Saturday, April 27, 2013

Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park




The Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park actually has 2 locations.  The first is in Johnson City, TX that features the boyhood home of LBJ.  Tours are available every 30 minutes, led by a Park Ranger. On this tour, you'll what it was like growing up here for LBJ and how it led him to a political career.

There is also a walking trail around the Johnson family settlement just off the boyhood home. Stop into the visitors center to pick up a map of the trail.

About 15 miles west, in Stonewall, TX, is the LBJ ranch.  Here, you can take a tour of the "Texas White House" and learn about LBJ's life here during his presidency, as well as the years afterwards.  You'll learn about his family and see some unique items such as his "Air Force One" plane.

At the visitor's center as you enter the ranch, pick up a CD for the driving tour portion of the ranch to learn more about the LBJ ranch and life on the ranch.

Friday, April 26, 2013

DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Austin - University Area





On the cusp of where downtown Austin meets the University of Texas campus, right over Interstate 35, is the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Austin - University Area.  While not ideal for walking to either downtown or the university, it is only a 3 to 5 minute drive to each one, and parking is not much of an issue no matter where you want to go in Austin.  This location made it easy for us to get to wherever we wanted in Austin, but also allowed us to avoid the expensive hotels that are in the central downtown area.

The staff here was quite friendly during our 4 nights and were more than willing to give us as many of their famous cookies as we wanted.  The public areas were always clean.  The bed was quite comfortable and the room was pretty spacious.  Parking was plentiful and free.  The wi-fi was pretty fast for a hotel.  While the wi-fi was given to us complimentary, they do advertise on their site that there is usually a cost associated, so be sure to check this out before you go if wi-fi is important to you.

Thursday, April 25, 2013

Dry Tortugas National Park



Looking for something a little off the beaten path? The Dry Tortugas National Park, a mere 70 miles west of Key West in the middle of the Gulf of Mexico is an excellent place to visit.  One of the least visited National Parks due to its difficult to reach location, this is a great place to spend some time.  There are 3 options for reaching the park.  The first is by private plane, which can be a bit pricey, but is the fastest choice.  The second is by private boat, which is cheaper, but can be pricey if you don't actually own the boat.

The las option which we opted for, was to take a private ferry, the Yankee Freedom III, which makes daily trips and allows you to spend 4 hours on the island.  The trip itself takes about 2 hours, 15 minutes each way, but is well worth it.  You even get breakfast and lunch included, and the boat comes with multiple bathrooms for the passengers.  The seats are comfortable and the crew is pleasant and knowledgeable.

During your time on the island, you can explore the old Fort Jefferson, spend time lounging on two beautiful beaches and go snorkeling (snorkeling gear included in the price of the ferry).  This is definitely worth the trip (and the requirement that you wake up super early in the morning to be there for the 7:30 AM boarding time).

Wednesday, April 24, 2013

Southernmost Point Monument


Purely a tourist attraction, this enormous cement buoy represents the southern most point in the continental United States.  The line during the day to take a photo in front of this "monument" can get long, so it's best to go during non-peak times, such as early in the morning or during dinner time or later. And, try to avoid getting here when a cruise ship has pulled into port, as the line can get even longer than usual. Getting a photo in front of it is pretty neat, but that's basically all there is to do here.

Tuesday, April 23, 2013

Hemingway Home & Museum



Take a house tour and meet the polydactyl (6-toed) cats of the Ernest Hemingway Home in Key West.  In the house, around the grounds and even roaming around the gift shop are these cats, whom Hemingway adored.  In addition to the cats, you can learn about the life of Ernest Hemingway on a house and grounds tour.  It's easy to walk here from the main downtown area of Key West and worth a visit.  Plan on spending about 45 minutes to an hour here.

Monday, April 22, 2013

The Turtle Hospital


Sea turtles are hurt every day by boaters and fishermen, and the Turtle Hospital in Marathon, FL is there to help them out.  Here, they take in injured and sick turtles to rehabilitate them.  After they are ready to be returned to the wild, the staff here makes sure they are returned nearest to where the turtle was found.  However, some turtles are injured so severely enough that they cannot be returned to the wild and are kept at the hospital in an enormous habitat they can live in for the rest of their lives. Injured turtles that cannot be returned to the wild can also be adopted by aquariums across the nation.

During the tour, you'll see the medical facilities as well as the rehabilitation pools.  You'll get to meet various turtles, who all have very affectionate names such as Bubble Butt.  The tour lasts about an hour and the guide we had was very informative.  We'd definitely recommend visiting.  Reservations are recommended, but walks in welcome if tours are not full.  This is an easy place to get to, especially if you're driving from Miami to Key West.

Sunday, April 21, 2013

John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park



One of the best snorkeling locations on the east coast is John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park.  From the visitor's center, you can board a catamaran to be taken out to one of the various snorkeling sites in the park. The site you'll be taken to is dependent on the weather and ocean for the day, so you never know what you might get to see.

You can either bring your own snorkeling equipment, or rent it from the visitor's center, including wet suits.  It takes about 30 to 40 minutes for the boat to get out to the snorkeling site.  Once there, you get about an hour out in the water to see some beautiful coral and sea life.  This is definitely a trip that is worth it and we'd highly recommend visiting when in Key Largo.