Masters of RVing Adventures

We choose this stop so we could take a peek at the impressive Gaines empire of HGTV fame, but even more interesting was the overwhelming antiques experience at Round Top.

Day 54 – Monday – Wichita Falls, TX

This campground, full of dog-loving colorful painted fire hydrants, is the embodiment of ‘you can’t judge a book by its cover.’ Prior to arrival, I warned Mark the campground could be rustic with gravel or even grass sites and few amenities. Although obviously an older campground, we were very pleasantly surprised by the extra long sites, and the clean and well-maintained campground. Timber loved the dog walk area with the many colorfully painted yard arts and statues, and the extra large fenced in dog 🐶 run with painted images of every dog character ever appearing in a cartoon! Fellow campers and staff were very friendly. We could have happily stayed more than a single night at Wichita Falls RV Park.

Day 55 / 56 – Tuesday/Wednesday — Waco, TX

Having a 5.5 hour drive into Waco, we left mid-morning to get to Camp Fimfo 🏕️ by early afternoon. While we were pleasantly surprised at the campground in Witchita Falls, we were equally disappointed at the overly hyped resort in Waco. They’ve spent plenty of money on the many amenities, both kid- and adult-friendly, including heated pools and waterpark to kiddy electric Jeeps for an off-road course and a ‘tavern’ for the adults. They appear to have embraced the tiny-house glamping craze at the expense of maintaining the RV sites. Our site was in the long-term section, where we met a nice couple who told us the Camp Fimfo in Braunfels is a much better park.

Overall, with the many activities we wanted to do in Waco, we didn’t spend that much time in the campground

Dogtopia, The Silos, & Spice Village

We began our day taking Timber on a ‘Meet & Greet’ at Dogtopia. He’s in their network because he goes to the location in our hometown. We wanted to let him stay and play the next day due to our planned outing over two hours away. The staff was fantastic and they loved Timber 🥰 so much they said he could stay a few hours. We had some snacks we left behind and took off for an adjusted schedule! The staff at this location is fantastic. They took great care of Timber!

Magnolia Silos

The Silos marketplace was casual, packed with tourists, and quietly displayed Joanna Gaines’ style everywhere, in the Magnolia gift shop, in the bakery, in the turf courtyard, around the food trucks square, and more.

After walking around to take it all in and each eating a cookie from the bakery, we left to continue our sightseeing drive.

Spice Village

Passing the Dr. Pepper Museum, the oldest pedestrian suspension bridge in Texas, the Castle (restored by Chip & Joanna), and the city park & zoo, we came to a building housing Spice Village – a series of independent small business owners renting out ‘booth’ space in a huge upstairs loft of an old factory converted into retail space. It took Mark maybe 20 minutes to view all the displays while I finished two hours later but found some great Christmas gifts! 🎁

Mark had enough shopping 🛍️ , so we picked up a very tired doggie 🐶 and went back to lounge at the campground.

Day 57 – Thursday- Round Top (Blue Hills)

This place is difficult to describe if you’ve never experienced it. And believe me, it is an experience! After dropping Timber off at Dogtopia for a day of playing with new-found canines, we drove over two hours to a town called Round Top. The venue is the town, or the town has become the venue. I’m not exactly sure which is correct. It is a series of barns, fields, and buildings housing rows upon rows, stalls upon stalls of the most lavishly displayed collections of antiques and vintage wares, all for sale.

Blue Hills, our main destination for the day, is contained on 26 acres, has 13 barns, 12 huge tents, and 3 pavilions, not including food trucks and beverage lounges. Some places along this 11-mile antiques trail along the sides of Texas State Highway 237 ​may stay open year-round, but the main vendors open only for designated ‘Market’ days … two weeks in October, 3 days in December and two weeks in March. The Big Red Barn, which is the main attraction and requires tickets, did not open until the day we were leaving Waco (for which Mark was extremely grateful.)

I’ll go ahead and admit a few things up front:

1. I was completely overwhelmed and blown away with the price ranges. I would need to be much more savvy on the specific pieces I was shopping for upon a return visit. (Seeking girlfriends now, so save the date!)
2. There were an enormous amount of English, French and other European antiques, but there were also pieces representing mid-century modern, modern, contemporary, and every thing along the spectrum. There was even a dealer representing cathedral artifacts! If you want lighting, outdoor styles, indoor decorating pieces, vintage clothing, new designs, jewelry, Western wear, cowboy boots, accessories…the list is endless…they have it!
3. Mark and I were conspicuously under dressed. Wearing shorts, t-shirts and tennis shoes was NOT the fashion play for the day. Cowboy boots and hats were on everyone. Ladies were pairing it with prairie dresses, jewelry and other accessories. Gentlemen had on jeans and plaid shirts (some with pearl snap buttons!). Everyone, including us, had a designer cocktail in hand. ‘Market,’ as they call it, is a shopping experience, no doubt; but also, a place to be seen! If Blue Hills was the pre-course to the main Red Barn market days at more than twice the size and dealer “names,” I’m sure you have to be seriously prepared to encounter it!
4. I only purchased one small item less than $20! Seriously, I think I was just too overwhelmed. I loved a lot of items but Mark did not like any of the price tags! 🤪😜

Day 58 – Friday – Travel Day to the Bolivar Peninsula

We left around 9:30 for the 6-hour drive south to a small peninsula that sits just northeast of Galveston. The drive through Houston was taxing and as we arrived on the small island, a wreck had the road closed. The officer directing traffic realized there was no way we could turn the rig around, so he had cars turn around but had us, along with other class A’s, wait for the road to reopen. We arrived at Bolivar RV campground to find the officer closed and no information posted for after-hours check-in. We walked the campground to find our quaint grassy pull-in site facing a small pond. It is a no-frills, barebones campground with few tourists this time of year. We met a lovely older couple in the site beside us and enjoyed getting to know them. They escape the Minnesota winters and enjoy the uncommercialized peninsula.

Day 59/60 – Saturday/Sunday

Crystal beach has one main ‘everything’ store, appropriately named the Big Store … grocery store, gas station, fishing and tackle shop, beach store, hardware store, bank, deli, pizza place, etc., so we went there to restock our groceries and supplies. The nice thing is it’s a one-stop shop where you can also purchase a beach parking permit that allows you to drive and park on the beach, as well as your fishing license.

The free ferry runs 24/7 about every half hour to take you over to Galveston for restaurants, attractions, and what most would call civilized life.

We found a number of lots on the peninsula having structures whereby you park the RV underneath with access to full hookup (water, power, sewer) and have either a small house or huge deck on top. I can see why some consider this an appealing beach spot.

Next Stops

We’ll stay here on Crystal Beach and have a few travels over to Galveston for the week as part of the AIM (All Inclusive Motorhome Club) rally at Camp Margaritaville RV Resort. Then we’ll head to San Antonio and Kerrville.