Rachael Cherry

Latest posts by Rachael Cherry

Pedernales Falls State Park with Kids: A Texas Camping Getaway

Submitted by Rachael Cherry on Fri, 09/04/2020 - 12:50pm

Splashing in the river is a great way to cool down after a long hike. Photo by Chase A. Fountain/ Texas Parks and Wildlife Department

Covering more than 5,000 acres, Pedernales Falls State Park in Johnson City, Texas, offers camping, miles and miles of hiking trails, plenty of river to explore, and some amazing and unique scenery with a little wildlife, too.

My family typically takes an annual camping trip from our Houston home base, often to Garner State Park. But one thing this pandemic has done is to change up our routines, right? When we couldn't find any open slots that fit our schedule at that park (most of the Texas state parks are operating at reduced capacity), we found Pedernales Falls State Park.

Pedernales Falls proved to be a wildly untapped resource that's only three hours from Houston, and offering both electric and primitive campsites. In fact, this fallback option turned out to be one of the best camping trips we've ever taken. Read on for just what made it so special.

Haunted Drive: Spooky, Socially Distanced Halloween Fun near Houston

Submitted by Rachael Cherry on Fri, 08/28/2020 - 4:12pm

Haunted Drive offers three acres of drive-through Halloween scares.

Haunted houses are a Halloween tradition for all the thrill-seekers out there, but the idea of big groups moving through tight spaces naturally raises social distancing concerns. Enter: Haunted Drive. A drive-through Halloween scarefest in Splendora, Haunted Drive gives visitors the opportunity to get their screams in while keeping a responsible distance from others.

Read on for the scoop on what Haunted Drive is adding this year to make the spooky drive-thru experience bigger, better, and safer than ever before. For more thrills and chills, check out these other Houston-area haunted houses as they consider 2020 opening plans, too.

9 Houston Tutoring Services and Homework Help to Help Kids Flourish

Submitted by Rachael Cherry on Fri, 08/14/2020 - 1:00pm

You can find both in-person and online tutoring for your child in the Houston area.

With most of Houston beginning the school year virtually, parents might be scrambling to find ways to balance their kids' educational success with their own professional responsibilities. If you're a parent seeking homework help or a tutor for your kids, we've got you covered with nine online learning or in-person tutoring services in the Houston area that will fit your child's individual needs.

Read on for some of our recommendations.

RV Camping and Campgrounds for Families: A Beginners' Guide to Planning an RV Trip

Submitted by Rachael Cherry on Thu, 07/23/2020 - 2:04pm

Type C motorhome, photo courtesy of GoRVing.com

There has been a dramatic increase in interest in RV camping this summer—and with good reason. RV camping lets a family get away to enjoy the outdoors, and maybe even some national parks, but with many of the luxuries of home. We have been a camping family for years, and we've run up the ranks summarily, starting with tent camping, then pop-up campers, then RVs and towable trailers. We've done it all at this point and can confidently say that RV camping is an amazing (and socially distanced!) way to vacation, as long as you know the basics.

Texas Reopening Phase 2: What's Open in Houston Now

Submitted by Rachael Cherry on Wed, 05/20/2020 - 1:07pm

To allow for proper social distancing, the Houston Museum of Natural Science will operate at 25% capacity or less, and staff will be monitoring the number of visitors in and out of the smaller galleries and other public spaces.

If Coronavirus quarantine has got you down, help is on the way. Governor Abbott's "Open Texas" plan is off and running, granting families and businesses gradual relief after months of Stay-at-Home orders. Getting out of the house has never sounded as appealing, and Houstonians are embracing the ability to frequent local hotspots again, even if it's not under quite the same circumstances as it was pre-quarantine. After two months of lockdown, only seeing each other in car parades and 8pm howls, giving our kids quarantine haircuts and virtual birthday parties, we finally have the beginnings of a plan to get out and enjoy the beaches, hiking trails, and more. If we do it responsibly, we should be able to enjoy some fresh air without putting people's lives at risk.

The plan to reopen Texas has three phases, and we are currently in Phase 2. Read on to find out what that means for schools and businesses, as well as trails, beaches, farms, and more that we can now visit—as long as we adhere to social distancing protocol and cover up with face masks.

Local Toy Stores and Book Stores Offering Curbside Pick-Up and Delivery in Houston

Submitted by Rachael Cherry on Mon, 05/04/2020 - 10:00pm

Browsing the aisles in person may not be an option, but Big Blue Whale is getting great toys to kids by offering curbside pick-up. Photo courtesy of Big Blue Whale

In the absence of, well, everything during the Covid-19 pandemic, parents have tapped into all of their creative resources to keep kids entertained. Social media has been flooded with car parades, daily charts and schedules, online tours from around the world, fun art projects, and at-home science experiments in an effort to stifle the monotony of being at home all day every day, and it's been awesome! But sometimes you just need a new book to get lost in or a new toy to spark joy, which is why we've rounded up several local Houston book stores and toy stores that are offering curbside pick-up or delivery options to their customers.

The next time you find yourself in need of something new for the kids, consider placing an online order or shopping over the phone or via FaceTime at one of these stores; not only will you be able to gift your child with something new, but you'll also be supporting a small business in the process.

For even more home-based ideas and resources, be sure to check out our Stay-at-Home Guide.

Mother's Day Takeout and Delivery Options in Houston

Submitted by Rachael Cherry on Mon, 04/27/2020 - 10:24am

Mother's Day is looking a little different this year in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, but that doesn't mean the mother figures in our lives deserve any less pampering. Luckily many of the restaurants around town are offering some stellar take-out and delivery options, so you can spoil mom with some tasty meal options - and maybe even a mimosa or two! We've found 10 restaurants around Houston that are sure to make your Mother's Day meal extra special this year.

And for fun things to do on Mother's Day, and every day, with kids, visit our Stay-at-Home Guide.

Food Delivery and Pick-up in Houston: Ordering Groceries Online During Stay-at-Home

Submitted by Rachael Cherry on Mon, 04/13/2020 - 10:40pm

Fresh produce and other goods can be found at and delivered from Whole Foods Markets around Houston. Photo courtesy of Whole Foods Market.

The impact of quarantine on simple (but necessary) tasks like buying groceries has caused families to rethink how and when they get their food. Rows upon rows of store shelves have turned up empty of shelf-stable products like rice, pasta, and beans and necessities like milk, eggs, and bottled water are being limited in the quantity you can purchase.

While some stores like H-E-B are experiencing both long wait lines to enter the store and a spinning dial of wait times for the next available delivery or curbside pick-up, Houston is thankfully home to many different grocery delivery and pick-up options, both from regular grocery stores and from local CSAs and Farm Shares. We've rounded up several different grocery options for you to utilize during these uncertain times, including many local farms who could likely use the support!

Because things are changing at a rapid pace, we recommend checking stores that may currently have no available delivery or pick up times frequently; you just may luck out with the next available spot!

For ideas on what to do as a family during this time, visit our Coronavirus Pandemic Parenting Guide.