4 Things to Know in Texas Travel this week – July 17-23

Let’s start the week with baby steps, and get the 101 on fun activities such as geocaching, kayaking and even zombie apocalypse survival skills. Each Monday, to combat that first-day-of-the-week blues, we offer highlights for the upcoming week in Texas travel. This week is all about learning something new. Texas Parks and Wildlife offers courses throughout the year, but here’s what you can look forward to this week.

Read Texas Highways’ story on geocaching.

For more of Texas Parks and Wildlife many courses, guided tours and more, visit their website.

Buy a Park Pass and take advantage of all its offerings.

Geocaching 101 at Guadalupe River State Park

If you’re curious about geocaching, this is a great way to begin. For starters, what is geocaching? It’s a real-life outdoor treasure hunt where participants use a GPS-enabled device to find the hidden geocaches (containers).

In this course, set for 9:30 a.m.-11 a.m. on Wednesday, July 19, park rangers teach participants how to use the provided GPS units, and give them a practice course to hone their newly developed sleuthing skills.

The first challenge is to arrive early. The course is on a first-come, first-served basis and is limited to the first 10 families/people that arrive at the park’s amphitheater behind the Discovery Center.

The session is free with a Park Pass, or a $7 cost of the daily pass. Children 12 and under are free.

 Kayaking 101, Blanco State Park

If you haven’t experienced the joys of kayaking, this course will ease you into the relaxing pastime.

From 9-10 a.m. on Saturday, July 22, learn the basic skills of paddling a kayak while taking in an early morning trip down the Blanco River. Single kayaks, paddles and life vests are provided.

Reservations are required, so sign up by calling or visiting the park headquarters at 830/833-4333, 101 Park Road 23 Blanco, TX 78606.

Participants meet at the launch area.

The program is free with $5 park admission for those ages 13 and over.

Crabbing 101, Sea Rim State Park

What’s for dinner? Crabs, you say?!

Join park rangers who will teach basic instruction on how to catch your own blue crabs at Sea Rim State Park. Bait and tackle are provided, and no fishing license is required.

The next session, which is free with park entry, is from 10 a.m.-noon Saturday, July 22.

So, what’s for dinner? Well, that’ll be up to you.

Zombie Apocalypse, Tyler State Park

You’ve seen Walking Dead TV series? Think you could survive long enough to make it to the next season of the show?

So many things could go wrong, especially if you have no cell phones, no electricity and no transportation.

Test your survival skills in this light-hearted game to see if you can make it through the zombie apocalypse.

If you’re up for the challenge, meet at Tyler State Park’s Whispering Pines Interpretive Trail at 2–3:30 p.m. on Thursday, July 20.

Dress for the weather and be prepared for a short hike … or run. Whatever it takes, right?