Camp Warnecke C-111

371 East Lincoln Street in New Braunfels, TX, is home to a fantastic vacation rental built for families.  C-111 at Camp Warnecke is a 3 bedroom, 2 bathroom nestled between Schlitterbahn and the Comal river.  I had the opportunity to spend the night in this newly decorated condo.

 

This vacation home is perfect for a family that needs some extra space or two families wanting to share the cost of this ideal property.  With three bedrooms and a sleeper sofa, this spacious unit sleeps 8.  Add to that the full kitchen, private complex pool, and private river access, and C-111 has everything you need for time on the river or days at Schlitterbahn.

 

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A Week in San Antonio - Days 4 & 5

We spent the last two days in New Braunfels.  New Braunfels is a small German town that offers a multitude of family activities.  Earlier in the week, we checked out Natural Bridge Caverns.  We have ventured through Natural Bridge Wildlife Safari previously.  We have even conquered the new and old sides of Schlitterbahn.  This trip, our quest was the Comal River.

Floating the river is a Texas favorite.  Just you, your friends and family, your cooler, and tubes.  New
Braunfels offers two rivers to float, the Comal and Guadalupe rivers.  In my opinion, the Comal is a much more family friendly river.  The float can be up to two hours, depending on where you drop in.  Your journey takes you along side the older portion of Schlitterbahn.  If you prefer a longer float, you will want to  drop in at the city tube chute.  Since we had little ones with us, we decided for a shorter float and dropped in at a public access point just on the edge of the newer portion of Schlitterbahn.

With little guys, I highly recommend a tube with a bottom.  I would also recommend a tube that is easy to grab.  We floated with another family.  In total, there were four adults and four children.  This worked out well walking down to the access point and getting everyone in their tubes.  Once everyone was in their tube, the float began.  We had a relaxing time just letting the current take us down river.  Now let me share a few things to keep in mind when you decide to float the river.

1. The river water is chilly.  It is spring fed, so the water can get cold.  Once you get used to it, it feels great.  Our kids did not trust us when we said it was cold.  When we were on the river, they wanted to get in and swim.  Once we got to a slightly deeper section, I got out of my tube and brought them in one by one.  None of the three lasted more than a couple of minutes in the water.
2. Have a plan when you enter the river.  We put one adult in first, then the two older kids, another adult, the two younger kids, and finally the last two adults.  This worked well so we could create our "tube train," and not lose anyone in the current.
3. You are in the middle of a river.  There are no bathrooms, trash cans, or food trucks.  Make sure you take care of your business before you get in, bring any drinks (no glass containers) you want during your float, and haul your trash out.
4. If you or your children are not strong swimmers, wear a life jacket.  While there are no rapids on the part of the river we floated, I have seen many tubers flip their tube when they drop in at the city tube chute.    For kids, I recommend "Puddle Jumpers."  They are class II Coast Guard approved life jackets, and do not ride up like a traditional life jacket can.  

We rented a condo at Camp Warnecke, in New Braunfels.  Look for my next post, which will include a detailed review of this property.  This location was great.  We had Schlitterbahn out our front door and the Comal river out our back door.  This was a great place for families.  After our first float of the day, it was time for lunch.  We had friend chicken from Bush's Chicken.  The great thing about this place is that we were able to order in bulk and eat family style.  Everything

tasted great and was not too greasy.  The rolls were light and fluffy, great for dipping in the country gravy that comes with your chicken order.  That night, we ate at Rudy's BBQ.  Rudy's is a Texas institution.  Again, we ordered in bulk and at family style.  One thing you should know about Rudy's... the food is served on paper, not plates.  If you are eating with little guys, make sure you ask for extra paper liners to give each kid their own place to eat.

On our last day, we checked out two of New Braunfels' public parks before leaving to head home.  Landa and Fischer Parks are both maintained by the city.  They are great family parks offering areas to run, play, explore, and picnic.  Fischer park also has a splash pad, two fishing ponds, and is home to Fischer Park Nature Education Center.  Landa Park is filled with historical sites, playscapes, trails,  sand volleyball, and a wading pool.  Both parks offer a multitude of family activities.

