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Trip Review - Texas - Frisco - Frisco RoughRiders Minor League Baseball Game

Frisco, Texas is a far north suburb of Dallas, Texas (about 30 minutes). The Frisco RoughRiders, a AA minor baseball league team affiliated with the Texas Rangers, play at a nice stadium just off the North Dallas Tollway and Sam Rayburn Tollway. They often have themed nights such as Toy Story Night (when I attended) or Military Appreciation Night.

Ticket prices range depending on the date, game, section and seat. There's also a lawn section you can purchase but you will need to bring blankets to sit on. Parking is an additional cost.

Keep in mind that the stadium is open-roof with limited shaded areas, so plan to be in the full sun. It's also rain or shine so prepare for that as well.
You can't bring your own food or drinks into the stadium. You will go through security before entering the stadium. Clear bags are required. There's a list of rules on their website for what is allowed and not.

There are four official mascots. On the night I visited, I saw two - Prairie Dog, Deuce (the team's official mascot) and Bull Moose (named after Teddy Roosevelt's Bull Moose Party). If you're lucky you may even see their official bat dog named Brooks.

Another thing to keep in mind is you might walk through gravel to get to the play areas in the back. There's a playground for ages 5 to 12 which is fake grass. On the opposite site there are inflatables (which require a $5.00 wristband). The path between the two was gravel and muddy. So skip crocs and bring tennis shoes unless you want dirty feet.
During hot days or nights, there's a giant lazy river open for families on Tuesdays and Sundays (be on the lookout for specially priced events)(tickets are required to keep the pools from overcrowding). Thursdays are for adults 21+ only due to the Twisted Tea sponsorship. Bring your own towel. They provide floats. The water area can be rented for birthday parties or group events. They do sell Swim Passes - $206 for Tuesday Nights (10 vouchers) or $389 for Sundays (10 vouchers).

There are several food and drink vendors such as Donatos Pizza, Chappell Hill Sausage Cart, Bahama Buck's (shaved ice), Frank's, and more. You can check them out here: https://www.milb.com/frisco/ballpark/food-options

Reusable water bottles are allowed so bring one to keep hydrated. There is a Mother's Room located near left centerfield for parents with young infants. Guest Services provides sensory bags if your family needs one.
Overall, it's a fun time with the family.
Ballpark Adress: 7300 RoughRiders Trail, Frisco TX 75034

For more information or to plan your own visit, check out https://www.mlb.com/milb/frisco

This post was written entirely by me without the use of AI. It was not sponsored in any way. All the opinions and information presented was given authentically and always be sure to check ahead before visiting in case anything has changed.

Book Review - Black Hills Family Fun Guide by Kindra Gordon



If you're planning a family trip to South Dakota's Black Hills area, you should get a hold of this book and look through all the great suggestions.

The book is divided by chapters focused on activities: "Famous Faces to Visit", "Buffalo, Bears and Reptiles", "Dinosaurs Galore", "See It Made - Or Mined", "Meaningful Museums", "Outdoors to Explore", "Water Parks, Go-Carts and Other Good Times", "Histories and Oddities", and "Puttin' on a Show".

At the end of the book is an Index by City if you're trying to plot out a road trip and have specific cities in mind along the way. The author has included the city's website so you can do a further search on what to do or eat in town.

I like that each chapter has a map with very simple marks for points of interest. If you're tech-savvy, you could add the points to your own Google Map or other virtual map.

Each location mentioned also includes operating dates, admission, parking fees, address, phone number and website.

Some businesses have a nice little "Neat to Know" callout, such as the National Presidential Wax Museum in Keystone, South Dakota - the "Neat to Know" mentions President Calvin Coolidge's visit at Custer Park's State Game Lodge and Resort in 1927.

At the end of the chapters, there is a "For More" section which will direct you to similar experiences in other chapters.

Since this 2nd edition was published in 2017, be sure to confirm operating hours and fees before you visit.

Overall, this is a nice guide. I found lots of interesting places to visit on my next trip. Try to find this book at your local library or through interloan services.

Title: Black Hills Family Fun Guide: Explore South Dakota's Badlands, Devils Tower and Black Hills
Author: Kindra Gordon
ISBN: 978-1591937357
Pages: 136

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Book Review - The World's Best National Parks in 500 Walks by Mary Caperton Morton



This is a massive book broken out by Continent (North America, South America, Europe, Africa and the Middle East, Asia, and Australasia).

The author breaks out each section by trails. Each trail is listed with its corresponding National Park, location, and a description. Many of the trails also contain distance, start, difficulty, and seasonal information. A few include a map.

Some of the parks contain more than one hiking trail such as Denali National Park and Preserve. The author highlights several hiking trails - "Savage Alpine Trail" (which is a moderately difficult one), "Horseshoe Lake Trail" (easy), "Mount Healy Overlook Trail".

The photographs in this book are gorgeous. I enjoyed flipping through and bookmarking ones that sounded manageable enough for my family. But, I just used this book as a starting point. Then I went to the National Park's website and got all the information I needed from there.

