Texas Road Trip

Texas is huge! Texas is well known throughout the world thanks to Hollywood and its unique shape, which spans 773 miles (1,244 km) in width and 790 miles (1,270 km) in length. The famous Texas Triangle, the major metros of Houston, San Antonio, and Dallas/Fort Worth, totals 75% of the state’s population while only holding 25% of the total area. Having lived in 3 of the state’s 7 most populous cities and visiting all over the great state, we have put together the perfect summer road trip for your convenience!

Day 1: Wednesday

Get an early flight into HOUSTON, TX! The largest city in the state and fourth largest in the USA. Houston is known as the Expense Account City, and because of that there are fabulous restaurants. In fact, over 11,000 restaurants! After you’ve rented your truck (or car if you don’t want to fit in, just kidding… ish) check out one of these restaurants. Whatever you are in the mood for, Houston will have it. Here are a few:

Capone's located near thirty shopping Westheimer street

El Tiempo off Washington has killer margaritas.

Anything in Market Square, but you may never leave…

Pastry War!

Another nickname for Houston is Space City, which a few of our sports teams are named for (Astros and Rockets). I would highly recommend driving south to Johnson Space Center to get a tour of NASA. Don't miss mission control or trying astronaut ice cream!

Get up close and personal with a rocket!

Although Houston recently overtook New York City as the most ethnically diverse city in the country, we have yet to conquer their fine arts scene, but we pull a close second in the nation! This just means you have all the shows available at a cheaper price and nicer people! Wind down the evening with a show. The Houston Ballet is top notch. If the theater is not your thing, Houston also has over 20 museums for any kind of taste. Check out Houston’s official visitor's site for more details on which museum fits your needs. Not an artsy person at all? Love sports? Well, better go check out the "Eighth Wonder of the World", the Astrodome. Recently having its 50^th birthday party, the dome does not do tours, but you can get a glimpse from the outside.

After the show you may be hungry and thirsty. We can help with both. Downtown, Midtown, Washington, Rice Village, the Heights, and City Centre will have something going on any day of the week. There are way too many restaurants and bars to list, so I will let Thrillist make recommendations: 

Thrillist site #1

Or

Thrillist site #2

Day 2: Thursday

Wake up, have yourself a bloody mary for breakfast at Brick & Spoon with a Big Spoon Bloody Mary  or a Big 'Ol Bloody Mary (everything is bigger in Texas) at Downhouse. Shake off that hangover and head south to Corpus Christi, TX! Corpus Christi is home to the best beaches and best weather in Texas. After the 3 hour drive you need to shake out your legs and do so by touring the USS Lexington.

The Blue Ghost participated in almost all major events in the Pacific and spent 21 months in combat. Walk along the deck to check out some of the aircrafts and of course great views of the city. Check out our write up from Memorial Day. After the tour if you still have energy, walk over to the Texas State Aquarium. In addition to aquatic life, the Aquarium is home to a birds of prey exhibit and cute Texas otters.  Grab dinner on Fajitaville's patio where you can enjoy a taste of the beach life and sunsets. Head downtown to the Executive Surf Club for cheap beer and live music. There are many other dive bars in walking distance if live music isn’t your thing.

Day 3: Friday

Everything moves a little slower in Corpus Christi on a Friday. Some workers are taking the day off to go fishing and others are sneaking off to the island with their surfboards. Take a walk down Shoreline Dr. to watch the sunrise to start your day. Pay tribute to the statue of Selena, the Tejano star who rose to fame here. Harrison's Landing does offer boat tours of the Bay and gives great point of views of downtown, the Harbor Bridge, and the USS Lexington. The beach is what sets Corpus apart from the rest, so that is what you should spend the day doing. The two main beach spots will be J.P. Luby Park and Horace Caldwell Pier in Port Aransas. On Mustang Island, driving on the beach is allowed, so be careful and don’t get stuck! After spending the day at the beach head towards town and stop at Snoopy's, a local hometown favorite, for some delicious seafood and the best views of a Gulf Coast sunset.

