Pace Bend Park, Texas

Nine miles of shoreline in dry, arid central Texas might have you asking “did I just read that right?”. Why yes, yes you did. So much lakeside real estate for boating, swimming and other water activities it’s hard to believe; you’d have to be a few Fruitloops short of a full box not to stop by and check out this 1,368-acre water wonderland. The Tootsie Pop-shaped park is easily accessed on the outside thanks to a looping six-mile paved road, however the sweet reward of the park’s interior takes a bit more work to uncover; hike, bike or ride horseback past limestone cliffs, rocky coves, tallgrass prairies and wooded savanna to uncover the secrets of the wildlife reserve within. Don’t forget to bring the charcoal for a majestic sunset grill-out! The best, most breathtaking views are on the west side of the park overlooking Travis Lake.