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When it’s about camping and outdoor recreation, nothing can beat Texas. It is so diverse that it would be hard for any other state to compete with it in any aspect. Camping in Texas has something for every camper. You just name it, and you’ll find it here.  

More than 20 million visitors enter Texas state parks each year. The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department runs more than 140 state parks

There are some tremendous campsites in Texas to pitch a tent and spend the night under the stars. Due to its diversity and vast geographical regions, Texas offers campers a variety of ecosystems and landscapes to choose for their adventure.

One just can’t fully experience Texas without going on a camping trip at least once.

Here is a list of ten incredible campsites in Texas that will make you fall in love with camping even more.

1. Big Bend National Park

First on our list of campsites in Texas is Big Bend. It is nominated as an International Biosphere Reserve. Big Bend is easily the best spot for camping in Texas. It offers a variety of outdoor recreational activities in a primitive setting.

The park features mountains, canyons and other amazing, memorable opportunities for adventure.

Things to do in Big Bend National Park

• Camping
• Mountain biking
• Fishing
• Boating
• Hiking
• Nature watching
• Star gazing 

2. Garner State Park

Garner State Park is the most popular state park in Texas. Campers can choose either primitive campsites or cabins when planning to stay overnight. One day simply isn’t enough to enjoy the adventure and absorb the beauty of this place.

Things to do in Garner State Park

• Camping near the beautiful, big and scheduled Frio River
• Enjoy water sports like tubing, swimming, and canoeing in the beautiful, Frio River
• Hiking on 11 miles of tracks
• Bird watching, fishing, kayaking, and more. 

3. Colorado Bend State Park

This incredible park looks like an enchanted scene from Tarzan. Camping in the midst of beautiful lush greenery and a 70-foot-tall Gorman Falls is a dream of every camper.

This breathtaking waterfall will amuse you in the sunlight and gently soothe you at night in your tent with the sound of its trickling.

Things to do in Colorado Bend State Park

• Campers can go swimming
• Hiking
• Biking
• Explore mysterious caves
• Fishing

4. Big Thicket National Preserve

There are countless primitive campsites and access points to this exotic preserve, as it is spread out across seven districts. Annually, thousands of nature enthusiasts explore this exotic place that contains a diverse group of plants and animals.

This part of Texas is no doubt an ideal location to spend a tent vacation and offers great activities to the campers. There are no developed campgrounds or campsites in the Preserve, so be prepared to make your own.

Things to do in Big Thicket National Preserve

• 40 miles of hiking trails allow campers to observe many different ecosystems
• Bird-watching
• Hunting
• Kayaking

5. Palo Duro Canyon State Park (Canyon)

Number 5 on our list of campsites in Texas is Palo Duro Canyon, The Grand Canyon of Texas. The second largest canyon in the United States is a beautiful place to camp. Waking up surrounded by towering red rocks is an amazing feeling. Campers in Palo Duro Canyon can choose from campsites with water and electricity, primitive drive-up sites, equestrian sites, or backpack camping areas.

Things to do in Palo Duro Canyon State Park

• Hiking
• Mountain biking
• Horseback riding

6. Lost Maples State Natural Area (Vanderpool)

Lost Maples is known for its autumn color, but it is beautiful year-round. This breathtaking spot is right on the Sabinal River. You’ll not only enjoy the scenic river but also the abundant wildflowers and steep canyon walls.

Things to do in Lost Maples State Natural Area

• 30 campsites with water and electricity or backpack to six primitive campsites.
• Hiking
• Fishing
• Bird-watching
• Swimming

7. Enchanted Rock State Natural Area (Fredericksburg)

Climbing the magical, mystical and enchanted ancient dome of Enchanted Rock provides a panoramic view of the Texas Hill Country like nothing you’ve ever seen. The beautiful scenery, rock formations, and legends attract thousands of visitors annually.

Things to do in Enchanted Rock State Natural Area

• Camping – Most of the campsites have plenty of shade
• Hiking
• Rock climbing
• Shopping from the park store where you can buy gifts items, drinks, food and also wood for campfires.

