Spring has sprung. Here in the Lone Star State the weather has warmed, the birds are out, and trees and flowers are in beginning to bloom.
Videos by Wide Open Country
Spring in Texas is a beautiful thing. The hellfire temperatures of Summer haven't yet arrived, and everything that was dry and brown in the Winter is bright green and living again. The weather will be unpredictable, but this is Texas, and you already knew that. However, you've absolutely got to get outside and enjoy it, because it only lasts through May, after which you won't be able to step outside without having your eyebrows singed off by the sun.
Here are some things you're going to want to do here in Texas every spring, while it's still cool enough to enjoy them.
Go see some bluebonnets.
The bluebonnets are already in bloom in Texas along with dozens of other varieties of native Texas wildflowers. Go check out what's in bloom along the Texas highways and down the back roads, or go somewhere you're certain to see plenty of flora, like the Ladybird Johnson Wildflower Center in Austin, or Wildseed Farms in Fredericksburg.
SEE ALSO: How to Get the Best Bluebonnet Pics This Spring
Go pick some Texas fruit.
The peaches will be ripe in May. Until then, go check out places you can pick your own strawberries like Marburger Orchard in Fredericksburg or Sweet Berry Farm in Marble Falls. Strawberries ripen in March, so you should be able to go this weekend if you want.
SEE ALSO: Where to Pick Your Own Peaches in the Hill Country
Go camping.
Spring is a perfect time for camping in the Lone Star State. It's not so hot that you feel like you'll melt if you have to sleep in a tent, but the days are already getting longer, which allow for more time to explore the great outdoors of this state you call home. Big Bend National Park and Garner State Park are two of Texas's most popular camping destinations, but campgrounds are found pretty much all over the state, so there's bound to be something close to home if you don't want to drive very far.
Go to a rodeo.
Texas rodeos actually happen almost all year long, you can find rodeos taking place in the Summer and Fall, but the big ones happen in Spring. The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, the Star of Texas Livestock Show and Rodeo (in Austin) both take place in the Spring, and in fact are going on right now. Rodeo is a Texas tradition and Spring is a great time to go see one because you can walk around all day most days and not get too hot.
Go to a zoo.
Image via Elizabeth Abrahamsen
Texas has some absolutely stellar zoos. The San Antonio Zoo, the Houston Zoo, and the Fort Worth Zoo are just a few across the state that offer incredible exhibits and family-friendly activities that will keep you entertained all day long.
Go pick dewberries.
Right about now the wild brambles along every fencepost in Texas will be blossoming with white flowers that are the precursors to those tart but delectable wild Texas treat, dewberries. Picking dewberries is like a right of passage for every Texas kid, and no childhood is complete without it. Dewberries are largely a foraging fruit, and are not generally commercially grown, so you have to go in search of them yourself. They'll be ripe in May, so head out into nature and enjoy the fruits of your labors.
Go antiquing.
Facebook/French and English Antiques
Texas has some of the best antique shopping in the entire country. The Round Top Antiques Fair is coming up at the end of this month for the die-hard antiquers, but you can visit antique shops any time this Spring all over Texas, especially in Brenham and Gruene.
SEE ALSO: 10 of the Best Antique Markets in Texas
Go hiking somewhere beautiful.
Enchanted Rock Image via Texas Parks and Wildlife
Texas is full of glorious places to tromp about in the wilderness. There's Enchanted Rock in the Texas Hill Country, Big Thicket National Preserve, and the Guadalupe Mountains are all great places to go hiking. You can check out the scenery and enjoy the beautiful weather because it's still spring.
Go have a picnic.
While the water will still be too cold to swim for a couple more months, you can still go enjoy places like Hamilton Pool and Krause Springs with a picnic lunch and dip your toes in the water. There's nothing more relaxing than getting out into nature with a picnic lunch.
SEE ALSO: 15 Best Swimming Holes in the Texas Hill Country
