My Top Texas Destinations for November

I love November in Texas!  The hurried pace of October is over, leaving only time to watch the leaves fall and dream of Thanksgiving dinner.  These are some of my favorite places to visit in Texas, and I would love to hear about some of your favorites, too!

 

1.  Fossil Rim, Glen Rose Texas

Amid all the exotic animals at this huge, drive through animal park, my favorites in the fall are the native ones!  Beautiful white tail deer come up to your car alongside the antelope, and wild turkeys can be seen throughout the park.  Visit the park, spend the night in one of their "safari tents", bunkhouses or for a more luxurious stay, The Lodge.  Don't miss their Murder Mystery Dinner and Tour on November 10th.  On a previous trip, we stayed in the Bunkhouses, and had a wonderful time!  Read about our visit last year; Fossil Rim in November, Glen Rose. 

2.  Lost Maples State Natural Area 

For a look at beautiful fall foliage, you can't beat a visit to Lost Maples State Natural Area.  The native Bigtooth Maples in their autumn colors last about two weeks in November.  Take your camera and a sense of adventure, hiking throughout the park is exciting and a little strenuous due to the rocky terrains and hill country topography.  The camp sites are limited, as are the number of cars allowed in the park at one time, and lines can be long, so visit early or on weekdays if possible! 

3.  Take in a Texas Thanksgiving Day Parade -

Many of our major cities host Thanksgiving Day Parades, making them Turkey Day traditions.  The El Paso Sun Bowl Parade is celebrating it's 76th year, and the HEB Holiday Houston Parade has been a tradition for almost 60 years!  

4.   Texas Citrus Season

Beautiful, red grapefruit grown in the Rio Grande Valley is in season!  Purchase some and enjoy, or find new recipes to make that highlight the official Texas State Fruit, which was designated in 1993.   

 

 

5.  Nine Flags Festival in Nacogdoches

Celebrate the season in Nacogdoches, the oldest city in Texas, at their annual Nine Flags Festival!  Unlike the rest of Texas, 9 flags actually flew over the city since it's inception in 1685!   The charming town has daily (and nightly events), and on November 24th is the much anticipated Wassail Fest! 

6.  The Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza

Not all events in Texas are to be celebrated, but should be remembered and memorialized.  The Sixth Floor Museum in Dallas chronicles the death of President John F. Kennedy, and the people involved in that sad day in American on November 22, 1963.  We visited the museum last year after I finished reading, 11/22/63 by Stephen King,  http://havingfuninthetexassun.blogspot.com/2012/03/sixth-floor-museum.html. 

 

7.  Horseback riding in Caprock Canyons State Park

Enjoy the beautiful fall scenery as you ride along on a guided trail ride!  Arrange to go horseback riding through the canyons and rugged countryside with Quitaque Riding Stables.  Explore the amazing land of Caprock Canyons State Park, which also offers camping, hiking, mountain biking, fishing and a chance to view the 80+ free roaming bison of the official Texas Bison Herd that call the park home.    

8.  Sweet Potatoes, Bright Star Farms in Alba 

Take a drive to East Texas and visit Bright Star Farms.  Purchase some Texas grown sweet potatoes for a pie or Thanksgiving Dinner.  I love sweet potatoes served everyway, baked, in casseroles, pies, fried crisp (with a little sugar sprinkled on top), but my favorite is mashed with heavy cream and mixed with a small can of Chipotle Peppers in Adobo Sauce!  Whew, these are spicy, but with a GREAT flavor!!

 

 

9.  Texas Youth Hunting Program

Hunting is big in Texas, and if you would like the opportunity to take your child/children hunting, the Texas Youth Hunting Program offers workshops, information, as well as safe and affordable hunts for Texas Youth and an adult caregiver.  Not sure about hunting?  Why not let your child participate in their Texas Youth Outdoor Writing Competition? 

10.  Texas football 

TCU plays Texas on Thanksgiving Day, for the first time, replacing the longtime rivalry of Texas A&M and University of Texas!  Dallas will also host the Washington Redskins on Thanksgiving Day, too! 

11.  Fishing

You just can't beat fall fishing in Texas!  Texas Parks and Wildlife knows this, and host plenty of opportunities to get your gear wet.  From fishing derbies to fly fishing instruction, check out their Calendar of Events.  November is also a great time to plan an offshore fishing trip, consider chartering a boat, some specialize in family fishing trips!  YUM, Fresh Red Snapper!!  

12.  The 2012 Marfa Home Tour and Symposium 

Experience the beautiful adobe structures and architecture of Marfa for this Special Event being held the first weekend in November. 