8. Davis Mountains State Park (Fort Davis)

This beautiful and historic park offers a unique and remote destination for all sorts of adventures. The wild and remote Davis Mountains is considered one of the most scenic areas of Texas.

Things to do in Davis Mountain State Park

• Hiking
• Biking
• Camping
• Horseback riding – one of the most popular activities here.

9. Padre Island National Seashore

The longest stretch of undeveloped barrier island in the world, offering some of the most remote seashores to be found anywhere.

Padre Island National Seashore has a wide variety of opportunities for everyone to enjoy its natural beauty and wonder.  For campers wishing to get away from the crowd, Padre Island National Seashore is an ideal location.

Things to do in Padre Island National Seashore

• Camping – both semi-primitive and primitive campsites are available
• Canoeing and kayaking
• Fishing
• Bird-watching
• Hunting

10. Hueco Tanks State Historic Site

The last in our roundup of scenic campsites in Texas is Hueco Tanks. One of the biggest attractions to this historic place are the prehistoric pictographs that dot the cave walls there. This historic site offers a range of outdoor activities that give campers a wide variety of unique ways to spend their days while camping. Visitors today marvel at the imagery left by those ancient people.

Things to do in Hueco Tanks State Historic Site

• Hiking
• Camping
• Rock climbing
• Bird-watching
• Study nature and history
• Picnic
• Guided and self-guided tours to view rock imagery left by ancient people.

So get ready for the most exciting camping experience of your life. Go camp, explore, dream and discover!

All you need to do is grab a tent, prepare your backpack, wear your lightweight hiking boots and head into the wilderness.

“A bad day camping is still better than a good day working.”

Photo credits: Flickr

Bandera Texas is called The Cowboy Capital of the World… and for a very good reason! It looks like a cowboy town!

Not a fake cowboy town with people wandering the streets wearing cowboy costumes…. No, Bandera Texas is the real deal!

Here you will see ranchers coming town, wearing jeans, boots and worn-out spurs. You’ll see horses tied up at a restaurant or bar, patiently waiting for their riders to finish their business inside. You’ll see store fronts that still look like a store from the old cowboy era.

Things To Do In Bandera Texas

Dude Ranches

Since we’re talking about cowboys, a dude ranch is a good place to do something fun. Here you can get a real ranch experience that includes roping, horseback riding, and interacting with other animals like goats or donkeys.

The good dude ranches also have a pool to help you stay cool in the summer.

My favorite dude ranch is the Silver Spur Guest Ranch, but there are others too, like the Dixie Dude Ranch, Rancho Cortez, the Flying L Guest Ranch, Mayan Ranch, and the Running R Guest Ranch.

Hill Country State Natural Area

The Hill Country State Natural Area is about 10 miles southwest of Bandera, basically next door to the Silver Spur Guest Ranch.

It is a very beautiful and undeveloped area of the Hill Country. There is plenty to do, including hiking one of the many trails and horseback riding.

Remember to take your own water along!

Frontier Times Museum

The Frontier Times Museum contains many artifacts reflecting Bandera’s history and cowboy heritage. It is well worth a visit!

Cowboy Bars in Bandera Texas

The last time that we were in Bandera, we spent some time at the 11th Street Cowboy Bar. This place is something special. They have live music on Wednesdays and on the weekend.

Although the bar is popular with bikers, it is not uncommon to see a couple of horses tied up in front of the bar while their owners enjoy a refreshment inside!

Another nice bar that has live music, is Arkey Blue’s Silver Dollar.

The Chikin Coop is another bar / restaurant that I like. More about them below…

Tubing on the Medina River

When the Medina river is high enough, it is great fun to rent a tube and float down the river. This is a great way to spend a Saturday afternoon!

The Bandera River Yacht Club rents tubes, kayaks, and even paddle boats.

Places To Stay in Bandera

A decent place to stay in Bandera is the River Front Motel. They have individual cabins that are nicely furnished. The River Front Motel is within walking distance of several popular bars and restaurants in Bandera, which is very convenient.

The dude ranches also offer accommodation, so check them out as well. They might cost you more, but they give a unique “cowboy ranch” experience!

If you are into camping or have a RV, try the Cowboy Capital RV park. The owner is a real friendly guy.

