The Enduring Joy of Schlitterbahn
June 21, 2023 | By Eric Webb
For about a year after COVID-19 vaccines became a thing, once-normal outings came with a new sense of wild abandon after months of … whatever’s the opposite of wild abandon.
summer
Don’t Miss Out on Great Early Season Peaches This Year
May 26, 2023 | By John O. Lumpkin
A Firefly Expert Illuminates the Insect’s Upcoming Season
May 26, 2023 | By Asher Elbein
Editor’s Note: Deep in the Heart
July 28, 2022 | By Emily Roberts Stone
This issue marks the fourth consecutive year we have devoted our August edition to small town Texas.
Think Texas Is Hot? Here Are 8 Reasons Why It’s Hotter Than You Think
June 16, 2022 | By Natalia Gonzalez Blanco Serrano
Texans are no strangers to heat, but everyone’s feeling it this summer as temperatures continue breaking records.
One Man’s Heroic Quest to Sample Every Blue Bell Ice Cream Flavor
May 26, 2021 | By Tyler Stoddard Smith
How to Make the Best Brisket at Home According to Hutchins BBQ
July 24, 2020 | By Peter Warren
Although the temperatures outside might be nearly equal to those of a post oak-filled pit, summer is still the preferred time of year to hone the barbecue craft—the COVID-19 pandemic has only served as encouragement to give it a shot. Hutchins BBQ, a DFW staple since the 1990s, has simple tips for the home pit master.
My Favorite Texas Trip: To Grandmother’s House We Go
July 22, 2020 | By Amanda Ogle
Seeing that orange “W” logo about a mile before the Colorado River not only meant that we were eating at Whataburger for lunch, but that my grandma was there to meet us and drive me on to South Texas. I looked forward to spending time with my grandma every summer, as our laughs usually started when we got in her truck for the second leg of my trip.
Summer for Procrastinators: Splashway Waterpark & Campground
July 31, 2019 | By Anna-Kay Reeves
The small community of Sheridan, located between San Antonio and Houston, offers a more relaxed water park experience with Splashway, which opened in 1998.
8 Summer Art Exhibits to See Now
July 15, 2019 | By Meara Isenberg
Giant LEGO dinosaurs, superhero-themed paintings, and photographs of famous musicians are currently on exhibit at museums in Texas—but they won’t be for much longer.
Summer for Procrastinators: Surfside Beach
July 11, 2019 | By Anna-Kay Reeves
The village of Surfside Beach attracts fewer tourists, so those that do find their way there can focus on enjoying the beach.
Summer for Procrastinators: Lost Maples State Natural Area
June 27, 2019 | By Anna-Kay Reeves
Lost Maples is most often touted as a destination for viewing fall foliage, but the shade from the trees make the park a cooler and more comfortable hiking destination in the summer.
Last-Minute Weekend Plans: Milton Reimers Ranch Park
June 20, 2019 | By Anna-Kay Reeves
Hill Country summer favorite Hamilton Pool has been reservations-only since 2016 due to the swimming hole’s popularity. But if you’re still looking for a scenic place to cool your heels, there’s a more secluded spot five minutes away.
Cucumber Gin and Tonic Recipe
June 19, 2019 | By
For scorching July temperatures, it doesn’t get more refreshing than Elk Store’s Cucumber Gin and Tonic. Bartender Nia Gramatikakis developed this recipe using Elk Store’s signature gin, which features 11 botanicals and has been distilled eight times.
How to Make the Most of Texas Peach Season
May 15, 2019 | By
As summer begins, so will annual pilgrimages to roadside stands and farmers markets where popular varieties of Texas’ succulent freestone peaches arrive in successive waves through Labor Day. Those peaches set a national standard for sweet-ness, and—here’s the really good news—they are mostly reserved for Texans.
Floating the Frio in Garner State Park
May 8, 2019 | By
With hotter temperatures coming, the aptly named Frio River attracts tubers, including these local students toting inner tubes at Garner State Park near Concan. The popular park, which reaches capacity daily between Memorial Day and Labor Day, is one of several put-in sites along the clear, spring-fed waterway. Andy’s on River Road, Josh’s Frio River Outfitters, Happy Hollow Store, and other outfitters rent tubes and offer shuttles to and from additional access points. Or stay on the water at Neal’s Lodges, Frio Country Resort, or Seven Bluff Cabins. No matter where you decide to drop in, the Frio promises ice-cold waters and a fun way to laze away the summer.
Balmorhea State Park is Ready for Summer Visitors
April 30, 2019 | By Emily Roberts Stone, Executive Editor
Sometimes the best summer moments are unplanned—a spontaneous road trip, a lazy day at the lake, or an impromptu backyard barbecue. But some of our state’s most memorable summer diversions require advance planning.
Balmorhea State Park’s star attraction, the pool, reopened March 1 after being closed nearly 10 months for repairs, and visitors are already returning in droves to cool off in the aquamarine water of the world’s largest spring-fed
swimming pool.
The Ultimate Texas Summer Bucket List
April 13, 2018 | By Kimya Kavehkar and Jane Kellogg Murray
Some Texans aren’t content with a life well lived, they want hard evidence: the family vacation photos, a souvenir to stick on the shelf, their name in a register at the highest point in Texas. To help you achieve those goals, we’ve compiled a list of only-in-our-state pursuits you need to check off before another summer speeds by.
Summer’s Greatest Hits
May 12, 2016 | By
We’ve shared suggestions in the past years to help you make the best of your summer.
Splash, savor, stroll
June 17, 2014 | By Paula Disbrowe
Let’s just say it had been a long day in the driver’s seat, and patience was wearing thin.
Room to Breathe
June 15, 2014 | By Barbara Rodriguez
The trouble with the traditional American school calendar is that it conditions you to believe that summers should be spent on vacation.
Colors of the Coast
May 16, 2014 | By E. Dan Klepper
By the time you finish reading this paragraph, hundreds of glass-green waves will have completed crossing the Gulf of Mexico on their route to the Texas coast.
Best Summer Ever 2014
April 23, 2014 | By Melissa Gaskill
Contrary to popular belief, summer vacation did not originate as a time for rural schoolchildren to take an extended break to help out on the family farm.
Swimming Holes
April 9, 2013 | By Melissa Gaskill
Our bodies are mostly water. Our primordial ancestors lived in it. Science tells us that looking at it lowers stress.
Some Like It Hot
June 22, 2010 | By Steven Schwartzman
While Texans usually make a beeline indoors (or to the nearest swimming hole) on sweltering summer days, some of our native wildflowers revel in the heat.
