What should I do (by myself, possibly with two dogs) for Thanksgiving within a couple hundred miles of Houston, TX?

November 18, 2009 9:49 AM

What should I do (by myself, possibly with two dogs) for Thanksgiving within a couple hundred miles of Houston, TX?

I'm going to be alone for the first time on Thanksgiving. I have offers from friends to spend the holiday with them and their families, but I'm actually kind of excited about spending it on my own and taking some much needed time to clear my head.

I'd like to do something adventurous but there are a couple snags. 1) I'm 28, female, and not well-versed in the outdoors, so I need to make sure I don't get in over my head. 2) I have two pugs who I'd like to take with me but who I can board if necessary.

Camping probably isn't a great idea since, as I said, I'll be alone, and I just don't have the equipment for it. But I would like to take my mountain bike with me and use it if possible.

As for food, I'll probably cook for myself and pack everything in a cooler.

Any ideas and suggestions are welcome!

posted by junipero to Travel & Transportation (4 answers total)

Bastrop State Park? Wander through the lost pines, see some old CCC buildings, 12-mile bike trail, etc.
posted by mattbucher at 9:58 AM on November 18, 2009 [1 favorite]

Thanksgiving and other major holidays are neat because you can see things in the daytime that usually have tons of people, with virtually no people. Is there any place like that in houston that you'd like to see? I'd imagine the downtown will be pretty empty that day- it be a great way to get to know downtown on your bike without having to deal with hardly any traffic. Or Bastrop, it's nice too.
posted by bigmusic at 12:12 PM on November 18, 2009

Enchanted Rock is over 200 miles, but nearby Fredericksburg has lots of lodging.

Sam Houston National Forest is a day trip from Houston proper and has loads of trails, including off-road biking (that shares trails with ATVs and other motorized vehicles). It's not quite as "user friendly" as Enchanted Rock, or other state parks, but scenic nonetheless.

Tyler State Park has some really nice off-road bike trails.

If you do venture out to a state park (or elsewhere, for that matter) do consider that Thanksgiving weekend is a big deer hunting weekend. Not that you should fear for safety, just that some spots might be popular with the hunters. Texas Parks and Wildlife will help your recon before you go.
posted by GPF at 11:04 PM on November 18, 2009

Second on the Bastrop idea, but if you have the money, the Hyatt Lost Pines Resort in Batsrop, is a wonderful place. They have many optional quasi-social activities, like smores around the fire pit from 7-9 each night, organized games, etc. that you can opt into based on your desire for interaction, plenty of oppotunity to enjoy the outdoors in various ways that are still safe, and lots of activities, both free (disc golf, waterpark, cycling) and for extra money (horseback riding, golf, full spa.)

Being a Dad, I was there with my large family and we had a blast. But I saw there was adequate night life with social lubricants in fancy glasses for the adult set too.

We're going back for their New Year's Package. Definitely recommend, but as a bit of a treat/splurge.
posted by cross_impact at 12:21 PM on November 19, 2009