After a full day floating the river and spending the next morning at the parks, it was time to head back to Houston.  On our way home, we made sure to stop at Buccee's.  It's funny when we travel with the kids, they always seem to spot Buccee's before we do.  Let me tell you that no road trip is complete without a trip to Buccee's.  They can be busy, but the restrooms are very very clean, they offer a wide variety of snacks including beef jerky and healthier options.  You can even purchase a fire pit or BBQ pit if you need to.

At the end of five fun-filled days, our trip was over.  This was another great adventure in San Antonio with an side-trip to New Braunfels.  Check back to see where our next adventure will take us.

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A Week in San Antonio/New Braunfels - Day 3

The third day of our trip was truly a "kid pick," day.  This past school year, our son learned about the Alamo.  When he came home from school, he immediately began to proudly tell us all about the battle.  He also informed us that we had to see the Alamo this summer.  We have been going to San Antonio every year for three years.  I think the last time I went to visit the Alamo, I was in middle school.  We woke up bright and early, not that that is really any different from our normal routine as our kids are both early risers.  This actually works in our benefit.  We get up and get going to not only beat the heat, but to beat the crowds.  We arrived at the Alamo shortly after it opened.  We only had to wait about 5 minutes to enter the building and begin our self-guided tour.  There is not charge for admission to the Alamo, but they do ask for a donation to maintain the property.  There are also a variety of tour options including an audio tour and guided tour.  We opted for the self-guided, do it our self tour.  Our purpose was more about showing our son a historic place that he studied rather than learn every little detail.

It was interesting to hear the different reactions from our kids.  Our son remarked about how awesome the Alamo was, and pointed out every hole in the rock calling it a bullet hole.  He was
fascinated by the cannons, the replica models, and the artifacts throughout.  Our daughter on the other hand kept saying, "this is so horrible."  My wife an I were very confused.  She was not upset about being there, and enjoyed looking around just like our son.  After asking her several clarifying questions, what was so "horrible," was the fact that so many people lost their lives and there was a big battle.  In my opinion, this was a very deep, inspiring thought for a 3-1/2 year old.

We finished the Alamo in about an hour, then made our way north on I-35 to New Braunfels.  Our next destination was Natural Bridge Caverns.  We have been to Natural Bridge Wildlife Safari several times, but never the caverns.  Prior to our trip, both of our kids told us they wanted to go see the underground caves.  This was also my first trip to the caverns.  I have been to caverns in other locations, but never to the Natural Bridge Caverns.  After looking over all the tour options, we decided to take the original Discovery Tour.  We also added on the family maze for a small price.


This tour is 3/4 of a mile long, and takes a little over an hour to complete.  You travel 180 feet below ground level to the original caverns that were discovered in the 1960s.  It was amazing to see the beauty underground that nature created over several hundred years.  Traveling that far underground was like being transported to a different world.  Everything was so pristine.  Each tunnel and room we journeyed through has a new magnificence.  I was glad to see that both of our little travelers made it the entire way on their little legs without any complaints.

 

After going through the caverns, we grabbed a quick bite to eat at the General Store on site, then
made our way to the maze.  The maze is one of the best things we have done as a family in a long time.  We had to work together to find the four checkpoints, then find our way out as quickly as possible.  We had the kids lead the way while Shana and I followed.  This activity provided an opportunity for our children to be true adventures and problem-solvers.  It was not until the very end that I provided some assistance to get us to the finish.

As I mentioned in an earlier post, we were fortunate enough to stay with family.  We decided to get a baby-sitter for the kids, and the adults went on our own adventure.  After getting the pizza ordered and setting expectations for the little ones, we loaded up and headed to Top Golf.  If you have never been to Top Golf, I highly recommend you make time to go.  The best way to describe Top Golf is bowling meets golf.  When we arrived, we were given our "lane."  It was a pub table with chairs, clubs, TV, and game console.  There are several types of games to play, but the basic premise is the same.  Hit the ball as close to any target as possible to get points.  Now I am not an avid golfer.  In fact, I am very intimated by the game.  Every time I have played in the past, I got frustrated.  Here, all the pressure was gone.  The four of us were playing for fun, with friendly wagers on the side.