Day 4: Saturday

Get an early start to San Antonio. You don’t want to miss brunch on the River Walk! Check out the Guenther House . It may be a tourist spot, but it has 100 years of history and good food. You will need your energy for the next adventure.

A Texas summertime favorite is floating the river in San Marcos. The fun usually starts around noon and a float lasts about 4 hours. Hydrate on your way to Texas State Tubes (check Groupon for deals) as the sun can be draining. If you need some adult beverages, remember glass bottles are not allowed.  You can purchase your tubes and shuttle here. Put on the sun block and enjoy! Once you are back from your float, drive to Austin. I’ve had great experiences staying at the Hilton Garden. It has easy access to I35 and walking distance to many bars and restaurants. But just before getting there, make a pit stop at Sandy’s Burgers in Barton Springs. Now Austin is the black sheep of the state where they live by the saying “Keep Austin Weird”. So now you have been warned, clean up and make your way down to the famous 6^th street. Now we could try to break down every bar here, but it would take too long. Go have fun and check out all there is to offer, but check this out for starters!

6th street on Halloween

Day 5: Sunday

It’s going to hurt, but you will have to get up. I suggest walking some, like to Tacos and Tequila. How can you resist a taco bar? Once you are refueled, you are going to need to sweat out the previous day. A day hike to Hamilton Pool is a perfect solution. It’s not a long hike but a beautiful view. After a couple hours there you must finish off the day with good 'ol fashion barbeque. Salt Lick in Driftwood is the original location of this perfection. Make sure you get a glimpse of the pit! Head back to Austin and check out some live music because that's what Austin is known for!

Day 6: Monday

Hop on I35 and head north to Fort Worth. You are going to want to wait til you get to West, Texas to eat breakfast. Czech Stop has the best kolaches you will ever try. Never heard of kolaches? I am sorry your hometown does not have this delicious breakfast item. Head straight to Fort Worth Stockyards for a step back in time to the old wild west. After walking around in the hot Texas summer heat, you will need some sweet iced tea and good food. Cattlemen’s and Billy Bob’s are too good spots. Billy Bob’s doubles up as a dance hall at night. If Texas two steppin' is not your thing, the Historic Sundance Square has everything from shopping to dining. It also has a very vibrant nightlife with a variety of bars.

Day 7: Tuesday

You are probably feeling a little drained, so stop at Paciugo for some Italian café before making the short trip over to Dallas (Watch out for the toll roads). Six Flags over Texas is not a theme park just for kids. They have some pretty serious rides turning in every direction while reaching top speeds. Tickets may not be the cheapest, but you will stay busy all day. Finish off the day with dinner at Reunion Tower. Soak in the 360 degree view of the Dallas Skyline before preparing for the final night. Check out the Trolley Bar Map for the perfect ending to the best road trip in Texas. But, if that is not your thing, Lower Greenville, Henderson, and Deep Elum have excellent bar scenes.

View from Reunion Tower

Day 8: Wednesday

Drag yourself back to Houston or any other airport you chose to fly out of. 

A (Perfect) Week in Hawaii

Hawaii is the definition of paradise. Comprised of 7 islands, each has its own unique gift to the world. December 17, 2011 I quit my job working as a corporate slave in Houston, TX. My next adventure would take me to Corpus Christi, but I did not start until January 7, 2012. That day is also my lovely wife’s birthday, whom was off from work for winter break. With the help of mileage points, I was able to book 2 tickets from Houston to Honolulu for a minimal price (Click here to get the details). To add to the benefit, my cousin was a dive instructor off Waikiki Beach. It can be pricey to island hop from the main island, so here is a way to spend 5 days in Hawaii!

Day 1

Visiting family can help cut cost!

