Discovery in Gainesville, TX

So......Duncan's relatives from Ohio came to visit us, and with four kids in tow, we needed a good place to go that had some nice, southern flavor, and was fun for the whole family. I decided to take them to Gainesville, TX, which is only about half an hour away from us. First, we visited the Frank Buck Zoo, which is situated in a lovely park. We had a great time feeding the giraffes, and then seeing all the animals. The zoo is a wonderful little collection of native and non-native animals, and we even got to see the week old baby Capybara. He was so cute!!

After the zoo, the kids played in the park, which has a huge, inviting play structure, and even a little train that you can ride. There, the kids were able to let out a little energy, and work up a nice appetite for lunch. Next, we went to the historic Gainesville town square, where we decided to have lunch at the famous Fried Pie Co., which not only has---you guessed it, fried pies!----but also a nice menu filled with southern delights such as chicken fried steak and biscuits and gravy----yummy! The pies were delicious (mine was apricot), and we left with very full stomachs.


As we left the Fried Pie Co., we discovered a cute little shop called Cahoots, which features handmade purses and clutches. These little gems were all made from vintage fabrics, and the owner said that she could even custom make a bag from anyone's old uniform too ---such as an old Girl Scout or military uniform (a great gift idea!). They also had incredible jewelry and artwork from local designers, and we decided that we will definitely be back!

Before heading home, we visited a few more of the stores in the square, and spotted a couple restaurants that we decided we'll have to check out next time. If you are ever in the area, and feel like experiencing some small town flavor, then you'll have to make a stop in Gainesville. We had a great time!