Road Trips
And fall break is prime time for spontaneity. The weather has turned cool enough for comfort, but it's still warm enough for camping. Besides, leaving the city limits helps push away all that midterm stress ... just pick a destination and go. And to make the whole thing easier, here are a few suggestions from the Thresher staff.
GALVESTON
(50 miles south on I-45)
Most people know Galveston merely for its beaches, which is unfortunate since the beaches aren't particularly nice. Furthermore, those beaches, being so close to Houston, also tend to be crowded. If you're going for sand, go west, as far from the highway as possible.
There is much more to Galveston than its beaches. It was once the leading commercial center of the Texas Gulf Coast before it was leveled by the great hurricane of 1900. Afterward, its citizens rebuilt in grand style, oblivious to the fact that Houston was leaving their city a backwater.
The decades of stagnation which followed preserved the city's turn-of-the-century architecture. Unlike Houston, Galveston has decided to honor its past, not demolish it.
The result is a gorgeous historical district along the Strand. The old brick storefronts are now filled with antique shops, restaurants and the like. There's even a great military surplus store. There's also a pair of museums, one devoted to maritime history (there's a tall ship in the back plus a great panorama of the port) and one devoted to railroads, which has a pretty good collection of old equipment.
The Galveston historic district is reason enough to head south for a day. You can always drop by the beaches afterward.
BRAZOS BEND
(40 miles: TX 288 south, right on FM 1462, then follow signs)
The park contains quite a few lakes and swamps where birds, alligators, armadillos and plenty of other wildlife thrive in the lush vegetation. Many different trails crisscross the floodplain of the Brazos River. Some are designated foot travel only while others allow biking. Be sure to take one of the trails that go around a lake -- there's a lot more wildlife to see. Watch for 'gators.
The park has an excellent campground. Brazos Bend isn't big, but there's plenty to see. On a sunny day, it's beautiful; on a rainy winter afternoon, it's strangely haunting. Go for an afternoon, a day or a weekend. $5 per car.
HUNTSVILLE STATE PARK
(60 miles: I-45 north, exit 109)
This is a beautiful park, with several trails. The best one makes a loop around Lake Raven through stands of pines and oaks. Again, there is a lot of wildlife to see, not unlike most areas in East Texas. The developed campgrounds are great for overnight stays: it's a great quick weekend getaway.
DALLAS
(245 miles north on I-45)
If you're journeying to Dallas this weekend, you're in luck. The State Fair of Texas is currently open, complete with Big Tex, a huge figure of a Texas cowboy who seems to greet fairgoers with, "Howdy, y'all."
Deep Ellum is the club district -- the equivalent of our Montrose. The area is filled with sports, concerts, tattoo and body-piercing parlors and almost anything else that counter-culture loves. Another group of clubs is centered along Lower Greenville. A reliable source recommends Arcadia, Lizard Lounge, Iguana Mirage, Club Blue Planet (21 and over) and Caravan of Dreams, a jazz club. The Hard Rock Cafe is downtown on McKinney Avenue.
The West End Marketplace is a group of old factories that have been converted into a fun shopping district full of specialty stores and a Planet Hollywood: no Gap, Express, Limited or Victoria's Secret in sight. There are curbside, outdoor restaurants, nightclubs and outdoor entertainment.
On Commerce, you can visit the John F. Kennedy Memorial at the Texas Book Depository, the building from which Lee Harvey Oswald shot the president.
On the way up I-45, admire the water tower in Rice, Texas, with its giant yellow smiley face.
SAN ANTONIO
(201 miles west on I-10)
Tourism in San Antonio is about one thing: the Riverwalk. Half promenade, half shopping mall, it winds its way along the river and under downtown streets. During the day, families shop, eat and just walk around. At night, it's a younger scene, and the bars, restaurants and clubs fill up. It's touristy, but it's a great walk with no nasty motorists to deal with.
"What about the Alamo?," you might be wondering. Well, probably not, but if you do want to go there, it's near the Riverwalk. It may still be undergoing renovations, however, so if you plan on lots of souvenir pictures, we hope you don't mind some scaffolding too. (The gift shop is actually more impressive than the Alamo itself. It's got a gorgeous wooden ceiling while the Alamo itself has a really boring one.)
An extension to the Riverwalk leads to Hemisfair Park, built for the 1968 World's Fair. The highlight, literally and figuratively, is the Tower of the Americas, which offers a great view of the city and the Alamodome -- home of the Spurs. It's not a dome, but never mind. San Antonio also has Sea World and Fiesta Texas, a big amusement park.