From Houston, we arrived in Hawaii around lunch time. Since domestic flights do not feed you, we were starving after 8 hours. Rent your car and grab a bite. Local fast food is the L&L. I would recommend getting a hotel at Waikiki since most of your activities will be water based. There are plenty of hotels a couple blocks off the beach that are affordable (~$100/night) and still walking distance to the beach. Just relax the first day. Check into your hotel and go to the beach. Hawaii is 4 hours behind Central Time Zone so bed time may come early. Test out some restaurants with a view.

USS Missouri

Day 2

Aviation Museum

Typically I would go straight for the strenuous activities, but the Pearl Harbor Exhibit would be something I would do first. We mistakenly did this the last day (day of flight) and we were rushed plus the sun drained us. There is some great information and great stories to be heard. Some you can't even believe like the USS Missouri is 5 feet long and 18 feet wider than the RMS Titanic! They have different combinations you can do. The obvious must is the USS Missouri. Take your time here. Do the self-guided audio tour. We also did the aviation museum (a shuttle bus takes you, don't walk) which was great. Visit all the hangers you can. After touring Pearl Harbor, finish the day with a Luau. Most hotels can arrange Luau’s.
We tried out Germaine's, but there are others, including one in Wakiki with Hilton Hotels. There are Luau's throughout the island, but this island has HORRIBLE traffic. Actually second to only Los Angeles. The dinner and a show is amazing. Traditional style roast and a “time travel” show of how the native Hawaiians got here. They are expensive, about $75 a person, but it was fun. Can't beat a dinner and a show!

Day 3

Koko is steep!

Hiking day! I would begin with Koko head trail that is East of Waikiki Beach. This is a popular hike, so go early! It is very easy to get to, but a steep climb. Sometimes called stair masters on steroids.There are remnants of an old railway that went up the mountain that takes the place of part of the trail. This trail gets packed, but the views at the top are worth it. Make sure you bring lots of water as you will need it. Most people turn right back around, but I suggest exploring once on top. You are see downtown and into the ocean as far as the visibility will let you. We even saw a whale breeching the surface! On the way back to Waikiki stop at Diamond Head Crater. This can actually been seen from Koko Head. This hike will give you good views along Waikiki and downtown Honolulu as it is very close. You'll probably be exhausted, so hang out in Waikiki and rest. Beer is always good after a solid workout!

Yep. That's an octopus on my head

Day 4

Always something...

If you are not SCUBA certified… do it. Hawaii had great dive opportunities. I used Island Divers because it was close to where I was staying. We did 2 dives and it only took half the day. I recommend searching around, but you really can’t even go wrong. There is even night diving! The dives are generally picked the morning you depart and take weather into consideration. Most of the dive spots were a 15-30 minute ride and could easily still see the shore. The visibility is great, plenty of marine life, and bountiful colors of coral. Since you are already wet try some surfing on Waikiki after the dive. You can rent a board for an hour. These waves are not the same as seen on North Shore. They are quite a bit smaller and you have to be patient. Also, it is not a sand bottom, so make sure you avoid the coral. I wasn’t so lucky… So maybe next time I should just relax on the beach and enjoy a nice drink... which isn't a bad idea either if you aren't a surfer. Wrap up the day doing some souvenir shopping at the International Market Place in Waikiki. Although, it is very commercialized, they do have an abundance of items to chose from in one centrally located area.

HUGE waves on North Shore

Day 5

Pack up all your stuff in the car and head out to North Shore. No need to get in (unless you dare!) but just enjoy the sounds of the waves crashing. We visited the beach where world class surfers compete in the Pipe Masters, talk about scary waves! Swing over to the Dole Plantation and take a quick tour. You may learn some fascinating information like pineapples do NOT grow on trees (you’re welcome for saving you the embarrassment later on). Try some fresh pineapples, or anything pineapple for that matter.

Home featured in the HPV

Depending on your time of departure or willingness, the Hawaiian Plantation Village (HPV) has a 90 minute tour. The tour involved the staple sugar canes and the lifestyles of the early Hawaiians. It is interesting to see how the natives adapted their life around the sugar cane industry and how they lived.

