Dreaming of a Trip to Texas

There’s been a lot of Texas talk on my website lately since my podcast partner Phil has been going on and on about all the amazing food he ate when he went to Austin. Indeed, he and his wife go to Texas just so that they can eat their way through the local food scene, which to me is a pretty awesome idea. So I’ve been hearing nothing from him but barbeque, restaurants opened by Top Chef winners and of course, beautiful weather!

I’ve been to Texas once, fleetingly before I caught a cruise out of Galveston. We stayed overnight in Houston before we left and it was a tease. I was taunted by all the amazing things to see and do, to eat and experience and knew that one day, I was coming back for a longer stay.

Needless to say, when the chance came up to work with Texas Tourism and write about my dream Texas vacation, I started dreaming!

And I like to dream big, just like the Lone Star State.

To start my planning, I went to the Texas Tourism website to check out everything they have on there to help you plan your dream Texas vacation. Now, you all know that I do a lot of travelling (understatement of the year) so I have looked at a lot of websites while trying to plan our trips. I am really impressed with how well this website is put together. You can download their Free Texas Travel Guide and also sign up for their newsletter to help you make those plans. Their interactive passport is fun and allows you to plan your trip easily and customize it to your liking.

So now, you guys, here’s something really important to me. You can help me win a trip for two to the Lone Star State in the Texas Photo Roundup Contest!

I am so darn thrilled! Vote for me, if you feel that my photos represent your ideal vacation in Texas. By voting for me, you are also entered to win a chance for a $1000 prize! The participant with the highest number of votes will win a trip for 2 to Texas this spring 2015 and one lucky audience voter will randomly be selected to win the cash prize!

I would love to win this trip and oh my word, if one of you could win that cash prize? Eeeek! How exciting would that be?

You can vote once per day for me and the contest ends March 24^th, 2015 at 11:59 PM EST. It’s open to Canadian residents only (excluding Quebec). See the exact full contest terms and conditions below.

So after perusing a ton of photos, I have chosen my top four that I think represent my dream trip to Texas. I honestly took far too long hemming and hawing over what to choose, but I finally have narrowed it down to the perfect family vacation.

My choice for what I would want to do is the Grapevine’s Grapefest, which shouldn’t surprise any of you.  Wine tastings? Yes please!

WILL VAN OVERBEEK /TXDOT

For those kids of mine, it would have to be the Texas State Fair. Oh, I looked at pictures of the Texas Zoo and the Texas State Aquarium, but I knew that for my twerps their top choice would be the State Fair. I also have to admit, I’ve watched too many movies and one day I would love to attend an American State Fair, just to see what it’s like. I want to go and eat State Fair food, go on rides and just see what it’s all about.

MICHAEL AMADOR/TXDOT

 

I’m going to be sneaky and try to pass this choice off as Mike’s, but it’s really for both him and I. We are avid fisherman, as you all know, and we would love to learn how to fly fish. As soon as I saw this picture, I knew that it was what Mike would want to do above all else in Texas. Texas is so diverse, with seven geographic regions with different landscapes such as beaches, forests, rolling hills and canyons. It’s pretty amazing that we can get active and fly fish/kayak/hike/rock climb one day and travel to the beach to relax the next! Speaking of the beach…..

GRIFFIS SMITH/TXDOT

 Last but not least, the beach. There’s something about the ocean that calls to my soul and living landlocked where I do, I love visiting the beach as often as I can. Texas has over 600 miles of coastline and fabulous beaches, so off to the beach I would go!

KEVIN STILLMAN/TXDOT

And there we have it, my dream trip to Texas!

I would love it if you can all vote for me and help a gal out! Can you send me to Texas, pretty please? I promise you that you can pack your virtual suitcases again! I’ll be tweeting, writing and sharing pictures as per usual and taking you along virtually with me!

If I throw in some Texas sunrise and sunset pictures as a bribe, is your vote a done deal? I know you guys love them!

Thanks you guys and good luck to you…and to me! Let’s win this!

Love you more than travel,

Karlynn

Although this post has been generously sponsored by Texas Tourism, the opinions and language are my own, and in no way do they reflect Texas Tourism.