From Texas to Beyond

Local, Near and Far: Our journey of exploring the world.

Category: Hidden Gems (Page 1 of 9)

local favorites that are off the beaten path. or are not the tourist traps

Downtown Chandler

Chandler, Arizona: A Fun Family Adventure

June 17, 2019 / / 2 Comments

Welcome to Chandler, Arizona!  Chandler is a thriving city in the tech industry located minutes away from the Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport.  While business may take you to Chandler, we recommend bringing the entire family!  There are many fun family activities just waiting for you.  Here are our family’s favorite things to do, see and eat in Chandler.

Family-Friendly Activities:

Chandler puts a huge emphasis on public parks.  Their goal is to have a city park within 1 mile of every house, and they have come close to achieving that goal!  The city is 70 square miles, and they currently operate 63 parks.  Perhaps one of the most popular parks is Playtopia! at Tumbleweed Park.  Check out the gigantic covered playground, and don’t miss the kid’s zipline!  The inner child in you will love Playtopia! too!

Family Fun at Playtopia! at Tumbleweed Park

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Mackinac Island

Mackinac Island: Simpler Times & Family Fun

August 24, 2018 / / 4 Comments

Have you ever imagined a place where life was a little more simple? An escape from the hustle and bustle of the city, the traffic, the noise? A place where you can wander through miles of beautiful walking trails and stroll pristine beaches? Well, we found it:  Mackinac Island, Michigan!

Squeezed between the upper and lower peninsulas of Michigan, Mackinac Island is a step back in time. There are no cars on the Island (save for a few emergency vehicles). Your travel choices include walking, bike or horse. Within a few minutes of stepping out of your hotel room, you are walking on the beach, or several beautiful trails meandering through the woods. But wait, there’s more!

Here is a rundown of some of the things we loved the most about Mackinac Island.

Mackinaw Bridge at Sunset

Mackinaw Bridge at Sunset

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Durrës Albania - The Durrës coastline
The Durrës Coastline

Two Nights in Durrës, Albania

December 23, 2015 / / 0 Comments

Guest Blogger and my good friend, John Seale, took us to Vienna, Austria, after which he left the conventional European vacation behind with destinations in Kosovo and Albania. John is one of my frequent travel partners, from across Texas to the other side of the world (2 trips to Kenya). From Texas to Beyond is excited to bring you his unique perspectives on travel, along with some fascinating locations. Today, we conclude John’s four part series with his trip to Albania.

Albania has more tourism than neighboring Kosovo, but I had the pleasure of seeing it during a short add-on to my time with my wife and sister in Kosovo. Make sure you read my previous post for more information about the region and its history. Because of the common language and good roads, you can easily add a trip to Albania to your visit to Kosovo for a more unique experience! While Albania is a large country with acclaimed beaches and mountain villages, if you only have a short time, I think Durrës is well worth your visit.

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Day Trips from Prishtina - The Gračanica Monastery
The Gračanica Monastery

Why You Should Visit Kosovo: Day Trips from Prishtina

December 10, 2015 / / 0 Comments

Guest Blogger and my good friend John Seale bring us a four part series on his recent journeys, beginning with a brief layover in Vienna, a look at Kosovo’s capital city, and continues today with day trips from Prishtina into the countryside of Kosovo. John is one of my frequent travel partners, from across Texas to the other side of the world (2 trips to Kenya). From Texas to Beyond is excited to bring you his unique perspectives on travel, along with some fascinating locations in Kosovo and Albania.

Prishtina is where you will most likely begin your vacation in Kosovo, but it isn’t where your trip should end. Add some day trips from Prishtina to your itinerary! The rest of the country has plenty to see and do, perhaps even more than the capital city. While Prishtina is a very cosmopolitan city, where the culturally Muslim population looks and behaves much like the rest of Europe, as you get out to the smaller cities you’ll find great diversity.

Kosovo has beautiful sights and wonderful culture. While getting around to these destinations can be challenging (see the previous post), if you make these journeys, you will be rewarded handsomely.

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Ljubljana City Overview - Franciscan Church of the Annunciation on Prešeren Square
Franciscan Church of the Annunciation on Prešeren Square

Ljubljana City Overview: 2 Days in the Old Town

November 19, 2015 / / 0 Comments

Unless you were a straight A student in world geography, you may have never heard of Ljubljana (the “j”s make a “y” sound). While this may be your first time to hear about Ljubljana, it won’t be your last. The capital city of compact Slovenia is on the rise, and will be a top European destination in a few years.

Ljubljana is remarkably easy to include in your European vacation schedule. Slovenia sits at the crossroads of 3 great cultures: Germanic, Italian and Slavic. These three cultures continue to shape the region, especially its cuisine. If you are traveling to Italy (Venice in particular), Vienna or Budapest, Ljubljana is only a short train ride and even shorter plane ride away.

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