The post The Best Splash Parks for Kids in the Dallas Area appeared first on .
]]>Campbell Green Park
Campbell Green is located in far north Dallas on Hillcrest and Campbell, just south of the George Bush Turnpike. Kids will have a wonderful time at this great spray ground that is connected to a park with slides, swings, and climbing structures. The spray ground provides imaginative water play with lots of visual and interactive water features. It’s open 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Monday through Sunday.
Vitals:
- Address- 16600 Hillcrest Road, Dallas, TX 75248
Lake Highlands North
Next door to the recreation center, your kids will smile as they play on this cool spray-ground with nearby seating, a shaded area, and a playground. The times are from 10 am to 8 pm. They open at 2 pm on Friday due to cleaning and maintenance.
Vitals:
- Address- 9940 White Rock Trail, Dallas, TX 75238
If you are looking for more options in Dallas, Dallas Aquatics offers nearly 20 spray grounds throughout Dallas. From Memorial Day through Labor Day, you can visit these free water spray parks seven days a week. Most locations are open from 8 a.m.–8 p.m., but hours vary depending on the day and location.
Plano Aquatic Center
This indoor aquatic facility has a 25-yard lap pool, play area, and fun outdoor spray ground. There is a $3 entry fee for kids 3 and up and a $5 fee for non-residents.
Times:
- Monday through Friday
12 p.m. to 5 p.m. - Saturday and Sunday
1 p.m. to 6 p.m.
Vitals:
- Address- 2301 Westside Dr., Plano, TX 75075
- Price- $3-$5
Tom Muehlenbeck Recreation Center
At this rec center, you will find three large slides, water volleyball, a play structure for toddlers, and fun water spray features. The cost is $3-$6 for ages 3-15, depending on if you are a resident, and $6-$9 for ages 16 and up.
Times:
- Monday-Thursday
5 a.m. to 10 p.m. - Friday
5 a.m. to 9 p.m. - Saturday
8 a.m. to 6 p.m. - Sunday
10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Vitals:
- Address- 5801 W Parker Road Plano, TX 75093
- Price- $3-$9
Windhaven Meadows Park
Your children will love getting wet at this pretty splash park in Plano. Kids who like to climb will also enjoy the large rocks in the splash park. The Windhaven Meadows park is free, so bring your towels and enjoy. The 123-acre park also offers a pavilion, play areas and structures, dog park, and bike and walking trails. The best part is that it’s all free. It is open 5 a.m. to 11 p.m.
Vitals:
- Address- 5400 Windhaven Parkway, Plano, TX 75093
Featured image via Pexels artist Tom Fisk
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]]>The post Texans Voted on the Best Beverages for Cold Winter Weather appeared first on .
]]>The resulting list is full of delicious drink ideas for your time by the fireplace or huddled up next to your space heater watching a movie.
- Hot Coacoa / Hot Chocolate
- Hot Coffee
- Whiskey / Whisky
- Hot Apple Cider
- Ice Cold Beer
- Egg Nog
- Spiked Egg Nog
- Hot Sweet Tea
- Hot Bourbon Cider
- Tequila
- Hot Buttered Rum
- Hot Buttered Bourbon
- Hot Toddy
- Pumpkin Spice White Russian
- Peppermint Mudslide
- Winter Spiced Old Fashioned
- Glühwein / Spiced Wine
- Cold Brew Coffee
- Dr Pepper
- Margaritas
- Jalapeño Margaritas
- Spiced Mexican Hot Chocolate
- Malibu Rum Hot Chocolate
- Wassail
- Coffee w/ Whiskey
- Sweet Iced tea
The poll is still live and members can vote on it for a few more days. We will update this article with the final rankings.
Please note: Members can add new options to the poll, but we do not count joke or prank options in our final listing here.
Featured image a compliation of photos using a photo by Toa Heftiba on Unsplash and a photo by Any Lane on Pexels.
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]]>The post 10 Best Tacos in San Antonio appeared first on .
]]>These tacos ain’t your typical, processed, made-for-the-masses tacos either. To make this list, the tacos need to be extra special and boast fresh, authentic flavor. Whether you love crispy tacos, soft tacos, or puffy tacos, this ultimate list of the best tacos in San Antonio will help you find your next favorite taco joint in Alamo City.
1. Taquitos West Avenue
2818 West Ave, San Antonio, TX 78201
12734 Nacogdoches Rd., San Antonio TX 78217
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HAPPY HALLOWEEN 
(@sanantoniomunchies)Well-known and well-loved for their high-quality, mouth-watering tacos and other eats, you can’t go wrong visiting this fast-casual restaurant. With 2 locations in the San Antonio area, they’ve got you covered as you roam the city.
The main stars at Taquitos West Avenue are the tacos al pastor which are served Thursday through Sunday. They also serve sudadero, carne asada, and tripas tacos if you visit on another day or just want to try different flavors. Don’t forget to grab some authentic Mexican drinks to wash your tacos down like jarritos, Mexican coke, and aguas frescas.
On the panderia (bakery) side you’ll find sweet treats that’ll make a perfect addition to your breakfast tacos or as a snack for later con cafecito. You can take your food outside or stay indoors for exceptional dine-in service.
Even better, they’re open every day and almost all day, opening at 8am and closing at 11pm on weekdays and even later on the weekends. So no matter when your taco cravings hit, these delicious tacos and great restaurants will be your saving grace.
2. Garcia’s Mexican Food
842 Fredericksburg Rd, San Antonio, TX 78201
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If you live in San Antonio you probably already know (and love) this 60-year-old staple Alamo City eatery. Garcia’s legendary, award-winning brisket tacos are part of the all-star lineups of tacos here including an array of breakfast tacos, a picadillo taco, machacado a la mexicana taco, and more taco and non-taco eats.
When you’re there, you can feel and taste the family love that goes into their restaurant and food. Their fresh quality ingredients and family vibe really set this place apart.
3. Original Donut Shop
3307 Fredericksburg Rd, San Antonio, TX 78201
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Whoever had the idea to combine a donut shop with a quality Mexican restaurant is honestly a genius and my new best friend. At The Original Donut Shop, you can get your breakfast grub on with fresh breakfast tacos and freshly baked donuts. If you don’t feel like dining in, they also have 2 drive-thrus – 1 for donuts and 1 for tacos and other food.
They have typical donut shop hours meaning they open and close early, opening at 6:00 am most days and closing around 2:00 pm so be sure to get there early.
4. Ray’s Drive Inn
822 SW 19th St, San Antonio, TX 78207
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Another Alamo City staple, West Side’s Ray’s Drive Inn has been serving up flavorful puffy tacos in authentic drive-in style since the 1950s. Ray’s is a small but mighty eatery with delicious tacos and other eats, excellent service, and great vibes plus, you can eat fresh, puffy tacos from the comfort of your own car (or dine in if you really want). They are actually home of the original puffy taco!
5. Tacos and Chela Mexican Kitchen
9902 Potranco Rd, San Antonio, TX 78251
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Even though Chela’s hasn’t been on the scene as long as some of the other restaurants on this list, they are still a (delicious) force to be reckoned with. Their fresh traditional street tacos are mouthwatering and served with charro beans, onions, cilantro and lime with the option of adding some queso fresco (which we highly recommend you do!). You can choose from sirloin, birria, pastor, chicken fajita, or carnitas – or even do a mix of them.
Other than their street tacos, you can get their other tasty, fresh tacos including charro tacos, shrimp tacos, birria tacos, or even toreado tacos and of course, feel free to try the rest of their fresh menu.
6. Tacos n’ Salsa Mexican Cafe
5123 N Loop 1604 W Acc Rd, San Antonio, TX 78249
10222 Huebner Rd Ste 108, San Antonio, TX 78240
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Another great spot to get your breakfast taco fix is at the fast-casual restaurant Tacos N Salsa and with 2 locations in San Antonio, it’s even easier to get your fix. Both their classic and specialty breakfast tacos are made with their fresh handmade tortillas and fresh daily-made salsa.
The most popular, must-try tacos here are called the Trash Can tacos (cause they’re made with “a little bit of everything). And don’t let the name fool you, these tacos are high-quality, fresh, and delectable.
7. Taqueria Datapoint
4063 Medical Dr, San Antonio, TX 78229
1702 W Gramercy Pl, San Antonio, TX 78201
4503 De Zavala Rd, San Antonio, TX 78249
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Beloved by locals so much that it has 3 San Antonio locations, Taqueria Datapoint boasts delectable, fresh, rich tacos that skimp on the grease but not on the flavor! Served with fresh onions, lime, and cilantro, these delicious no-frill tacos are available early and late night. All 3 restaurants open up at 6am every day and close between 11pm-1am depending on the location and day. Breakfast, lunch and dinner tacos anyone?
8. Tacos el Regio
12757 Nacogdoches Rd, San Antonio, TX 78217
2726 N St Mary’s St, San Antonio, TX 78212
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Great, quick service, reasonable prices, and fresh eats – you can’t go wrong at this straightforward Mexican food truck! Since being founded in 2007, Tacos el Regio uses only the freshest ingredients, the highest-quality meats, and most authentic Mexican spices.