There are of course other fun things to do on the main island, like Stairway to Heaven. Overall, you honestly can't go wrong. Plus there are plenty of waterfalls!

Hawaii Cost Breakdown (Staying with someone)

View from Koko Head

Travel for 2 to Hawaii

For us, Hawaii was a must. The timing could not have been better, Becky was off from teaching for the winter, Trevor had just quit his job, we had built up enough points to get a free trip on points. To top it off, Trevor's cousin was living in O'ahu as a dive instructor. That meant, we had a place to stay! Staying with a friend or relative for a trip certainly has its perks. But like every good thing, there are bad things that come along with it.

Low accommodation costs and no flight cost!

For us, 6 days in Hawaii was cheap. As you can see, we basically spent about $100/day each. We were provided a place to crash and also had a means of transportation. On a island such as Hawaii, those two can quickly add up!

What can be done to make sure you will be a good guest?

If you are fortunate enough to have someone to stay with, these tips can help you make sure you will be invited back!

1) Be understanding. Yes, YOU may be visiting on vacation, but your host is most likely not. They may be able to afford a couple days to hang out with you, but odds are they have to go to work for some of those days. You may want to go 100 miles an hour, but your host still has their normal life to live.

Cousinly love!

2) This goes with the above statement, but understand your host's schedule. They will not be able to party with you every night (unless your host is Trevor's cousin). If they need to head to work at 8 am, try to find something that allows you also to be out of the house by then so your host isn't preoccupied with trying to make sure you are happy.

Our chauffeur! 

3) Limit the complaining. This is an excellent way to get a bad reputation. Complaining about the bed, the temperature, or having no food is a quick way to get an early exit. No one wants to hear it, especially the person saving you a couple hundred a day.

View from the back porch!

4) Compensate your host. Whenever we got a ride from Trevor's cousin, we made sure to give her gas money or fill her tank. Occasionally we would buy her meal, a drink, or a ticket to an attraction. These small gestures can have significant impact on if you get invited back again.

5) Only people traveling alone may have a pass on this, but make an effort to give your host a break. We did spend a night in a hotel one of the nights. This relieves your host of any obligations and also allows you to have some freedom to do what you want without approval of your host. Chances are, your host is tired of doing the touristy thing that they have done with the previous 5 visitors! 

A great plus is seeing your destination through a local's eyes. We got to check out some lesser know beaches and go exploring off the beaten path!

Heading to a waterfall!

"When you hustlin', you be patient."

When in Jamaica, what is the first thing that pops in your mind (besides beaches)? I don't have to say what they try to hustle 24/7 to tourists that come from all over the globe. I've never been one to get involved with those shenanigans, however, I was pretty impressed by some hustler's unique cat calls. And here are the most common and most brilliant:

"Do you want to start the year off with some?" (No)

"Do you want to make it a good time?" (Nope)

"Want some blow?" (No thanks)

"Any last minute shopping?" (Unique, but no...)

"Want me to fix you up?" (Never)

"Do you need any today?" (Once again, no...)

"You need more than sugar cane, Mon." (No, I'm enjoying this bag of sugarcane by itself, thanks.)

From a cab driver, "If you need me to serve you, I know where to get the best." (Ummm no, I'll pass.)

These are just the ones that I was able to jot down quickly before I forgot. Walking down a street for 5 minutes, we were approached 8 times!!!!! All day, every day.

As an 85 year old woman named Apple sagely commented, "When you hustlin', you need to be patient."

Top 5 things for San Diego

1. Gaslamp Quarter is San Diego’s downtown. It has a vibrant night life and good eateries. Although they like to compare themselves to the French Quarter (they even have a Mardi Gras celebration) but it isn’t quite the same. Try to book your hotel near Gaslamp because the public trolley runs through the Quarter. Check out more on this area here.

2. Pay the $20 to visit the USS Midway. Located right near downtown, it’s a great way to spend an afternoon! They have self-guided tours to help you go along at your own pace, but also have very informative guided tours. Find out more here.

