We recently visited
Sam Rayburn Marina Resort in Jasper, Texas. What a treat. It was affordable, family-friendly and low-key fun. We wanted a quick get-away. But we didn't want to spend a lot of money and we didn't want to travel far. A relaxed and laid back weekend on the shores of the lake.
That works for me! The Sam Rayburn Dam and Resevoir provides flood control and hydroelectric power generation for the local area. Sam Rayburn Lake is over sixty miles across, making it the largest man made lake in Texas. So, there are
miles of the lake's shoreline to enjoy. And what can you do at the lake? The opportunities are endless. For starters, there's fishing. Sam Rayburn Lake is incredibly popular for fishing, especially for bass, catfish and crappie.
Fishing from shore works just fine, but fishing from a boat is even better. A small group of us chipped in and rented a boat for the day. The men spent a few hours fishing. Then, later in the day, we all went tubing from the back of the boat. Most fun I've had in a long time. More pictures to come on that!
If you prefer the quieter and slower pace of sailing, the coves of the lake are perfect for sailing a small boat. A great way to spend a lazy summer afternoon.
Did you know visiting Sam Rayburn Lake comes with a guarantee? Smiles are guaranteed. My kids were grinning ear to ear during the whole visit.
Jasper is a rural town in southeastern Texas (about 70 miles north of Beaumont) with a population under 10,000 people. If you're looking for big city lights or loud amusement rides, then Jasper, Texas probably isn't the place for you to visit. But, if you're looking for a back-to-the-basics kind of trip and looking to reconnect with your family, Jasper is the perfect setting for it. And if charming roadside gardens are what you want, Jasper may be just the place you are looking for.
Something about this caught my eye. It tickled me. It's a crane that apparently has not been used for some time. It's been abandoned in a field near a farmhouse. The flowering vines have taken it over. I wonder if it was deliberate. Or if Mother Nature just saw an opportunity and ran with it. Either way, maybe someone could start charging admission to it. You could call it "The Hanging Gardens of Jasper".
What else might you put on your itinerary for a visit to Sam Rayburn Lake in Jasper, Texas? Throughout the day, I snapped a few quick shots of a group next to us that was enjoying their day at the lake. I really liked their schedule of events, so I thought I'd share it with you.
9:00 a.m. Lounging in the water. Cowboy hats to protect face from the sun. Cold beer to prevent dehydration. Adults conversing. Kids laughing, swimming and playing.
12 noon. Lounging in the water. Cowboy hats to protect face from the sun. Cold beer to prevent dehydration. Adults conversing. Kids laughing, swimming and playing. Do you see a pattern here?
2 p.m. They changed it up a bit. Lounging in the water on a raft. Cowboy hat to protect face from the sun. Cold beer in a cooler floating nearby to prevent dehydration. Adults conversing.
5 p.m. More of the same. No kidding. I honestly took these photos at different times of the day. This group spent the whole day this way. And they appeared to be thoroughly enjoying themselves. Personally, I think they have the right idea.
Why go anywhere else? You have everything you need right there. And if you happen to run out of cold beer, the Dam Liquor Store is nearby.
Or if you run out of fishing bait or tackle, the Needmore Tackle Store is nearby too.
And at night, when it's time to go in for the evening, your lakeside cottage or waterfront cabin is only a few steps away. By the way, if you happen to get restless in your cottage, the lake's shoreline is a beautiful place to enjoy a walk in the early mornings or at sunset. In fact, those are my girls walking along the shore in the first picture.
No matter how you choose to spend your day at Sam Rayburn Lake, I can almost certainly promise plenty of this. Happy smiles on the faces of your children. And happy kids makes for happy Moms and Dads.
If you enjoyed this post, you can learn more about the Apron Queen here. You can subscribe to the Apron Queen in a reader or via e-mail.
We recently visited Sam Rayburn Marina Resort in Jasper, Texas. What a treat. It was affordable, family-friendly and low-key fun. We wanted a quick get-away. But we didn't want to spend a lot of money and we didn't want to travel far. A relaxed and laid back weekend on the shores of the lake. That works for me!The Sam Rayburn Dam and Resevoir provides flood control and hydroelectric power generation for the local area. Sam Rayburn Lake is over sixty miles across, making it the largest man made lake in Texas. So, there are miles of the lake's shoreline to enjoy. And what can you do at the lake? The opportunities are endless. For starters, there's fishing. Sam Rayburn Lake is incredibly popular for fishing, especially for bass, catfish and crappie.
Fishing from shore works just fine, but fishing from a boat is even better. A small group of us chipped in and rented a boat for the day. The men spent a few hours fishing. Then, later in the day, we all went tubing from the back of the boat. Most fun I've had in a long time. More pictures to come on that!
If you prefer the quieter and slower pace of sailing, the coves of the lake are perfect for sailing a small boat. A great way to spend a lazy summer afternoon.
Did you know visiting Sam Rayburn Lake comes with a guarantee? Smiles are guaranteed. My kids were grinning ear to ear during the whole visit.
Jasper is a rural town in southeastern Texas (about 70 miles north of Beaumont) with a population under 10,000 people. If you're looking for big city lights or loud amusement rides, then Jasper, Texas probably isn't the place for you to visit. But, if you're looking for a back-to-the-basics kind of trip and looking to reconnect with your family, Jasper is the perfect setting for it. And if charming roadside gardens are what you want, Jasper may be just the place you are looking for.
Something about this caught my eye. It tickled me. It's a crane that apparently has not been used for some time. It's been abandoned in a field near a farmhouse. The flowering vines have taken it over. I wonder if it was deliberate. Or if Mother Nature just saw an opportunity and ran with it. Either way, maybe someone could start charging admission to it. You could call it "The Hanging Gardens of Jasper".
What else might you put on your itinerary for a visit to Sam Rayburn Lake in Jasper, Texas? Throughout the day, I snapped a few quick shots of a group next to us that was enjoying their day at the lake. I really liked their schedule of events, so I thought I'd share it with you.
9:00 a.m. Lounging in the water. Cowboy hats to protect face from the sun. Cold beer to prevent dehydration. Adults conversing. Kids laughing, swimming and playing.
12 noon. Lounging in the water. Cowboy hats to protect face from the sun. Cold beer to prevent dehydration. Adults conversing. Kids laughing, swimming and playing. Do you see a pattern here?
2 p.m. They changed it up a bit. Lounging in the water on a raft. Cowboy hat to protect face from the sun. Cold beer in a cooler floating nearby to prevent dehydration. Adults conversing.
5 p.m. More of the same. No kidding. I honestly took these photos at different times of the day. This group spent the whole day this way. And they appeared to be thoroughly enjoying themselves. Personally, I think they have the right idea.
Why go anywhere else? You have everything you need right there. And if you happen to run out of cold beer, the Dam Liquor Store is nearby.
Or if you run out of fishing bait or tackle, the Needmore Tackle Store is nearby too.
And at night, when it's time to go in for the evening, your lakeside cottage or waterfront cabin is only a few steps away. By the way, if you happen to get restless in your cottage, the lake's shoreline is a beautiful place to enjoy a walk in the early mornings or at sunset. In fact, those are my girls walking along the shore in the first picture.
No matter how you choose to spend your day at Sam Rayburn Lake, I can almost certainly promise plenty of this. Happy smiles on the faces of your children. And happy kids makes for happy Moms and Dads.
If you enjoyed this post, you can learn more about the Apron Queen here. You can subscribe to the Apron Queen in a reader or via e-mail.