The Nacogdoches location is open until 1am Sunday through Thursday and until 3am on Friday and Saturday while the St. Mary’s location is open until 3am every day – so whenever those late nights taco cravings hit, head over to Tacos el Regio for some delectable tacos.
9. Chela’s Tacos
5231 Broadway APT 117, San Antonio, TX 78209
3420 N St Mary’s St, San Antonio, TX 78212
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Starting off as a humble food truck near the University of Texas at San Antonio, Chela’s Tacos now owns a brick-and-mortar location in addition to its food truck. This low-key counter-serve restaurant serves your standard, yet delicious Mexican eats – including tacos of course. Choose between handmade corn or flour tortillas for your breakfast, lunch or dinner tacos. Pair your food with some of their beer or wine and you’re in for an even more elevated experience.
10. Henry’s Puffy Tacos
6030 Bandera Rd, San Antonio, TX 78238
3202 W Woodlawn Ave, San Antonio, TX 78228
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This casual restaurant has been family-run since 1978. They’re famously known for puffy tacos in San Antonio.
Local legends and birthplace of the famous San Antonio puffy taco revolution, Henry’s Puffy Tacos is one of, if not the top puffy tacos places in Alamo City. Love by generations, these beloved puffy tacos have a crispy deep-fried exterior witha slightly chewy interior, are topped with lettuce, tomatoes, and cheese, and are loaded with your choice of delicious fillings including picadillo, shredded chicken, carne guisada, spicy beef fajita, and spicy chicken fajita. Wash down your tacos (or other yummy Mexican eats) with a margarita and you’re in for a helluva good time. Note that their Express location on Woodlawn is not full-service but is still fully delicious and has great quality service.
Where will you get your next taco fix in Alamo City?
Your next fulfilling breakfast, lunch, or dinner tacos are just a drive or drive-thru away. So what are you waiting for?
What’s your favorite place to grab some tacos in San Antonio? Let us know in the comments below!
Methodology
We gathered information from each restaurant’s official website, social media pages, and company business pages (i.e. Google Maps listing), to review, rate, and rank each of these tacos and restaurants based on the factors below.
- Quality of tacos (freshness, flavor, presentation, pricing vs portion, etc.)
- Authenticity of Mexican flavors (flavor, ingredients, etc.)
- Quality of service & atmosphere (from recent online reviews. photos)
- Recent ratings and reviews
Featured image credit: Left – Tacos and Chela’s IG, Right – Ray’s Drive-In IG
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]]>The post 10 Best Lazy Rivers in Texas appeared first on .
]]>We’ve done our research so you don’t have to and have brought you the 10 top lazy rivers in Texas. So grab your swim tube and bathing suit and get ready to take a trip to one of these awesome local lazy rivers.
1. Waco Surf (formerly BSR Cable Park) – Waco
Waco Surf, 5347 Old Mexia Rd, Waco, TX 76705, USA
Noteworthy Highlight: Longest man-made lazy river in the world
At one mile long (5,280 feet) Waco Surf (formerly BSR Cable Park) is the longest man-made lazy river in Texas the world and takes about 45 minutes to complete one lap. It’s hands-down one of the best ways to beat the infamous Texas heat this summer. You can also cool down with other park water attractions like the gigantic Wedge Water Slideswater slide with a ramp and a manmade beach.
Tickets to Waco Surf start at $39 for individuals and $99 for a family pass for 2 adults and two kids (ages 6-16), giving you access to the water slides and lazy river for the day. Kids 6 and under are free making this the perfect family-fun getaway! There are also other ticket options if you want access to more of their attractions.
2. Schlitterbahn Waterpark – New Braunfels
400 N Liberty Ave, New Braunfels, TX 78130
At this iconic water park, you’re just steps away from all-day water park fun. Kick back on the not-so-lazy lazy river which is named the Torrent River for its fun surprises and tidal waves around every turn. Afterward, head over to one of the other attractions like the tube shoots, activity pools, raging rapids, manmade beaches, and even a nature trail.
Fun fact: This Schlitterbahn location was used in the Spy Kids 3 movie.
3. Marriott Marquis Houston
1777 Walker St, Houston, TX 77010
Noteworthy highlight: Heated Texas-shaped river on a rooftop
One of the coolest, most Texan lazy rivers in the world is at the Marriot Marquis Houston. Not only is it the only Texas-shaped lazy river in the world, but in true Texas-esque fashion, this lazy river is also Texas-sized with a volume of 6,500 square feet and sits on a rooftop at 110 feet above street level. This heated rooftop will take you around the state’s border in about 22 minutes.
The biggest “con” is that you must be a hotel guest (go figure) which makes this a pricier option than other lazy rivers on this list. At the time of writing this article, the lowest price for a 1 night’s stay was $489. Maybe grab a few buddies and split the bill.
4. The Comal River – New Braunfels
New Braunfels, TX 78130
Noteworthy Highlight: Natural, wide, warm river and the cheapest option on the list
The Comal River in New Braunfels is the shortest river in Texas (just 2.5 miles long) but it makes for a great, simple lazy river experience. Flowing with natural flowing spring-fed water, this river boasts gentle currents, wide stretches, no borders or rapids, and a nice cool (but not too cold) temperature of 70-72°F.
This simple and natural river starts near the Wurstfest grounds, then passes through Downtown New Braunfels floating past Schlitterbahn Waterpark, and finally connects with the Guadalupe River.
It’s free to go if you bring your own tubing but for rentals, you can expect to pay about $15-$22 per person for a shuttle, tube rental, and other fees. Luckily, there are several New Braunfels river shops that offer tube, canoe, and kayak rentals for visitors.
5. SeaWorld Aquatica – San Antonio
10500 Sea World Dr, San Antonio, TX 78251, USA
This 1,200-foot-long lazy river is enhanced by tunnel jets, foam shooters, and misters for a relaxing and extra “lazy” experience. You’ll also get the unique experience of wandering through the scenery of underwater life through a tunnel with translucent ceilings. While you’re there you can also check out the other attractions like the huge wave pool, a kids activity pool, the kid-friendly, Kata’s Kookaburra Cove and so much more!
Season passes and combo tickets for Seaworld & Aquatica are available. Still, if you’re just looking to relax in the lazy river and hang out in the rest of the waterpark, a simple single-day Aquatica ticket should do just fine.
6. Great Wolf Lodge Water Park – Grapevine
100 Great Wolf Dr, Grapevine, TX 76051
Noteworthy Highlight: Indoor 80,000-square-foot waterpark
This indoor lazy river is the perfect choice for any weather like when it’s hot enough to bake cookies on your car hood or when it actually gets a little chilly outside. The lazy river isn’t the only entertainment at the 80,000-square-foot park though. There are also water slides, tubes, cabanas, hot springs, dining options, and more.
7. Hyatt Regency Lost Pines Resort and Spa
575 Hyatt Lost Pines Rd Cedar Creek, TX 78612
Located on 405 acres along the Colorado River, this is one of the best family-friendly resorts and it has a temperature-controlled pool with a lazy river. The 1000-foot-long lazy river has beautiful, scenic views and connects to all pools, some slides, and a beachfront pool with a riverside bar so you can have all-day fun without having to get out of the water.
8. Castaway Cove Waterpark – Wichita Falls
1000 Central E Fwy, Wichita Falls, TX 76301
Enjoy floating down the lazy river at this 15-acre tropical-themed paradise. The lazy river is connected to other water attractions like the water parks beach and wave pool. Castaway Cove is relatively cheap compared to other lazy rivers on list and starts at $22.99 for anyone over 42″ tall and starts at $11.99 for those under 42″.
9. Six Flags Hurricane Harbor – Arlington
1800 E Lamar Blvd, Arlington, TX 76006
Noteworthy Highlight: Lazy river winds around the whole park
This lazy river winds around the whole park so you can check out the rest of the slides and attractions and decide what you want to try next. This river is slow-moving and shallow which makes for a relaxing, wind-down experience for the entire family. Don’t forget to check out the other water attractions too.
10. Hurrican Harbor Splashtown Houston/Spring, TX
21300 Interstate 45 Spring, TX 77373
Finally, we can’t forget to mention SplashTown, one of the state’s most popular parks. Splashtown is Houston’s largest waterpark featuring over 40 attractions including a lazy river called “Paradise River”. In addition to the relaxing lazy river, there are also thrill rides, an interactive play area, rides for the whole family, plus plenty of shade and other water features.
Methodology
Recent online reviews, official company websites, and photos from several sources (i.e. Google Business, official company sites, Facebook, Yelp, and others) helped us determine how to score each lazy river. We reviewed and ranked these Houston patios based on several factors:
-
- River length and time to complete
- Location, atmosphere, uniqueness (welcoming, liveliness, views, other features)
- Price (In relation to other rivers on this list)
- Service quality (based on recent online reviews)
- Other included amenities
Editor’s Note: These opinions are our own. We did not and do not receive money from any of the above companies for links clicked or tickets purchased.
Featured image credit: (Left) Mariott Marquis Houston Facebook, (Right) Waco Surf Facebook
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]]>The post 8 Best Zoos in Texas appeared first on .
