Upon leaving Louisiana we made our journey into Texas. We were heading to Bandera, TX where we would stay for a week. On our way we boondocked overnight at a Home Depot in Waco. There was all kinds of road construction going on all over Waco. We had hoped to visit Magnolia Farms but by the time we made it through town, and thanks to Covid, they were closed. But we dropped the RV at Home Depot and drove downtown anyway just so we could see Magnolia Farms. While we were downtown we had dinner at Ninfa’s, a great Mexican restaurant. I can easily recommend it.
At Bandera we stayed at the Holiday Villages RV Resort. Located in the “Hill Country” of Texas this RV park is sort of remote. The roads are not great. But the park is nice. It was not crowded at all partly because of the time of year and partly because of Covid. They had all the amenities you would need and the staff were very friendly. We had a Roadrunner who would come by once in a while but there was no sign of Wiley Coyote. Deer were also regular visitors. The real game was to be found just outside the park. Right next door to the park is a game preserve which has animals from around the world. Occasionally as you drove along the road you could see some of these animals.
We went to Holiday Villages because it is a Coast to Coast park and its proximity to San Antonio. It’s about forty-five minutes away. We had been to San Antonio before and knew we would enjoy another visit. Our favorite thing to do there is to visit the River Walk. It is what it claims to be. Through the city the San Antonio river is lined by gardened walkways, lovely shops and fine restaurants. The boat ride along the river is worth doing. It’s not only beautiful the boat Captain gives you the history and stories of the River Walk. We had a great dinner along the River Walk and really enjoyed our afternoon there.
Another day we returned to San Antonio to take Gray Line’s Mission Trail tour. We have done Gray Line tours in many cities and have never been disappointed. This tour is along the San Antonio Missions National Historic Park. The park highlights five missions built along the San Antonio River. Beginning with the Alamo they move south of the city and include guided tours of Mission San Jose, Mission Concepcion, Mission San Juan, and Mission Espada. This was very enjoyable! As we traveled along the trail a recording would play telling stories related to sites along the route and what to expect at the next mission. Once arriving at the mission our driver would provide a guided tour of the mission. We learned that these missions were so much more than churches. They were fortresses, communities, centers for economic development, education and culture. The missions were beautiful and essential in their day. A few still have weekly services. The tour was interesting and enjoyable. It is well worth the cost.
We enjoyed our stay nestled among the ranches of Texas’ Hill Country. There is much more to do than what we enjoyed so a return visit would be in order.
2nd Chance Vagabonds 