All too often we wait until we go on vacation before we get out and explore our surroundings. Does anything sound better than walking around the quaint downtown streets of Hot Springs, Arkansas or Lahaina, Hawaii, grabbing a delicious coffee, shopping, and sitting at an outdoor table having lunch at a nice bistro? My advice…….don’t wait for vacation!! Get out and explore everything your city has to offer. Getting out and exploring downtown is not something I have ever done so I decided it was a great day to break that habit. I took Auggie and Kai for a walk around downtown Longview. The clouds were ominous but we were lucky enough to finish our exploration without any rain. We passed many adorable boutiques, coffee shops, and restaurants.
Even though I have lived in Longview for many years, this was the first time I went downtown. I was shocked at how welcoming and relaxing it was. We saw July 4th celebration decorations on the corners of the downtown streets. Each of them were hand-painted and full of spirit.
Auggie and Kai heard the sounds of children as we passed the First United Methodist Church. They immediately sat down in the grass, facing the children on the playground, and waited to be seen. They expected to be showered with love and kisses from the kids, so I felt bad for them because I knew that it wasn’t going to happen. We were too far away to be noticed by the children and it took a lot of coaxing to get the girls off the grass and back on the sidewalk back to the car.
The clouds started to get darker around us so we cut our explorations short, at just under an hour. Back in the car, we cranked up the air conditioner, drank water, and I gave the girls a treat that they gobbled like they hadn’t been fed all day. The trip was such a blast and I am looking forward to the next trip. Next time, I plan to enjoy a nice cup of coffee at an outdoor table at one of the coffee shops. Check out the Visit Longview Texas website to find all sorts of new and exciting things to do in this expanding city that we love. I would love to hear about any fun and exciting places that you enjoy.