]]>If you live close to one of the following zoos or are visiting nearby, take some time to bring the whole family or go with friends to experience some great animal adventures. No matter which zoo you pick, it’ll be a win for everyone.
Please note, that this list does not include aquarium-only experiences.
1. Fort Worth Zoo
1989 Colonial Pkwy, Fort Worth, TX 76110
Highlight: Voted best zoo in America
Voted the top zoo in America, the Fort Worth Zoo is a must-visit destination if you are in the DFW area. The Fort Worth Zoo is home to almost 7,000 animals from over 500 species including endangered and rare animals such as Malayan tigers, Houston toads, Louisiana Pine Snakes, and more.
In line with its mission to provide fun, diverse education and promote the protection of wildlife, the Fort Worth Zoo also offers other attractions and activities like the Safari Splash, Swinging Swamp Bridge, Outdoor Learning Theater, Tasmanian Tower, Yellow Rose Train, Children’s programs & camps, and so much more for the whole family. Ticket reservations aren’t required but they are recommended.
2. Houston Zoo
6200 Hermann Park Dr, Houston, TX 77030
Highlight: 2nd most visited zoo in America
The Houston Zoo is the 2nd most visited zoo in America for many reasons. This zoo is 55 acres with an extensive collection of over 6,000 creatures representing more than 600 species. Other attractions include the Bug House, Reflection Pool, Reptile & Amphibian House, Children’s Zoo, a carousel, and more fun! You can visit this zoo knowing that you are supporting the Houston Zoos’ 49 wildlife conservations across 27 different countries and supporting its leading environmental educational resources.
3. Dallas Zoo
650 S R L Thornton Fwy, Dallas, TX 75203
Highlight: Largest & oldest zoo in Texas
Founded in 1888, the Dallas Zoo is the largest and oldest zoological experience in Texas. It has over 2000 animals representing over 400 species across its 106 acres.
You can get up close and personal with some of these animals in the zoo’s Encounters and Experiences led by experienced animal handlers. Or, head over to the Africa exhibit to see elephants & lions, or even feed the giraffes. There’s also a children’s area with a petting zoo, a splash play area, bird feeding opportunities, and more for you to explore.
4. San Antonio Zoo
3903 N St Mary’s St, San Antonio, TX 78212
The San Antonio Zoo houses more than 3,500 animals representing over 750 animal species across its 56 acres. Over a million people a year visit this zoo to admire its array of critters including rainbow lorikeets, giraffes, hippos, and rhinos to name just a few. While you’re there you can also enjoy a 4D theater experience, giraffe feedings, a ride on the zoo train, or get up close and personal with some of the animals like the kangaroos, hippos, and rhinos.
5. Caldwell Zoo (Tyler)
2203 W Martin Luther King Jr Blvd, Tyler, TX 75702
The 85-acre Caldwell Zoo is located in Tyler and houses over 3,500 animals from across the globe. Wildlife is spread across its exhibitions – the Reptile House, the Wild Bird Walkaround, North America, East Africa, and South America – and include some notable animals such as alligators, squirrel monkeys, penguins, and raptors to name a few. If you want to go behind the scenes, you can experience a personal animal encounter with the penguins or black bears. Get ready to amaze and educate the whole family!
6. Cameron Park Zoo (Waco)
1701 N 4th St, Waco, TX 76707
This often overlooked but still excellent zoo sits on the banks of the Brazos River in Waco and houses over 1,700 animals representing 300 species. One of Cameron Park Zoo’s unique features is its array of interesting areas to explore like the Bald Eagle Habitat, South American Exhibit, the Asian Forest, the Salt Water Aquarium, and the Butterfly Garden.
While you’re here, be sure to visit the 50,000-gallon Shipwrecked Spanish Gallion Salt Water Aquarium and adventure through Brazos River Country. You’ll see coastal shore birds, alligators, beavers, and even more creatures.
7. El Paso Zoo
4001 E. Paisano, El Paso, Texas 79905
The 35-acre El Paso Zoo houses over 220 species across its 4 main exhibits – Africa, Asia, the Americas, and last but certainly not least, the Chihuahuan Desert. They house critically endangered species such as the Aruba rattlesnake and Amur leopard and even worked with the endangered Grey Wolf which has helped preserve these species.
During your visit, check out the daily shows at the sea lion exhibit or check out its newest exhibit, Animals of Africa, which has a train and features giraffes, lions, and zebras.
8. Gladys Porter Zoo (Brownsville)
500 E Ringgold St, Brownsville, TX 78520
Finally, we have the Gladys Porter Zoo, an animal oasis settled right in the heart of Brownsville. There are about 28 acres of tropical lush plants and around 1600 animals which represent more than 377 species. Within its 4 zoogeographic regions – Asia, Africa, Tropical America, and Indo-Australia – over 377 species of animals are represented.
So, what’s your favorite Texas zoo? Let us know in the comments below!
Methodology
We gathered information from each zoo’s official website, social media pages, and company business pages (i.e. Google Maps listing) to review, rate, and rank each of these zoos based on the factors below.
- Number of animals & species
- Size of the zoo (walkable space and areas to explore)
- Availability of other attractions and services
- Awards, nationally acclaimed, recognitions
- Recent ratings and reviews
- Bonus points for caring for unique, rare, or endangered animals
Featured image credit: (Left) Fort Worth Zoo Facebook, (Right) El Paso Zoo Facebook, both embedded above
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]]>The post 11 Best Houston Patios For Al Fresco Dining appeared first on .
]]>Views aren’t the only things that make a patio experience great. We also considered other factors such as customer service, food quality, and more which you can read more about at the end of this article. Whether it’s skyline views, hideaway spots, or luscious greenery – one of these patios is sure to be your next favorite in-town getaway.
Without further ado, here are our picks for the 11 best patios in Houston!
1. Tiny Boxwoods
3614 W Alabama St, Houston, TX 77027
Built in the middle of a beloved River Oaks nursery, this restaurant boasts beautiful and spacious lush grounds and rustic decor. Feel free to take a seat in one of its comfy loungers or tables or even walk around and enjoy the multitude of greenery sprawled across the space. Here, you can enjoy from-scratch food, a full espresso bar, creative cocktails, and even some delectable chocolate chip cookies. Tiny’s is also a prime place for private events due to its beautiful backdrop, large area, and the food of course.
2. Backstreet Cafe
1103 S Shepherd Dr, Houston, TX 77019
Known for its diverse menu and distinctive dining space inside a 1930’s era house, Backstreet Cafe provides picturesque views everywhere you look – including the patio. The legendary New Orleans-style patio has flowering shrubbery and a lovely fountain that’ll make you feel cozy and comfortable. While you’re here, enjoy some award-winning eateries and drinks such as Sunday brunch, wine & spirits, and cocktails accompanied by live jazz.
3. B.B. Lemon
1809 Washington Ave, Houston, TX 77007
Enjoy bistro fare while lounging in this spacious, open-air patio that includes string lights, a manicured lawn, and a pristine backdrop. You can also sit at any of the outdoor bar seats while enjoying the classic food and cocktail menu inspired by Houston and New York. B.B. Lemon’s patio also has fans and heaters so no matter what time of the year, you can stay comfortable when visiting this patio.
4. Lucille’s
5512 La Branch St, Houston, TX 77004
This locally-owned museum-district treasure has a semi-covered patio equipped with picnic tables and high-tops. They are well equipped with heaters and fans so you can comfortably enjoy the patio all year round. You can also enjoy the occasional live jazz alongside an array of fine Southern eats which adds to the cozy, welcoming environment.
5. d’Alba
3715 Alba Rd, Houston, TX 77018
The backyard-style patio at d’Alba hosts flat-screen TVs, a community firepit, and Adirondack chairs that might inspire you to renovate your own backyard. Along with its array of delicious seafood, craft cocktails, wine, and beer – you may find yourself here every weekend.
6. Bludorn
807 Taft St, Houston, TX 77019
This festive 1,800-square-foot patio boasts a luscious landscape full of greenery that can seat 36 people. Enjoy delectable tastes of French-inspired seasonal Gulf Coast dishes, global wines, and handcrafted cocktails. With state-of-the-art fans and heaters, you can enjoy this cozy, elevated environment all year round.
7. La Lucha
1801 N Shepherd Dr #A, Houston, TX 77008
La Lucha’s large enclosed patio is the perfect spot to hang with friends. Casual seating and picnic tables are scattered around the space and are accompanied by towering live oak trees that really make you feel at home. While you’re here enjoy some Gulf seafood, fried chicken, and more!
8. Gratify
5212 Morningside Dr, Houston, TX 77005
You can find this trendy covered, wraparound patio in Rice Village. Gratify’s patio area has comfortable lounge seating that overlooks a lovely community green space that complements its contemporary indoor decor and upscale menu.
9. The Annie Cafe & Bar
1800 Post Oak Blvd Suite 6170, Houston, TX 77056
Annie’s stylish dual-level patio has walls of ivy and oversized umbrellas that’ll protect you from the Houston sun and give you a sense of coziness and relaxation. Fill up your plate with some Texas-influenced American cuisine created by an award-winning chef including brunch, seafood, dinner, or more paired with wines or cocktails.
