Day Trips: Four Favorites: Looking back at decades of “Day Trips” for the Chronicle’s 40th – Columns

By Editor On Sep 2, 2021

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The first column, “Day Trips”, appeared in the Austin Chronicle on April 12, 1991. Of the 1,564 people, places, and things I’ve written about over the past 30 years, I keep visiting them.

Photos by Gerald E. McLeod

Texas SandFest, Port Aransas (# 1,184, April 11, 2014). Port Aransas recovered better than ever after Hurricane Harvey. New restaurants appeared, old favorites returned, and some disappeared. There is still a lot to do on the island besides the beach and SandFest is one of my favorites. It’s just amazing to watch the sculptors create their art. This year’s sand castle festival will take place from 15.-17. October.

Walburg German Restaurant, Walburg (No. 103, April 9, 1993). This eatery north of Georgetown was an early favorite where I often took friends and visitors with me. Dancing to the Walburg Boys in the beer garden is a tradition.

Marfa Lights, Marfa (No. 297, August 30, 1996). I swear I saw the Mystery Lights on one of my first trips to West Texas. On later trips, the holes of light on the dark horizon did not show, but I still believe in them. I also believe in all of the fun things to do in Marfa, Alpine, Fort Davis, and Big Bend Country.

Regency Bridge, San Saba (# 664, March 5, 2004). It’s a little unsettling to walk over the single-lane bridge over the Colorado River and feel the gentle sway of the boards under your feet. The last suspension bridge open to vehicle traffic in Texas was built in 1939 and has been closed for various reasons. It reopened in May last year.

There you have it: four of my favorite things that are uniquely Texan.

1,565. in a row. Follow the travel blog “Day Trips & Beyond” at austinchronicle.com/daily/travel.

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