If you are looking for a family friendly get-away, then the Longview Texas area may be what you are looking for. There is a lot to do in east Texas.
Luckily for us this is a really short drive from our home just north east of Dallas; about 2.5 hours which makes the ride really easy for the girls (dogs).
There are a number of campgrounds to pick from in the area. We chose Fernbrook RV Park because they were centrally located between Longview and Kilgore Texas. Their nightly rates are decent and they do have a weekly rate if you want to spend an entire week in the area, which would be easy to do.
It became apparent to us as soon as we arrived, that this is a really nice campground. The grounds are beautiful and well maintained. The sites are nice and level with a decent amount of space between trailers. The check in process was quick and the owners are helpful and friendly.
Tammy and I always say that if you have a campground with long-term campers, the campground should enforce a standard so that it doesn’t look cluttered or trashy; this is the case at Fernbrook. All of the sites, including longer term campers, were nice and clean. Although we were only there for four days, I would be happy to go back to this campground anytime.
Our Spot At Fernbrook – A Great Campground!
There were at least three activities that we would do:
- 1) Visit Jefferson Texas and take the Historic Walking Ghost Tour. We had heard and read a great deal about this tour, and it was the main reason for the trip.
- 2) Visit the East Texas Oil Museum in Kilgore.
- 3) The Texas State Railroad in Palestine.
If you plan on visiting these three attractions, the ghost tour may be too intense for really small children because it is a relatively long tour (much longer than they advertise), and secondly, as a participant you will be moving around really old buildings in the dark. That’s not to say you couldn’t take children, you’ll just need to take extra precautions. The East Texas Oil Museum, like any museum, will be great for the kids. Obviously the attraction your children will like the most will probably be riding the steam train at the Cotton Belt Depot Museum.
Besides the three activities mentioned above, we ended up stumbling onto the Rangerette Showcase and Museum (a pleasant surprise) and spent a morning at Tyler State Park. Both of these places are worth visiting. If you have the time, add them to your list.
The Historic Walking Ghost Tour of Jefferson Texas
Jefferson is a very interesting old town and it was about 90 minutes from our campground. We decided to get to Jefferson a little early so we could grab some dinner before the tour and had a really nice meal at Auntie Skinner’s Riverboat Club. At first when we entered the restaurant we thought there was no way we would get seated, It was really crowded; but we found a table right away. The service was great and I had one of the better rib-eye steaks I’ve ever had. If you don’t like eating where folks are still allowed to smoke then you may want to pass this place up. We really didn’t find the smoke as offensive as some who have reviewed it on sites like tripadvisor. I think it’s a great place to eat and I wouldn’t hesitate to go back.
A look inside Auntie Skinner’s
Oddly, there was an old picture on the wall that had a women that looked just like our Daughter-In-Law in it. This was a little creepy – like in the movie “The Shining”, and really set the mood since we were heading to the ghost tour.
After dinner we walked to the intersection where the tour begins and waited for the guide to check everyone in. You can buy tickets on-line for this tour. I recommend going that route versus standing in line to buy them in person. To visit their site for information or to by tickets click here.
Get Ready For The Paranormal…Maybe!
The tour guide will give you a lot of information about people who lived in the town during the 1800’s, how they met their untimely deaths; and the buildings that they haunt. Beyond the ghost stories, of which there are many, there is also a lot of historical information relayed by the guide during the tour. We found that to be worth the price of the tour alone.
As I mentioned, there is a great deal of walking on this tour, and a lot of moving about in old buildings in the dark. Expect to spend a lot of time in each building because everyone is encouraged to take pictures (just in case something paranormal shows up in the photos). Needless to say there were a lot of smart phones constantly flashing as we moved from building to building.
One of the many creepy buildings on the Ghost Tour.
We didn’t experience any paranormal activity on our tour but really enjoyed all the stories associated with the town of Jefferson Texas. Even if you don’t experience anything paranormal you’ll still be glad you went on this tour.
The East Texas Oil Museum
This museum is actually located on the campus of Kilgore College in Kilgore Texas. This is a beautiful campus with beautiful grounds and plenty of parking.
Sitting in front of the museum is a huge oil derrick, so this building is hard to miss. They have designed this museum to give you a feel of what life was like back in the 1930’s during the oil boom. When you enter the museum you will be surrounded by artifacts and pictures dating back to the early days of the oil boom; as well as pictures of some of the people who were responsible for the oil operations.
The museum also has a section that makes it seem as if you have gone back in time to the era when Texas hit it big in the oil industry.
East Texas Oil Museum – Old Town
This old town has a movie theater as well, where you can see a film on the history of the oil industry in Texas. It’s very informative and the kids will really enjoy a part in the movie when the oil gusher strikes, and the whole theater shakes. Plan on spending a couple hours here, it is an enjoyable and educational experience.
Once we left the museum our plan was just to head back to camp. However, at the end of a nearby street we spotted the Kilgore Rangerett Showcase and Museum. It is located in the Physical Education (PE) Complex, which is located at the intersection of Broadway and Ross; on the Kilgore campus.
This little gem is located just a block or two from the East Texas Oil Museum and might be Kilgore’s best kept secret. The Rangerette’s are the world’s best-known collegiate drill team, traveling across the United States and have been on several world tours.