10. Ostia
2032 Dunlavy St, Houston, TX 77006
Ostia’s small but mighty 600-square-foot patio is filled with beautiful citrus planters, colorful Bougainvillea plants, and other greenery. While enjoying the lovely views of this open-air patio, you can fill up your table with cocktails and Mediterranean-inspired eats.
11. Casa Nomad
600 N Shepherd Dr. Suite 499, Houston, TX 77007
Mexican kitchen & lounge Casa Nomad is a Tulum-inspired upscale patio bar and restaurant. This 800-square-foot space emulates a tropical, boho-chic style with its canopy cover and its “jungle disco” music that accompanies its Mayan-inspired fare.
Did your favorite patio make the list? Are we missing any patios in Houston? Leave a comment below and let us know!
Methodology
Recent online reviews and photos from several sources (Google Business, Facebook, Yelp, and others) helped us determine how to score each patio location. We reviewed and ranked these Houston patios based on several factors:
-
- Patio aesthetics (size, furniture style, layout, patio views, etc.)
- Atmosphere (uniqueness, welcoming, liveliness, and location)
- Food quality (uniqueness of food, flavor, presentation, pricing vs portion size, etc.)
- Service quality (based on recent online reviews)
Featured image credit: (Left) Bludorn Facebook, (Right) Casa Nomad Facebook
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]]>The post The Best Texas T-Shirts appeared first on .
]]>Below you’ll find shirts from merchants all across Texas including some of the most recognized brands like: Tumbleweed TexStyles, Tyler’s, Paris Texas Apparel Co., Chuy’s, Texas Humor, Bullzerk, the Sugar Land Space Cowboys, the Corpus Christi Hooks, and of course us here at Texas is Life. We have done our best at estimating the top Texas pride shirts for y’all. Read about our methodology here.
1. Texas Towns Shirt
- Brand: Tumbleweed TexStyles
- Price: $25
- Sizes: S, M, L, XL, 2XL
- Shirt Colors: Antique Denim
- Base Shirt: unknown (customized)
- Gender/Sex: Male and Female
- How to Buy: Order online here
2. Texas vs. California Boxing T-Shirt
- Brand: Texas is Life
- Price: $23
- Sizes: XS, S, M, L, XL, 2XL, 3XL
- Shirt Colors: Solid Black Blend, Black, Army, Olive, Dark Grey, Vintage Black, Kelly, Evergreen, True Royal, Heather True Royal, Dark Grey Heather, Heather Midnight Navy, Deep Teal, Navy, Maroon, Red, Canvas Red
- Base Shirt: Bella + Canvas 3001
- Gender/Sex: Male and Female
- How to Buy: Order online here
3. Corpus Christi Hooks T-Logo (Whataburger style Texas) Shirt
- Brand: Corpus Christi Hooks via Bimm Ridder
- Price: $20
- Sizes: S, M, L, XL, 2XL, 3XL
- Shirt Colors: Orange
- Base Shirt: Gildan
- Gender/Sex: Male and Female
- How to Buy: Order online here
4. Ain’t Texas Shirt
- Brand: Texas Humor
- Price: $30
- Sizes: S, M, L, XL, 2XL, 3XL
- Shirt Colors: Navy
- Base Shirt: unknown
- Gender/Sex: Male and Female
- How to Buy: Order online here
5. Sugar Land Space Cowboys Cap Logo Tee
- Brand: Sugar Land Space Cowboys vis Bimm Ridder
- Price: $20
- Sizes: S, M, L, XL, 2XL, 3XL, 4Xl, 5XL
- Shirt Colors: Light Blue
- Base Shirt: unknown (probably Gildan)
- Gender/Sex: Male and Female
- How to Buy: Order online here
6. America Makes Me Wanna Drink Shirt
- Brand: Bullzerk
- Price: $24
- Sizes: S, M, L, XL, 2XL
- Shirt Colors: Blue
- Base Shirt: unknown
- Gender/Sex: Male and Female
- How to Buy: Order online here
7. Don’t Mess With Texas Retro (Light Blue) Shirt
- Brand: Texas is Life
- Price: $23
- Sizes: XS, S, M, L, XL, 2XL, 3XL
- Shirt Colors: White, Coral, Deep Heather, Silver, Heather Peach, Soft Cream, Heahter Olive, Yellow, Heather Columbia Blue, True Royal, Heather True Royal, Heather Deep Teal
- Base Shirt: Bella + Canvas 3001
- Gender/Sex: Male and Female
- How to Buy: Order online here
8. Texas Smile Logo Shirt
- Brand: Texas is Life
- Price: $25
- Sizes: XS, S, M, L, XL, 2XL, 3XL
- Shirt Colors: Deep Heather, Black, Solid Black Blend, Olive, Vintage Black, Kelly, Heather Columbia Blue, Heather True Royal, Heather Navy, Navy, Heather Team Purple, Red, Cardinal
- Base Shirt: Bella + Canvas 3001
- Gender/Sex: Male and Female
- How to Buy: Order online here
9. Texas Chica Shirt
- Brand: Tumbleweed TexStyles
- Price: $25
- Sizes: S, M, L, XL, 2XL
- Shirt Colors: Gold
- Base Shirt: unknown (customized)
- Gender/Sex: Female
- How to Buy: Order online here
10. Y’all Texas Flag Tee
- Brand: Tyler’s
- Price: $27.99
- Sizes: XS, S, M, L, XL, 2XL
- Shirt Colors:
- Base Shirt: Heather Grey
- Gender/Sex: Male and Female
- How to Buy: Order online here
11. Texas is Better Than Your State T-Shirt
- Brand: Texas is Life
- Price: $23
- Sizes: XS, S, M, L, XL, 2XL, 3XL
- Shirt Colors: Deep Heather, Black, Solid Black Blend, Olive, Vintage Black, Kelly, Heather Slate, Dark Grey Heather
- Base Shirt: Bella + Canvas 3001
- Gender/Sex: Male and Female
- How to Buy: Order online here
12. Hencho en Tejas T-shirt
- Brand: Paris Texas Apparel Co
- Price: $29
- Sizes: XS, S, M, L, XL, 2XL, 3XL
- Shirt Colors: Midnight Navy
- Base Shirt: unknonwn (customized)
- Gender/Sex: Male and Female
- How to Buy: Order online here
13. Juan Solo Shirt
- Brand: Chuy’s
- Price: $18
- Sizes: S, M, L, XL, 2XL
- Shirt Colors: Heather Grey
- Base Shirt: unknown
- Gender/Sex: Male and Female
- How to Buy: Order online here
14. Stars at Night Heartbeat Comic Shirt (by A Slice of Alan)
- Brand: Texas is Life
- Price: $25
- Sizes: XS, S, M, L, XL, 2XL, 3XL
- Shirt Colors: White, Ash, Solid Black Blend, Black, Pebble Brown, Army, Olive, Dark Grey, Vintage Black, Teal, Kelly, Turquoise, Ocean Blue, Deep Teal, Navy, Maroon, Cardinal, Canvas Red
- Base Shirt: Bella + Canvas 3001
- Gender/Sex: Male and Female
- How to Buy: Order online here
15. TEXAS in Tesla Font Shirt
- Brand: Texas is Life
- Price: $25
- Sizes: XS, S, M, L, XL, 2XL, 3XL
- Shirt Colors: Black, Solid Black Blend, Black Heather, Olive, Vintage Black, Kelly, Navy, Maroon, Red
- Base Shirt: Bella + Canvas 3001
- Gender/Sex: Male and Female
- How to Buy: Order online here
16. Waving Texas Flag T-Shirt
- Brand: Texas is Life
- Price: $19
- Sizes: XS, S, M, L, XL, 2XL, 3XL
- Shirt Colors: White, Soft Pink, Orange, Solid Black Blend, Soft Cream, Gold, Army, Olive, Kelly, Steel Blue, True Royal, Maroon
- Base Shirt: Bella + Canvas 3001
- Gender/Sex: Male and Female
- How to Buy: Order online here
17. Texas Corny Dog Tee
- Brand: Texas is Life
- Price: $25
- Sizes: XS, S, M, L, XL, 2XL, 3XL
- Shirt Colors: White, Ash, Deep Heather, Black, Black Heather, Heather Stone, Yellow, Kelly, Heather Columbia Blue, True Royal, Heather True Royal, Dark Grey Heather, Deep Teal, Navy, Red
- Base Shirt: Bella + Canvas 3001
- Gender/Sex: Male and Female
- How to Buy: Order online here
18. Texan Forever Short Sleeve T-Shirt
- Brand: Texas is Life
- Price: $23
- Sizes: S, M, L, XL
- Shirt Colors: Deep Heather, Black, Gold, Dark Grey, Vintage Black, Heather Kelly, Evergreen, Forest, Aqua, Turquoise, True Royal, Heather True Royal, Asphalt, Dark Grey Heather, Heather Navy, Heather Aqua, Navy, Heather Team Purple, Team Purple, Maroon
- Base Shirt: Bella + Canvas 3001
- Gender/Sex: Male and Female
- How to Buy: Order online here
19. Texas Since 1836 Shirt
- Brand: Texas is Life
- Price: $23
- Sizes: XS, S, M, L, XL, 2XL, 3XL
- Shirt Colors: Coral, Deep Heather, Heather Clay, Brown, Solid Black Blend, Black, Pebble Brown, Heather Brown, Black Heather, Heather Stone, Army, Olive, Vintage Black, Kelly
- Base Shirt: Bella + Canvas 3001
- Gender/Sex: Male and Female
- How to Buy: Order online here
20. Texas State Y’all Tee
- Brand: Texas is Life
- Price: $23
- Sizes: XS, S, M, L, XL, 2XL, 3XL
- Shirt Colors: Deep Heather, Heather Clay, Black, Heather Olive, Heather Brown, Black Heather, Dark Grey, Heather Kelly, Athletic Heather, Heather Columbia Blue, True Royal, Heather True Royal, Heather Slate, Dark Grey Heather, Heather Navy, Heather Midnight Navy, Team Purple
- Base Shirt: Bella + Canvas 3001
- Gender/Sex: Male and Female
- How to Buy: Order online here
21. Texas Leopard Print Tee
- Brand: Texas is Life
- Price: $23
- Sizes: M, L
- Shirt Colors: White, Black, Baby Blue, Heather True Royal, Heather Navy, Berry
- Base Shirt: Bella + Canvas 6004
- Gender/Sex: Female
- How to Buy: Order online here
22. Texas Cow Print T-Shirt
- Brand: Texas is Life
- Price: $23
- Sizes: XS, S, M, L, XL, 2XL, 3XL
- Shirt Colors: Deep Heather, Black, Heather Green, Dark Grey, Turquoise, Heather Columbia Blue, True Royal, Heather Midnight Navy, Heather Aqua, Heather Team Purple, Maroon, Heather Red, Cardinal, Canvas Red
- Base Shirt: Bella + Canvas 3001
- Gender/Sex: Male and Female
- How to Buy: Order online here
Methodology
Determining the best Texas pride shirts for Texans is a tough task. We use a variety of different data sources to help us determine this including: Photos of Texans wearing shirt designs in Facebook Groups, Seeing shirts Texans wear when they share photos to other places like Twitter and Instagram, Noticing shirt designs when we go to concerts / festivals / the State Fair, our editoral boards enjoyment of various designs, and of course our own sales data and customer feedback.