Places To Eat in Bandera

Our first meal in Bandera was at the Chikin Coop, a bar / restaurant on Main street. They serve burgers, sandwiches, salads, and have a full bar. They also have band and dancing at the Chikin Coop on the weekends.

If you like a really good cup of coffee, go to the Dogleg Coffeehouse, also on Main street. Not only do they make great coffee, but also have a nice variety of excellent pastries and scones.

Another great restaurant in Bandera Texas to try is O.S.T. Restaurant, also on Main street. They make some excellent chicken fried steak and chicken fried chicken, both traditional Texas meals. Their Mexican food is very good too.

If you will be spending some time in the San Antonio area, be sure to spend a day or two in Bandera as well. It will give you a genuine and unique experience of “cowboy” that you won’t find in too many places!

PS. Have you visited Bandera Texas before? Tell us about your experience in the comments below…

Without a doubt, South Padre Island Texas is one of our FAVORITE vacation destinations!

My family and I discovered this little tropical paradise a couple of summers ago. We have been hooked ever since!

Some of our favorite things to do in South Padre Island are the beaches, a visit to Schlitterbahn, and fishing.

Where Is South Padre Island?

If you’re wondering where South Padre Island is, follow the Texas coastline towards Mexico. It is a couple of miles off the coast just about on the border with Mexico. A bridge connects South Padre Island to Port Isabel on the mainland. 

Things To Do In South Padre Island

Beaches On South Padre Island

The beaches on South Padre Island are probably the main reason why we go.

A seemingly endless stretch of soft, white, powdery sand along the Gulf-side of the island…

We usually take some goodies for the beach, like a beach shovel, frisbee, and boogie boards along. This provides for hours of fun in the sun. I like building sand castles with the boys. Last summer their quest was to ride the boogie boards in shallow water standing upright!

The boys also nagged me last summer to go parasailing. As a Dad, I was a little nervous, but in the end it was a fantastic experience! They just loved it…

Oh, and don’t forget the sunscreen! 

Schlitterbahn South Padre Island Texas

Although somewhat smaller than the Schlitterbahn waterpark in New Braunfels, Schlitterbahn South Padre Island makes for at least a whole day of water fun!

My kids usually race from one ride to the next. I prefer to simply lie on a tube and go round and round on the “river” that connects all the rides.

Schlitterbahn could seem a little pricey, but at least they let you take a cooler. So once you’re in, you don’t have to spend anymore money.

There is a restaurant (Shrimp Haus), and a sports bar (El Jefe’s Sports Bar) in Schlitterbahn. After every three or four laps around the river, I also enjoy stopping off at Jefe’s Backyard for a drink. It’s important to keep the hydration up…

Next time we go to South Padre Island, we’re definitely spending a day at Schlitterbahn!

Fishing South Padre Island Texas

If you’re into deep sea fishing, South Padre Island Texas has it!

The story goes that South Padre Island is closer to the deep waters of the Gulf of Mexico than any other place along the Gulf coast. So you spend less time getting there, and more time fishing! Afterall, that’s why you’re there, right?

You can fish for Red Snapper, Grouper, Kingfish, Shark, and more.

Keep in mind that these fishing trips last anywhere from 3 to 12 hours, depending on what you choose. Fishing captains are typically not in the habit of turning back if one person gets sea-sick. Be sure to take motion sickness medication if you’re unsure how you’re going to handle the sea!

There are a couple of outfits that offer fishing trips in South Padre. We have used Osprey’s before and had a great time! I took my 12-yr old son on a trip recently and he caught his biggest fish ever! He was all smiles and that made me a happy dad!

Horseback Riding On The Beach

Do you think horseback riding on the beach could be fun? I certainly do. If you agree and want to do it, the Island Equestrian Center is the place to go.

You don’t have to be an experienced rider to do this. Beginners can do it too. The guides are experienced and they take good care of everybody.

The rides take you out along the beach, and you’re allowed to let your horse go a little bit into the surf, which is a lot of fun.

Horseback riding on the beach in South Padre Island Texas is fun activity that the whole family can enjoy!

Dolphin Research and Sea Life Nature Center

A really great, value-for-money place to take the kids while on vacation in South Padre Island is the Dolphin Research and Sea Life Nature Center.