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A Week in San Antonio/New Braunfels - Day 2

On our second day in San Antonio, we ventured to Sea World and Aquatica.  Both my son and
daughter love the water and water parks, so we spent the majority of our day at Aquatica.  Sea World and Aquatica have a variety of "add-ons," that you can purchase to enhance your stay.  This includes anything from quick cue to dining plans to cabanas.  Each of these have a price and can quickly add to the expense of the trip.

Here is my take on each of these.

• Quick Cue - this one totally depends on the day's crowd.  Quick Cue is only available at Sea World, and is only for their ride attractions.  Our kids are both still young and only able to ride Journey to Atlantis.  Luckily for us, the crowd was very light and we only had to wait in line for about 15 minutes.  If you are spending the majority of your stay at Aquatica or will not be riding very many of the rides, I do not recommend this.
• Dining Plan - The dining plan is per person and runs about $35 for adults and $20 for kids.  This will get you an entree, side, desert, and drink each time your go through.  If you are a big eater and plan on spending the entire day at the park, it may be an option to consider.  Some things to consider... the dining plan is only valid at select locations.  This means that you are not able to just grab a snack at a cart in anywhere in the park.  It also does not include alcohol.  We decided against this purchase.  We spent about $35 for a family of four for each of our meals.  If we would have opted for the dining plan, we would have spent almost three times that amount.
• Cabanas - Cabanas are available for rent at Aquatica.  We have rented these in the past, and were very impressed with the service and convenience.  Aquatica now has three types of cabanas: standard, premium, and ultimate.  Let me start by saying that I would only recommend a
  
  cabana if you are planning on spending your entire day at the park.  The cabana is a covered area that has its own private locker, mini-fridge, ceiling fan, and chairs.  You also have the ability to close the shades on the cabana if you need some privacy.  We opted for the standard cabana.  The difference with the three levels really comes down to park location, size, and amenities.  The premium cabana also has a water shelf attached to one of the pools that you can put your chairs on; as well as food and beverage delivery service.  The ultimate cabana is for large groups and is located on the side of the wave pool.  If you get to the park early enough, you can easily find a area that you can stake claim to.  In the end, it was a nice thing to have, but not necessarily.  The cabanas range in price from $200 - $800 for the day.

The entire family loved the park!  Here are some of our highlights.

1. Look for deals.  My wife and I are both certified teachers.  In Texas, certified teachers are eligible for a free fun pass.  This offer usually is available in the spring and you must sign up for it by Memorial day.  During this trip, both of our children qualified for a pre-school pass.  Total we paid $0 for tickets.  That's right, we were able to get a family of four into Sea World and Aquatica for the price of parking.  (We opted to pay the extra $5 for preferred parking.  It was well worth it after a long day.)
2. Get there early and hit the high traffic rides as soon as you can.  At Aquatica, Stingray Falls is the highlight ride.  We were at the park as soon as it opened.  Even after getting to our cabana, and ready for the day, we still had about a 25 minute wait for this slide.
3. Find the hidden gems.  My son spotted a caged area from our cabana, which was right in the middle of the lazy river, and had to check it out.  What we found was an aviary that had its own wading pool and the lazy river snaked through.  This was the most intriguing part of the park.  We spent close to 1-1/2 hours in the aviary looking at the various birds and just relaxing.
4. What's a day at Sea World without seeing some animals.  At Aquatica and Sea World, animals are everywhere.  We were able to get close and personal with sting rays, a wallaby, birds, and tortoises.  We also made sure we saw One Ocean featuring Shamu and AZUL the whale, dolphin, and acrobatic show.  Nothing is better than seeing both kids' faces when Shamu bursts out of the water to begin the show!
   

