Texas Trotter

Jacksonville is full of plenty of exciting outings and engagements to make local living an absolute joy!   Among the many great places to visit across the region, one of the best places to drop by would have to be Jacksonville’s Museum of Science and History! This engaging, family-friendly museum is absolutely ENGULFED with great activities for everyone to enjoy, complete with a host of stellar exhibits, including a science theater, energy displays, nature exhibits, a plant courtyard, a space science gallery, and more!   For parents who are eager to get their kids to have fun learning, this is definitely up your alley with the museum’s endless supply of amazing activities and events! There will be the opportunity to engage in animal encounters, discover how to cultivate plant life and planetary preservation, study interstellar space exploration, etc. Plus, the museum has weekly and monthly events to ensure that you’re never left wanting in terms of new activities!   J...

Looking for the ideal thing to do this weekend in Phoenix? Why not enjoy an aquatic adventure at one of the biggest attractions in the area?   Arizona’s OdySea Aquarium is the perfect place to take a deep dive into all kinds of amazing sea life, from colorful fish to sharks to penguins, and much more! Kids and families of all ages will absolutely love the breathtaking underwater view of some of nature’s finest undersea creations, complete with an array of lively and exciting exhibits for everyone to enjoy!   The aquarium specializes in providing guests with a one-of-a-kind experience, complete with specialized exhibits relating to education, conservation, climate awareness, habitat preservation, and more! It’s a great way for kids and their parents to both experience the wonder of seeing amazing underwater creatures up close while also learning something fun in the process! The aquarium also hosts a variety of seasonal activities and services throughout the year for people to...

For anyone living in the Phoenix area looking for a bit of family fun this weekend, what better place to stop by for a visit than Phoenix’s own Children’s Museum!   This amazing family-friendly location features an array of excellent activities and attractions, complete with a full day’s worth of fun for kids of all ages to enjoy. Some of the biggest attention-grabbing attractions include a creative art studio, giant blocks, a book loft, an interior ballroom, a supermarket roleplay exhibit, outdoor playgrounds, educational learning adventures, and more! And for those of you with little ones who enjoy letting loose a bit of extra energy, there are plenty of areas specifically designed for running, climbing, and exploration! So, you can rest assured that your kiddos will have everything they need to fully immerse themselves in a creative, fun-filled atmosphere during your visit!   Phoenix has always amazed me with just how many great things there are to see and do across the r...

It’s a jungle out there! Or at least, it is at the San Antonio Zoo. Running from April 24th to April 25th, the San Antonio Zoo is celebrating animals, culture, and Latin American food with its Festival De Animales event! This exciting experience will be highlighting the animals native to South and Central America, as well as modes of conservation being taken to protect them. There will be plenty of room for guests to enjoy some delicious Latin American cuisine at select zoo restaurants and pop-up booths, making for an educational, but truly spectacular outing with friends and family. The San Antonio Zoo might seem smaller in scale to other Texas zoos for those unfamiliar with it, but I can promise you that they make up for it with some really excellent habitats for the animals, as well as some great family-oriented activities and events on a monthly basis. You really get a sense that they take pride in their care for the animals, as well as the bustling jungle atmosphere all around the...

There’s a great honor that comes with being a native Texan. Some say that we’re naturally proud due to our warm climate and a steady supply of crops and livestock. And while that may indeed be true, we have one staple of pride that no other state in the US has--the Alamo. I’ve held off on talking about the Alamo for a while. But mostly because I wanted to whet your tastebuds if you’re not as familiar with the place. To make things simple, the Alamo is a BIG deal for Texans. It was the place where brave men fought and died for Texas’ freedom from Mexico. And though the Alamo ultimately ended in death instead of victory, it remains a pinnacle landmark in Texas’ proud history. If you’re living in San Antonio, I would pretty much say that it is your civic duty to visit the Alamo at least once. Not only will you get to learn about a major cornerstone of Texas history, but you’ll also get to immerse yourself deeper into the scope of San Antonio’s rich climate and culture. And while that does...

I’m a giant animal-lover. Why not? Animals are cute, interesting, and fascinating to research. And if you’re not looking to go to a crowded zoo during Covid, where else are you supposed to turn? Aquariums aren’t always about fish. Sometimes, they’re great places to find rare exotic animals that you would not normally see on display. And you won’t find it anyplace better than at the Dallas World Aquarium. This beautiful aquarium showcases all the rarest and most exotic of animals from across the world. Their wide selection of animals includes an exploration of different ecosystems, featuring many incredible creatures such as tamarins, turtles, sea mammals, rare birds, tropical fish, and more!  The Dallas World Aquarium seeks to provide guests with an informative look at the many wonderful species that inhabit our world, driving for more education on conservation and preserving habitats. I really think they do good work and you just can’t put a price on educational, but still FUN, wa...

When I was a kid, the biggest thing that fascinated me was dinosaurs, from their history to their biology--everything about them was amazing. And I couldn't imagine a bigger revelation than getting to go to the Houston Museum of Natural Science for the first time to see and learn about them in person. The Houston Museum District is the best place for Houstonians to flex their book-smarts and really get a sense of fine taste and culture through its various museum locations. Apartment residents in Bayou Park, the Heights, and Northside, are highly privileged in that they are super close in proximity to this fascinating region of town.  Having lived near the Bayou Park area for a brief period of my life as an apartment resident, I can say that the quality of life here is very near and dear to my heart with the amount of culture and creativity I was subjected to in being so close to the various Houston museums. I was able to commute to them with ease and I found the experiences I had t...