Day tripping delights
Get your holiday cheer in gear at these four festive Texas spots, as recommendedby PBS' The Daytripper
The Lufkin rudolph pumpjackPhoto by Dave Shafer
Cut your own tree!
Santa's Wonderland near College StationPhoto via Santa's Wonderland/Facebook
Not feeling much of winter wonderland here in Houston? Wreathed palm trees and big-bowed shopping centers just not doing it for you? Well, help is here. We teamed up with Chet Garner, host of Emmy award-winning PBS program The Daytripper, to recommend five driving-distance stops that'll put you straight in the spirit:
Santa's Wonderland — Located just outside of College Station, Santa's Wonderland, open rain or shine through Dec. 30, includes hayrides, horse and carriage tours or a simple family drive-through of more than a mile of Christmas lights. The path culminates at Santa's Town, where guests can shop and eat around a campfire while listening to live music. Prices and availability of tours vary. Visit the website for more info.
Cut down your own Christmas tree — Why not get out of the cityscape and choose and cut your own Christmas tree this year? Both High Star Christmas Trees, in Hockley, and Old Time Christmas Tree Farm, in Spring, allow families to choose and cut their own trees, as well as select other sweet-smelling home decor like wreaths and boughs. Bring the kids and indulge them in wagon and hayrides and a visit with Santa after putting in some good old fashioned elbow grease.
The Lufkin Rudolph — Lufkin Industries has been painting one of its pumpkacks to resemble Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer for nigh on 45 years. The 45-foot painted and fully-lit pumping unit is still operational and covered with more than 1,000 lights during the holiday season. Rudolph also pulls a "sleigh" crafted from a lighted trailer that carries Santa and a bevy of presents in the Lufkin Mall parking lot.
Play in the faux snow — Galveston's Moody Gardens has a snow zone for the kids accessible with the purchase of a ticket to the resort's famous Festival of Lights, which includes an animated display of more than 1 million lights set to music. The Gaylord hotel in Grapevine, Texas also features 2 million pounds of ice crafted into ice sculptures, a life-size gingerbread house and a 52-foot rotating tree. This year's theme is "Shrek the Halls," with characters from the hit film created by ice-carving artisans from around the world.
