fire hydrant in the world.

If you need to get outside, head to Village Creek State Park just north of Beaumont to bask on its sandy shores. And if you are really feeling up for an adventure, grab a canoe and take a trip down the Village Creek Paddling Trail. The Piney Woods Outfitters would be happy to set you up.

To have a first-hand experience with some of Beaumonts wildlife, head to Gator Country, a wildlife park dedicated to the alligator. You can see Big-Al (the largest captive gator in Texas) and hold the smaller, baby version.

After all this, youll be hungry I GUAR-UN-TEE. So head to the original Jasons Deli in the Gateway Shopping Center to see the humble roots of Texass best sandwich chain. For Bar-B-Q, check out the buffet at Willie Rays BBQ which is ranked as one of the Top 50 in Texas. And finally, to sample the best cajun cookin in Texas, head to Larrys French Market down the highway in Groves.

Jefferson, TX

While Jefferson may fully deserve its title as the “B&B Capital of Texas,” it also deserves its title as “The Most Haunted Small Town in Texas.

To see the history of Jefferson, I recommend a carriage ride with Lone Star Carriages, and then a stop into the Jefferson Historical Museum occupying the old Federal Building.

If the history leaves you hungry, head to the Hamburger Store for a delicious burger and to pin a dollar bill on the wall. Wash that burger down with a praline or milkshake from the Jefferson General Store.

And once you are ready to dig into the haunted history of Jefferson, step into the Jefferson Hotel, read the story of Diamond Bessie, and then grab a tour of The Grove, which is the most haunted home in Jefferson.

To experience the beautiful side of northeast Texas, but one that is just as scary, in its own swampy way, head to Caddo Lake. The State Park is a great way to experience the lake. BUT – if you want to really explore the lake, grab a tour with Caddo Outback tours. John will be happy to help you out. And when you are done, grab some fried catfish from Riverbend Restaurant.

Austin, TX – South Side

thatIf there’s a part of Austin that epitomizes the “Keep Austin Weird” slogan, then it’s South Austin. And the funkiest part of this funky town is the South Congress District. It has everything from shopping to costume shops to antiques and candy shops. I recommend stopping by Lucy in Disguise to marvel at the aisles of costumes, Uncommon Objects to marvel at the unique antiques, and Big Top Candy Shop to marvel at imported candies from around the globe and CHOCOLATE-COVERED BACON. Yes, you heard that right. If the bacon isn’t enough to hold you over, head to Hopdoddy Burger Bar for an absolutely killer burger or Homeslice for some killer pizza.
Off of South Congress, I recommend dining at one of the hundreds of trailer parks filling up every empty lot. You can eat everything from Asian to Cajun. For you sweet tooth, don’t miss grabbing a chocolate-covered banana from Bananarchy, maybe a dough-nut from Gordough’s, or some classic frozen custard from Sandy’s. Oh yeah, and you could do a lot worse than a Sno Cone from Sno Beach.
To enjoy the outdoors of South Austin, head to Zilker Park which is Austin’s big grassy playground. And for a dip, jump into Barton Springs. The 68 degree water is refreshing on any day. I also recommend a hike along the Greenbelt.
As the sunsets, live music fills the air. For honky-tonk, look no further than the Broken Spoke. Get your boots ready.

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