PEDERNALES FALLS STATE PARK

Johnson City, TX

http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/state-parks/pedernales-falls

Entrance to the park with Texas Bluebonnets in full bloom.

I have to admit, the name Pedernales "Falls" may have fooled me a bit.  Of course, in my mind I conjured images of a powerful force of water plummeting hundreds of feet over the edge of a dangerous cliff as rainbows danced in its mist.

But, these falls were more like...lazy, trickling cascades that daintily slow danced from one pool to another.  So maybe it didn't quite match up to the scene that played out in my mind, but what lay before my eyes certainly did not disappoint.

Pedernales Falls State Park is located along...you guessed it...the Pedernales River on 5,211 acres in Blanco County east of Johnson City (somewhere between Austin and Fredricksburg to give you a better idea).  And even though the falls may be the main attraction, this park offers numerous opportunities for recreation and relaxation.  Check 'em out!

Pedernales Falls in the fall (on a previous trip)

Hiking Pedernales Falls offers such a unique twist on "hiking".  There's a whole lot of climbing, heaving, scootering and jumping, along with some traditional hiking and it's all fabulous.  Our hike began at an overlook, high above the falls.  

My mom and I overlooking Pedernales Falls.

We then followed a rustic, stone stairway down to the falls.  The real fun began here because there is no actual designated path for hiking and no signs demanding that you stay on the path at all times.  The adventure is in making it up as you go; finding a destination in the distance and then manuevering yourself over and around pools of water and rock formations to get there.  

Blazing a new trail!

My stepdad and the kids exploring.

My sweethearts taking a break and enjoying the view.

Although it appears that these pools of water would be perfect for swimming and beating the Texas heat, unfortunately it is not allowed.  What is fortunate is that down the river a perfect section of river awaits for jumping in and cooling off.  Since we hit a cool spell during our trip in April we didn't get to dip our toes in the water, but we certainly hiked on down to took a look.

It's definitely a small trek getting to the designated swimming area.

Following the trail to the river.

Swimming section of the Pedernales River.

It's a beautiful view!  And it's also a great area for toddlers to wade in or grown-ups to park a lounge chair and veg for as long as needed.  Down the river the water becomes a little deeper for actual swimming.  Although the kids were a little disappointed it wasn't warm enough to take a dip, we still enjoyed skipping stones, balancing on rocks across the river, and spotting fish swimming by.

A few other highlights of our trip:

-an easy, shaded hike to the Twin Falls overlook.  The falls weren't much to speak of, but the hike was wonderful.

-spacious, shaded, close-to-the-restrooms-with-plenty-of-hot-water-in-the-shower, camping site

-Junior Explorer Pack we received upon request for the duration of our visit.  It included such items as: binoculars, compass, several wildlife guides, drawing pad, journal, and crayons.

-bird blind.  There's been a hidden bird-watcher in me all these years and I had no idea.  My 8 year old loved it too; my 5 year old...not so much.

-only a 30-minute drive to Hamilton Pool Nature Preserve

-picture-taking and climbing over the roots of these beautiful Bald Cypress trees

Just one of many Bald Cypress trees lining the river.

Pedernales Falls has absolutely found a spot on our "will return to" list.  Considering we were unable to fully experience the river, we know that a return trip during warming weather is a must in the future.  Any place that offers so many opportunities to explore, hike, and educate, is somewhere I want to be and Pedernales Falls State Park is definitely one of those places.

YOGI BEAR'S JELLYSTONE PARK - FEATURING the WATERPARK

Waller, TX
www.campjellystone.com

As I was finishing up my last post on Jellystone Park with tons of pictures of all the fun things we had done, I realized I was running out of room for the best thing that I had saved for last.  So, instead of adding to an already too-long post, I decided to start a new one, specifically featuring the waterpark at Jellystone park.  And here it is!  (If you missed the original post on the park, you can check it out by clicking HERE.)

I like to think of the waterpark in 4 sections and this is the one in which we spent the most time.  Not only are there these two fun slides, but also 2 straight slides on the backside and a huge dumping bucket up top that pours down to the beach-entry area.  With only 18 inches of water, it was easy for my kiddos to splash down one slide and then high-step it through the water, back up the stairs, and down another slide.  At one point during the afternoon there was a short line at the top of the stairs, but nothing too long.  Never did we feel crowded which I can only say must be due to so many other activities being offered throughout the park that not everyone is in the pool at the same time.  

Gotta love it when they are getting along and having a great time together.

The next section of the waterpark is the pool pictured below.  It's nothing spectacular but offers some deeper water and a basketball net.  We didn't spend much time in here as it was over my 4 yr old's head, but plenty of others were enjoying it.  Around both of these pools there are numerous lounge chairs and a handful of large umbrellas which create a good amount of shade.  We never had trouble finding a seat to dump our stuff before we hit the pool.

