Garrett Finney grew up camping in the northeast United States. After moving to Texas in the early 2000s to work at NASA’s Habitability Design Center, he took his family on a campout in the middle of a typically hot Texas summer.
Five minutes after arrival at Lake Bastrop North Shore Park, my friend and I are relaxing around the firepit as flames crackle and the sky darkens into a canopy of stars.
The first time I seriously considered buying an RV was in the aftermath of a family tent camping trip to Kerrville-Schreiner Park …
After months of quarantining, my wife and I finally bought an RV.
We knew exactly where we wanted to take our 19-foot Class C RV: Port Aransas.
We humans love to talk endlessly about the weather, and when it comes to icebreakers, it doesn’t matter whether you’re facing heat, cold, rain, or snow.
If the recent pandemic has you hankering to get into the backcountry, and you’re looking for an outdoor experience beyond car camping, a backpacking excursion could be the perfect getaway.
Camping brings to mind full days of activities like hiking, climbing, and swimming. But one of the best parts of a camping trip actually happens when the sun sets for the day—stargazing. From any reasonably dark campsite in Texas, you can see prominent constellations, planets, and the moon. Some parks across the state have achieved designation as “dark-sky parks” because of their efforts to control light pollution, while some host star parties to introduce visitors to the night sky.
Many of us love to get outdoors to escape the confines of our homes and traffic of the city. But with such freedom also comes distance from our medicine cabinets and convenient medical care. Routine maladies such as fevers, cuts, and sprains can be a lot more uncomfortable and distressing when you’re out in the woods without typical medical resources. To help you prepare for an outdoor adventure, we spoke with camping experts about the best items to pack and how to effectively prevent and respond to illness or injury.
If you want the best gear—whether it’s clothing, tents or something else—you don’t have to go to a large chain store to get what you need. Across the state, local outdoor shops provide incredible selection, with many having big-time brands such as Patagonia and North Face. So whether you are preparing for your first excursion in the woods or your 100th, here are some places to stock up before you head out on your adventure.
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