This past weekend, I traveled to Texas for the first time. It was a trip of a lifetime because it was my first time traveling completely by myself and my first impression of Texas. Overall, I had the best time and learned so much. Below, I share my thoughts on some of the amazing attractions I visited!
Waco Excursions
I found many of the actual residents and the landscape of Texas to be warming and inviting — unlike the restrictive laws Texas voted for. I got to visit both rural towns and cities by staying in Waco and Austin. Waco is a college town with lively students out and about all weekend. I visited the Magnolia Silos the first day and it was the most charming little outdoor area. There were multiple vendors in the outdoor area along with their shops and home store, making it the perfect relaxing outing. The only downside was that Chip and Joanna Gaines were nowhere to be seen.
Then, I toured the Dr. Pepper Museum which made my Dr. Pepper fangirl heart very happy. The museum was filled with unique vintage bottles, signs, and caps that made it interesting, even for the not-so-diehard fans of the soda. As if that was not enough, that same day we went shopping in the little centers around Waco which all were very quaint and contained numerous cowboy boots and cow patterns. I ended the first day country line dancing. I would recommend everyone to at least give it a shot if you are in the South. It was a super fun atmosphere of everyone doing their best to follow along to the moves for various songs, not even just country. It was also really cool to learn about this new style of dance.
My next day in Waco was a lot more chill with simply walking around and taking in the fresh air. I ended the night by going to one of the many outdoor entertainment areas with strung-up fairy lights that were stunning. It was definitely different to be able to sit outside without a long-sleeve top on — without freezing — but the atmosphere and music were super fun and made for an enjoyable night out.
Austin & My Festival Experience
Finally, I ended my trip at the Austin City Limits Music Festival. I had always heard music lovers say that going to a festival at least once should be on your bucket list, and I get it now. There were local vendors for both food and clothing stationed up along with adorable ACL signs to get a cute photo-op at, which I of course had to take advantage of. The highlight of the entire trip was that I got to see Niall Horan and Hozier, two artists I have wanted to see for years. They both killed it on the stage and brought such an infectiously fun energy. This combined with the energy of the crowd was unmatched, with everyone screaming at the top of their lungs every lyric. This vibe made it so easy to forget about the harsh sun and wind and just enjoy the performances.
conclusion
I would have to say that though I was only there for three days, Texas showed me so much. Traveling by myself for the first time also made me more confident and keener on traveling in the future. The memories from the trip will last a lifetime and were absolutely a core memory for me — learning about a new culture that, as a Northeastern girl, I was unaware of before.