YEAR VISITED: 2008, 2018, 2020, & 2026

———- NORTH TEXAS (Arlington, Dallas, & Waco) ———-

FAVORITE CITIES AND EXPERIENCES: Jill and I have been to Texas four times. On two occasions (2008 & 2026) we visited Dallas. Both visits to Dallas revolved around Dealey Plaza and the Sixth Floor Museum. This is the location where President John F. Kennedy was assassinated on November 22, 1963.

Each time I visit this infamous location I am blown away with how similar everything looks. When you compare pictures from 1963 to what you are looking at currently, it appears nearly identical. Below is Dealey Plaza. Highlights included the grassy knoll, picket fence, and multiple “X’s” in the road marking where President Kennedy was shot.

Inside the museum you are able to see the 6th floor sniper(s) nest, as well as an assortment of other artifacts. My favorites were seeing Lee Harvey Oswald’s wedding ring, Jack Ruby’s fedora hat that he was wearing when he shot Oswald, and the suit Detective Jim Leavelle was wearing when Oswald was shot and killed.

The museum’s presentation of the assassination is tasteful and on point. They do a good job with separating fact from conspiracy theory, all while managing to honor JFK’s legacy.

Sticking with the JFK theme, we saw a movie (The Drama) at the Texas Theater. The Theater is where Oswald was arrested following the assassination.

Again, it’s as if time stood still. Comparing old photos to what we were seeing first hand was eerie.

The manager let us into the theater early and explained Oswald was discovered sitting in the 3rd row from the top, five seats into the row. The actual seat is now in a museum, but we watched the movie in the same row that Lee Harvey Oswald was arrested in.

President George W. Bush was President from 2001-2009. During his tenure as President I don’t remember particularly liking him. In fact when it came to his policies I would say my opinion ranged anywhere from “indifferent to not a fan.” However, after his tenure I have grown to admire him and his family more and more. I truly believe he had the best interest of America at heart and represented our country positively. The Bush Presidential Library & Museum is located on the campus of Southern Methodist University.

We toured it in 2026, and like all Presidential Libraries loved the experience. By far our favorite experience was getting to tour and take pictures in the replica Oval Office.

Other highlights were seeing twisted steel from the Twin Towers, Saddam Hussein’s pistol, and the interactive video display regarding the many difficult choices he was forced to make.

Personally, what has endeared President Bush to me the most is the fact he is a sports fan. An entire wing of the museum is dedicated to athletics. We were able to see his personal autographed baseball collection, his Rangers World Series ring, and his Ranger themed cowboy boots.

The National Medal of Honor Museum is located in Arlington and opened in 2025. We did not take the tour, but since it is located adjacent to Globe Life Field we walked all around the grounds. I do think hearing the heroic stories of medal recipients would be interesting. This is something I have circled for the next time we are in Arlington.

NOTABLE DESTINATIONS & STOPS: The amount of ‘oddities’ and unusual landmarks we have visited around the country is remarkable. Interestingly enough I would estimate that we have discovered 95% of these locations by visiting the website Atlas Obscura. You simply type in the name of the city you are visiting and it organizes a list of unique locations. This is definitely how we found the Giant Eyeball in Dallas. There seem to be multiple stories around ‘why’ there is giant eyeball in downtown Dallas and while I am not certain what is fact and what is fiction, I do know it is a unique and fun place to take a selfie.

Atlas Obscura is also how we found the Adrian E. Flatt MD Hand Collection. The museum is located in the Baylor University Medical Center in Dallas.

At first we found the collection, as well as the location, a tad weird and borderline creepy. However, I soon became fascinated examining and comparing hands of famous athletes, politicians, and movie stars. Highlights of the bronze hand collection, were Abraham Lincoln, Winston Churchill, Margaret Thatcher, Buzz Aldrin, Nolan Ryan, Mickey Mantle, Tom Landry, Andre the Giant, and Wilt Chamberlain.

Thanks-Giving Square was located across the street from our hotel. After wandering through the park we discovered it to be a peaceful getaway. I couldn’t agree more with the website description, “a sunken urban oasis in the middle of bustling Dallas Arts District.” In the far corner of the square is a spiral chapel complete with a stain glass ceiling. It is absolutely beautiful and later we learned it is called the Chapel of Thanksgiving.

After my wife got hooked on the HGTV show Fixer Upper, it was determined that Waco was a must visit destination in 2020. Therefore, the family spent an afternoon at Magnolia Market (the Chip and Joanna Gaines shopping complex) where we toured the store, took pictures in front of the iconic silos, and ate fantastic Texas barbeque.

What I didn’t realize before our arrival at Magnolia was that the Dr. Pepper Museum is also located in Waco, directly around the corner from the Magnolia site. Therefore, after leaving the silos we walked over to the birthplace of Dr. Pepper, toured the museum, and did some taste testing of the original soda pop version of Dr. Pepper.

