So you're going to Glacier NP in the winter? Those brave enough to bear the chilly temps will reap the desolate beauty of the wintertime in Flathead Valley. Whether you're skiing at Whitefish Mountain, snowshoeing at Glacier, or slaying a snowmobile, these are the best winter weather activities around Glacier National Park & White Fish that will guarantee an epic experience to weather the storm.
Within Lake Mineral Wells State Park lies an outdoor adventure far from normal. This Texas state park packs a punch with slot canyon hiking, climbing, kayaking, and more. When it comes to things to do at Lake Mineral Wells State Park, you can't really go wrong - but Penitentiary Hollow is a great place to start. Here are the coolest things to do at this awesome Texas state park near Fort Worth.
The drive from Texas to Colorado is one filled with crackled desert-scapes and rolling plains. While not traditionally flaunted as one of the most exciting road trips in America, there are quite a few quirky road trip stops to help break up the 11-ish hour drive from Dallas to Denver.
While Texoma Luxury Rentals is a travel partner of Tales of Exploration, we assure you, we’re dishing out Oklahoma travel truths and nothing but the truth.
“Continue straight for half a mile.” Okay, but are we sure? The crunch of the private dirt road in the darkness and the glimpse of a clear night sky were enough to keep me going. Prior to living in Texas, Oklahoma was far from my relaxation radar, but here we were, pulling up to our weekend rental on Lake Texoma and I couldn’t imagine a better place to unplug and unwind. Located just under two hours from Dallas, Kingston, OK (home of Texoma Luxury Rentals) was a simple drive after a grueling week. You know you’re in need of an escape from the city when you welcome coyotes howls in the distance. The true, quiet Oklahoma country makes for a dreamy DFW detox.
Picking a travel destination for a group to gather comes with a ton of responsibility and even more unwarranted opinions. Demands for a separate space for the kids, lakefront access, an enclosed yard for the pups, all the while still having privacy for the adults is like the Christmas wishlist of the most spoiled kid on the block. And yet, this can miraculously all be found at this huge Lake Texoma rental property.
While the photos of the mint green lakehouse flaunted massive common spaces and room for up to 18 guests, the house itself appeared to be cozy, warm and welcoming from the outside. Texoma Luxury Rentals is home to six different rental properties near Lake Texoma, each holding 12-21 people. Talk about the perfect rental options for a family reunion or friend gathering.
Our criteria though were much more simple than that Christmas wishlist: a firepit and dog-friendly. At the Lakefront at Lake Texoma rental, we had our cake and ate it too. Here’s everything you can expect if you book a stay at this Lake Texoma rental:
Out in the backyard, the fire pit was small but did the job, but hey! There was an outdoor fireplace, too. You best believe we were roasting marshmallows (and overeating) up a storm, as we took in the stillness of the Oklahoma air. In the evening time, we could see the lake reflecting the sunset glow to seal off our lazy days just beautifully. My only issue with the backyard was the big ole’ telephone pole light that was perched in the middle of the yard, but again, probably a good deterrent for the coyotes.
In the mornings, we rotated alone time out on the huge covered porch swing reading and relaxing as we switched our beverages from coffee to beer. I couldn’t help but be reminded of my summers spent up in Connecticut at my grandparent’s log cabin, begging my grandpa to stop swinging and reading the newspaper to play with us. Oh, to understand at last.
When I wasn’t swinging on the porch swing, I took to the tire swing in the backyard - a great touch for family reunions, or for grown adult women named Erica.
For those looking to capitalize on the LAKEFRONT portion of the property, Lake Texoma is a stone’s throw through the backyard, where a path leads you right down to the water. In the wintertime, there’s nothing like the crunching of the leaves and the cool air at sunset. In the summertime, this rental is a prime location for some splashing about in the lake.
Depending on the weather (or the video game lovin’ kids), guests can mosey in and out of the house, getting SUPER comfy on one of the two massive sectionals. Oh wait, but I haven’t mentioned the best part. Along with the five bedrooms in the main portion of the house, the Lakefront rental comes complete with a game room (see: foosball, corn hole, etc.) that is topped with a bunk room that could not be better for quarantining the louder portion of your crew.
I couldn’t help but picture how stoked my cousins and I would have been to have taken ownership over that wing of the lake house, calling dibs on trundle beds and staying up all night, giggling on the private deck.
Book your stay with Texoma Luxury Rentals and be sure to use code ‘EXPLORE’ for 10% off!
It takes time and effort but there’s no doubt that staying in an unbelievable accommodation can bring a trip to the next level. From the hard hitting big cities to rural escapes, these are the top Texas Airbnbs I’ve experienced to date (and the list is only growing).
The cozy Texas town of Coppell came as quite the surprise as it’s often overshadowed by the surrounding urban meccas. Walking into Old Town Coppell with zero expectations meant there was nowhere to go but up. Unbeknownst to me, I quickly realized that this up and coming Texas town should be on your DFW to do list - like ASAP.
The waters of Hurrican Harvey have long since dried, giving you all the more reason to support this Texas city and explore everything it's got to offer. Ready to ball on a budget? I scouted the scene and did the dirty work so that you can hit the streets of Houston running in just two days time:
