Have fun without leaving the state
CATHY KAFRVE Bullard Banner News

Can anyone remember a summer when rain caused so much havoc on summer time traditions in Texas?

With lakes in the area shut down and boating forbidden on area lakes, for instance, it appears to be a good time to rethink our summertime plans. Central Texas also has had their share of lake closures with lakes around Austin closed for the 4th of July celebrations due to too much water.

The rain situation is a great excuse to try out some new ideas for family fun.

What child can argue with being inside a museum when there are thunderclouds threatening to ruin outdoor fun, anyway?

Especially in this case when the museum is the Bob Bullock Texas History Museum, filled with interactive exhibits and films that are so entertaining the children won't know they are getting an education.

Of course, there are some folks who will be hoping the sun breaks through the clouds so water can once again mean lake and beach fun, rather than rain.

Fortunately for folks in East Texas, in Austin, and all around our beautiful state, there are so many fun things to do that you don't even have to leave Texas.

Here are some of my favorite things to do in Texas.

For optimists, some of them involve sunshine and water.

! Rain or shine, the State Capitol (www.tspb.state.tx.us or 512-463-0063) and the Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum (www.thestoryoftexas. com or 512-936-8746) pair up to be one of the best things to do in Texas.

The pink granite capitol building with the beautiful rotunda and the oak-walled chambers, not to mention Elisabet Ney's sculptures of Sam Houston and Stephen F. Austin, is an educational experience that begs to be repeated often.

The Texas State History Museum, just three blocks from the capitol building, is one more of the innumerable reasons to include Austin in your family vacation plans this summer.

On a local note, the names of Tylerites, Mr. and Mrs. Bob Herd, are included in a bronze plaque acknowledging patrons at the entrance of the museum near the terrazzo mosaic on the floor depicting the cultures of Texas converging around a campfire.

! Make this the summer your family rides a train. The Texas State Rail Road (www.tpwd.state.tx.us or 1- 800-442-8951 or 903-683- 2561), running between Palestine and Rusk, has been in the news this legislative session with a last ditch effort to save it.

Their website states "All future train runs are scheduled to stop by August 31, 2007."

Steam locomotion is a unique experience, and like so often happens with history, it may soon be a thing of the past.

By the way, each paying adult gets to bring up to five kids free this summer.

No time like the present to enjoy a little history right here in our own neighborhood.

! Always on the lookout for cheap family fun, who can resist the idea of a free ferry ride?

Galveston's Harbor Authority runs ferries about every 20 minutes from the island across to Bolivar's Peninsula. Travel by car onto the ferry or walk.

It takes about fifteen minutes to cross, which is about right for even the smallest traveler's attention span.

Occasionally, dolphins are spotted off the boat and sea gulls are always a certainty. The round trip can be made in less than an hour when there is no traffic.

It is especially fun to ride at dusk and come back after dark when the lights change the look of the bay. Oh, the joy of cheap thrills.

! Visit Caldwell Zoo (www.caldwellzoo.org or 903- 593-0121). Who can argue with a day trip to one of the best zoos in Texas, right here in East Texas?

! Visit the Alamo (www.thealamo.org or 210- 225-1391).

No explanation necessary.

! Visit McDonald Observatory (www.mcdonaldobservatory. org).

It is a haul to West Texas, but Fort Davis (www.fortdavis. com or 432-426-3224), home of a history museum that includes an actual frontier fort, is also one of the coolest, literally, Texas towns in August due to the higher altitude. Plus, the stars at night are extra bright because of the elevation.

! Visit Fredericksburg. While mom shops, the rest of the family can take in the National Museum of the Pacific War (www.nimitzmuseum. org or 830-997-4379) where docents walk you through simulated attacks on beaches in the Pacific, followed by an exhibit depicting the way portable hospitals were set up to take care of the high number of casualties during that war.

Anyone under sixty-five can count on coming away with a whole new understanding of the War in the Pacific.

! Spend the day on a town square. Denton and Nacogdoches both have plenty of old-fashioned shops, friendly folks, and architecture from a long time ago. Both are an easy day trip from here.

! When it quits raining, get wet in a river. Float the Comal River or the Guadalupe River in New Braunfels one day and hit Schlitterbahn Water Park (www.schlitterbahn. com or 830-625-2351) the next day. Be sure to go on a weekday because weekends are too crowded to be fun.

! Last, but not least, head to the best beach in Texas, South Padre Island. Beautiful beaches, not too many condos yet, and only a few miles from an afternoon spent across the Mexican border; what could be better?

The clock is ticking until school starts again. Now is the time to plan a quick getaway with your family.

Whether you have a few hours or a few days, there is sure to be something on this list to entertain the whole family.

With so many great options, the real question is why Texans ever travel past

the state line at all.

!

Cathy Krafve, aka Checklist Charlie, lives with her family in her favorite part of the state, East Texas. If you would like to comment on your favorite place in Texas, contact her at features@bullard news.com.