Every summer our family looks forward to loading up the car and heading out to what we would consider the ultimate Texas road trip destination. For 16 years we’ve been making the trek to the Texas Hill Country and floating the Frio River with friends. This trip started out with a bunch of our friends from college and over the years it has morphed into the ultimate family vacation with lifelong friends, where extraordinary memories are made.
In my opinion the Texas Hill Country is arguably one of the most beautiful regions of Texas. With it’s green hills and rolling rivers it’s a stark contrast to to most of the state’s flat and arid landscapes, and definitely a far cry from the concrete jungle we are surrounded by in Dallas. Filled with lots of jaw-dropping natural wonders and hidden gems the Hill Country is the perfect destination for a quick, easy and fun family-friendly summer getaway. This summer I had the privilege of teaming up with Chevrolet and driving the 2018 Traverse Premier to the Frio River for our annual road trip.
The 2018 Chevrolet Traverse is completely redesigned and built with style and purpose in mind. I was initially worried about whether or not it would have adequate storage for our trip, but quickly discovered it has lots of cargo space and convenience features that make loading and unloading a breeze. Once we had all of our luggage loaded up it was time to hit the road. The Traverse easily passed the comfort test with lots of room from both people and luggage, as well as the mom test with plenty of cup holders and storage!
The Traverse is not only loaded with new safety technologies, it comes equipped with features that allow you to stay connected on the road, which game in handy when Piper realized she was going to be missing the World Cup soccer game with her favorite player. Equipped with 4G LTE Wi-Fi availability we were able to connect up to 7 devices at once, so everyone could stay entertained on our 7 hour journey. From watching soccer games and movies to reading books and even answering a few emails everyone loved this feature.
Life moves so quickly, until you cross the river for the first time. Once you drive over the river crossing at Seven Bluffs all the cares in the world just seem to slip away. When you are at the river adventure awaits, laughter cures all and memories are made.
The Frio River is a slow moving river with crisp, cold, crystal-clear water. Depending on the year and the amount of rainfall, it can be a long lazy float down the Frio or a relaxing day spent on the riverside of Neal’s swimming hole. Now matter how you spend your time at the Frio it will most definitely be a day of relaxing, laughing and quality family time.
Unfortunately, due to a lack of rain this year the river was running very low. So much so that it wasn’t worth trying to float, much to our kids disappointment. But, we made the best of it by setting up our canopy on the riverside of Neal’s swimming hole were we shifted between skipping rocks, fishing and jumping from the big rocks into pockets of cool, deep water.
The Frio River is a well-loved Texas summer destination, and somewhat of a hidden gem. If you are planning a trip to #findnewroads and enjoy the sights, scenery and quality family time in this picturesque region of Texas here are a few tips to know before you go:
- Bring Water Shoes: The Frio River has a rocky bottom and flip flops are not ideal. Trust me, buy the water shoes!
- Rent Your Tube & Take the Shuttle from Andy’s: We have been renting our tubes and riding the “Cool” bus from Andy’s on River Road for 16 years. It’s so much easier than hauling and storing tubes year after year.
- BYOB: Concan and surrounding counties are “dry”, so pick up your favorite adult drinks beforehand.
- Protect Your Skin: Bring LOTS of sunscreen and use it often. When you float the river you’ll be out in the hot Texas sun for several hours, nothing brings a fun vacation to a halt like a sunburn.
- Take Fishing Nets: Whether we are floating down the river or hanging out riverside the kids always have fun catching fish in the river. Don’t worry, they are usually just tiny little minnows.
- Get There Early and Claim Your Spot: If you plan to hang out riverside at Neal’s make sure you get their early and claim your spot. Don’t forget a canopy, chairs, coolers and food so you can spend the entire day relaxing in the water.
- Check Out the Local Hot Spots: If you are staying in Concan make sure you take a trip to the Frio’s Dry Fifty for souvenirs and plan a night of dancing at the House Pasture or Jimmy Joe’s.
- Look Up: The stars at night are spectacular.
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