Travel ~ Mineral Wells, Texas and The Magpie Inn

     

   Mineral Wells, Texas boasts the home of Crazy Water.  The story goes that a woman who was suffering from her mind failing, came to Mineral Wells and drank the healing waters and recovered.  Thus, Crazy Water was born.  There are four levels of Crazy water to choose from, based on the mineral content.  One being the lowest amount to four being the highest amount.  No matter where you go in town you are bound to experience Crazy Water.  While I was there, I tried number two and felt that by itself, it had too much mineral flavor but with food, it evened out to have a "regular" water flavor.  When you plan your stay, be sure to check out the Crazy Water to discover your favorite and see if it helps you to feel better mentally.

 

    Of course, during my visit, I had to check out the downtown area of Mineral Wells.  It was a short walk from the Magpie Inn, where I stayed the night.  While making my way downtown I saw quite a few murals on the exterior of the buildings and just loved the different images they portrayed.  Murals are such an easy way to incorporate art into your downtown area that can also be a draw for people to visit.  Hint, hint City of Sulphur Springs. 

 

    I decided to step into one of the shops which ended up leading me to four different shops.  It was pretty cool how they were all connected and just flowed from one to the other.  There was a little eatery in one of spots.  Here you could order sandwiches or salads, along with some fresh meat, pasta and sauces as well.  It was cute little spot to enjoy lunch, grab something you might be missing for dinner, to a souvenir to take home and enjoy later. 

 

    One of the staple shops of Downtown Mineral Wells sports a two-story building that literally has something for everyone.  From olive oil to balsamic vinegars, housewares, kids clothes, and even something for the men in your life.  The Market has a little bit of everything, including a cocktail and coffee bar for guests to enjoy while they shop or just to sit awhile and enjoy. 

 

    I even managed to make my way to the brewery, Rickhouse Brewing, that is located downtown in the same building as the Crazy Water Hotel.  I tried a flight of beers and did not find one that I didn't like.  Each one was unique and with a story that resonated with the brewery, creating a history for why they brew the beer and the name given.  Their brew space is right where guests can see it all and I was really impressed with the quality and quantity of beers that they create in the space allotted to them.  You can regularly find musical groups playing at the brewery and a good conversation if that is what you are looking for.  Be sure to ask about the beer stories while you are there and of course find your favorite.

 

    My favorite part of my visit was staying at The Magpie Inn.  This Chef owned and operated inn is a short walk from the center of downtown and is a lovely getaway for couples.  Select from five rooms and enjoy a group breakfast or an in-room breakfast during your stay.  Be sure to look for Waldo, the tortoise, during your stay.  He is definitely part of the Inn experience.  Each room is designed with your comfort in mind and is welcomed retreat during a visit to Mineral Wells. 

 

    If you are visiting family or just looking for a getaway you can't go wrong with a stop in Mineral Wells.  There is plenty to do and see during your visit, and of course wonderful places to stay, eat and drink.  Explore Clark Gardens or hop on over to the lake or take a tour of local wineries or a history tour.  Don't forget to grab a bottle of Crazy Water and find out which level you like the best. 

Travel East Texas ~ Gilmer

 

    As you take the back roads on your journey through East Texas, while traveling East and little South of Sulphur Springs, you will eventually run into the town of Gilmer, Texas.  Gilmer is best known for it's annual celebration The East Texas Yamboree. 

    We did not hit up Gilmer during their celebration but rather as they were getting ready for the big event.  The Yamboree happens to fall on the same weekend as the Hopkins County Stew Festival, so the choices guests have to make for which amazing event they are going to attend is a tough one.  Their festival is a week long celebration with events every day following up to the big event on Saturday.  Be sure to check out the website to find the items you want to participate in. 

    Besides the Yamboree, Gilmer is the county seat for Upsur County, and boasts a large downtown, square.  This is where we focused our adventure in Gilmer.  We walked along the square, had cheesecake bites at Dana's Cheesecake and window shopped the local stores.

    Many of the stores were featuring previous dresses of the young ladies who participated in the Yamboree pageant.  These dresses are beautiful to look at, not sure if I would want to wear all that beading.  

    There are a few restaurants located in Downtown Gilmer, for guests to dine at, and of course many places for people to shop and browse throughout different stores.  One of our favorite stops, was the Brickstreet Art Gallery.  A mix use space, that houses offices for local businesses that utilizes the hallway for displaying art.  A great use of space and a wonderful way to bring customers in to see who else is in the building.

    

    Downtown even features an Upshur County museum, that takes visitors back in time when the county and city were first established.  At one point the museum building housed the Post Office and has since been refurbished into the county museum.  

    There is plenty to keep you busy for the day, in Gilmer on your next visit to The Oaks bed and breakfast.  We hope you have a few good ideas of where to explore next.