The newest addition to the waterpark is the lazy river and toddler area.  This section literally opened just days before we arrived and we were so excited to test it out.  Although it was relaxing, I have to say it is the laziest of all lazy rivers.  I'm not sure if it is suppose to be that way or if the jets to create a current hadn't been activated or what.  But there were times I was wishing I had a paddle.  And it was the only time I've ever been happy to see teenagers being rowdy in the pool as they created a small wave pool that pushed us along a wee bit faster.  On the upside of things, there were plenty of tubes to choose from and my preschooler was relieved that there were a few double tubes with one side having a netting on the bottom so she wouldn't fall through.

Grandma enjoying the lazy river in her "funny" swimsuit, as she calls it.  

I'm just glad she's protecting herself from a chance at getting cancer a 4th time.

Toddler area surrounded by the lazy river.

Check out all those toddlers having the time of their lives at the toddler area!!!  Yeah, I don't see them either and unfortunately that's because this area really isn't very toddler friendly.  My 4 yr old is a pretty cautious little kiddo and I felt so bad when I talked her into trying out the orange slide and then she came shooting out the end, flying over the cushioned landing pad, and sliding down a slick mat that basically acted as a slip and slide on concrete.  She was not happy with me.  Eventually I coaxed her into trying the yellow slide where I could hold her hands and she loved that, but I thought my arms were going to be ripped out of socket while trying to keep her from sliding off into the lazy river (only a slight exaggeration but you get the picture).  Anyhow, this area definitely needs some improvement, but certainly has potential to be a lot of fun.

And now...*drum roll please*...our favorite part of the watermark.  Check out these bad boys behind us!

My kid was being a turd and wouldn't smile for the camera.

There are two really fun rides; first, the yellow and blue slide is the Pine Tree Plunge and second, the red and green 4-man tube slide is the Serpent Water Slide.

We tried the Pine Tree Plunge first.  Or, I should say, I tried the Plunge first.  Everyone else was too chicken, but I knew my 7 yr old was going to love it.  So I put my big girl bikini bottoms on and squealed my head off all the way to the bottom to prove how fun it was. 

I wasn't totally crazy about mangling my pedicure since I forgot to bend my knees and instead dragged my toes all the way down, but I did go a few more times and really had a good time.  As for my 2nd grader, I pretty much had to push her off the top (don't worry, she was saying No but I knew she really meant Yes) and then we couldn't get her off this thing for the next 2 days.  

 Here she is racing Grandpa to the bottom.

This is one of those rides that is loved by all ages.  We saw kids as young as 4 (as long as they are 42 inches tall) giggling their way down this slide, as well as grown men totally loving it as they lifted their mat after coming off the second hump in order to catch some serious air.  It was pretty cool!

The Serpent was a slightly more mild ride, but still full of great family fun.  There was virtually no wait for this ride...but I'm pretty sure I know why...

...there's only one way up...

...with this tube on your back.

Carrying this 4-person tube up 5 long flights of stairs nearly put Grandpa into cardiac arrest.  

And if you think he looks tired, you should have seen me and my mom trying to carry this bad boy.  We were so pathetic that the lifeguard actually ran down 2 flights of stairs, stating that we looked like we needed a little help, and then single-handedly muscled it up the rest of the stairs for us.  Moral of the story...bring some muscles with you for this ride and then expect to thank them immensely 'cause it's quite a trek (or look completely helpless and pathetic and hope some fine gentleman gives you some help, but don't count on it).

And then...

 ...enjoy the ride!

And that sums up the waterpark at Jellystone.  

But, there is one more water-filled fun activity to share with you.  And that's the Wet-n-Wild Hey Wagon.  A few days a week, a tractor-drawn wagon arrives outside the activity center to take guests on a ride just as the name implies...Wet-n-Wild!  Guests are encouraged to load up their favorite, high-capacity water gun and join them for a ride around the property.  Campers that remain at their campsites are also encouraged to participate by hooking up their garden hoses to a water source and then taking aim at the wagon riders.  Craziness ensues from there.

Armed and ready.

Soaked from head to toe after the ride. 

The water fun even continued once we got back to our site.

My kiddo had a blast on the Wet-nWild ride.  She was ready to reload and go again!  Grandpa, on the other hand, had his fill of fun and was ready to hit the sack for a nap.

After two days of water-logged fun at Jellystone my kids were begging to return even before we pulled Molly the Motorhome out of the park.  With a location in such close proximity to our home and such affordable prices, we are sure to be back real soon.

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What is your favorite, most affordable vacation?  

YOGI BEAR'S JELLYSTONE PARK

Waller, TX
www.campjellystone.com

I have officially reached the age where my body has decided that it does not like to camp.  No questions about it.  No more back-aching sleepless nights on the ground for me.  And absolutely NO tip-toeing into the darkness when nature calls.

Buuuuut, if you want to call "sleeping in a motorhome with running water, A/C, and a cushy bed" CAMPING...then I'm all in!