The kids can get a hands-on experience at the touch tanks, where they can touch sea creatures. Their dolphin experience is also among the best you will experience anywhere. Captain George is an excellent, informative guide who tries to give you the best experience ever!

The Center is located in Port Isabel right by the Light House Square and Pirate’s Landing restaurant. Worth a visit!

Sandcastle Lessons

Taking a few sandcastle lessons can add an interesting twist to your vacation.

Andy Hancock has been teaching people how to build sandcastles for a number of years. He’s a nice guy who is very skilled at building sandcastles, and he enjoys teaching people his craft.

Here is more about sandcastle lessons in South Padre.

If you’ve never been to South Padre Island Texas, you have to go! It’s a blast!

South Padre used to be overrun with college students over Spring Break and the usual advice was to avoid it then. However, Andy Hancock tells me that it is not the case anymore.”The days of out-of-control kids everywhere have long gone… Spring break is now being aimed at families on the island,” he says. 

C’mon summer… c’mon South Padre!

PS. Also see our page on South Padre Island hotels.

We moved to San Antonio (with the Army) from Illinois in 2010. We had talked about going to the coast (South Padre) for a while but never did until this past weekend.

We went to South Padre Island with our 89 pound dog and we were able to get a condo right on the beach. When we opened the living room and bedroom doors, there it was.

We only stayed for 3 nights and now I wish we would have planned a week vacation. We thought we would get bored in South Padre, but we didn’t. Not even close.

I will say this, the food was not great on the island anywhere we ate. The best food we found was at Psychadeli- however, take your patience because a sandwich will take about 45 minutes. We cooked most of our meals in the condo.

So of course the real reason we all go to the coast is the beach and we spent a good amount of time just walking the beach, building sandcastles, wading in the water, just enjoying. The beach was clean and well maintained.

We went at the end of April and there were enough people that you did not feel like you were alone, but there was not a lot of people there- it was perfect for us.

We took a pirate ship cruise in the South Padre bay which was great. We also took wave runners out to see the dolphins. We could have spent all day in the little shops. Don’t forget parasailing… I am scared of heights but it was actually amazing.

We want to go back to South Padre and spend more time on the beach and do some horseback riding and atv’ing.

Overall, it is a great place to go and relax and just get away nice and close to home. We will be back soon!

The Quiet Hill Ranch is a little piece of heaven that is the most family friendly place our gang has ever been to.

The little log cottage, although not large, was tastefully decorated with original paintings, beamed ceilings and had many other amenities.

The view… it looks over this big valley with the hills coming down each side and it was spellbinding. At night there were only 4 lights in the far distance and at 2100′ elevation the stargazing around our campfire was awesome.

Quiet Hill Ranch also had a separate big log lodge with what they call The Ranch Room and The Mighty Kitchen. The ranch room had old timey wagon wheel furniture, books, games, puzzles, a toy box for the little ones, a piano, dining tables, and was topped off by a rugged fireplace. The kitchen had every thing we needed to cook all our meals. They had stocked the fridge with a delicious ‘real’ breakfast for us to cook whenever we wanted to.

In front of the lodge was a swimming pool fashioned after an old style ranch cistern but this was a big one, about 25′ across. The kids loved it. Behind the lodge was a complete playground with swings, slide, tower, sand box, horse shoes and a basketball goal.

There were many farm animals just walking around loose. There was this big old pig that was so fat he couldn’t open his eyes. He seemed perfectly content to eat our leftovers and nap in the shade. There was a donkey, a barn cat named Snoopy, and a little red barn with chickens. We loved gathering the eggs and cooking them for breakfast.

There is a place called the ‘Observatory’. I have never seen so many birds in one place in my life.

Okay, I’ve saved the best for last… HORSEBACK RIDES. Mr Jim, the owner wrangler of Quiet Hill Ranch, tells fascinating stories about the German pioneers, cowboys and Indians, and interesting tidbits about the land and how the use of it has changed over the years. Doing, seeing and hearing this while traveling through some of the most beautiful scenery on horseback was indescribable.

Five stars! – Here are some reviews of Quiet Hill Ranch.