3. Now I could spend the ENTIRE day at the San Diego Zoo. It is top notch and the largest zoo in the world with 3,700 animals. Make sure to take a lift on the tram "Skyfari." The zoo houses some of the rarest species of animals and it is one of four US zoo’s to have giant pandas. Learn more about the zoo. Sorry for all the photos... not really.

Hanging out with the giraffes

Bears!

His companion!

Riding the Skyfari

4. The best beach to hit up is La Jolla. Only located a couple miles north of town, relaxing in the sun is a necessity. The best part is, this can basically be done year round! Play some golf at Torrey Pines and make sure to grab a bite in the downtown area.

5. Coronado Island… well not really an island, but close enough. I recommend making way towards the USS Midway, hitching a ride on the ferry, and tackling Coronado by foot. I mostly enjoyed admiring the houses, as the architecture expands more than a century. Coronado is home to many resorts, but Hotel del Coronado I thought was the nicest. Hang out on the beach too!

Interested in using the public transportation? It is cheap, easy, and will even take you down to the border! Here is their website.

Riding a Trolley!

Mexico anyone?

Cinque Terre

Cinque Terre is a hidden gem that has gained attention since Rick Steves made it public to the world. This may partially be due to the fact it has limited accessibility, therefore corporate infrastructure is non-existent. I would insist taking the train into the area. From the South, La Spezia is your best bet, while from the North I would assume Genoa. The trains stop in each of the 5 towns, but there is a walking trail, Sentiero Azzurro (the blue path), for the more adventurous crowd (give yourself 5 hours).

Map of Lucca

We left for Cinque Terre from Florence in the early morning. I was told by my Uncle to check out the town of Lucca on our way. We decided to make this pit stop and grab some lunch. After 2 hours of stopping every 10 minutes, we finally made it. Lucca was very easy to spot due to the wall that encloses the old city. When fortress walls lose their military importance in Italian cities, they are typically removed. Lucca turned the fortress walls into a pedestrian walkway. The train station is positioned outside Lucca, so it took some walking to get into the city. The Guinigi Tower could be seen coming into the city.

View from top of Guinigi Tower

We decided that would be our target. It is basically in the center of town and has some amazing views… plus this climb was only 200 steps to the top. There is a little garden with some shade trees. We were in no rush. We could see some of the other attractions, such as San Michele Cathedral, San Frediano Basilica, and St. Martin’s Cathedral. We grabbed lunch down in the plaza and headed back to the station. I noticed the lack of vehicles in the city center, I’d imagine not a lot has changed over several decades.

Fortress wall a walking path

View from train looking back on Riomaggiore

Cinque Terre

After changing trains in La Spezia, we were on our way. Once the train goes in the tunnel, prepare yourself, because once the train comes out of the tunnel your breath will be taken away. Cinque Terre is comprised of 5 towns. Starting from the south: Riomaggiore, Manarola, Corniglia, Vernazza, and Monterosso. We heard Monterosso had the best beaches, so we chose that town to find a hostel. Every town is so colorful and vibrant, you can’t go wrong. We found lodging available at the La Spiaggia Hotel. They were very accommodating and if you visit their site, our room is pictured on their home page. We did lie and say it was just Becky and I, but my brother and I look very similar. We had a great view of the Sea and a nice patio to enjoy. It was late afternoon after we checked in. We immediately put on our swim suits and hit the beach. 

View from our hotel

Taylor about to jump!