We do not take into account sales data or reviews posted to places like Etsy, Facebook Marketplace, Amazon, or eBay since these are frequently knockoff versions of shirt designs and likely do not represent the Texas brands known for creating great t-shirts.
This isn’t a perfect methodology and we are always working to improve up on it.
This list will be continuously updated to add new shirt designs and adjust the rankings. One mechanism for those adjustments will be when we see new designs created by a Texas brand. Another mechanism will be requesting input or votes from the members of our Facebook Group (over 10,000 fans and growing). Join our Group to make sure your voice can be counted when we ask for feedback to update this list in the future.
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]]>The post The Best SEOs in Texas appeared first on .
]]>Contents
Introduction
The Best SEOs in Texas
How Much Does Hiring an SEO in Texas Cost?
How to Tell if an SEO is a Scammer
How to Hire a Texas SEO
Methodology
Introduction
Our readers asked us to investigate and find the best SEOs that are actually located in the state of Texas.
Our researchers learned a lot about this niche marketing position during our research for this list including; having good SEO is practically a necessity for all businesses in Texas, finding a good or trustworthy SEO to work with can be extremely difficult, systems designed to highlight local SEO consultants frequently highlight spammers and scammers from overseas or other parts of the country instead, many businesses that sell SEO do not do actual SEO work, there are seemingly thousands of unscrupulous vendors in the space that make very attractive promises but ultimately leave clients hanging.
Our researchers determined it would be best to find as many SEOs based in Texas as possible, then to list only those that had what appeared to be credible evidence of their knowledge. This was a harrowing task as many SEOs claiming to live or work in Texas currently actually live in other locations, one such SEO used to be a resident of a major Texas city but moved to California years ago (yuck) and conducts their business via web-based video calls. Where possible we also wanted to list out the current employer for an SEO, their current disposition, and any specialty they might be best known for.
There’s another final twist to SEOs. Some of them work for companies (known as “in-house” or “brand side”), some of them work for marketing agencies of varying sizes, some of them work as freelancers, some of them only offer or specialize in a niche service, some of them work as auditors only, and some of them only offer consulting. That means if you’re trying to hire one of the best SEOs in Texas, you may not be able to or as they told us the industry calls it “it’s a bad fit”.
This list should be considered thorough but in no way totally complete since SEO has a lower barrier to entry than other professional occupations where most anyone can learn the discipline and claim to be at least somewhat knowledgeable or even an expert without a formal education, cerfitication, or governing body of any kind.
The Best SEOs in Texas
If you’re looking for an SEO to hire, we have provided links to the websites of agencies, consultants, and freelancers. In-house SEOs do not have links but you can probably find them easily on LinkedIn, Twitter, or Facebook.
1. Christine Churchill
One of the first SEOs in the world and a renowned speaker on SEO topics. Christine’s company started offering SEO services 2003.
City: Lucas, TX
Company: Key Relevance
Website: https://www.keyrelevance.com/
Type: Agency and Consultant
2. Greg Gifford
Greg is a brilliant local SEO most well-known for his engaging topical presentations using movie quotes and scenes to help highlight the points he makes. He spent years doing SEO for clients of Plano-based AutoRevo then as the Vice President of Search for DealerOn, and today serves as the Vice President of Search at SearchLab Digital, Inc. based in Chicago, IL.
City: Dallas, TX
Company: SearchLab Digital
Website: https://searchlabdigital.com/
Type: Agency
3. Brett Tabke
Brett is the founder of Pubcon, a series of conferences that focus on SEO topics as well as other digital marketing topics. He is also the founder of WebmasterWorld, an online forum where SEOs discuss various topics. While it’s highly unlikely that you can hire Brett as a consultant or in-house hire, our researchers felt he deserved an inclusion on this list.
City: Austin, TX
Company: Pubcon
Website: n/a
Type: n/a – Conference Organizer
4. Keith Goode
Keith has a storied history of performing SEO at major tech companies including IBM, DELL, and seoClarity. During our team’s research he left IBM for his new role as Principal SEO Product Manager with Cox Automotive in Atlanta.
City: Austin, TX
Company: Cox Automotive
Website: n/a
Type: In-house
5. Joe Youngblood
Joe runs a medium-sized SEO agency located in North Dallas. Our researchers were able to find documents showing his work going back at least over a decade across various industries including real estate, tech startups, travel, and more. His agency gets high marks for ranking well on various keywords, conducting unique research into SEO, and openly sharing quite a bit of knowledge about SEO publicly and freely. His agency offers a Free SEO Review which our research team found incredibly englightening and useful.
City: Dallas, TX
Company: Joe Youngblood SEO & Digital Marketing Consulting
Website: https://www.joeyoungblood.com/
Type: Agency and Consultant
6. Shelly Fagin
Shelly is a fantastic SEO that was recently with publicly traded SEMrush before moving to a new position as Senior SEO Product Manager at Atlanta-based Cox Automotive.
City: Houston, TX
Company: Cox Automotive
Website: n/a
Type: In-house
7. Steven Kang
Founder of the SEO Signals Lab Facebook group and well-known SEO meme maker. While it is evidently clear that Steven knows his stuff and is likely available for hire, we aren’t entirely sure where to send you to reach out to him. If you’re interested in learning more about Steven we suggest trying his Facebook Group “SEO Signals Lab”.
City: Mansfield, TX
Company: SEO Signals Lab
Website: unknown
Type: unknown
8. Tony Wright
Original member of DFWSEM and long-time public relations / SEO consultant to major Dallas area brands. Tony is a stalwart component of the Dallas area SEO community.
City: Plano, TX
Company: WrightIMC
Website: https://wrightimc.com/
Type: Agency and Consultant
9. Damon Gochneur
Founder of a small SEO agency in Denton and the Denton Diablos soccer (futbol) team.
City: Denton, TX
Company: Aspiro Digital Agency
Website: https://aspiroagency.com/
Type: Agency and Consultant
10. Kevin Doory
A relative new comer to Texas, Kevin hails from up north and worked in SEO for busineseses in New York City, Maryland, and Baltimore before moving to the DFW area. He now serves as Director of SEO at AutoRevo.
City: Plano, TX
Company: AutoRevo
Website: https://autorevo.com/
Type: Agency
11. Chris Silver Smith
CEO of Argent Media Chris is widely considered to be one of the top experts in a niche SEO field called “Online Reptuation Management” or simply just “Reputation Management”. He is also frequently called upon as an expert witness for legal cases.
City: Dallas, TX
Company: Argent Media
Website: https://argentmedia.com/
Type: Agency and Consultant
12. Beth Kahlich
Beth owned Search Engine Academy Texas, ran her own agency, has been a board member with DFWSEM, and taught SEO and digital marketing at SMU. She now works as the Senior Manager – Digital Marketing (SEO and Social Media) at Alight Solutions based in Lincolnshire, IL.