RESTAURANTS: Barbeque, Barbeque, Steak, Barbeque … “Beef, it’s what’s for dinner!” The week we were in Arlington and Dallas we enjoyed some of the best meals we have eaten anywhere. These are the restaurants we ate at:

Arlington

Hurtado Barbeque – “Award winning brisket, ribs, and Tex-Mex BBQ” says their website. They are located on Front Street, which is a quaint and fun area of Arlington. This is the best BBQ we had in Arlington.

The Original Roy Hutchins Barbeque – Opened in Arlington in March of 2026. I certainly think this will be a ‘destination’ restaurant for years to come.

Hearsay – Is located in Choctaw Stadium, former home of the Texas Rangers. It is an upscale 1920’s prohibition themed speakeasy. This is a place we will definitely return to when in Arlington.

Dallas

Terry Black’s Barbeque – There are three Terry Black locations in Texas. We ate at Terry Black-Dallas. Hands down, this is the best barbeque I have EVER eaten.

The Woolworth – Located on the 2nd floor adjacent to the Giant Eye Ball in downtown. Good food, good prices, and a great view!

Fluellen Cupcakes – Has been serving upscale and tasty cupcakes since 2013.

Y.O. Ranch Steakhouse – According to their website, “voted best steakhouse in Dallas five years in a row.” We would agree. Great steak and true Texas decor.

Sky Blossom Rooftop Bistro – Vietnamese cuisine, great cocktails, and a beautiful view of downtown Dallas.

STADIUMS AND/OR SPORTING EVENTS: In 2026 we saw a Texas Rangers vs Seattle Mariners game at Globe Life Field.

We all wore our Mariner gear and did everything we could do to cheer the hometown Mariners to victory. Unfortunately, it wasn’t to be and the Rangers won by a final score of 3-2. No matter the result, we had a blast.

The stadium, which opened in 2020, exceeded our expectations. Inside the stadium, the concourses were wide, the video boards massive, and there didn’t appear to be a bad seat in the house. Outside, highlights were seeing the statues of Ranger greats Adrian Beltre and Ivan “Pudge” Rodriguez. We had a great night of baseball.

Also on that trip we were able to see a Dallas Baptist University baseball game. They hosted perennial power Oklahoma in a mid-week contest. The Sooners won in a blow out, but we came away impressed with DBU and Horner Field.

The coolest thing we witnessed was the playing of taps. The right field fence is adjacent to Dallas-Fort Worth National Cemetery where they play taps every evening. As a result, DBU pauses all home baseball games precisely at 7:00 pm. The action stops, players stop, fans stop, and all stand at attention honoring the fallen. Participating in this tradition, where we witnessed first hand the respect Texans have for those that came before, was an absolute honor.

———- CENTRAL / SOUTH TEXAS (Austin, New Braunfels, & San Antonio) ———-

Jill and I have also visited San Antonio twice (2008 & 2020). Both times I fell in love with the city. Our favorite attraction is the River Walk.

This “American Venice” is a must see destination to window shop, people watch, and take in the million dollar views. Not surprising this is the #1 tourist spot in Texas – thus be prepared for crowds. Both times we boarded a Go Rio Cruise where we navigated the River Walk from the Gaudalupe River.

This is a great way to relax and simultaneously learn a little history of the area. I would also recommend wandering into the Buckhorn Saloon & Museum. Whether you just want to visit the restaurant, experience the Texas Ranger museum, or merely explore the collection of Texas oddities, this is the place for a fun Texas experience.

While there are hundreds of restaurants and eateries on the River Walk, we ate at Casa Rio (the restaurant with the multi colored umbrellas). This is the oldest restaurant on the River Walk and is a great setting to take in the ambience of it all.

Also in this same area is the Alamo and you simply cannot go to San Antonio without at least walking by the famous structure. We chose to take a tour and wandered through the adjacent grounds, mission buildings, and gift shop. While we admired the architecture and enjoyed our tour, we were happy when we exited the premises. The combination of massive crowds and oppressive heat made me a touch uncomfortable. I would suggest visiting first thing in the morning in order to avoid the heat as well as crowds.

While I am unsure if the reason is I grew up in in the shadow of the Space Needle in Washington State, or I am just attracted to tall shiny objects, either way we decided to purchase an observation ticket for the Tower of the America’s. This is the 2nd tallest observation deck in the United States (behind the Stratosphere in Las Vegas). In our experience this is a great way to gain your bearings when exploring a new city.

In 2020 we stayed in New Braunfels, just outside of San Antonio. New Braunfels is the home of Gruene Hall the oldest dance hall in Texas. It was built in 1878 and the laundry list of famous singers (Garth Brooks, Willie Nelson, and BB King just to name a few) that have played the venue are as impressive as any I have ever seen. Unfortunately when we were there it was closed due to COVID issues. As a result we were only able to walk around the outside of the dance hall. While we were unable to experience as much as we would have liked, the entire area is a fantastic place to explore boutique shops and restaurants.

