Texan Girl, Texas City, TX (2026)

01/10/2026

The Oark General Store in Arkansas is the oldest continuous operation store in the state, open since 1890! This historic spot isn’t just a record holder, it has been a favorite stop for bikers, off-road riders, hikers, hunters, and road trippers for generations. Tucked deep in the Arkansas Ozarks, the store first opened in 1890 and has never closed its doors, still using the original wood floors, walls, and ceiling today. Inside, you’ll find “The Cafe,” where locals and travelers stop for a hot meal, along with cold drinks and ice cream. The store also sells groceries, snacks, camping gear, hunting and fishing licenses, fuel, and other daily needs. It looks just like a small-town general store and gas stop from decades ago, because that’s exactly what it has always been and still is today.

01/10/2026

In Tennessee, you can dine “under the sea” inside a massive aquarium as fish swim above you and all around you! At the Aquarium Restaurant in Nashville, you sit beside a floor-to-ceiling 200,000-gallon saltwater tank filled with more than 100 species, including sharks, rays, moray eels, and shovel-nosed guitarfish. As you watch the fish glide past your table, you choose from seafood favorites, steaks, chicken, pasta dishes like the popular Louisiana Cajun Pasta, fresh salads, and rich desserts. The setting feels calm and fun at the same time, with ocean-themed walls and soft lighting. Families love the Mystic Mermaid shows you can also find here on select dates, while curious guests can also book behind-the-scenes tours led by a biologist. Friendly service, big portions, and the one-of-a-kind aquarium atmosphere make this a memorable Nashville meal for any and all!

01/10/2026

North Carolina’s Toxaway River Swinging Bridge is one of the longest swinging bridges in the state, stretching 225 feet across the Toxaway River inside Gorges State Park. The bridge is part of the Foothills Trail and gives you clear views up and down the river as you cross. Below the bridge, the rocky riverbanks make a great place to step into the water, cool off, or take a short swim during a hike. The bridge was first built in the early 1980s and was fully rebuilt in 2019, making it solid and safe while still giving you that gentle sway people love. Between the river views, easy water access, and a touch of excitement, it’s one of the most memorable swinging bridges in North Carolina.

01/10/2026

One of Alabama's most incredible sights...the massive "bamboo forest" you can walk through inside Wilderness Park in Prattville! Tucked away in this quiet city park is a place that feels totally unexpected for the Southeast. Huge golden bamboo towers rise more than 60 feet high, closing in overhead and forming a cool, shaded walkway that feels like a natural tunnel. A short and easy 0.4-mile loop trail winds right through the bamboo, making it perfect for a slow walk. Along the path, you’ll pass a small pond where turtles often sit on logs soaking up the sun. Benches are placed along the trail, giving you a spot to sit, relax, and enjoy how calm and still it feels. Be sure to look up...the thick bamboo above you is an amazing sight.

01/09/2026

Night-time snow tubing…in the Smoky Mountains…as LED lights light up the tubing lanes as you slide down…does it get any better?! At Ober Mountain’s nightly “Cosmic Tubing”, you can do exactly that! You head up the hill on the Magic Carpet outdoor escalator, grab your tube, and race down groomed lanes glowing with colorful lights and music from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. It’s fast, simple, and open to ages five and up, with no skill needed. During the day, regular snow tubing keeps the fun going under the mountain sky. Winter at Ober Mountain also means ice skating, skiing, snowboarding, scenic rides, and classic mountain attractions, all high above Gatlinburg in the heart of the Smokies.

01/09/2026

One of the Great Smoky Mountains’ most stunning winter drives, the Cherohala Skyway often feels even more special once fall crowds are gone. This 43-mile road runs between Tellico Plains, Tennessee, and Robbinsville, North Carolina, climbing high through the Cherokee and Nantahala National Forests. Finished in 1996 after more than three decades of work, the skyway rises above 5,400 feet, where winter brings bare trees, icy ridgelines, and wide-open views you don’t get in warmer months. Snow-dusted peaks, quiet forests, and long mountain views make the drive feel calm and remote. Pull-offs like Indian Boundary Lake, Turkey Creek Overlook, and Santeetlah Overlook look especially striking after a fresh snowfall. There are no gas stations or reliable cell service along the route, so fill up and plan ahead before starting the drive. In winter, weather can change fast, and parts of the skyway do sometimes close due to snow, ice, or fog, so always check road conditions before heading out.

01/09/2026

The Devil’s Hall in Texas is a striking natural rock staircase that leads to a narrow stone hallway formed by tall canyon walls. While the hallway itself is the main highlight, the walk in through Guadalupe Mountains National Park is just as memorable. The Devil’s Hall Trail is a 3.8-mile round-trip hike that moves through desert mountains with wide views and pockets of trees along the way. As you get closer, the trail turns rocky and you climb a natural stone staircase made from fallen rock. At the top, you enter Devil’s Hall, where sheer rock walls rise high on both sides. You walk straight through the corridor while stepping over large boulders and loose rock along the floor. It feels rugged, wild, and unlike any other hike in the Lone Star State.

01/09/2026

In Georgia you get an up-close look at an old marble mine at James H. Sloppy Floyd State Park! This quiet park in northwest Georgia lets you stand right next to a historic marble mine where a waterfall pours down into a bright blue pool. The park sits in open farm country and along the edge of the Chattahoochee National Forest, giving it a calm, tucked-away feel.

The Marble Mine Trail leads you straight to the mine entrance, where water spills over the rock and drops below. A short boardwalk takes you under a rock overhang and right up to two mine openings. The water in the pool often looks milky blue or light turquoise. The park also has two stocked lakes, including a boardwalk that crosses one lake where you can feed ducks and enjoy the view. There is a small campground and four cottages for visitors who want a quiet, relaxing stay in this often overlooked Georgia park.

01/09/2026

In the mountain town of Cherokee, North Carolina... the "Bamboo Forest of the Great Smoky Mountains" is one of the area’s most surprising finds! It sits inside Oconaluftee Island Park, hidden in plain sight. A narrow dirt path runs through a thick stand of bamboo on a small island in the Oconaluftee River, reached by short footbridges. Tall bamboo stalks stretch close to 40 feet high and crowd in on both sides of the trail, forming a cool, shaded walkway that feels nothing like the surrounding mountains. It looks like something from another place entirely. No one really knows how the bamboo ended up here, which makes the spot even more interesting. The bamboo grows right along the river’s edge, where you can step into the shallow, clear water and slow down to take it all in.

01/09/2026

At West Virginia’s Rail Explorers Elk River Division, you get to pedal a railbike along the old Buffalo Creek & Gauley Railroad. This rail line first opened in 1904 and was used to move coal from the mine at Widen and lumber from the sawmill at Swandale. The full ride is a 12-mile round trip and takes about two hours. Along the way, you pass the Devil’s Sawmill waterfall, tall rock cliffs, and the rebuilt Sand Fork Bridge. The route follows the Elk River through wooded hills where mines once filled the area with jobs and noise, and it really feels like riding through a quiet mining ghost town. The railbikes are custom built and have electric motors that handle most of the effort, making the trip easy and relaxed. About halfway in, you stop along Buffalo Creek to stretch your legs, grab a snack, and enjoy the peaceful setting before turning around and heading back.

01/08/2026

This head stone is in the middle of nowhere Wood county. Mr Coleman died 153 years ago. He was 45 years old. Probably considered an old man in those days. When he was born, Texas was part of Mexico. Probably some the most historic years in Texas history. This guy lived in a wild time.

Texan Girl

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