Texas trip

[pugmom]

DH and I want to take a Texas trip to explore a few parts... specifically San Antonio (including Fredericksburg) and the Gulf coast from Corpus Christi to Galveston. As we would be driving from the Tampa Bay area, we might want to stop somewhere on the panhandle, such as Pensacola.

Now this is a big trip, and it is basically 2 days drive to get directly to SA. But this obviously does not include stops.

I figure we would be willing to take about 10 days total.

My questions (to start) are:
1. Is this too much? I figure we would spend at least 2-3 days in SA, at least 1 day around Rockport and another around Galveston. Another in Pensacola.
2. We would really take more time going up the coast as we are birdwatchers and would probably want to do some birding.
3. Specific suggestions about where to go or what to do are welcomed.

We could fly to SA, but then getting the Gulf coast in seems crazy if one has to return flight from SA. At least driving we could make the stops in one direction then drive straight from SA. back to Tampa in 2 days.

Oh and this could be as early as May.

Thanks for any and all suggestions and comments.

 

[skyking1]

If the 10 day thing is a hard stop for you, for whatever reason, then I would approach it as this:
Fly into SA one way.
Rent a one way car and enjoy. Maximize your time away from home.
Park the car at destination B and fly out.
It might cost a few more $$ but for your 10 days, which has a value all its own, you get the most.

 

[retire48in2018]

In SA - river walk is great experience, especially with with various local artisans and the actual peaceful walk

North Corpus Christi - is calmer, less touristy especially for things like bird watching

One idea - hit a topic - perhaps Space - then in Galveston - other than aquarium, not much - I’d stop instead at the Johnson Space Center (Webster suburb of Houston) instead. If you drive back - just over border into Mississippi - there’s another NASA center, then of course near Orlando, FL is Kennedy Space Center.

 

[pugmom]

Thanks... just got off the phone with a friend who has family (daughters) in SA and he owns property in Bandera... He said, re SA, "dont bother". So now we have to really think hard about it.
I should have added that this year is our 40th anniversary, so we might want to make whichever trip we decide on part of that.
We may consider AK cruise or even Mississippi river cruise as well.
We are snowbirds in RI and I am from NH so we have New England pretty well covered.

 

[JRon]

We have done SA a couple of times, most recently in 2018 and really enjoyed it. Spent 3 days there the first time and 2 days the 2nd. If you drive there’s likely plenty to see along the way. For instance, we got off the interstate from SA to Houston and stopped in Shiner, TX for a tour of the Shiner Bock brewery.

The Johnson Space Center in west Houston was great. We were staying in Galveston and drove from there. It was so interesting we went back for a few hours the next day (tickets were still good).

We’ve done the Alaska cruise which was fun and quite interesting. For our 40th this year we are doing the Lower Mississippi River cruise.

Enjoy what ever you decide on and do another one next year.

 

[Car-Guy]

Having lived here all my life, I wouldn't bother. I'm not into bird watching so not many suggestions.... BUT, San Antonia is worth a day trip IMO, to see the Alamo and River Walk but do it before it gets too hot. Corpus isn't worth the drive or time. Galveston is worth a day or two but no more. I can recommend staying at the San Luis... Great view of the Gulf, Sea Wall, people, good restaurants, etc... Things to see, Moody Gardens (lots of birds) and spend a little time on "The Strand" and maybe even book a tour for a history lesson of the area... Less than an hour away from Galveston is NASA and the Lone Star Flight Museum.

If you are flying in or out of Houston use Hobby airport (South side of town) to avoid driving to Houston Intercontinental (North side of town). However, if you are driving through Houston for any reason, allow a couple of extra hours, have your life, auto and health insurance paid up and, "May God be with you".

 

[Montecfo]

We just spent a month in Texas including 4 wonderful days in SA (have been there several times but not in a while). It's definitely one of the best sightseeing spots in Texas. Riverwalk, missions, some really good food.

If your travels take you through nearby Lockhart Texas there is some excellent Texas barbecue and Mexican food there, and a beautiful historic town square.

Not sure Galveston is an epic spot but the Strand is interesting and the used to have an oil and gas platform/museum there that you could tour and was pretty interesting. It will not compare favorably to your Florida Panhandle beaches.

If you like BlueBell ice cream you can tour the factory in Brenham, Texas on weekdays. Never done that but was on our list.

If you like presidential libraries the LBJ Library is in nearby Austin and the George Bush Library is in nearby College Station. Also the GW Bush library is in Dallas, but I doubt you will make it that far.