13.  Big Bend Ranch Special November Ranch Thanksgiving Dinner

Visit the Sauceda Headquarters at Big Bend Ranch State Park for a special Thanksgiving Dinner.  Reservations are required, but only $15 a person and include park entrance. 

 

 

 

 

14.  Learn about the Native Americans that called Texas "Home"

Although the Wampanoag Indians, with whom the Pilgrims shared their first Thanksgiving, lived in far to the North of Texas, November is still a wonderful time to learn about the Native Americans who called Texas home.  The Alabama-Coushatta Tribe of Texas in Livingston host the Bulls and Arrows Bull Riding event, and an Indian Arts and Crafts Fair in November.  Caddo Mounds State Historic Site in Alto is a wonderful place to learn about the indigent Caddoan Indians   Fort Martin Scott in Frederickburg is a restored United States Army Outpost.  Learn about the Meusebach- Comanche Treaty, and their present day fight with the Former Texas Rangers Association!   Or take the Fate Bell Shelter Tour at Seminole Canyon State Park, as guides take you to see American Indian Rock Paintings, estimated to be about 12,000 years old. 

15. National Take a Hike Day, November 17th

There are so many wonderful places to explore in Texas, pick a trail and go!

16.  Leonids Meteor Shower

The Leonids Meteor Shower should peak on November 17th, offers a good view in a nearly moonless sky!  Visit Franklin Mountains State Park for an evening of Melodies Under the Milky Way, as a local musician plays and after the concert enjoy a presentation about the night skies. 

17. Visit a pecan farm

Pecans are ready for your pies, so why not visit a local pecan farm?  The Frio Pecan Farm is the perfect Texas Hill Country getaway, and they even offer overnight accomodations so you can relax, sit back and peel a few! 

 

 

 

18.  Veterans Day

Veterans Day is November 11th.  Take some time to recognize this important day to your children.  Hang your American Flag, get down some old pictures of family members who have served, or visit one of the National Cemeteries in Texas. 

 

 

 

 

19.  King Ranch's 22nd Annual Ranch Hand Breakfast

Each year on the Saturday before Thanksgiving, the legendary King Ranch host a Ranch Hand Breakfast!  In addition to eggs, sausage, biscuits and gravy, they also serve up a big helping of life on the largest ranch in Texas!  Watch team roping and old-time cow camp cooking demos, plus much more!  Spend the entire weekend in Kingsville, and enjoy "Historic Kingville Celebrates the Ranch Hand"!

United States Bureau of Engraving and Printing

The Bureau of Engraving and Printing in Fort Worth, one of only two places in the United States where dollars are produced.  Free tours are offered Mon - Fri, but be warned, they don't give out any free samples.   

There was plenty of complaining this morning when I woke my kids up for a road trip to the United States Bureau of Engraving and Printing.  As summer progresses, they are starting to sleep in a little later each day.  I called the day before, and they advised me of the best tour times for today, as some tours have large groups already scheduled.  The tours are offered every 30 minutes, but each tour has a maximum limit of 75.  

We arrived, went through a security check (similar to an airport), and loaded a bus painted to  resemble a dollar, for transport to the tour.  You want to see my picture of the bus?  Well, I would love to show it to you, but they do not allow any cameras, phones or electronics on the tour. 

Once inside, we were able to check out the many exhibits while we waited for our tour to begin.  My four year old loved the backward puzzle of a dollar bill!  There is also a short movie about the bureau, and a scavenger hunt for the kids! 

The tour is really informative, and was interesting.... but I found it hard to concentrate when you are looking at ALL THAT MONEY!  You wouldn't believe just HOW MUCH MONEY is produced there each day.  I'm not going to tell you though, because you really should go take the tour.   

And there is a gift shop.  They sell some unique items, and even uncut pages of bills. 

As we were leaving, we pointed out to the kids the line of visitors that stretched out the door and were waiting in the hot sun.  I felt vindicated, even if I never got an apology for all that early morning complaining! 

For more information, or to plan your own tour; http://www.moneyfactory.gov/tours/fortworthtxtours.html

A fun puzzle idea

As I said, my four year old really liked the puzzle exhibit in the museum.  He, like most young kids, likes all puzzles.  And that's great because puzzles address so many learning objectives, problem solving skills, geometry and hand eye coordination are among some of them.  As we were watching the kids play with the exhibit, my friend, Pam told me of something she had seen on Pinterest.

Using the inexpensive cardboard or wooden puzzles you can find at the dollar store, add magnets to the back of each of the pieces.  Then you can attach the puzzle to an old cookie sheet (hooray for recycling) for fun while traveling in the car, so the pieces don't get lost! 

As she is telling me this, the pieces of no less than 2 of those puzzles are scattered all over the floor of my suburban.  What a great idea!

And of course, you can bring it inside to play with on the refrigerator, too!