Two weeks. Just 2 weeks until school starts. Have you done anything special with the kiddos this summer? If so, comment here & let me know, share it with the rest of us.
If you haven't, there's still time. And it doesn't have to be an expensive, far-away vacation. There are tons of fun inexpensive day-trips in the area.
There's a great super-playground in Memphis - yes, Memphis, Texas. A short 1 1/2 hour drive down 287 south. It's at the city park, a huge wooden monstrosity. My kids loved it. Ok, it's not that huge, but to little ones, it's pretty gosh darn big. FREE
Or, swing into New Mexico and visit a dormant volcano and actual real-life dinosaur tracks. A little longer of a drive (about 3 hours each way) but still a one day trip, drive up 87 north past Boys Ranch, Dalhart, and through Clayton, New Mexico. But don't blink or you'll miss the little speck of town that the volcano is in, Capulin.
There's a visitor/interpretive center at the base where you can pick up information. Then a parking area about 1/2 way up from where you can head down to the volcano floor and/or hike up to the rim. Warning - that's quite a struggle if you're not in shape - I'm embarrassed to say that my kids went on up without me - I'm sure it was the higher altitude that did me in! FREE
Then as you head back home, stop at Clayton Lake State Park. A large lovely lake, there is also a very educational visitor/interpretive center. On our visit, a park ranger visited with us and regaled the kids with stories of bears that had recently been sighted in the area. There's a short trek out to the dinosaur tracks observation deck - totally worth it - well, at least for nerds like me! FREE
Many times, we'd simply head down the road to Palo Duro Canyon. Of course it was more fun when the Sad Monkey Railroad was in operation, but there's still fun to be had without it. We'd hike and climb for hours. The most fun was cave-exploring! Just be sure to keep to the trails, I have heard of folks getting lost. $5/person, but children under 12 are free. Overnight camping is just $12-$25 per sight!
So, take a day off from work, pack a cooler with sandwiches and water, a backpack of granola bars & beef jerky and have some end-of-summer fun. You can create some great memories for just the price of a tank of gas.
Report back here with your experiences, or add your own suggestions!