Unfortunately, the beach was very crowded so we just walked on the docks admiring the sail boats. We noticed on the far side of the beach were some rugged cliffs that looked enticing. My brother and I jumped in to swim over to the cliffs. It was August and the water was freezing! Not only was it cold, the water was very salty (quite shocking!). While we were swimming over there, we noticed some kids jumping from the cliffs. We thought we would give it a shot. They were not too high, maybe 15 feet, but exhilarating. After tiring ourselves out by jumping off the cliffs several times, we headed to the beach. The beach on Monterosso is not sand, but tiny pebbles. These pebbles are not comfortable. After a nice power nap, we enjoyed a nice meal at L’Ancora della Tortuga. I tried a seafood dish, which was obviously saltier than I was used to, but still delicious! On our way home, we ran into our Canadian neighbors from Florence. Small world! We wanted to enjoy the night life, so headed to Bar Centerale for a relaxing night. There are many options to choose from, check out this site for more ideas. My Uncle told me to also try Grappa. Here is the wiki version, but it is basically a grape-based brandy.

Enjoying some grappa!

My brother and I could not stand it! It took us a solid 30 mins to finish a tiny bit. We talked to many people with different backgrounds, some other Americans, a girl from Ecuador, a Norwegian couple, and then we ran into our Canadian friends again at a wine bar. They were enjoying a 27 day honeymoon. I wish America embraced holidays the way the rest of the world does! All work and no play. Most foreigners are so eager to talk to us about politics… which I think is the last thing I want to talk to anyone about.

Colorful Riomaggiore!

Day 2

We woke up to a storm outside and a storm in our heads. The rough start to the day did not get much better anytime soon. While on vacation, it is hard to sit still when there is so much to see. After powering through breakfast, we headed to Riomaggiore to try snorkeling. The bad weather above the water shouldn’t affect what we see below, right? The 3 of us rented 2 kayaks and 3 snorkeling masks and set out. I swam next to the kayaks and saw some very colorful fish, which I was not expecting. I even spotted some sort of devil ray-type fish. It was not even 10 mins before my brother loses his mask and down, down it goes. Me being the engineer I am and not knowing the cost of losing equipment, take my snorkel and wrap it around the oar like a hook. I make some attempts to retrieve it but the pressure is too great. Meanwhile, my brother managed to accomplish more misfortune. He accumulated so much water in his kayak that is started sinking. I helped push him to the nearest solid surface, which happens to be a very jagged rock. The rain picks up, as does more misfortune. Attempting to relieve his kayak of the water, we slip and fall several times over the jagged rocks causing blood to flow. Soon I realize in all the chaos, I lost my snorkeling mask. Becky left us long before it escalated this far. But we look up to see the Sentiero Azzurro unfortunately overlooking the cliffs. By this time, a nice crowd collected watching us fail at a simple task. We bowed our heads in defeat and headed back in, only to find the masks cost us €15 in all for the lost equipment. Of course. Upon arriving back at the hotel, the sun was out.

From the beach looking back to Vernazza

We needed some brightness to our day so we headed to the beach with some pizza and laid out. Around mid-afternoon, Becky and I headed to the next town Vernazza. We did some souvenir shopping and admired the quaint town. While waiting for the train, we grabbed a bottle of wine for €1 and hung out waiting. Back in Monterosso, I wanted kayak redemption! Becky and I rented a 2 person kayak and set off for Vernazza. This is also a time when I had a non-water proof camera. Lesson learned after this trip. I quickly invested in a water proof Nikon CoolPix shortly after. Anyways, Becky and I learned that we do not have the same rhythm, making the rowing quite irritating. We came across more caves and decided to investigate. We found about a 40’ waterfall recessed

in the cliffs. I had to check it out, unlike me, Becky remembered the incident from the morning and passed. I made it past the slippery rocks to the water fall! After checking it out, I headed back to the water and, of course, slipped and fell face first. I braced the impact with my hand, which did not turn out good for my wrist. I instantly developed a huge bump protruding from the side of my wrist. Now I had to kayak back to shore. We had a very chill night eating a nice dinner – I tried the swordfish, which was worth it! Then we brought a bottle back to the hotel and sat on the balcony enjoying each other’s company. Tomorrow was back to Rome.

While in a beach setting such as this, your attire is basically chosen for you… swim suit! I took this opportunity to wash my clothes for another round of use.

Here is Becky Cliff Jumping!