CLARK CRENSHAW

The weather is warming across the state and the outdoors are calling. As Texans, we know what’s just around the corner: Heat that draws us right back inside. The coolest hours often happen overnight, which is when most of us are sleeping. What if there were ways to get out at night? In our April issue, we explore what the Texas outdoors have to offer after dusk falls. From gigging for flounder to hiking by moonlight, there’s a world waiting outside your lit window. An early night can be traded, on occasion, for a little adventure.

Your nighttime itinerary can be as robust as you like. To start, contributor Wes Ferguson hits Aransas Bay by boat in the dark to spearfish for southern flounder—a Gulf delicacy—that can only be caught at night. Writer Pam LeBlanc heads “into the murk” with a flashlight to explore the state’s trails nocturnally. And contributor Asher Elbein highlights some night-dwelling critters you might see along the way. From the humble armadillo to ringtails, a host of animals thrive beneath the moon.

We’d be remiss to skip an opportunity to talk about the stars at night (which really are big and bright 👏 👏 👏 👏). Writer Antonio Ruiz-Camacho visits Pedernales Falls State Park to see what shines through the pinholes in the dark sky. If you’re more inclined to stay indoors, head to Fort Worth to see an unlikely light bulb that’s been shining for more than 100 years. The “Eternal Light,” as it’s known, is a large incandescent bulb that first lit a path at Fort Worth’s Byers Opera House in 1908. These days, you can catch it at a small museum in the Stockyards, where it still shines like it did all those years ago.

Elsewhere in the issue, writer ire’ne lara silva tells the story of celestial bodies through Indigenous mythology. And for late-night coffee and bites to fuel your nighttime adventures, writer Melissa Hung takes us to Dot Coffee Shop in Houston, where, for nearly 60 years, patrons have been dining beneath the neon glow at the always-open café. The night shift starts now. We hope to see you there.

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ROB GREEBON

“The nocturnal spectacle begins when you hit the road,” writes Antonio Ruiz-Camacho in his story about seeking stars at Pedernales Falls State Park. The park hosts two to three stargazing events every month, though the best stargazing takes place in July, August, and September.

DANIELLE LOPEZ

Digital Strategy Manager Danielle Lopez stopped by the Stockyards Museum in Fort Worth to take footage of the 117-year-old still-working bulb that captured the interest of writer Cameron Maynard in “Let There Be Light.” “It was hard to get a clip because there were so many people crowding around the little bulb,” Lopez says. “It’s just one of those wonderfully weird Texas things.”

SEAN FITZGERALD

Photographer Sean Fitzgerald spent two nights on Aransas Bay to capture what it’s like to gig after dark for southern flounder. He describes those two nights as a “surreal sensory experience,” during which he and his small cohort on the boat cut through dark water in search of the flat fish that blend in with the sand below.

TH: What was the atmosphere out on the water like?

SF: The nights were very dark except for a narrow band of lights dotting the horizon. A constant breeze helped stir up a slight saltwater mist as the boat cut through the water and the boat’s air motor provided a constant roar. I thought the experience would be kind of slow and quiet, but we were moving and searching almost the entire time. The lights on the front of the boat would cut through the inky darkness, letting us see into the water and across nearby vegetation. Fish, jellyfish, birds, and even dolphins would break into the light and then fade into the dark as we motored on. I remember finding myself grinning a few times at how unique the whole experience felt.

TH: What’s your impression of night gigging after going out to watch it? 

SF: The gigging itself looked fun but by no means easy. The flattened flounder blend into the sand and recognizing their shape as we passed over them didn’t come naturally to me. Matt Streich and Tray Clark, the captain, both had the knack for it and could spot them left and right. Experience and knowledge of the flounders’ behavior definitely matters!

TH: Who do you think should try night fishing for flounder for themselves?

SF: It should be a must for any angler looking for a unique experience. It doesn’t hurt that flounder themselves are quite tasty, as are other common fish like sheepshead that are also legal to gig. Even folks who don’t care about gigging but love a new experience would appreciate a night trip on a gigging boat.

 

With its great location, affordable hotels, and myriad shopping, dining, and entertainment options, Shenandoah is the place to be in the greater North Houston and Woodlands area.

JASON WEINGART

An intense storm knocked out power for a few hours while photographer Jason Weingart was staying at the Rock House rental property near Lajitas in 2017. He snapped this shot from the back patio, which overlooks the Rio Grande.“The lightning on the left side is in Texas and the lightning on the right side is in Mexico,” he notes.

MICHAEL AMADOR/TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

After a scenic drive along the eastern edge of Palo Duro Canyon, I traveled through Texas ranching lore at the Charles and Mary Ann Goodnight Ranch State Historic Site. A long gravel road led me to the visitor center, where I arrived just in time for a tour of Charles and Mary Ann’s house—a 2,900-square-foot Folk Victorian called the Castle on the Prairie. The tour covers the couple’s legacy in Panhandle ranching and the Texas Historical Commission’s restoration efforts. Highlights include Charles’ wood-paneled den, where he displayed portraits of his friends including Quanah Parker and Oliver Loving; the quarters of Cleo Hubbard, the son of the Goodnights’ housekeeper, who went on to become ranch foreman; and the second-story deck where Charles slept most nights in the open air. Several bison descended from the Goodnights’ original herd roam the nearby field. Forty-minute tours, held Tuesday-Saturday, are $5 for adults. —Julia Jones, Senior Editor

Your insider’s guide to events, stays, and reservations to plan ahead of the curve for future travels.

Hideaway Round Top, a new farm lodging set on 21 acres with a spring-inspired pool, firepit, fishing pier, and yoga deck, is now open for reservations. hideawayroundtop.com

Plan watch parties for the FIFA World Cup matches taking place at Arlington’s AT&T Stadium in June and July. Hotels in the DFW area will have limited capacity on game days. fifa.com

Six Flags Over Texas and SeaWorld will debut brand new roller coasters this year. Six Flags’ Tormenta Rampaging Run is teed up to break several world records, coinciding with the park’s 65th anniversary.

For a peak pick of blueberry, blackberry, and strawberry season, watch your local you-pick farm’s calendar. Plan a day trip with a picnic at Blackland Berry Farm in Royse City or Berryland Farm in Winnie.

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Published ten times annually by the Texas Department of Transportation’s Travel Information Division, Texas Highways, the official travel magazine of Texas, encourages travel to and within the Lone Star State and tells the Texas story to readers around the world.