BASTROP STATE PARK
(140 miles: I-10 to Columbus, then northwest on TX 71 to TX 21. The park is at TX 21 and TX Loop 150.)
Bastrop, about 25 miles east of Austin, is in the heart of the Lost Pines, an island of loblolly pines, which is separated from the main body of the East Texas pine forests by about 100 miles.
This isolated patch of pine-oak woodlands is the most westerly in Texas. It makes for excellent Macbeth-like photos if you're clever enough. Backcountry camping is allowed along the trails. The park also has developed campgrounds and even rustic cabins that can be rented.
AUSTIN
(163 miles west on 290; or west on I-10, then highway 71)
Austin, Texas -- the capital city of the Lone Star State. Perhaps it is best known for its infamous Sixth Street, which, while it may vaguely resemble New Orleans' Bourbon Street with its bars and clubs, exudes a character all its own. Some of the more interesting spots to hit in the neighborhood are Sneakers, the Pink Flamingo, the Black Cat Lounge, the Pecan Street Grill and Proteus. Austin, the embodiment of the college town, is well-known as a dynamic center that attracts some of the best live music in the Southwest. In fact, you can catch David Bowie and Nine Inch Nails at Southpark Meadows on Oct. 14th.
There are many interesting and touristy things to do here besides drinking, dancing or listening to live music. Visit the Drag, right across from the University of Texas campus. Technically, the Drag is named Guadalupe (pronounced Guada-loop). On the Drag, you'll find multiple secondhand stores and other quirky emporiums of varying sorts. It's always a great spot for people-watching. Check out Captain Quackenbush's (a cappuccino place) while you're there.
Zilker Park is a pleasant spot for throwing a disc (or frisbee), flying a kite or just hanging out. If the weather's hot (good luck in October), you can take a dip in the chilly, natural waters of Barton Springs.
Walking through Austin is among the best ways to learn about Texas history. Check out the grounds of the capitol building for historical markers. Wander the UT campus. Better yet, stay with friends who go to UT. Oh, and if you're hungry late at night after dancing up a storm on Sixth Street, Magnolia Cafe is open 24 hours a day and has some of the most interesting nachos in the state. The Kerbey Lane Cafe is another good option.
ENCHANTED ROCK
(280 miles: From Austin, take US 290 west to Fredericksburg (some of the best German food in Texas -- guaranteed). Then go north on County Road 965 about 18 miles. The park will be on your left.)
Okay, okay, so it's a long drive. Trust us on this one. The enormous granite dome of Enchanted Rock makes it one of the most interesting sites in Texas; it's also the second largest single exposed rock in the world. With an abrupt rise of several hundred feet, the dome gives fantastic views of the surrounding hill country. There's a lot to do here. The park is popular with rock climbers. If you can find some gear and someone who knows what they're doing, there are many places to climb. There are many hiking trails in the area.
Lesser known, there are several systems of caves which travel underneath the main dome. If you have someone show you where they are, you can spend hours crawling on hands and knees under thousands of tons of rock. ... Yes, the drive is long, but if you make the effort to go here, especially on an extended weekend, you'll be glad you did.
NEW ORLEANS
(350 miles: east on I-10, then I-12)
If you plan on going to the Big Easy during Fall Break, good for you. You'll enjoy the city a lot more than if you went during Mardi Gras.
Above-ground cemeteries give the town a gothic feel while the French Quarter allows you to indulge your appetite for debauchery. At night, jazz seeps from numerous seedy-looking bars and porn joints as tipsy tourists stroll through the streets. During the day, it's a little calmer, but still the atmosphere is unbeatable. Everything looks just a bit run-down, and there's nothing like New Orleans architecture.
For a slightly different view, take a stroll through the Quarter just after sunrise. The whole place seems to be suffering from a collective hangover as city crews scrub the streets.
Otherwise notable: the waterfront, the food (try Begneits at the Café du Monde) and the palatial mansions of the Garden District. Take the St. Charles Street streetcar, an authentic relic of the 1920s, over. (The waterfront trolley line may look old, but it's a product of the late '80s.)
Louisiana has changed its drinking age from 18 to 21, but don't cry, they never card. There's also legalized gambling for those who are really trashed and have a scholarship check burning in their pocket.
Contributions by:
Marty Beard, Missy Fiumara, Kate Hallgren, Doug Ramsey , Angelique Siy and Christof Spieler
This item appeared in the Features section of the October 13, 1995 issue.
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