@polebird: ✨ Winter day spent at the coast? Yes please! ✨

When it is cold outside, the beach may not be the first option that crosses your mind when you are looking for something to do. Normally, when you think of the beach, a picture lots of sunshine and everyone laying out or playing in the ocean comes to mind. This past weekend I was in Houston, Texas, and only about an hour away was Galveston - a port city with some Texas beaches, so we decided to go check it out even though the weather was a bit cool!

I will admit, it wasn't actually freezing cold although there was a bit of dreary winter weather going on. I think that if freezing temps were present, it may have hampered my weekend. :P

First stop was Galveston Island State Park. The pups were excited to go on a small hiking trail called the Clapper Rail Trail through the coastal marsh. Boardwalks took us through the brackish waters (where the salt water and fresh water mix).

The trail was a bit of a mud zone. I ended up carrying Watson through portions of the trail, and that was an extra workout.

I was definitely on the lookout for some birds! The Texas gulf coast actually is home to the Great Texas Birding Trail - made up of nature preserves, trails, and marked paths. There is a lot of diversity in the species of birds found in the wetlands during the winter due to the migration patterns. Got a shot of the roseate spoonbill! Unfortunately, I forgot to bring my DSLR with the big zoom lens, so that we can see him in greater detail.

Next stop, the free car ferry and reliving my childhood past favorite thing to do - SEAGULL FEEDING! You may have seen my previous dtube video regarding my ferry ride, but if you haven't you can check it out here. Basically, the ferry is the connecting "bridge" of highway 87 connecting Galveston Island and the Bolivar Peninsula. After the ferry departs, passengers are allowed to get off their vehicles and do some sight seeing or feed the birds off the back of the boat. We actually didn't have a destination across the water, but it was more about the journey over and bird feeding, lol.

Once we arrived at the other side, we came upon Fort Travis and stopped to check it out.

Exploring the battery with Watty.

Last but not least, beach time! Living in a land locked city, beach time is precious to me, so of course I still spent a couple hours hanging out and running around on the sand. I love the feeling of sand beneath my toes and listening to the waves crash.

Not a bad spot for some acroyoga with my acropup Watson either. If you missed my previous post with lots of acro-cuteness from Watson, you can check it out here.

We all had a pretty fun day. :)

Thanks for reading! Have you guys enjoyed the beach or coast during the winter, and what are your favorite activities to do during that season?

Love,
Jess