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A Week in San Antonio/New Braunfels - Day 1

This summer we took our annual summer vacation to San Antonio.  Every year we go, we try to incorporate some of the kids' favorite experiences.  We are fortunate that we have family there, and their kids are close in age to our own.  This year's highlights include a trip to Sea World and Aquatica, the Alamo, Natural Bridge Caverns, an overnight stay in New Braunfels along with floating the Comal river, new parks, and most importantly, connecting with family.

Day 1 was a travel day for us.  We left Houston early in the morning with the goal of arriving in San Antonio by lunch.  I-10 is always an interesting drive.  You never how construction will impact the drive.  This year was no exception.  We made it out of Houston, then came to a stand still in Columbus.  Lucky for us, our little lady had to go to the bathroom, so we were forced to get off the highway.  After taking a needed potty break, we found an alternate route that got us around the traffic without losing too much time.  My advice is to look at a map and not solely rely on your GPS.  Whether it is on your phone, GPS, or road atlas, look for alternate routes.  You never know when you will need one, and if your GPS is anything like ours, whom we affectionately named Lois, she wants you to go her way and no other.  Also, give your kids a map and have them track your route while you drive.  Reading a map is becoming a lost skill, that is not taught anymore.  We rely so much on technology that we forget simple skills we learned in elementary school.  We have to remember that technology will not help in every situation.  We have to be able to make our own decisions on the fly without the hinderance of what "Lois" wants us to do.  Why not use the time in the car to begin teaching a life-long survival skill?

We were smart with packing this year, and packed enough snacks that we were able to make it all the way to San Antonio without stopping for lunch.

The rest of the day was spent hanging out with family in the back yard.  Our kids love the water, so that is what we gave them...their own backyard water park, complete with catch pool, two slides, and climbing wall.

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Vacation Traditions

Growing up, we never had a vacation that I would consider to be a family  tradition.  We went to different places, and would visit family whenever possible, but never a destination we went year after year.  Now that I am a father, I have the ability to begin traditions with my own family.  One is going to Lake Livingston for the 4th of July.

My wife and I enjoy being outdoors and close to the water.  Lake life offers just that.  We are very fortunate that we have a family member with a lake house.  Coming to the lake allows my family to enjoy each other, unplug from our normal routines, and enjoy time with friends.  

Now granted, we do take advantage of the lake property more than just during the 4th of July.  It's just there is something special about spending the 4th with friends.  

Why the lake during the 4th of July is special:

The lake does not have the same distractions as home.  The area where our property is located is away from normal distractions.  There is no internet.  Cell phone service is spotty.  We do have satellite TV, but we do not have DVR like home.  The closest restaurant is a 15-20 minute drive.  We also do not have that "To Do List," at the lake.  Now, we do have to take care of normal upkeep, but it is not that list of things at home that seems to never get done.

The only limit on fun is the limit you place.  Where else can you boat, swim, tube, go to the beach, run in the sprinkler, ride a golf cart, and fish?  This is just a small list of what happens here.  As our kids have gotten older, we have made little twists to what we normally do.  For example, this year when we ride through the neighborhood on the golf cart, we also go on a scavenger hunt to see how many different animals we can find.  It seems like every time we go out we see something new.

We let the kids decide.  For the most part, we let the kids decide what to do each day.  There are times when we need to put boundaries on activities due to weather or available time, but for the most part, it is their choice.  Some of their favorites are going to Browder's to get worms for fishing, heading out to Pine Island to visit the beach, swimming off the dock, and most recently, riding the tube behind the boat.

The more the merrier.  We love having friends come out for the day or weekend.  We have a close family that has spent the past three July 4ths with us.  It is a blessing to be able to share our gifts with others.  When they're here, we share in food, fun, and laughter.  

Lake fireworks are amazing!  As our kids get older, we are able to enjoy more and more of the fireworks.  When we first started coming out here, we would get the kids in bed, then watch across the lake as fireworks shot high into the sky.  Now that they are a little older, they get to enjoy this as well.  We are even starting to add our own small fireworks to the displays that can be seen all over the lake.  This year was the first time that we were able to take the boat out at night to see the amazing light shows take place overhead.  The kids were amazed with the colors and sounds around them.  It seemed like the common phrase was, "WOW, did you see that one?  I did not expect that was going to happen."  

