Camping for Christmas

Texas parks beckon with festive events and outdoorsy escapes through the holidays

Deck the tent with boughs of holly.

Photo courtesy of Texas Parks & Wildlife

If fa-la-la-ing in forest and caroling around a campfire sound way better than battling crowds at a mall or facing "out of stock" icons online, maybe you need to gift yourself an outdoorsy getaway.

State parks around Texas have packed the holiday season with special events — specifically, 80 events at 47 parks and eight historic sites — from Christmas light boat tours to New Year's Eve hikes in the dark. Most events are family friendly, but some sound ideal for solo adventurers who might want to pack a tent and escape to the woods for a night or two (tipping our cap to you, retail workers).

Reservations fill up quickly, so be sure to visit an individual park's website before you head out. And check the Holidays in the Parks page for many more fun options, pricing information, and more information.

Houston-area parks

Brazos Bend State Park
Holiday in the Park is an all-day affair on December 11. Events include a self-guided "Elf Hike," Christmas crafts, "Pup Parade," s'mores, and more.

Goliad State Park & Historic Site
Every night in December, visit the “History in Lights” exhibit and experience how lights and shadows tell the story of the historic site by walking the same path taken by Native Americans and Spanish Franciscan priests so long ago.

Sea Rim State Park
Santa and Mrs. Claus will ride in on an airboat, then invite visitors to join them for hot cocoa, Christmas crafts, and photo opportunities as part of A Very Marshy Christmas, 3-5 pm December 18.

Dallas-Fort Worth-area parks

Tyler State Park
Head out December 10-11 for A Pineywoods Christmas, when you can stroll or drive through the Lakeview and Big Pine campgrounds to take in campers' elaborately decorated sites and take a Nature Wonderland Hike.

Lake Tawakoni State Park
Drive through or stay there and decorate your campsite with your favorite Christmas decorations to receive your second night of camping free during your stay. There will be a decorating contest, complete with awards, as well as a reading of The Night before Christmas — all part of Twinkle Tour 2021, 5-8 pm December 4.

Daingerfield State Park
The annual Christmas in the Park drive-thru lights tour takes place December 15-18 (times vary). Take a drive through the park lit up like Santa Land and marvel at the decorated campsites and lights. Santa himself will be there, but there'll be no picture-taking with him this year.

Eisenhower State Park
The second annual Light Up the Park drive-thru lights event takes place December 10-11 and will feature candy canes and DIY treats for the kiddos and a certain visitor from the North Pole.

Cleburne State Park
Enjoy a Pancake Breakfast with Santa, hosted by Cleburne Veterans of Foreign Wars, 9-11 am December 11.

Cedar Hill State Park
Explore Christmas at Penn Farm on December 11: Learn about the history and pioneers the Penn Family and the farm they built 150 years ago. The event will conclude with an evening of caroling around a campfire with sweet treats and hot chocolate.

Lake Mineral Wells State Park
Experience Christmas, cowboy style, at Cross Timbers Cowboy Christmas, December 11. Park ranger and cowboy poet David Owens will gather guests around the campfire for an evening of cowboy culture through songs, stories, and poems. It'll be held at the Lone Star Amphitheater.

Dinosaur Valley State Park
As a little twist on the New Year's Day "First Day" hikes that many parks host, Dinosaur Valley is doing a First Day Midnight Countdown Hike on New Year's Eve. The group will hike (in the dark) to the scenic overlook in the park and ring in the new year outdoors. It takes place 11 pm-1 am.

Austin/San Antonio-area parks

Buescher State Park
On the Fa La La in the Forest Scavenger Hunt, you can follow the ornaments with clues through the park to secure a prize at the end, December 1-January 1.

Enchanted Rock State Natural Area
Christmas in the Park, 10 am-1 pm December 5, brings a holiday-themed scavenger hunt, as well as a chance to create a holiday greeting card to send to family, friends, or someone in need. Return for Campfire Carols, 6-7 pm December 11, which includes hot cocoa, stories and music with park rangers.

Hill Country State Natural Area
Play games, make festive crafts, listen to a Christmas story, and learn about the Hill Country at Holiday in the Hill Country, 1-4 pm December 11.

South Llano River State Park
At Christmas at the Ranch, 2-5 pm December 4, guests can warm up with hot chocolate and cider, listen to live entertainment, enjoy crafts and cookie decorating, and anticipate Santa's visit while taking in the twinkling lights and Christmas decorations at the historic Ranch House that now serves as Park Headquarters.

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REVIVING THE ALAMO

Texas landmark the Alamo reclaims historic cannon from private ownership

Photo by Gower Brown/ Unsplash

A 90-pound cannon used in the Battle of the Alamo is returning to its San Antonio home.

It turns out the Alamo's original 1836 cannons are good for more than just defense — they also make a sturdy birdbath. After serving as a garden ornament for Samuel Maverick’s descendants, an authentic piece of San Antonio history is finally returning home to the revered mission.

According to an Alamo announcement, the swivel cannon weighs 90 pounds and is approximately three feet long. The relic was originally found in 1852 when Maverick built a home near the northwest corner of the battle’s site.

The lawyer and land baron was saved from death when he was urged by William Barret Travis to ride to the Texas Declaration of Independence convention in Washington-on-the-Brazos to send reinforcements. Returning to the Alamo’s grounds, he found a cache of cannons buried where the Hotel Gibbs sits today.

From there, the cannon wound up at the Maverick family’s Sunshine Ranch on the Northwest Side, where it was eventually incorporated into the garden DIY project. In 1955, the cannon was removed from the ranch, and the current location remained a mystery until the Alamo received a call from a Maverick relative in Corpus Christi.

Alamo cannon This Alamo artifact gives an idea of what the cannon will look like once restoration is complete.Photo courtesy of the Alamo.

“The relative graciously donated the cannon to the Alamo,” wrote a rep from the mission. “Alamo Senior Researcher and Historian Kolby Lanham and Head Conservator Pam Jary Rosser drove down the very next day to take this piece of history home to the Alamo.”

Although the artillery is mostly intact, it is missing its trunnions (the pivot-point protrusions on the sides of the barrel) and cascabel (the knob and neck assembly at the rear of historic muzzle-loading cannons). The parts were removed by the Mexican army to make the cannon inoperable.

Once preservation is complete, this cannon and the Alamo Collection’s other battle cannons will make their way to the upcoming Visitor Center and Museum, where they will be joined by rocker Phil Collins' collection of Alamo artifacts. The Alamo is in the midst of a $550 million preservation project, which includes conserving the Alamo Church, Long Barrack, and the mission’s original footprint. The museum is on track to debut in late 2027.

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