City: Plano, TX
Company: Alight Solutions
Website: n/a
Type: In-House
13. Aaron Eaves
Aaron helped revive Houston’s SearcHOU organization a non-profit that brings a community of SEOs together and puts on great learning events with experts from all over. Today he serves as the Vice President of Digital Marketing at Marketing Refresh, a Houston-based agency.
City: Houston, TX
Company: Marketing Refresh
Website: https://www.marketingrefresh.com/
Type: Agency
14. Ian Dolan
Ian started out with his own small agency but quickly pivoted in-house where he has worked with brands like e*Trade. Today Ian volunteers for the Houston Interactive Marketing Association and does SEO for STDcheck.com.
City: Houston, TX
Company: STDcheck.com
Website: n/a
Type: In-house
15. Jason Channel
Jason is a talented SEO with stints at Texas agencies like WrigthIMC and The Infinite Agency. Today he works as Vice President of Marketing for Dallas-based Ascension Credit Services.
City: Dallas, TX
Company: Ascension Credit Services
Website: n/a
Type: In-house
16. Neil Lemons
Neil is well-known in the blogger space being one of the founders of the award-winning ILiveinDallas.com blog. Today he uses his SEO and content talents as the Global Search Marketing Manager at Trend Micro in Irving, TX.
City: Irving, TX
Company: Trend Micro
Website: n/a
Type: In-house
17. Dan Sturdivant
Dan has been involved in the marketing community for a long time and was worked at several Texas agencies with other notables on our list. He is currently an SEO instructor for SMU and Marketing Director at Impiger Technologies.
City: Richardson, TX
Company: Impiger Technologies
Website: n/a
Type: In-house
18. Jesse McDonald
Jesse currently works as the Global SEO Strategist at IBM and is a frequent face at SEO conferences.
City: Austin, TX
Company: IBM
Website: n/a
Type: In-house
19. Danny Gavin
Danny has worked with various Houston based companies doing SEO and digital marketing work including Blinds.com, agencies including Softway, and as a professor. Today he is the founder of the SEO agency Optidge and works as Vice President of Marketing for Brian Gavin Diamonds.
City: Houston, TX
Company: Optidge
Website: https://optidge.com/
Type: Agency and Consultant
Honorable Mentions
These SEOs no longer call the lonestar state home and so have been added as honorable mentions. Each one our researchers felt they made an impact on their local business community or on the state as a whole.
- Bill Hartzer – Founder of DFWSEM and long-time Texas resident, Bill has recently moved to Colorado.
- Katy Katz – An SEO and Social marketer who spent several years in the Houston, TX area helping local organizations put on events and conferences and working at agencies like Marketing Refresh and Inturact, Katy and her family recently moved to Florida.
How Much Does Hiring an SEO in Texas Cost?
When it comes to how much you’ll pay to hire an SEO we asked about that too. The more expertise and experience an SEO has, the more they can likely charge. For SEOs that work in-house, they take a salary and only work for that one corporation or small business which means you won’t be able to hire them (unless you make a better offer). SEOs in Texas currently make anywhere between $45,000 / year to $325,000 / year with an average salary of $59,500. SEO agencies or marketing agencies that claim to do SEO set the price anywhere between $500 per month and $10,000 per month for a small to mid-sized local business.
Every single SEO our research team spoke with resonated the same thing: Don’t hire an SEO for a one-time fix or a short term, it should be a long-term commitment to the practice by your company / brand.
How to Tell if an SEO is a Scammer
Our research uncovered some ways that unsuspecting small businesses are falling prey to bad SEOs. Typically these are SEOs operating overseas but in some cases they can be operating right here in Texas. Here are the things to look out for separated by “Warning Signs” (things that should make you look twice) and “Red Flags” (things that are most often indicitive of a scam.
Warning Signs:
- The agency uses the name of the city + the word “SEO” as their agency name. – This makes it extremely easy for these businesses to rank on mapping systems like Google Maps but makes it impossible for them to attract business from other parts of the state or country. Frequently, but not always, these business listings are scammers.
- The agency has a lot of 5-star reviews from customers who have only ever left 1 review on Google. – SEO takes time to work and getting a large volume of reviews from those who have never given a review before should make you want to look a little deeper.
- The agency charges less than $500 / month or a one-time fee. – SEO is an ongoing commitment and because of the high levels of expertise and large volumes of work often required, it is not cheap. Agencies or consultatns trying to sell you cheap services my end up hurting your site or even doing nothing which apparently happens often. There’s also a whole industry where fake SEOs reseller Fiverr gigs for an upcharge and pocket the difference. The end result of all of this is wasted money by your business.
Red Flags:
- The agency uses a telephone number from a foreign country. – This almost always indicates an overseas spam operation.
- The agency does not have any photos or mentions of team members on their website. – If you can’t align an SEO agency with real people it is most likely fake and will scam you.
- The agency or consultant promises top rankings or guarantees you results of any kind. – SEOs do not control the algorithm of Google, Bing, DuckDuckGo or other search engines. That makes any guarantee spurious at best and at worst outright fraud. An SEO might uncover some tactic that instantly ranks a site at the top, it has happened in the past, but these are quickly patched up by search engines and often websites abusing tricks like this are penalized causing long-term harm.
- You found out about the agency through a cold call claiming it was Google. – These scam calls sometimes pretend to be Google endorsing a fake agency or to be Google attacking your website and then a follow up call comes from a scam agency.
- You found out about the agency through an unsolicited email. – Real SEO agencies and consultants typically have plenty of clients and will be found via rankings, ads, local organizations, or conferences. Those spamming your email inbox are most likely scammers.
- You found out about the agency via a spam message in your contact form. – Real SEO agencies and consultants are also not prone to spamming contact form entries of potential clients.
How to Hire a Texas SEO
Here are some tips on hiring a great SEO from the great state of Texas to help your business grow.
- Look for an SEO located in your local area and meet for coffee or lunch. – You’re looking for an SEO agency, consultant, or freelancer using our list of the best SEOs in Texas above OR using Google Maps using our list of warning signs and red flags above. For you folks in big metro areas like DFW, Houston, and Austin it seems pretty easy to do. For y’all in East Texas, West Texas, the Hill Country, Coastal Bend, RGV, and El Paso it appears to be much harder.
- Do not hire the following types of businesses to do your SEO since they are not specialists in the field. – Design agency, Computer repair shop, Business advisor, Social media agency, PR agency, Local newspaper, Local Instagram influencer/food blogger, IT service provider.
- Always ask who is doing the SEO work. – The SEOs we’ve listed above are likely to do thier own work or lead teams of other local experts. However, many “agencies” and even freelancers outsource their work to overseas workers in a process known was “drop servicing”. This is where you pay an SEO freelancer $500 to do your SEO and they hire a Fiverr gig seller in Bangladesh to do the work for $25. This creates several problems, but the largest one is that when something goes wrong there isn’t an SEO expert working to fix it for you.
- Ask the SEO what kind of work they will do for you. – While SEO is always changing and it might be hard for an SEO to tell you exactly what they will work on over the coming months, they should at least be able to tell you what things they might work on such as on-page copy, link building/earning, local SEO, and technical SEO. Be weary of any SEO that only provides one specific tactic.
- Make sure you can afford it. – SEO can power future revenue growth, but it rarely works quickly. Do not hire an SEO and expect an immediate growth in revenue but more gradual increases leading up to your revenue gains. Google recommends at least waiting 4-months to see results and it may take as long as 12-months. Even then there is no way to guarantee that your investment will pay for itself, so be sure what you are spending on SEO is something you can afford to lose, much like any investment.
Methodology
We did our best to gather the names of SEOs from across Texas that met the following criteria; appeared knowledgable, did not appear spammy, had some form of credibility that was verifiable (i.e. speaking at conferences, a client or two we could talk to, etc…). Our researchers did not list any web designers or graphic designers or software developers who claimed to be an SEO. SEOs who worked at these firms or founded them were likely also cut from the list since they are unlikely to be SEO practitioners of any kind today.
Notes on Updating
Invariably there will be changes and updates needed or new SEOs to add to these rankings. Our team plans at least one major update each year. If you have any changes you believe should be made or a person to add to this list please contact us via our Facebook Page here: https://www.facebook.com/texasislife
Please note that new additions to this list will be thoroughly researched and that we do not tolerate spamming of any kind and that you cannot pay us to be on this list, please do not ask.
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]]>The post The Best Texas Facebook Groups appeared first on .
]]>Our Groups
We moderate and operate several Groups on Facebook in order to provide vitriol and spam free experiences for Texans. Our groups are always free of political, social, and religious content and they all focus on one area of life for Texans. Each group we manage has a goal of helping Texans live a better life, we will be building more groups as we grow.
- Texas is Life Group – Our flagship group about our brand, secret memes, articles, and more.
- Texas Foodies – Photos of Texas culinary creations, help finding a great spot to eat, and everything a foodie in Texas needs.
- Texas Small Business Owners Discussion, Networking, and Support – A discussion group for small business owners in Texas.
- Texas Meme Makers – A group for those who love to make Texas Memes. Currently this group is inactive.
