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| Texas road trip in one day |
Road Trip Highlights
This Fourth of July adventure included:
- 🇺🇸 Belton Parade
- 🌳 Mother Neff State Park
- 🏕 Meridian State Park
- 🚗 Stephenville Auto Show
- 🦕 Dinosaur Valley State Park
- 🎆 Temple Fireworks
Planning This Texas Road Trip Today
Although this trip took place in 2008, many of these destinations remain wonderful places to visit today. Summer travelers should plan for high temperatures, carry plenty of drinking water, wear sunscreen, and check Texas State Parks for current operating hours before traveling.
Belton Texas
Mother Neff State Park (Moody Texas)
Meridian State Park (Meridian Texas)
Stephenville Texas
Dinosaur Valley State Park (Glen Rose Texas)
Temple Texas
Yesterday for the 4th of July, my family took a road trip. We visited a total of three Texas State parks, passing through several small towns, and wrapped up the evening with fireworks.
Unfortunately, when I uploaded all these pictures on Blogger, I realized I got them backwards. Sooo, our trip is logged backwards! We didn't get home till after midnight, and we ended up eating our dinner after 11pm at DENNY'S... (Not exactly a pleasant experience, but at least the food woke us up.) I had a breakfast burger that consisted of ground beef, fried egg, hashbrowns and cheese. With a side order of fries. (Yes, I've had my cholesterol tested, and it's always been normal!)
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| 4th July fireworks |
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| Enjoying the fireworks in Temple Texas |
Firework display in Temple Texas. We couldn't believe our luck! Not only did we snag a quick parking spot, but we had a nice view. On top of that, we made it back on I-35 in record time, skipping the traffic jam. (Basically, we shoved everything (folding chairs, etc.) as fast as we could into our trunk and high tailed it out of there.) It paid off!
Our Favorite Stop: Dinosaur Valley State Park
Dinosaur Valley State Park is one of Texas' most unique parks because visitors can often see authentic dinosaur footprints preserved in the bed of the Paluxy River when water levels are low. Besides hiking and camping, the park offers swimming, picnicking, wildlife viewing, and beautiful river scenery.
We are in Glen Rose Texas, visiting the Dinosaur Valley State Park. This is my family's second trip to the area. As you enter the gates, to the right is the Creation Museum.
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| Paluxy River, Glen Rose Texas |
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| Dinosaur Valley State Park Texas |
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| Looking for fossils at the Paluxi River |
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| Dinosaur Track - Glen Rose Texas |
To cool off, we took a dip in the Paluxy River.
This area is full of fossils and prehistoric footprints. When the water is low, you can spot the dino tracks.
When we first arrived, a large group of tourists bombarded us to take their pictures. I had 3 camera's in my hands taking snapshots, and everyone else in my family was shoved a camera too. To return the favor, they took our family picture.
Stephenville
Stephenville is often called the "Cowboy Capital of the World" and is home to ranching history, friendly small-town charm, and events throughout the year.
A very nice couple invited us to climb into their award winning Galaxy 500 model convertible and have our pics taken. I pressed Josh and Caitlin to jump in instead and I'd snap their picture! They happily obliged!
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| Antique car show, Stephenville Texas |
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| 1939 Ford |
Remember those Sonic trays?
The auto show was in Stephenville.
We arrived in Stephenville and was impressed with the friendliness of the people. This is the small town that made national headlines over the UFO sightings that were spotted by several dozen and very credible town folks.
Lawn mower races in Stephenville.
Josh and Caitlin sneaking a quick nap inbetween towns.
The skies, before we hit Stephenville. It was hot, but we couldn't have asked for a more perfect day!
Pamela overlooking Lake Meridian.
Meridian
Meridian State Park is one of Central Texas' hidden gems. Its peaceful lake offers fishing, swimming, kayaking, camping, and shaded picnic areas that make it an excellent family destination.
We swam for awhile at Lake Meridian, and had a picnic lunch.
Lake Meridian State Park.
Leaving Crawford Texas
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| Crawford, Texas |
Don't blink while passing through. We had just passed the road to President Bush's ranch.
Mother Neff
Mother Neff State Park holds a special place in Texas history as one of the state's oldest parks. Natural springs, scenic hiking trails, and historic Civilian Conservation Corps structures make it an enjoyable stop for anyone exploring Central Texas.
Interesting spider nests at Mother Neff.
Mother Neff is the oldest state park in Texas.
Natural undergroud spring feeds into this small water hole used by native indians and traveling pioneers.
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| Mother Neff State Park |
At the parade in Belton Texas.
Belton
Small-town Fourth of July parades remain one of my favorite Texas traditions. Community celebrations like Belton's remind me why I enjoy traveling the back roads of Texas.
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| 4th July Parade Belton Texas |
We coudn't resist stopping to watch the parade. Before we left, we stopped at the food booths to snack on some hotdogs, brisket, ice cream, and funnel cake.
Caitlin, overlooking the Leon river at Belton.
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| Leon River, Belton Texas |
Hope everyone had a wonderful 4th of July!
Looking back, this Fourth of July wasn't memorable because of expensive attractions or elaborate plans. It was memorable because we simply got in the car and explored Texas together. Some of our best family memories came from road trips like this—discovering hidden parks, swimming in rivers, wandering through small towns, and ending the day under a sky full of fireworks. It's a reminder that some of the greatest adventures are often found just a few hours from home.
2 comments:
I bet you all were tired.. it looked like you did a weeks vacation in one day but it sure looked like fun.
I'll be meeting up with a blog friend at a car show in Sept. I hope I remember to take my camera.
I enjoyed your pictures.
Boo Hoo Hoo!!!! I wish we lived close enough to do day trips like this. I love traveling through small towns and swimming during the summer heat.
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