There are gas stations, and then there are Buc-ee’s convenience stores and gas stations. While there are close to forty Buc-ee’s across Texas, we stopped at the location just outside of New Braunfels. At 66,000 square feet this is the largest convenience store in the world. This site also proclaims to be the worlds largest conveyor style car wash. Needless to say I have never experienced another gas station like Buc-ee’s.

ADVENTURE(S): In 2008 we rented a car and drove from Dallas to San Antonio and eventually Austin. On the way to San Antonio we detoured to the Natural Bridge Caverns. They are located just over 30 minutes outside of San Antonio and are the largest caverns in Texas. The deepest portion of the cave is 180 feet below the surface but interestingly enough it is always continuing to grow.

Once we arrived in Austin it was raining as hard as it possibly could, which limited what we were able to see and do. However, we were able to visit the Texas Capital building and the Lyndon Baines Johnson Presidential Museum.

Simply judging from the size of the capital building, it is true that everything is bigger in Texas! As alluded to in prior posts, I have always greatly enjoyed presidential museums and the LBJ library was no different. Personally I was fascinated by the collection of paraphernalia around the JFK assassination.

STADIUMS AND/OR SPORTING EVENTS: Jill and I attended a University of Texas vs Texas A&M basketball game in 2008.

While the University of Texas participates in NCAA collegiate athletics, their facilities are so over the top nice, and in some cases advanced, I know some professional sports teams would be envious. Hands down the facilities, intensity of fans, and the atmosphere around Austin is second to none. The game we attended was back and forth for awhile before the Rick Barnes led Longhorns ultimately pulled away and earned the ‘W’ against the rival Aggies. We were also able to wander around the humongous campus where we found ourselves in awe. Definitely some of the best looking education buildings and athletic facilities of any campus I have been to. Specifically we were able to explore Darrell Royal Memorial Stadium (Football) as well as Disch-Falk Field (Baseball).

———- WEST TEXAS (Amarillo & Pecos) ———-

In 2018 my family and I drove across the panhandle of Texas. It was on this trip, in this area, that we experienced one of our top-3 most memorable road trip experiences of all time. We were cruising east on interstate 40, less than an hour from our destination of Amarillo. A Texas sized storm began to brew and we experienced significant gusts of wind, and at times hail. There was so much wind that one gust blew the front of our Yakima gear carrier open. Personal items flew all over the two lane freeway. A few items remained in the road and proceeded to be run over by traffic, but fortunately most items settled in the median. Once the dust settled, we had safely pulled the car to the side of the road, and determined everyone was safe and okay … I am not too proud to admit my first reaction was ‘no harm no foul’ and to continue on. As if reading my mind, that was the exact moment that the kids looked at me with tears in their eyes and asked me to “save their stuff.” Needless to say, I will forever remember the Texas panhandle and interstate 40 as the freeway I hiked a half mile back on the shoulder to collect any items not completely destroyed. While we now look back and laugh, thank god the freeway was not busy that evening. Once we safely arrived in Amarillo we had dinner at the #1 rated steakhouse in Texas, The Big Texan. The best way to describe this restaurant is to think carnival or a fair.

The seating area is huge, the gift shop is second to none, and the fun loving picture opportunities are fantastic. Personally, the coolest aspect of the Big Texan is their 72 oz Steak Dinner Challenge. According to their webpage, if you eat the entire meal (steak, shrimp cocktail, baked potato, salad, and the roll with butter) in under an hour then your meal is free. I was not man enough to attempt the challenge, but did have an outstanding regular sized steak dinner. If you ever find yourself in or around Amarillo, this is a must do.

Cadillac Ranch is just off interstate #40 and the old Route 66. The ranch is a collection of 10 Cadillac’s buried nose deep into a field that have since been spray painted time and time again by passerby’s and tourists alike. In reading the webpage advertising the ranch, I discovered this was a vision of hippies and funded by an eccentric billionaire that collectively referred to themselves as the Ant Farm. The day we visited it had recently rained and there were giant puddles around the cars, and used spray bottles littering the area around the cars. This may be the most unique tourist site I have ever visited.

Nearby the Cadillac Ranch is the Muffler Man Cowboy just outside an RV park. The statue is a 40 foot Cowboy labeled the “2nd Amendment Cowboy). I for one do not pass up a photo-op with a 40 foot Cowboy!

As a kid I was always fascinated by stories of the legend Pecos Bill. Whether he was wrestling huge rattlesnakes or lassoing fearsome creatures, I was ‘all in’ on Pecos Bill. Therefore, when we stumbled upon Pecos (the fictional West Texas home of Pecos Bill) I felt like a kid in the candy store.

• OUR LIST TO VISIT OR RETURN TO:
• Houston Astros Baseball, Houston TX
• Cotton Bowl Football Game
• Red River Football Game
• Space Center, Houston TX
• Big Bend National Park, Marathon TX
• Padre Island, Corpus Cristi TX
• Galveston Beach, Galveston TX
• The music scene in Austin