When you live in a city of a million people, sometimes spending a little time away in a small town is the perfect summer vacation.
And that’s what my family decided to do when we went to my hometown of Kilgore, Texas.
We booked four nights at a local hotel and acted like tourists.
Can you say free breakfast buffet?
It has quickly become a tradition to get our entire Ott family together in the month of July.
This summer, it was over the 4th of July holiday.
Instead of my usual vacation planning on sites like Tripadvisor, I simply called my brother John. I consider him to be the unofficial mayor of Kilgore!
We needed to know the latest on the local golf courses in the area to help plan some tee times. We have two kids that have taken up a sudden interest in golf and then there are those that simply like to drive the cart.
He told me all about what has been going on at the Meadowbrook Golf and Event Center. It used to be the country club when I was growing up and had recently been bought and revamped by the city. I was anxious to see what the course looked like now and to share it with the golf lovers in the family.
After having such a good time on our trip, I wanted to share the pictures with my Livin’ Sassy readers.
I’ve always been proud of my hometown and seeing it from a tourist perspective this trip made me realize that July would be the perfect time to visit Kilgore.
Not only can you take in a world class play at the Texas Shakespeare Festival, you can easily get a round of golf or two in and eat at a new and unique restaurant.
Meadowbrook Firehouse Bar and Grill is located at the golf course and hosted by the local firemen. And after having lunch there, let me tell you that those guys can cook!
Here are some pictures that give you a glimpse into our day and only part of our vacation:
Photo Credit to VentureGalleries.com
I just wish that there had been an old fashioned July 4th parade in downtown Kilgore like so many small Hill Country host every year. I think it would be the perfect place to wear your red, white and blue while you are looking up at all those oil derricks!
It’s something you have to see to believe.
There’s no place like home.
Stay Sassy Y’all.
I love this story about our hometown! 🙂
Don’t you love coming home Angie!
So happy to read this, Laura! I didn’t know about the Firehouse Bar and Grill. Next year John and Steve can play golf while we hang out at the bar with the kids! 🙂
Sounds like a plan for next summer!
I’m gonna work to make that parade happen. I’ve got several events in the planning stage for downtown. I’m hosting a Batman mystery Sept 13th, a werewolf mystery in August, a back to school “fun in” before school starts, and the downtown merchants are doing an Octoberfest Oct. 18th. And Geekend will return the first Saturday in May. I’m also trying to bring back the Oil Carnival from the ’40s and I’ve got lots of other stuff in the works, too!
Those sound like fun! Anything family friendly will always bring us downtown!I only wished we lived closer!
We attend the Hill Country parades. We especially love the one in Comfort! It would be so neat for Kilgore to have one too so we don’t feel like are missing out!
Kilgore has a lot to offer! We experienced it in a similar way this summer too– played golf and swam at Meadowbrook, ate at Jack Ryan’s (AMAZING food), took kids to the Shakespeare festival and a Pumpjacks baseball game. The downtown shops and restaurants are quaint. And the sites, of the derricks are unique. It’s fun to see small town Texas–culturally too, big hats and trucks–though our kids eyes. Thanks for sharing!
Don’t you love sharing your hometown with your kids! It’s so unique!