It would have been nice if this author had a directory for trails by difficulty. That would help someone quickly narrow down which trails they should focus on, such as my family needing easy trails.

Overall, it's a nice book to view inspirational photographs and add to your planning board. If you enjoy hikes, you can find similar inspirational books about hiking trails published by Thunder Bay Press.

Title: The World's Best National Parks in 500 Walks
Author: Mary Caperton Morton
ISBN: 978-1645176282
Pages: 400

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Event - #Travel #Texas - #Jacksonville - Tomato Fest - June 13, 2026

Jacksonville, Texas - Tomato Fest
June 13, 2026
Downtown
Lots of fun tomato-themed activities including a Tomato Eating Contest, a Kid Zone, food/drink vendors, markets, talent contests and a car show.
If you stay until 7pm, there is a street party with dancing, music, food/drink vendors, and more. Bring your lawn chair or blanket.
There are other events happening from June 6th through June 14th. Check their site for details.

Address: Commerce Street
Hours: 8am - 11pm CST
Fees: Free with various costs for activities

For more information, click here: https://www.jacksonvilletexas.com/tomato-fest/

Event - #Travel #Texas - #Amarillo - Texas Route 66 Festival - June 4-13, 2026

Amarillo, Texas - Texas Route 66 Festival
June 4-13, 2026
Amarillo Route 66 Historic District
This year is the 100th anniversary of Route 66 and all along the route cities are hosting different festivals and events.
Amarillo was a big stop along the Texas' portion of that route and they are hosting 10 days of fun events starting June 4th.
June 4th is the kickoff to the festivities with several activities during the day and the big Coors Ranch Rodeo from 7-10pm (purchase tickets via website).
June 5th through 7th features the Route 66 Grand Prix in nearby Panhandle, Texas (purchase tickets via website).
June 5th at 7pm you can enjoy fireworks at Hodgetown (715 S. Buchanan)
June 6ht enjoy a Cattle Drive and Parade starting at 10am at the Tri-State Fairgrounds (1000 S. Polk St.).
Be sure to come for the Festival Finale on June 13th throughout the historic district. There will be free shuttles going around if you need them. Check the website for all the events and times.

Address: Southwest Sixth Avenue and Route 66 (Historic District)
Hours: Varies
Fees: Varies

For more information, click here: https://texasroute66festival.com/

Event - #Travel #Texas - #Houston - Juneteenth Houston - June 1-20, 2026

Houston, Texas - Juneteeth Houston
June 1-20, 2026
Emancipation Park
Juneteenth events will take place over 19 days starting with the season opener on June 1st at Mo Brunch + Brews (1201 Southmore) from 6pm-7pm. Events are open to anyone.

The big event is the Annual Celebrate Freedom Festival on June 6th from 1pm-7pm at the Emancipation Park.

Also on June 6th are the Historic House Tours and enjoying Tea Cakes at The Heritage Society (1100 Bagby St.). Verify times on their website. The tour will include three historic houses that are designated by UNESCO as Sites of Memory for their “Routes of Enslaved Peoples’ Project” - 1847 Kellum-Noble House; 1866 Fourth Ward Cottage; and 1870 Yates House.

Enjoy some music on June 12th at 415 Gray with the "Sounds of Midtown: Roots to Rhythm" from 5pm-10pm.

The next day features Acres Home Juneteenth Parade. It starts at the Acres Homes Multi-Service Center (6719 W Montgomery Rd) at 10am.
Check the website below for the many, many other events available.

Address: 3018 Emancipation Ave, Houston, Texas
Hours: Varies by event
Fees: Varies by event

For more information, click here: https://texaspinball.com/

Book Review - Lonely Planet - The Best Place To Be Today by Sarah Baxter



If you are looking for inspiration for your travel plans - I highly recommend this book. You will find an event or location to visit on each day of the year for a total of 365 suggestions.

Some of the activities highlighted for a specific date actually take place over a range of dates, such as "Admire red-crowned cranes" in Hokkaido, Japan for January 20th can be enjoyed from January through February.

Or an event might take place over a weekend such as January 29th's "Hay Festival" in Colombia which starts the last weekend of January. In 2026 it fell on January 29th. Next year it will take place January 28th.

Events that must be celebrated on a single day include St. Valentine, Italy's "Valentine's Day" on Feburary 14th of every year. It's actually a celebration of Saint Valentine who is enshrined in the Basilica di San Valentino.

There are a few activities which I would lean toward "unrealistic" such as June 2nd's "Climb the 100 Mountains" in Japan unless you are really enjoy scaling mountains. The 100 refer to the 100 Famous mountain peaks in the country including Mt. Fuji.

Another less likely activity includes July 6th's "Swim the English Channel" ranging from June through September. Not only do they challenge you to swim the English Channel but without a wetsuit (the water is about 59 degrees Fahrenheit).

This book is a keeper and makes a great conversational piece on any coffee table.

Title: The Best Place to be Today: 365 Things to do and the Perfect Day to do Them
Author: Sarah Baxter
ISBN: 978-1743601655
Pages: 272

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