As I mentioned earlier, we are blessed to have a property that has been a part of the family since I was in college.  But you can still begin your tradition without the expense of a 2nd home.  Other options include vacation rentals, hotels, resorts, and camp grounds.  We have one friend that goes to a place on North Padre each year called, "Island House."  Another friend reserves several camp sites at Lake Livingston State Park.  Her and her entire family bring out the boats and travel trailers for a week-long family camp out.  Whatever you tradition may be, remember your focus... spending time with each other.

Are you wanting to start a travel tradition like ours?  My Travel Pros can help.  We specialize in family travel and romantic get-aways.  My Travel Pros can help you plan and book the vacation that is best for you and your family.  Contact us via Facebook or e-mail to start planning your next family adventure.

6 Things To Remember When Taking A Road Trip With Little Ones

     May brings thoughts of summer.  What commitments do we have?  Where do we want to go on vacation?  Who do we want to make sure we see?  These questions remind me of our first family and flying was not appealing.  We decided to load up the family truckster (AKA my wife's SUV) and drive.  When friends asked us what our plans were that summer, and we told them we were taking a 15 day road trip, their only response was, "Man, you're brave!"  I have to say it was a fantastic trip.  Here are some of the things we learned along the way.  Some of them the hard way.
vacation.  My wife and I decided that we were going to take a road trip to see family in New York and Wisconsin.  When you are traveling from Texas, neither state is really on the way to the other.  Our son was turning one that summer, we were celebrating our first anniversary,

1. Plan your trip out!  This was our first long road trip.  We knew our son could handle a couple of hours in the car, but we didn't want to push him to meltdown mode.  I made sure that our longest stretch was not more than 8 hours.  We picked stopping points along the way that we could either see friends/family, or where we might want to just look around. 
2. It's OK to take breaks!  My wife had to continually remind me that we were not in college and could not drive as far as possible stopping just for gas.  When we stopped, we tried to stop at rest stops, state lines, or any place that we could get out, stretch our legs, and let the boy play for a little while.  Now normally, I am one of those road trippers that wants to get where we are going.  After all, that is the point of going on vacation.  My wife helped show me that part of road trip beauty is what happens along the way.  Remember that we planned out our trip ahead of time, so we were able to take an extra 30 minutes or even an hour when we stopped.
3. Make sure you have entertainment!  Looking back, this is one of the things we have started to do differently.  My wife's vehicle has a DVD player.  This was perfect for the trip.  After all, our son was one and loved cartoons.  What I didn't count on is him wanting to watch the same DVD over and over for 15 days.  Movies are great entertainment, but they shouldn't be your only entertainment.  Now that our kids are a little older, we mix things up with music, books, movies, and busy bags.  We also do fun games like I spy, the color game, or a new game the kids make up on the spot.
4. Take a minimalist approach when packing!  I praise my wife at planning for anything we could possibly need.  When we travel, we always have plenty of snacks, appropriate clothes, and toys for the kids.  What we both have learned is that sometimes it is better to buy along the way.  Remember I said that our son was almost one.  One year-olds are typically in diapers, and our was.  I found out that it was much easier to buy diapers along the way than try to pack around a case of diapers.
5. Bigger is not always better!  Like most first-time parents, we had the full travel system that started out with a baby bucket, but as the little guy aged, it became a stroller that could fully recline for naps while we were out and about.  That is great if you are out and about around town; not so much so if you are on a long road trip.  When I packed the car, this was one of the first items I had to load because of its size.  It was also the thing that we needed to take out first at almost every stop.  The instant that I realized this fantastic stroller was too big was when we were in Memphis and visited Graceland.  We had made it three days together, from Houston to Memphis without any meltdown; until, we got to Graceland.  Then it was me having the meltdown, not our little one.  Graceland is where I had to try to fit this amazing travel system stroller on a shuttle bus to go across the street to see where Elvis lived.  I was, "That Guy," that had to make the bus ride inconvenient for others.  The first thing I told my wife when we got off that bus was, "Our next stop is Walmart.  We are getting an umbrella stroller."  Needless to say, that umbrella stroller was the best investment we have ever made on a vacation.  It made it through two kids and many more adventures.
   
