Outdoors: The natural attraction
I had seen my fair share of movies in which rugged mountaineers stretched for tiny crags in the rock face, but as I desperately search for a handhold, the wall above me at the Austin Rock Gym suddenly seems a mile high; I have no time for well thought-out strategies.
Take a hike. Rather than a brush-off, to me this sounds like an invitation to have a great time. Hiking offers one of the most accessible and versatile ways to enjoy the outdoors. Naturally, Texas boasts an amazing array of hikes for every taste and ability—from strolls of less than a mile to treks longer than 100 miles, through thick woods or open country, on high mountain slopes or smooth, flat shores. Here’s a selection of 10 of my favorites.
The city pool where I hung out as a youngster had a blue plastic slide, the kind that adorned most swimming pools in the 1960s. This one turned a complete 360 degrees before spitting me out like a watermelon seed to land with a satisfying—and refreshing—splash. I couldn’t get enough of it. Well, water slides have come a long way since then. For proof, just visit a Schlitterbahn water park in New Braunfels, South Padre Island, or Galveston. The original location in New Braunfels has been voted “The World’s Best Waterpark” for 10 consecutive years by Amusement Today magazine, which surveys amusement park fans around the world.
Former First Lady Lady Bird Johnson left a legacy of a beautified, more environmentally friendly Lone Star state. That translates into more enjoyable outdoor experiences for all to enjoy.
There are tricks of assuaging summer's skyrocketing temperatures: Monstrous glasses of iced tea, squeezed with lemon. Frequent dips into the nearest swimming pool, or, better yet, swimming hole. Screened porches with ceiling fans, which keep the mosquitoes at bay while you listen to dog-day cicadas and search for fireflies. Oh, yes, and a trip to West Texas, where you can escape summer's blaze in unlikely places.
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