Day Trips/Fun Things To Do
In The Brazos Valley with Your Family
Article By Jennifer Satterfield + Photos By Michael Satterfield
Jump in The Car and Let’s Go!
From a lavender farm to a safari, the Brazos Valley has many day trip destinations that are great outings for the entire family. Whether you are driving North, South, East, or West you will find hidden gems and fun things to do. As everyone starts to travel and explore again, finding things to do a short distance from home can provide a sense of security. Traveling also helps your mind switch gears and focus on the future, it gets you out of your typical day-to-day routine to experience new things outside of your comfort zone. To start creating new memories with your family, here are a few suggestions to get your travel adventure started and your next day trip planned.
Chappell Hill Lavender Farm and the Antique Rose Emporium (Brenham, Texas)
Enjoy a beautiful scenic drive to the lavender farm in Brenham at the Chappell Hill Lavender Farm. This hidden gem has rolling hills with breathtaking views of the countryside, including a pond with gazebo for shade on a sunny afternoon. Find refreshing lavender lemonade to sip on as you take a break on the porch before taking a stroll through the lavender fields where guests can clip fresh lavender to take home. Before you go, step inside the Lavender Patch boutique where you will find oils, soaps, lotions, jams, and almost anything you can think of infused with fresh lavender from the farm. Take advantage of their recently added patio for a picnic lunch and a goat petting zoo for the kiddos. There are several driving routes you can take to the lavender farm, consider stopping by the Antique Rose Emporium to stroll through their rose gardens, take family photos among their beautiful flowers, and strike a pose in their giant purple Adirondack chair.
Aggieland Safari (Bryan, Texas)
Did you know you can drive through a 450-acre safari right here in Aggieland? Aggieland Safari adventure zoo and safari park offers over one hundred wildlife species and twenty endangered species. When you drive through the front gates of Aggieland Safari, you feel like you are entering Jurassic Park. The main entrance was beautiful, and you cannot miss it from the road. Start your adventure with the drive-thru safari, where you can interact with wildlife from your car window. 
You can feed the wildlife with food purchased and provided by Aggieland Safari when you arrive at the main entrance. Next, enjoy twenty acres of wildlife on foot at the Adventure Zoo. The giraffe feeding and bird aviary are a unique and up-close animal experience in the adventure zoo. During your visit, plan to stay the day and enjoy all that Aggieland Safari has to offer. Find the concession stands and cool drinks all under a covered pavilion that includes seating along with fun yard games for the whole family.
Wildflyer Mead and BeeWeaver Honey Farm (Navasota, Texas)
Have you ever wanted to learn how to be a beekeeper? Explore the art of beekeeping at BeeWeaver Honey Farm in Navasota. Learn about the science, tools, and skills behind managing a beehive through their beekeeping classes. Stop by weekly for a sweet experience honey tasting and take a tour of the beehives. Shop all things honey and bees in the restored 1930’s Honey Packing Building, now 
converted into a the BeeGoods Mercantile. Inside the mercantile view bees in their natural habitat in a hive behind a glass display. Kids can challenge each other in a “Where’s Waldo” kind of way to find the queen bee in the hive. After your tour and shopping at BeeWeaver, take a short walk over to Wildflyer Mead Company to relax on their porch with a glass of handcrafted Mead and a snack while the kids play yard games. Do not forget your furry family members, dogs are welcome to join in the fun, too!
Washington-on-the-Brazos (Washington, Texas)
Pack a picnic and visit Washington-on-the-Brazos State Historical Site, the birthplace of Texas and the location of the signing of the Texas Declaration of Independence. Walk through the wildflower gardens and spot beautiful butterflies, bird watch across the Brazos River, and tour the Star of the Republic Museum. Pack your lunch and stay the day, enjoying the large open green spaces and playgrounds for the kids. After your picnic lunch, visit the Barrington Living History Farm where you travel back in time to 1850 to see what it was really like living on a farm using 19th century farming tools and methods. Mark your calendars for the third Saturday of the month to browse local vendors at the Washington-on-the-Brazos Farmers Market and stay for the live music and food.
Each destination in the Brazos Valley listed above has online resources, including social media and websites where you can learn more about their offerings and upcoming events that the whole family will enjoy. To learn more about travel destination in the Brazos Valley and beyond, visit www.growinguptexas.com for more travel advice and tips.
Jennifer Satterfield is the founder and editor for Growing Up Texas, a Southern lifestyle and travel blog. Find inspiration through Jennifer’s colorful stories of her favorite boutiques, culinary treats and spirits, and travel adventures across the great state of Texas and beyond. A resident of the Brazos Valley for over twenty years, Jennifer is passionate about telling the stories of local residents and business owners and believes that the Brazos Valley is truly the best place to live! www.growinguptexas.com