Get Away to Garner State Park

Get Away to Garner State ParkAre you looking for a fun family getaway just a stone’s throw from San Antonio? Head west to Garner State Park! My husband, Ryan, along with my two girls and I, met up with some friends and their kids at Garner recently and had a ball.

There are several different lodging options at the park, but we opted for a cabin, which we reserved several months in advance. The cabins are pretty rustic, and we brought our own bedding, towels, and cooking utensils. There are about a dozen little cabins at the park, many equipped with fireplaces, and they were built by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the late 1930s.

acmb cabin

We arrived at Garner State Park late on a Friday night. The next morning, after waking up to the sounds of birds chirping outside our window, we had breakfast by the campfire and trekked off to explore one of the many hiking trails Garner has to offer. The steep climbs offered lots of breathtaking views.

acmb garner view

One of the coolest things we did was hike up to White Rock Cave. The kids loved scrambling down into the cave with flashlights. I was too afraid decided to stand guard outside the cave’s entrance.

acmb cave

Cole, Caroline, Eleanor, Andrew and Sadie were all pretty excited to get to one of the highest points of our hiking outing.

acmb garner hike

Nothing quite works up an appetite like a challenging hike up steep terrain, so we all enjoyed lunch by the campfire when we returned. We cooked some great meals on our trip on the little grill outside our cabin! Weenie roast for lunch, little smokies and campfire donuts for breakfast, and salmon, roasted corn and paella for supper.

acmb campfire food

After lunch, some of the kids tossed the baseball, a few opted for a board game in the cabin, and Sadie and Cole decided to check out Garner’s mini golf course.

acmb mini golf

The cool spring weather was not exactly perfect for a swim in the aptly-named Frio River, but that didn’t deter the kids from wading in. The water is clear, and the views along the banks of the Frio are really beautiful. Canoes, tubes and paddle boats are available to rent at the park.

acmb river

After dinner, we all walked up to the Pavilion to check out the dance.

pavilion

Every night during the summer, outdoor dances are held at the Pavilion. Jukebox music fills the air and stars twinkle in the sky, providing the perfect backdrop for families to two-step, boogie and twirl on the concrete dance floor. During the spring, dances are held every Saturday night.  The night we were there, it was drizzling a little, and there weren’t many people on the dance floor. We danced a little and checked out the gift shop before returning to the campfire for s’mores and ghost stories.

acmb gift shop

Sunday morning, we enjoyed a campfire breakfast before cleaning up the cabins and heading back to San Antonio.

Want to plan your own trip to Garner? The Garner State Park website provides plenty of information, but I do have a few tips of my own if you plan to make the 2 hour drive to the Park:

1) If you want to stay in a cabin, book well in advance. There are about a dozen cabins at the park, and they fill up quickly. A handy link to cabin reservations is here.

2) The beds in the cabins are full-sized, so pack 2 sets of full-sized bedding and pillows for your stay. Our girls slept in their sleeping bags on top of a fitted sheet and were very comfy.

3) The park has a great little store that was just yards away from our cabin. We packed a cooler with food to cook, but we could have bought a lot of the things we brought with us right in the park. Call ahead to make sure the store is open if you plan to do this. We forgot coffee (NOOOOO!!!), but Ryan was able to buy us cups of coffee at the store. Prices are reasonable, and this is definitely a convenient option if you don’t have a lot of time to plan ahead. There is also a seasonally operated concession stand at the Pavilion, so you can get a burger and a coke there before hitting the dance floor.

4) Bring bikes, skates and riding toys if you have room. There are some great paved roads through the park that are perfect for kids to ride on. Don’t forget bats, balls, frisbees, etc.

5) When we arrived, my 8-year-old Sadie asked “What’s the WiFi code here?” She was shocked when I explained to her that there was no WiFi at the park! Leave your iPad home–Garner is a great place to disconnect and unwind! Cell service is reliable, though, so you are never that far away from civilization.

Ryan and I enjoyed our little trip so much we are looking into visiting other Texas State Parks. Do you have any favorite weekend family getaways, either at a State Park or elsewhere? I’d love to hear from you.

Kelly
Kelly lives in Terrell Hills and is a full-time working mom of 4 in a never-a-dull-moment blended family. Her twin stepsons, Eric & Grant, are high school juniors. Her daughters, Eleanor and Sadie, are in junior high and elementary school. She and her husband, Ryan, are both attorneys. When she is not working and "air-traffic controlling" her busy brood, she and her family enjoy exploring San Antonio and the surrounding area.