Meet an East Texas farming family that can ship their ready to eat garden of goodies anywhere…any time. Gourmet Gardens is located at Route 5, Box 427, Rusk, TX 75785. Call 800-755-2434 or visit www.gourmetgardens.com for more information.
There’s junk and then there’s good junk. Meet a man who’s got acres and acres of the best junk around. Paul Nerren’s built the Junk Barn located at 4500 Highway 59 North, Lufkin, TX 75901. Call 939-632-2580 for more information
It’s a museum dedicated to telling the story of life behind bars. Former Warden, Jim Willett, curates the Texas Prison Museum located at 491 HS 75 North, Huntsville, TX. 77230. Call 936-295-2155 or visit www.txprisonmuseum.org for more information.
You might think your boots have scooted their last, but there’s a man in Mineola who’s resoling and reselling footware found in the garbage – Clark Broadhurst. 3255 FM 779, Mineola, TX 75773 Call 903-258-0534 or e-mail clark@brokeinboots.net
Find out why an East Texas swampthing is a welcome sight if your looking to skim across the cypress bogs. Stan Floyd runs American Airboats, located at 108 East Lutcher Drive, Orange, TX 77632. Call 800-241-6390 or visit www.pnx.com/gator/airboats.htm for more information.
It could be the most offbeat of any offbeat stop we’ve ever seen. Find out why folks are just dying to see the National Museum of Funeral History. located at 415 Barren Springs Drive, Houston, TX 77090. Call 281-876-3063 or visit www.nmfh.org for more information.
It’s a little bit of China…right here in Texas. Forbidden Gardens is located at 23500 Franz Road, Katy, TX 77493. Call 281-347-8000 or visit www.forbidden-gardens.com for more information.
He’s taking junk science to another level in his very own museum. Robert Little’s scientific masterpiece is located at 2501 Blue Jay Drive, Temple, TX 76502. Call 254-778-1592 for more information.
You pick ’em in Edom! Yep it’s blueberry picking time on the family farm. The Arena family runs the Blue Berry Hill Farm, located at 10268 FM 314, Edom, TX. Call 903-852-6175 or visit www.blueberryhillfarms.com for more information.
Find out why this spot in Texas could be the oldest tourist attraction in the state.The Natural Bridge Caverns, located at 26495 Natural Bridge Caverns Road, Natural Bridge Caverns, TX 78266. Call 210-651-6101 or visit http://tourtexas.com/caverns/ for more information.
Stop by a farm where the crop is as fragrant as it is plentiful. Robb Kendrick and Jeannie Ralston, 1672 Mckinney Loop, Blanco, TX 78606. Call 830-833-5008 or visit www.hillcountrylavender.com for more information.
The soothing sounds of Sistercreek will relax your mind… as you sample the fruit of the hill country. Danny Hernandez is the cellar master at Sistercreek Vineyards, located at 1142 Sisterdale Road (FM 1376) Sisterdale, TX 78006. Call 830-324-6704 or visit www.sistercreekvineyards.com for more information.
It looks like nothing but a deep hole in the ground, but when darkness begins to fall, nature puts on an aerial show. Ben Banahan of Devil’s Sinkhole Society. Ben: PO Box 115, Rocksprings, TX 78880. Phone: 830-683-2406. Society: 101 Sweeten Street, Rocksprings, TX 78880. Phone: 830-683-BATS.
Pack up the station wagon and pull into a brand-new old-fashioned drive-in theater. Ryan Smith owns the Stars and Stripes Drive-In, located at 5101 Highway 84, Lubbock, TX 79416. Phone: 806-744-STAR RSmith@DriveInUSA.com
Find out the history behind a smokestack that’s a West Texas icon. T. Lindsay Baker oversees the Gordon Center. Phone: 254-968-1866. www.tarleton.edu/~gordoncenter. Andrea Bennett owns the Smokestack Restaurant. Phone: 254-672-5560. www.smokestack.net Both stories are located in Thurber, TX.
Head southwest in search of some really big bluebonnets. Waynelle Strachan, owns the Old Alazan Ranch located at 122281 North Lood Road, Clint, TX 79836. Visit www.texasbluebonnet.com for more information.
Visit an El Paso bootshop where they’re making a Texas fashion statement with bright colors and fancy designs. Nevena Christi, owner of Rocket Buster Boots, located at 115 South Anthony Sreet,. El Paso, TX 79901. Call 915-541-1300 or visit www.rocketbuster.com for more information.
Where else can you wash down a good burger while watching your car get a wash & wax. Maynard & Kenny Haddad, owners of H&H Car Wash Café, located at 701 East Yandell, El Paso, TX 79902. Call 915-533-1144 for more information.
He’s the pride of Wink, TX and they’ve opened a museum in his name. The Roy Orbison Museum, located at Highway 115 & FM 1232, Wink, TX. Call 915-527-3622 for more information.