In 1939 Dean B.E. Masters, (looking for a way to attract women to the college and to keep folks in their seats during half time) recruited Gussie Nell Davis to create something special, and the Rangerette’s were born.
The Museum is full of memorabilia from 1940 forward including a movie that you can watch that explains the history of the Rangerette’s as well as Gussie Nell Davis. The person that was managing the museum the day we were there was a former Rangerette, and she gave us a great deal of background information and some great personal stories.
You may want to plan on spending an hour or more at this museum, we highly recommend it.
Texas State Rail Road
This was our chance to take a ride on a real steam-powered locomotive. Their round-trip excursions depart from the Rusk Depot at 11:00 am and return at 3:00 pm. The trip is ninety minutes each way with a one hour stop for lunch at the Palestine depot. So keep in mind this will be a four-hour excursion. It was a bit of a knuckle biter on the way there because we were running behind schedule. We were afraid we might miss our departure, but as it turned out we arrived with five minutes to spare. The depot is located at Park Road 76 in Rusk Texas.
The Texas state prison system established the railroad in 1881 and the Prison Inmates actually built the rail line. After the initial construction, the train provided a way to transport logs to the Rusk Prison. The prison would then utilize the logs as fuel. Between 1906 and 1909 the railway was extended. The inmates expanded the rail line to its final destination of Palestine Texas.
One thing we were unprepared for (and not informed of) is that a good part of the rail had been destroyed by spring rains and was under reconstruction. So we were only able to enjoy half of the train ride, and as a result there was no lunch stop. This was a bit of a disappointment for us, not only because of the shorter ride; but also because we were planning on getting a snack during the lunch stop.
Another option for lunch is to bring your own along with you. The only caveat is that the bag or cooler of food must be able to fit under your seat on the train.
Due to the abbreviated ride we thought there should have been a discounted price on the tickets, but that was not the case. So make sure the route is completely open before you book your tickets so that you are getting the full four-hour excursion for your money. Although we found it to be a little pricey that was only due to the fact that we didn’t get the full trip we paid for. If you take into account that the trip should be four hours long, then the price is reasonable.
The lowest ticket fare is $32.00/person for standard seating with no air conditioning (just open windows). Tickets for children between the ages of 2 and 12 will cost $20.00. There is a higher priced ticket available if you want to sit in air-conditioned passenger cars with a beverage and snack service. Personally I think $65.00 per adult and $40.00 per child for that type of service is a just too much to pay, others may feel differently.
As with many activities, pets are not allowed on the train unless they are service animals.
The Steam Train Turning around to take us back to the Depot in Rusk.
Since 1977 this steam train has been featured in a number of movies and commercials. The setting is perfect for being used in movies that need a vintage atmosphere. It feels and looks as though you have stepped back in time from the minute you arrive at the depot. The depot also serves as a museum but by the time we returned it was closed for the day.
In conclusion, this may be your best way to take a step back into history with your family. We enjoyed this excursion and think you will too.
Tyler State Park
Tyler State Park Store
It would be very hard, if not impossible to find something negative about this park. You can boat, fish, hike, and more importantly camp. The day pass will cost you $6.00 per adult and is free for children 12 and under. Of course you can get a year pass for all Texas State Parks for $70.00. That is a real deal if you spend a lot of time camping in state parks.
If you would like to do some boating here, you can either rent or bring your own. They allow motors on boats but they cannot exceed five miles per hour on the lake. If you are looking to do a little fishing, you can actually borrow fishing equipment. Then go down to the lake and take your shot at catching crappie, perch or catfish. There are three fishing piers so you will easily find a spot to set up.
There are some really nice campsites here for travel trailers. They have everything from only water hook ups all the way to full hook ups. We have a plan to visit this park in the future with our travel trailer because it is really hard to find a bad site here. In addition, the size of the sites are large which easily will accommodate our two dogs, and provide some privacy. The bathrooms in the camping loops are clean as well. Please keep in mind if you travel with your pets, they will not be allowed in any of the parks buildings. I don’t believe that is any different than any other park we have visited.
The Park has 18 Premium full hook up sites and a view of the lake for $28.00 per night. I would be hard pressed to find camp sites this nice anywhere for under $50.00 per night. There are 39 sites without a lake view, but still excellent for $24.00 per night – a really unbelievable rate. There are 20 sites that have water and electricity for $20.00 per night; and 39 additional sites that are water only for $16.00. They also have cabins and screen shelters if you are traveling without your travel trailer.
There are over 13 miles of trails running through the park and they are absolutely beautiful. Tammy and I decided to walk the path that went around the lake, and that may have taken us about an hour.
The trail around the lake at Tyler State Park
One of the strange things about the park is that it has a subtropical climate. The park gets about 44 inches of rain each year and averages 80 degrees in the summer. That seems like a very moderate climate in the summer given that it is in Texas. It averages 46 degrees in the winter. That is still warmer than Wisconsin.
The Lake at Tyler State Park
In short, this is a great spot for camping, fishing, or hiking. Plan on spending some time at Tyler State Park whether it’s for a week or just a day; it will be well worth your visit. For more of our review on Tyler State Park click here.
So as you can see there is a lot to do in East Texas. Most importantly there is plenty to do if you are traveling with children. In our opinion a week would be a reasonable amount of time to spend here. You could do a fair number of tours and still spend some time kicking back at camp.
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