Wanderlusting: Arriving in Texas and an AirBnB Texas Style

“Texas has yet to learn submission to any oppression, come from what source it may.” ~ Sam Houston

State Bucket List

It is no secret I love traveling, and with it comes an extensive bucket list I have created. Not only do I have places I want to travel abroad too, but I also want to visit all fifty states here in the US. I have visited just about all on the East Coast with the exception of Florida. (shocking I know!) As well as some in the midwest, and of course I have to give love to my west coast states.

It is the landlocked states, that while gorgeous in their own right, is a bit of a struggle for me. I grew up in the mountains. While it has its own unique beauty, it isn’t my cup of tea coffee. I like hiking, as long as there is an ocean with in an hour and a half. (The distance I grew up from) While places like Vermillion Cliffs in Arizona and as much as I hate snow, seeing the Colorado slopes are on my bucket list. And not sure if this is cheating per se, but to visit Lake Louise in Banff, would be a dream, they come a distance destination desire when planning a trip.

I want the ocean. I want sandy beaches, and mostly I crave warmer temps.

Yet, imagine my surprise when my first foray to Texas was not going to Mustang Island or Galveston, but actually the landlocked metroplex of Dallas-Fort Worth which happens to be the largest inland metropolitan area in the US.

Kate Goes South…Again 

Be ready for a mouthful, my sister-in-law’s sister was getting married in Texas and as a twofold, they not only invited me to the wedding, they also asked if I would watch their kiddos. Of course I said yes right away. I love my nephews and niece and not only did I get to spend time with them, I also got to check another state off my bucket list.

To help them out, I flew from JFK to Logan in Boston to fly with them to DFW. In true Kate fashioned I booked first thing, so I wouldn’t miss my connecting in Boston. I needn’t have worried my Type A self. I had four hours between flights.

I was in luck on my flight to Boston. I had the whole row to myself. Once I landed, I grabbed some coffee and got some work done, while I waited for my family to arrive at Logan. The airports were freezing and I as thankful I had packed a sweatshirt in my carry on.

Boston is an older airport, and security isn’t separated by glass partitions like it is in other airports I have been to such as JFK and San Francisco. I was able to walk back and meet my family at security. My heart absolutely melted when my nephews and niece saw me (thankfully after walking through) and came running to give me the biggest hugs. I wish I had gotten it on camera. It was such a sweet moment. We didn’t have long to wait until we boarded the four hour flight.

An AirBnB Texas Style

My SiL’s family had booked an AirBnB not far from where the venue was and a group of us were staying there. Even still, this was an AirBnB Texas Style.

It was a sprawling one story house for rent, with a small upstairs two bedroom addition, that was also available for rent at an additional price.

This house was Texas big, with a large common area that was both dining and living room. It had a large kitchen area, and the house was landscaped in pristine detail. The house was done in browns and deep reds, with wood and leather everywhere.

There were crosses in every room, at times multiple ones. I lost count of how many there were and the bride, Emily told me that it was actually a Texas/Southern tradition, and many houses have cross walls. It was interesting to see not just that many crosses, but how gaudy some of them were. I never knew leopard print and Jesus could be a thing, but in this house it was.

I stayed with my brother and his family in what was originally the master suite. The master bedroom had a king sized bed, with two doubles for my nephews. A large bathroom separated what had once been, a gorgeously envious walk-in closet and been turned into another bedroom, which is where I slept.

Funnily, I had asked my Maura my SiL if there was a washer and dryer (so I could pack lightly) and sure enough they were located in my room. Irony or fate at its best.

The Outside

The best part of this house was the backyard patio and pool which was ten feet deep, had a waterfall, and a table built into the actual pool.

There were loungers to recline in and stone walls you could sit on. There was also an outdoor bathroom that had a steam room, that was absolutely amazing.

The house also came with a bunch of toys and rafts including a large float we nicknamed the golden goose.

As well as reclinable floats that made for never wanting to leave the pool.

The house also had a bunch of outdoor games, from corn hole, to a large jenga set which we put to good use.

It was the views in the morning and evening that made it truly worth it.

Set on a hill, it overlooked the sprawling Texas terrain and was the perfect spot to get work done before the kiddos awoke.

You never had to leave and for two days before the wedding festivities kicked in, we didn’t, except for a Starbucks break.

Even then, there was a Keurig and we had gotten Starbucks K-cups to brew. While it wasn’t cold-brew, it still got the job done.

Despite the stress that comes with weddings, the house was pure relaxation, and a perfect way to be introduced to Texas.

Have you ever been to Texas? What kind of places do you prefer to visit?