6. Most of all, HAVE FUN and ENJOY EACH OTHER!  Too often we are consumed with what we have to do.  We have to make dinner, we have to do homework, we have to go to work, we have to cut the grass, we have to do the laundry, the list goes on and on.  Vacations are a time to focus on each other.  Disconnect from what you have to get done, and focus on what you want to experience.  Kids are only young once.  Help them create memories that they will share for a lifetime.  Who knows, maybe one day they'll say to their family, "I remember taking this same road trip when I was a kid."

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3 steps to having a great family vacation

For a while now I've talked about wanting to write a book.  I've had several ideas all focused around my career.  I finally got smart, and realized that the best story to tell is my own.  My hope is to share my travel experiences with others to inspire them to make their own lasting memories.

What is it that makes travel memorable?  For me, it is the adventure.  I learned early on, that when I travel, I have to let things happen on their own.  We've all seen Clark Griswald try to plan the perfect vacation.  While his antics are funny, I always seem to pay attention to the looks on his family members' faces.  The look of confusion, exhaustion, and annoyance.  Granted, I do like to have a general idea of what we will be experiencing each day, but planning every detail to the minute is exhausting.  Here are some tips to help.

1.  Let others add input - Summer is a big time for my family to travel.  Everyone in the family is off for summer vacation.  When we plan out our summer, my wife and I want to know what our kids want to do.  Last year, my son decided he wanted to go to a water park for his birthday.  Knowing we were going to San Antonio to visit family, we were able to add a day at Schlitterbahn for the little guy's birthday.  After a full day of water slides, tubes, trying to find my sunglasses after falling off my tube, everyone was exhausted.  It was a good exhaustion.  That exhaustion you get that makes you want to do the whole thing over again.  Asking for other's input can be easily done for any portion of a vacation.  We even rotate who picks where we are eating.  The input from family members also allows for everyone to have a chance to decide what we do.

2.  Have a goal for each day of your trip - This can be as simple as just arriving at your destination.  Having a single goal for each day allows you to fit other things into your plans.  I always hear people say, "I need a vacation from my vacation."  My wife and I have even said the same thing to each other.  Looking back, I think it's because we did not identify what we wanted for each day.  When you create your goal, be sure that your goal can be accomplished in a single day.  We are big road trippers.  For two reasons really.  One is that airfare is expensive for four people.  The other is that for us, the actual trip is just as fun as the destination.  Right now, we are planning a trip to Walt Disney World.  We know we are going to drive.  Being an avid Disney fan, I want to get there as soon as possible.  15 hours door to door is what I told my wife when we decided we were going to go.  We can make it in a single day.  I was quickly reminded by her that yes, we could drive 15 hours straight, but with two little ones 15 hours will quickly turn into 18 by the time we figure in bathroom and meal breaks.  Thanks to her, we were able to decide on our goals for day 1 and day 2.  Day 1, plan to get to Mississippi.  Day 2, arrive at the happiest place on earth.

3.  Meet the needs of each person - Trying to make everyone happy every moment of a vacation is difficult.  When family is together day in and day out, sometimes a little break from each other is necessary, allowing each person to experience the vacation in their own way.   For this reason, I recommend dividing into smaller groups for a short period.  Last year at the water park, my daughter was too little to ride all the slides my son could.  Rather than keep my son in the area my daughter could experience, my wife and I divided and conquered.  There were times she was with our daughter and I was with our son.  There were times we were all together, and there were times I was with my daughter and she was with my son.  The best part was that we all got to experience something a little different when we changed our activity partner.

While I don't pretend to know everything, I do like to think that I learn something new from my family every time we are together.  If you and your family need help planning your next family vacation, contact My Travel Pros.  My Travel Pros can help you design trips to Disney, Sea World, family cruises, and more.