So, a few weeks ago, my kiddos and I got the treat of spending two nights at Jellystone Park with my mom and stepdad in their motorhome.  It was all the joys of camping...without really camping.

Our humble abode for two nights.
Inside...

...and out.

WHAT IS YOGI BEAR'S JELLYSTONE PARK?

It is a franchise network of campgrounds with approx. 75 locations throughout the US.  Check out all of their locations HERE.  Their goal is to provide great family vacations for all ages while offering comfortable accommodations and lots of fun activities, all the while being easy on the wallet.  Score! What I think is really great is that Jellystone isn't solely for RV enthusiasts or crazy tent-camping folks, but also offers cabins if that's a little more your style.

Considering this was my very first time on a trip in the motorhome, I can't really compare this park to any others.  But what I can do, is tell you all about the fun we had at Jellystone (because frankly, they're website stinks and doesn't tell you about all the fun stuff so I told them about it and they even agreed).


HOW WE PASSED THE TIME AT JELLYSTONE PARK:

While grandpa was hooking up the motorhome after our arrival, we simply went on a little tour of the property to see what all they had to offer.  OK, basically I was trying to keep my kids out of his hair so that he made sure not to mix up the sewage line with the fresh water line (if that's even possible but I didn't want to take any chances).  And, my planned worked great!  He set it all up perfectly and we were able to get a couple of fun photos in and even stopped in at the arcade.  The arcade was a cool place to beat the heat but a little disappointing as several of the games were out of order.  My kids came out of there though with 6 bouncy balls and a pocket full of candy for 3 bucks a piece so it was awesome in their eyes.

My mother photo-bombed her own grandchildren!  

Can you see her in Yogi's armpit?

Every morning at 9am Yogi Bear arrived at the flagpole to say the pledge of allegiance with his fellow campers.  Of course the pledge only lasts a few short seconds but it was a great way to get my kids up-and-at-'em in the morning.  

My oldest even got Yogi's signature.

(She must still be scarred from Disney when we didn't get one character signature.)

After visiting Yogi, when the Texas sun hadn't quite hit scorching temps, it was a great time to play a little mini-golf.  The course was surprisingly well-maintained and included some fun obstacles.  We played both mornings and we all left with our teeth intact despite my 4 year old wielding a bone-crushing iron club for 18 holes.  

She was pretty serious about her game, but allowed me to take this one picture.

Next up was the train ride.  It was brightly colored and choo-chooed and I'm sure all the toddlers loved it, but it was just a tour of the park for us.  And even though I nearly fell asleep, I am glad I took a ride because I was able to see just how big this park really is.  After that I realized why so many folks had rented golf carts from the park in order to get around.  Thankfully we had picked our site to be right in the heart of the action so there was no need for transportation.  Next time though, I'll be sure to pack my kiddos bikes as there was ample room to cruise around.

Another fun activity that my kids enjoyed was this awesome climbing structure.  It's kind-of like an McDonalds playground, but way better.  

Although that looks like my dad at the door, it's not.  

And those are someone else's bratty kids delightful children. 

Zipline!

 Hanging rings!

Super slide!

When the weather just didn't allow for us to be outside any longer, we took advantage of the activity center.  Here we found free coloring pages, board games to play, and crafts for sale.  Although there may have been more, the crafts we saw were ceramics to be painted and t-shirts to be colored.  While we were there, the new and improved activity center was under construction and it looked to be nearly twice as big.  Gonna be some good (crafty) times going on in there real soon!

With quite a selection, they had a hard time making a decision on which bear to paint. 

But once they did, they were happy little painters!

So what do you think?!  There's some fun things to do at Jellystone park, right?  And I haven't even listed them all.  Check out just a few of the other things I wasn't able to snap a picture of...

-karaoke (kids were on stage singing their hearts out and my ear drums were about ready to POP out)

-ice cream social

-fishing pond

-basketball court

-outdoor movie every night (don't forget your popcorn!)

-water park    

HOLD THE PHONE!  Did I just say WATERPARK?!!  You can bet your little bikini I just did.  Buuuuut, this post has gotten so long that I am going to tell you all about it in another post.  You can check out that post right HERE.  

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Overall experience: The kids and I (and I believe I can speak for the senior citizens too that were with us) had a really great time.  We definitely want to go back, but maybe during a month that isn't quite as hot as July.  We've heard October is a ton of fun as this park loves Halloween.

Before arriving, I had read a few reviews where people stated this park was dirty.  Let's remember, this is "camping".  It's not a Hilton resort so there will be dirt, the bathrooms won't be spotless, and a popsicle wrapper may occasionally be floating in the pool.  And even though we experienced all of those things, it didn't bother us one bit and we'll be sure to return real soon.

HAVE YOU BEEN TO A YOGI BEAR PARK?  

TELL US YOUR FAVORITE PART!

This post has been linked up to the Best of the USA blog hop.