To Go or Not To Go — That is the question
Every summer the city of Houston, in association with the University of Houston, hold the annual Houston Shakespeare Festival. Since the beginning the festival has entertained almost 500,000 people who come all sorts of places. This is a great family event to go to, or make a family day out of it by first visiting one of the museums in the area. All you need is a blanket or couple of chairs to sit on the hill.
There are two productions/plays put on each summer. Go out to Miller Outdoor Theater in Hermann park to watch either Hamlet or The Comedy of Errors. These are both great plays sure to bring an evening of great entertainment.
So here are the details:
Trip Down the Trinity
State parks are always a good bet when you want to go camping. They have pre-planned places where you can set up camp with a bonfire, have water and electricity, and access to bathrooms. They make it camping an enjoyable trip, convenient too, for those who are not all that into the outdoors. The parks offer a variety of activities such as bird watching, water sports, fishing, horseback riding, hiking, etc. All you have to do is search for it on the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department for the perfect park for you.
Texas has more to offer than just the state parks. There are plenty of lakes and rivers to enjoy water sports. There are different terrains to traverse, i.e. hills, mountains, rocks, beaches, plenty of places to enjoy the real outdoors. Recently I took a trip with some friends to a place about an hour outside of Houston. We traveled to Cleveland, TX. Well we went to a spot a few miles east of Cleveland on F.M. 787. What’s there you ask? The Trinity River.
Texas has many rivers and lakes. The Trinity River is a long river than goes from north Texas to the Gulf of Mexico (Trinity Bay). Want to see some beautiful scenery; all you have to do is go down a river. I took my camera on the trip, but was not equipped to take pictures; did not want to get my camera wet.
Our Trip
Miles Long Antique Festival
Warrenton, TX
Every year, when spring or fall comes around, a huge antique festival is set up in the small town of Warrenton, Texas. It is only about 17 miles north of La Grange, or about 27 miles south of Brenham. As you drive down the country roads, you will see merchants set up as far north as Round Top, Texas and down south a little past Warrenton. The event and drive are perfect for a day trip to the Hill Country.
Spring 2012
This was my first time going. I have heard about this place from my family who have gone for the past 3 years. There are two weekend for each season that are open to the public. We went the second weekend, Easter weekend. The weather was perfect - clear blue sky, cool breeze, and fresh air. The scenic drive took a little over 2 hours.
Camping at Lake Somerville
The spring season arrived early in Texas this year. We have had amazing and unusual weather. Clear blue skies, cool breezes, and sun that will make you want to find some shade. I decided to take advantage of this weather to plan a weekend trip to Lake Somerville State Park – Nails Creek Park.
Lake Somerville is just a short drive away from the small city of Brenham, nestle in the Hill Country of Texas. It is about a 2 hour drive from Austin or Houston. The roads take you through some beautiful ranches along the way. The fields were covered in wildflowers and Bluebonnets, the Texas state flower.
With the abundance of rain that we have received in Texas this year, Lake Somerville is a perfect weekend getaway for fishing and boat riding. Camping is the main activity that people do at this park. The state park fees are reasonable. The fee for camping for 2 nights is about $20. Some of the other activities to do at this park include hiking the trails, bird watching, horseback riding, and you can do a little off-the-trail/primitive camping.
Texas Renaissance Festival 2011
Hear Ye….Hear Ye!
The King and Queen have arrived!
Let the Festivities begin!
Every year, in a distant wooded area outside of Houston, Texas is one of the largest Renaissance Festivals in Texas. Thousands of people go back in time around the months of October and November. This is a must visit festival that takes place every weekend beginning in October and ending the weekend after Thanksgiving. This is a fun, family friendly festival with lots to do.
Each weekend is a themed weekend. All workers at the festival dress up and act their part very well. You too can dress up and be part of the action. There are Barbarians, Romans in toga, knights in shining armour, the lay people, and the pompous elite. The one person to look out for is the King who can be seen wandering around the grounds. I must warn you that some of the actors have a foul-mouth which could be taken offensively by some.
Travel from country to country. Have a Turkey Leg. Drink some Ale. There are countless places where you can eat. Each “country” has their own food. You can travel from Germany to France, Greece to Italy, then make a stop for Mead. If you have never had Mead, this is a must try. It is a type of wine made from fermented honey. Interesting process that could be better explained by the local mead distributor.
Throughout the festival there are many shows. The Greeks have comedy shows, in the forest you can throw “tomatoes” at the insulting man, watch the belly dancers shake up a crowd, and don’t forget to catch the Jousting competition. This is a festival full of fun things to watch, do, eat, drink, and listen. Catch it if you can. It only comes around once a year!
Take the day trip to Plantersville. It’s about an hour north of Houston. You will find signs that will point you in the direction to the festival. The tickets are at reasonable prices and no fee parking.
Get ready now for Ren Fest 2012!