Our research team ranked these groups fairly among other Texas Facebook Groups below judging them based on the same qualifications applied to other groups.
The Best Facebook Groups for Texans
We’ve ranked the best Facebook Groups for Texans in order of those we think offer the best experience, not size of the group. Instead we used metrics which we feel are more closely correlated to how a real Texan might judge a Facebook group’s quality they include: recent activity, level of spam, pressence of political or religious content, usefulness to Texans, and Texanness.
Our research team has spent months joining groups, reading posts, checking levels of spam, and working hard to figure out what groups on Facebook are authentic Texan groups and which ones are posers trying to lure Texans into spam or scams. Their work has resulted in the first-ever list of Texas Facebook Groups which all appear to be legitimately ran by Texans with a desire to communicate and share with their fellow Texans.
1. Texas Barbecue Group
If you’ve ever wanted to level up your Texanness this is probably a group you want to join. Members share tips on smoking brisket, choosing a pit, gathering wood (legally), rub recipes, and smoking pretty much anything else under the sun. There’s also occasional talk about starting a bbq business, a weekly photo contest, support for some of the smallest bbq’s in the state, and even tips on cooking “hot and fast” instead of “low and slow”.
Members of our research team joined this group and have been blown away by the frequent kindness, sharing, and helpfulness of the group members. Their willingness to help each other, even non-Texans as far away as Russia, learn to become better barbecue pit masters and their support of each other leading up to the release of the Texas Monthly Top 50 list was absolutely inspirational.
The group is ran by Derik Strelsky a former U.S. Army sniper turned Texas barbecue expert and is the former Ranch & Wild Life Manager at Yellow Rose Ranch. Derik is a welcome and familiar face to most Texas bbq joint owners as he makes his way around the state meeting owners, tasting bbq, taking photos, and sharing his experiences with his Texas Barbecue Facebook Group. Not only does he run the #1 group on Facebook, but we’d probably put him way up there with other Texas legends as one of the best among us. Our cowboy hats are tipped to you Mr. Strelsky for running such an incredible group!
- Number of Members: 97,906
- Visibility: Private
- Link: https://www.facebook.com/groups/111896209449717/
2. Fans of TexasStormChasers.com Group
One of our favorite past times in Texas is watching the weather roll in. It doesn’t matter if you’re on the front porch of a country house in East Texas, in an apartment building in Austin, at a beach somewhere on the gulf, dodging the dust out in West Texas, or stuck in traffic in DFW. There’s just something captivating about watching the weather here in Texas and for those of us that don’t like to be too close to a severe storm event we have TexasStormChasers.com out there chasing down storms and tornadoes and streaming their footage to thousands of fans. The group even films storm events in other neighboring states like Kansas.
Their Group makes #2 on our list for another reason though, the photos posted by their fans. Fans of TSC post photos of sunrises, cloudy skies, rain storms, supercells, nature landscapes, lighting, sunsets, and even ‘the stars at night’ all day long. These photos make an incredibly addition to your Facebook News Feed and as one of our researchers said
“The photos frequently posted in this group remind you have the beauty and awesome power of Texas nature daily, that’s much better than political screaming matches”
- Number of Members: 187,500
- Visibility: Public
- Link: https://www.facebook.com/groups/fansoftexasstormchasers
3. You Know You’re From Texas When… Group
The idea behind this group is you’re supposed to make a post that finishes the sentence “You know you’re from Texas when….”. For those Texans over 35 it’s similar to the Jeff Foxworthy bit “You might be a redneck if…”. One of our researchers favorite things about this group is the fun they all seem to have with the responses, even though they might be from different parts of Texas or just moved here.
The group also has a fairly staunch stance against political and social posts that bring more division among Texans and has an amazing moderator Mary Ann Cody-Anderson who is often tough but fair and works hard to keep this big group of Texans fun. This group rightfully earns its stop in the top 3 and every Texan will probably enjoy being a member here.
- Number of Members: 110,944
- Visibility: Public
- Link: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2258312500/
4. Texas is Life Group
This is our flagship Facebook group. We use this group to communicate to our fans, share memes that don’t make our Facebook page or other social accounts, get feedback from users, talk about new products, and get input for future articles (like this one). According to our research team the biggest selling point is probably the sheer volume of unique memes we post and the fact that we find factual articles without bias to share for hot-button topics and then turn off the comments to keep arguments from breaking out.
Since we moderate this group we can assure you that it is heavily moderated. Meaning we put the time and effort into keeping spammers, scammers, and political activists out of our group. You don’t have to buy any of our merch or read any of our content to be a member of this group, all Texans near and far are welcome.
- Number of Members: 9,724
- Visibility: Private
- Link: https://www.facebook.com/groups/texasislife1/
5. This is Texas Group
This is the group of a brand of Texas merchandise called “This is Texas Living” (we think). The group, however, is more focused on other things like nature photographs of Texas, stories, comics, YouTube videos, and pretty much anything related to Texas. We enjoy the level of moderation brought by the team and their level of commradery with each other. The group was founded by moderator and Texas entrepreneur Jarred Carter who lives in the Fort Worth, TX area.
All around a solid group, but a little on the quiet side. The more unexpected nature of the posts might turn some Texans off, but if you love a good ol’ hodgepodge of Texas content this is a pretty great group to join.
- Number of Members: 56,725
- Visibility: Private
- Link: https://www.facebook.com/groups/thisistexasliving/
6. Back Roads of Texas Group
There are two Facebook groups called “Back Roads of Texas” one of them appears to have splintered off from the other last year but our researchers focused on the original group. The idea behind this group is to post photos of views you might see if you were traveling down the back roads of Texas (thus the name) and were paying close attention to the sights. Which is great, because you should focus on driving and not getting lost in all of the beauty that is the rural Texas countryside.
In this group you’ll find nature photos, tree tunnels over narrow roads, gas stations, decorated hay bales, rusted out old cars, small town downtowns, Texas themed pasture gates, and of course plenty of shots of that gorgeous Texas sky.
We’re not entirely sure why a second group has created, the original is pretty dang awesome and one you should join if you love to see photos of Texas. Just, well, don’t be surprised if you start planning trips down some old back country roads yourself after joining.
- Number of Members: 55,497
- Visibility: Private
- Link: https://www.facebook.com/groups/714566381906686/
7. Texas Recipes Club Group
Another group that is a MUST JOIN if you love cooking like a Texan. This group features non-stop conversations about Texas culinary style recipes. We’re talking cakes, pies, cookies, fried jalapeno poppers, glazes, enchiladas, queso, and so many other types of recipes. As an added bonus most of these recipes aren’t bogged down by a 127 page story from the recipe author. This is one group where we HIGHLY recommend using the “search” fuction built in to Facebook Groups to find a recipe you’re looking for before going to Google or other search engines.
The admin of this group, Kenneth Moore, does a pretty great job moderating and making sure posters follow the rules. That means no politics, social discussions, or annoying spammers. Our researchers did note that you shouldn’t expect all of the recipes to conform to Texas culinary traditions, some appear to come from other states or regions. However, this is a minor irritation of Texas-style cooks and might help when coming up with new ideas.
- Number of Members: 95,550
- Visibility: Public
- Link: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1109364292434897/
8. Abandoned Texas Group
This group is pretty much exactly what the name suggests – photos and stories about abandoned buildings in Texas. Or, at least we think it is. Our researchers weren’t given access to this group unfortunately, but were able to find screenshots of posts from the group around the web which appear to confirm the authenticity.
We can’t give you too much encouragement to join, but it definitely looks worth the effort if you like abandoned building photos.
- Number of Members: 69,500
- Visibility: Private
- Link: https://www.facebook.com/groups/400745673392906/
9. Texas Foodies Group
Most “foodie” Facebook groups are constrained to one city or a small metro area, which means if you love traveling across Texas and finding new food experiences you have to join a variety of small groups, many of which have fallen out of being moderated or have died off due to too little content being posted by the group members. That’s where the Texas Foodies Group comes in.
This group is for foodies all across Texas to share photos, ask questions, and find new taste experiences across our great state. One thing that stands out is the sharing of upcoming food festivals and how quickly the community jumps in to help others find a great new restaurant, food truck, or bbq join in their area. We also moderate this group to keep spammers and scammers out, but catering companies, restaurants, food trucks, bbq pit masters, and bakers are all welcome to share photos of their creations to the group helping small businesses reach thousands of food-loving Texans instantly. You’ll also see articles about food events we’ve written about on our website in this group and for some reason the occasional photo of a Sonic hot dog (seriously?)
- Number of Members: 4,670
- Visibility: Public
- Link: https://www.facebook.com/groups/texasfoodiesgroup/
10. Be Texas Proud Group
This group is all about proud Texans loving to be Texan. That means every so often it can get very flag waving patriotic (not that there’s anything wrong with that). It also appears to have been started as group for a Texas gift shop of the same name “Be Texas Proud” but there’s been very little if any product promotion in the group as of late.
