Visiting the Texas Renaissance Festival together last year was pretty fun, so we went again this year. Are we making this a thing? Sure. It’s a great reason to have company over. Chris and I live in a house in Katy, TX just outside of Houston, but our lives are still in the city. So we commute, nbd. We can rarely convince our friends to make the long drive out to see us, except for the rare Renaissance Festival lover. Ren Fest is almost two hours away from Houston, or a mere 45 minutes from our house. This year, Omar and his new girlfriend Isabela made for most excellent company.
What to Do at the Texas Renaissance Festival
- Eat a turkey leg. Always classic, always delicious. Giant turkey legs are one of the first things that come to mind when I think of the Renaissance Festival
- Archery. Shoot a bow & arrow! The guys and gals working the booth are happy to give a little lesson, and if you slay a dragon you may even win a prize.
- Elephants. To ride the elephant, or to not ride the elephant. Is this animal cruelty? The elephants were a big debate this year. We did not ride them.
- Jewelry shopping. As I’ve mentioned before, unique jewelry pieces are one of my favorite things to hunt for. This year we stopped at Sweet Satya’s jewelry shop again. She had so many lovely crystals and pendants, and the shop owner truly is the sweetest woman. I picked up a quartz and pearl pendant necklace, but I would love one of her selenite wrapped crystals for under the bed or in the closet at home. Now she has an online shop too! Her store name is linked above and the selenite pieces are in stock.
I also picked up a neat sterling stacking princess ring at the recommendation of a fellow traveler at the festival. This fascinatingly theatrical blonde woman was in town from LA via Austin. She’s one of the people who visits events like this often, so she called herself Delilah and was decked out in the most beautiful leather Valkyrie-inspired costume. - Walk in the garden. Deep in the festival grounds lies a lovely garden for walking through, with groves and sculptures lining the path. Find some shade from the sun here, or a place to rest weary feet, or a photo opp for the self-obsessed.
- Giant Swing. The giant swing captured the moment so well for us last year, that this year we made it a date! Omar and Isabella joined us on the swing together.
- Fireworks. Catch the big finale at the end of the day. After sunset, there’s a spectacular show before the festival-goers head home. For adults, the party is just getting started though.
To be honest, it was a little hot in September this year for walking around outside all day. Next year, we’ll pick the weekend based on the weather – or Halloween could make for a really fun day trip.
Pro tip: As everyone knows, ticket prices tend to increase year over year. In May, the Renaissance Festival tickets go on sale for just $10 per ticket. It seems like a little early for buying tickets, but I was super excited to not have to spend $30 more on a pair of tickets for Chris and I this year. Save that money for something cute or fun at the festival!