Some had suggested fly/drive. Could work but we found the rental cars to be quite expensive and dropping at a different location prohibitive. Those things vary and could be different now.

If I were doing that drive I'd consider a couple of days in New Orleans.

Best of luck.

 

[skyking1]

I was curious so I put in for a midsize, two weeks from the 4th to 18th of May with enterprise, picking up in SA and dropping at Houston. Total cost with all the fees and taxes was $1500.

 

[pugmom]

Thanks again to all for further suggestions!

I know we would like many parts of Texas. We are spoiled as we have the best of winter in SW FL and summer in New England (Narragansett RI).

We may end up at a travel agent to look at what going that route might offer.

 

[dixonge]

Google 'Great Texas Coastal Birding Trail' - lots of info. You will want to focus on May birding.

We attended the Rio Grande Valley Birding Festival in Nov. Really enjoyed South Padre Island and Estero Llano Grande State Park (Pauraques!)

 

[skyking1]

I moved the pickup of the car to Austin and it went down 50~75.

 

[pb4uski]

If you end up doing a Texas trip then definitely add Austin to your list. Lots to see and do.

 

[frugal-one]

One year I found a Falcon book... Birding in Corpus Christie... 70 birding sites within a 2 hour radius of CC. It was fun.

Another year... Birding in Rio Grande Valley... MANY birding sites... was great!

Check out different birding trips for the area you are interested in and do your own itinerary or contact that area's birding groups.

Great TX Birding trail.... is a good tip

 

[Ronstar]

We did both Bush presidential libraries and the Texas Book Depository Museum, riverwalk in San Antonio, Alamo. Had a great time.

 

[pugmom]

Thanks again to all... using a birding trip is a great idea. We both like it, and DH has been an almost-pro photographer for at least 25 yrs.. see www.excellentbirds.com

 

[FI_RElater]

In SA - river walk is great experience, especially with with various local artisans and the actual peaceful walk

North Corpus Christi - is calmer, less touristy especially for things like bird watching

One idea - hit a topic - perhaps Space - then in Galveston - other than aquarium, not much - I’d stop instead at the Johnson Space Center (Webster suburb of Houston) instead. If you drive back - just over border into Mississippi - there’s another NASA center, then of course near Orlando, FL is Kennedy Space Center.

That's Stennis...it's where they test the larger booster rockets.... you need a LOT of water for cooling, hence the location {I knew an engineer that worked there for Martin...had also stopped by there many years ago}

AFA the OP.... seeing TX in short time is analogous to those from Europe trying to see the entire US in a couple of weeks.... not really the right thing to do
and some areas are better for certain things- - for beach it's definitely NOT Galveston... it's Corpus or S Padre Is

Decide WHAT you want to do/see then prioritize

Same thing for the trip... perhaps a side trip, instead of I-10 all the way, is a diversion to Dauphin Island or New Orleans

Oh, and be very careful and aware of the speed traps/"revenue enhancement officers" between Orange and Vidor when coming into TX... it's been known so long that triple-A has been marking their maps about it since...well let's just say it's a permanent fixture

 

[Koolau]

As far as time goes, we went from about Chicago to Brownsville and back doing all the Tx places mentioned. We did it in less than 10 days (could only farm out the kids that long.) Having said that, we didn't really spend any time in one place. We looked, we saw and we left. Very disappointed in the gulf on the Tx side - we liked Panama City on another trip. Tx Gulf water looks like river water to me but YMMV.

 

[kgtest]

That's Stennis...it's where they test the larger booster rockets.... you need a LOT of water for cooling, hence the location {I knew an engineer that worked there for Martin...had also stopped by there many years ago}

AFA the OP.... seeing TX in short time is analogous to those from Europe trying to see the entire US in a couple of weeks.... not really the right thing to do
and some areas are better for certain things- - for beach it's definitely NOT Galveston... it's Corpus or S Padre Is

Decide WHAT you want to do/see then prioritize

Same thing for the trip... perhaps a side trip, instead of I-10 all the way, is a diversion to Dauphin Island or New Orleans

Oh, and be very careful and aware of the speed traps/"revenue enhancement officers" between Orange and Vidor when coming into TX... it's been known so long that triple-A has been marking their maps about it since...well let's just say it's a permanent fixture

I tried to get a job at Stennis when I was 18. Didn't work out so instead I joined the USAF with a really high ASFAV score and ended up working on a missile base for a space squadron. What is the equivalent of the "Space Force" today.

Getting off of this planet to another one will be one of human kinds greatest accomplishments if we can pull it off.

 

[pugmom]

Just saw new postings... thanks to all!