Don't leave Seguin without pecans.

By the end of February, wildflowers in the Guadelupe Valley will be peaking. Birds such as Scissor-tailed Flycatchers, Green Kingfishers, and Crested Caracaras will be looking for mates. The temperature will be just right – not too hot, not too cold.

Plan a Seguin Texas Bed and Breakfast vacation for early spring, when the community blossoms along with wildflowers. Festivals such as the Noche de Gala, Main Street Trade Days, and the Cajun Jamboree fill the calendar. Enjoy walking tours that highlight the historic limestone architecture of Seguin and feast on locally grown pecans. Wonderful.

Fulton, TX 1033, originally uploaded by kathyv.

The great pier in Fulton, Texas, juts far out into the Gulf of Mexico. The temptation to walk out to the end is difficult to resist, and fisherman find it almost impossible not to stop and cast a line or two. Fortunately the pier is open year round for our enjoyment. It is free to walkers, and fisherman need only pay a $2.00 per pole fee. It is a lovely place to pass a few hours on a nice day, so long as you have snacks and a good friend for company.

Another popular activity on the pier is birding. Bring your binoculars at sunrise and sunset, and you are likely to see funny white pelicans and elegant whooping cranes. White-tailed hawks circle overhead, looking for a meal. Birders will be in heaven.

Spend a few days at a Fulton Texas bed and breakfast, enjoying all Fulton has to offer. Oysterfest is over, but there are still plenty of oysters in the local restaurants. Birding Tours will take you out into the Gulf and over to the Aransas National Wildlife Refuge. Or spend an afternoon at the Texas Maritime Museum in nearby Rockport, where you can learn about the long and rich maritime history of the region.

Guadalupe Mountains National Park, originally uploaded by NationalParkLover.

If you are planning a trip to West Texas, be sure to put the Guadalupe Mountains National Park on your itinerary. In addition to being stunningly beautiful, it boasts one of the finest examples of fossilized reef in the world. It is fascinating to behold.

There is solitude here, and silence. Hikers will revel in over 80 miles of trails traversing woodland canyons and riparian springs. Some may want to head straight into the wilderness on switch-back trails that aren’t for the faint of heart (literally). Once in the back country, you’ll find isolated valleys and, if you stay the night, you’ll see more stars than one would think possible. Be sure you are well prepared before you set off on even a short hike. There is no water in the back country, and the weather can change suddenly.

The Guadalupe Mountains National Park is worth a visit even if you aren’t a hiker. It is a great spot for birding and fossil hunting. History buffs will enjoy learning about the geology of the area and the first peoples. You can’t go wrong.

So the next time you feel like a road trip, head to West Texas. The Guadalupe Mountains National Park is four to five hours from both Odessa and Fort Davis. Enjoy the comfort and hospitality of West Texas Bed and Breakfasts on your way to and from the park.