Lately the group doesn’t appear to be very well moderated and posts by a few members appear to be dominating and pushing other members to stop posting or engaging. This might be temporary, but our researchers moved it down on our list out of concern that this Group might soon become a spam-filled paradise for overseas spammers and scammers – especially after Facebook’s new Public Group settings went live a few weeks ago.
Still, this group has been quite a great place in the recent past and we are hopeful the recent slow down in moderation is only a blip and that soon this group will regain its former glory.
- Number of Members: 23,533
- Visibility: Public
- Link: https://www.facebook.com/groups/502221310181709/
11. Texas Small Business Owners Discussion, Networking, and Support Group
We’re not going to lie, we added this one but our researchers made us rank it at the bottom due to extremely low volumes of activity and due to most activity being against the rules.
The goal of our Texas Small Business Owners group is to build a group of small business owners that want to talk to each other about issues they all face, marketing tactics, and other issues. Unfortunately most members who qualify to join this group make unthoughtful spammy posts promoting their wares or services and never return. This of course makes us sad because nearly all other small business owner groups on Facebook are exactly the same – filled with non-stop spam (often not even related to running a business).
However, we are committed to making this a group for discussions among small business owners and not a spam haven. We’ll keep fighting the spammers and posting news articles for discussion in perpetuity. Please join us if you are a small business owner interested in making connections and having real discussions about business in Texas.
- Number of Members: 181
- Visibility: Public
- Link: https://www.facebook.com/groups/TexasSmallBusiness/
Have we missed any Texas Facebook Groups? Leave us a comment below (you need to signup for TexasisLife.com to do so) and we’ll make sure to add the Group you recommend a review and add them to the list of they qualify.
All membership counts accurate as of: 12/1/2021
Featured photo a compilation of photos provided courtesy of Pete Alexopoulos on Unsplash and Anton on Pexels
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]]>The post 15 Best Restaurant Patios in Fort Worth For Al Fresco Dining appeared first on .
]]>1. Reata Restaurant
310 Houston St, Fort Worth, TX 76102
Since 2002, Reata’s terraced decks provide multi-level, multi-angle views of downtown which makes for a lovely al fresco dining experience no matter what time of the day. As an extra bonus, the Dome provides a climate-controlled environment outside so even in a little less than ideal weather conditions, you can enjoy outdoor dining. You can even make reservations for your family or friends if Reata is not booked for a private event.
2. Joe T. Garcia’s
2201 N Commerce St, Fort Worth, TX 76164
When you step into Joe T. Garcia’s substantial outdoor patio gardens, you will be transported to a floral oasis. This mom-and-pop shop has been a Fort Worth staple for eight decades for many reasons – great service, exceptional environment, and delicious food. Just remember that credit cards are not accepted here so bring cash, break out your checkbook, or use one of the nearby ATMs.
3. Rogers Roundhouse
1616 Rogers Rd, Fort Worth, TX 76107
This casual bar and Tex-Mex kitchen ideally designed the patio area to feel “like an extension of your own backyard” which makes us want to upgrade our backyard. Their dog-friendly patio area includes picnic tables, nicely placed TVs, yard games to play when waiting for your food, and even a setup for live musical guests. Enjoy refreshing, always-rotating tap beers and margaritas while checking out the amazing “Fort Worth” mural with the newest musical guest blazing in the background.
4. BoomerJack’s – Cityview
6001 SW Loop 820, Fort Worth, Texas 76119
The next best patio in Fort Worth is at BoomerJack’s, a local sports bar & grill restaurant. Unlike other supposed “sports bars” that have just a few tv screens sprinkled around, BoomerJack’s has TVs everywhere (wall-to-wall) and even outside. It is also family-friendly with affordable prices, decent portions, and delicious food even picky-eaters will enjoy. This patio is large and back-yard styled as well as dog-friendly. Heaters are even provided for chillier days so you can enjoy outside patio dining in varying weather conditions.
5. HG Sply Co
1621 River Run #176, Fort Worth, TX 76107
This American restaurant serves clean, natural, and affordable food that anyone and everyone can enjoy – including vegetarians, vegans, those with dietary restrictions, and those with no limits. Sit back on the patio and enjoy your wholesome meal with a classic drink all while overlooking the Trinity River.
6. Woodshed Smokehouse
3201 Riverfront Dr, Fort Worth, TX 76107
Sitting right on the banks of the Trinity River, this notable BBQ smokehouse brings together an exquisite experience. The location is ideal for views and the feeling of cool air, the patio is casual and lively, and the food is a step above with its daily-rotating selection of meats and proteins cooked over a variety of woods and other sources. You can also eat here knowing that Woodshed Smokehouse is also committed to being environmentally friendly by offsetting emissions by using strategically placed fans, canopies, and trees instead of using an AC unit.
7. Heim Barbecue On the River
5333 White Settlement Rd, Fort Worth, TX 76114
This award-winning restaurant is Fort Worth’s first original craft BBQ shop. Heim Barbeque provides a spacious and inviting patio with picnic tables along the Trinity River to provide a serene environment. This paired with its unique “farm-to-smoker” barbeque that is slowly cooked over post oak fires makes for a fun, welcoming experience that feels like summer no matter what time of year it is.
8. Salsa Limón Distrito
5012 White Settlement Rd, Fort Worth, Texas 76114
This high-quality, upscale, modern-style restaurant serves, what they like to call, “unapologetically Mexico City style tacos.” Set in the River District, Salsa Limon’s patio and food, transport you to the lively streets of Mexico with picnic tables, potted cacti, trees for shade, and when the sun sets, adorned twinkling lights. Bring the whole family out (including the dog) to enjoy some fresh air, mouth-watering tacos, and lively vibes.
9. BoomerJack’s – North Fort Worth
Western Center, 6701 Fossil Bluff, Fort Worth, TX 76137
BoomerJack’s again makes the list due to its family-friendly atmosphere, affordable food, large backyard-style, and dog-friendliness. It’s the perfect place for sports fans during a game or for friends and family for a fun night out.
(@kaylaaf4)
10. Waters
Sundance Square, 301 Main St, Fort Worth, TX 76102
True to its name, Waters Restaurant offers a signature menu of first-rate, fresh seafood with signature cocktails and wines. This nautical restaurant debuts a tree-topped patio right in Sundance Square where you can enjoy great views and a lively environment. You can also eat here feeling good knowing that the seafood is sourced ecologically and sustainably.
11. Tia’s On The Bluff
1301 E Bluff St, Fort Worth, TX 76102
This restaurant is as close to home as you can feel going out to eat. It is a family-owned authentic Mexican restaurant operating inside a large renovated family home. Enjoy dining inside or on its spacious backyard patio with two large palm trees, grass, and tables spaced out. Overall, you get deliciously authentic Mexican food and a comforting neighborhood atmosphere.
12. Brewed
6701 Fossil Bluff, Fort Worth, TX 76137
Brunch, wine, coffee, beer, cocktails, homestyle lunch and dinner – all this and more is available at Brewed on Magnolia Avenue. Enjoy these delicious bites and refreshing drinks outside on Brewed’s brick-top patio that includes picnic-style tables and fire-pit with semi-circular seating.
13. Winslow’s Wine Cafe
101 Camp Bowie Blvd, Fort Worth, TX 76107
This intimate-style neighborhood restaurant and wine retailer is one of Magnolia Avenue’s original wine bars. Patrons feel at home here in this intimate establishment that has a delicious menu that changes along with the season’s freshest ingredients. Enjoy brunch, lunch, dinner, or just sip a glass of wine near Winslow’s tabletop fire pits on the patio for a lovely experience.
14. BoomerJack’s – West 7th St.
2600 West 7th Street Fort Worth, TX 76107
This BoomerJack’s patio is unique from the previous ones in that it has a more intimate, yet still lively patio scene at this West 7th street location. While not as large as its other patios, this location offers a nice view of downtown that, during the night, allows you to take in the fresh and lively atmosphere.
15. Reservoir
1001 Foch St, Fort Worth, TX 76107
This gastropub/sports bar imaginatively integrates food and alcohol for deliciously unique combos that enhance its extensive menu. Enjoy the cool vibe and casual atmosphere indoors or on the patio with a large group of friends for game day, a late night out, or a weekend hangout.
Verdict: No matter which Fort Worth restaurant you go to, it’ll be a win!
Whether you’re a Fort Worth native or if you’re planning a trip through Fort Worth soon, keep these amazing restaurant patios in mind when planning your day. No matter if you’re planning for breakfast, brunch, lunch, dinner, or just a night of drinking – these high-quality patios are definitely Fort Worth the visit. See what we did there?
Did your favorite Fort Worth patio make the list? Or do you see a patio that we are missing? Maybe you think two patios should be switched. However you’re feeling comment below!
Methodology
We reviewed and ranked these restaurant patios based on how they performed across several factors including aesthetics of their patios (furniture style, layout, size, color scheme, etc.), patio views (appealingness of views and amount of space available to view), atmosphere (uniqueness, family-friendliness, welcoming vibe, and location – like next to a river), quality of food (uniqueness of food style, flavor, presentation, pricing vs portion size, etc.), and quality of service (from online ratings and reviews). Recent online reviews and photos helped us determine how to score each location across these factors.
Featured photo by Adrienn on Pexels
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