On to Kerrville! We drove west and passed through San Antonio. Then we headed northwest and stopped in Kerrville. This is where we stayed for the eclipse.
Where We Stayed
We stayed at the Guadalupe River Jellystone Park campground. I was pretty impressed with this campground. It backs up to the Guadalupe River, so the scenery can’t be beat. It also have some pretty nice amenities.
| Campground Name | Jellystone Park – Guadalupe River |
| Location | Kerrville, Tx |
| Dates | April 5-9, 2024 |
| Site Number | Site 204 |
| Site Surface | Gravel (mostly level) |
| Hook-ups | Full hookups + 50-amp electric |
| Cost | $205 per night (including taxes) |
| Water Pressure | 60 psi |
| Voltage | 125 V |
| AT&T Speed Test | 14 Mbps down; 6 Mbps up |
| Verizon Speed Test | 17 Mbps down; 10 Mbps up |
| T-Mobile Speed Test | 426 Mbps down; 23 Mbps up |
| Campground WiFi | 47 Mbps down; 38 Mbps up |
Some amenities aren’t expected, but they’re not really a surprise if they show up. Then there are amenities that you really don’t see very often. This campground had both!
- pools and splash pad
- playground and jumping pillow
- camp store that sells ice cream
- mini golf
- pub and pizzeria
- rec hall with movie night and unique activities
I don’t remember them all, but the campground had several eclipse-themed kids’ activities, in addition to the usual Jellyston ones (like Bear Breakfast and such). I think one was about making an eclipse t-shirt. But I remember thinking they were quite clever when I read about them.
The water and sewer hookups were at the very back of the site, which was tricky for us given the hoses we carry, but we made it work.
A+ in Customer Service
On our very last morning, we went to hook up the RV to the truck and discovered our hitch pin was missing. There was a hill right by the exit gate we used, so we wondered if we left it on the back bumper and it rolled off as we headed out one day. I went jogging down the road to check the area around the hill and gate.
An employee driving by in a golf cart saw me and asked if I needed a ride. I explained the situation and asked if they had a lost and found. He not only took me to the gate, but he also got out and helped me look. Then he took me to their maintenance area where he found something that would at least get us hooked up down the road a little ways, even if it wasn’t safe for long-distance towing. He even offered to send down one of his maintenance guys when they arrived if we weren’t comfortable with the piece he found. We were able to stop at a nearby CarQuest and buy a proper hitch pin to use. This man went so above and beyond. I’m very impressed!
What We Did
San Antonio
At one hour and 15 minutes, San Antonio is a bit of a hike from from the campground, but I’m glad we made the trip. I don’t generally enjoy cities, but San Antonio was prettier than most others I’ve seen. Between the river walk, the buildings, the art, and some of the fountains, San Antonio feels different than most.
The Alamo
There is a lot of construction going on around the Alamo, but we made it. We opted not to stand in the really long line to go inside the church and instead walked around the rest of the grounds. My advice would be to go really early in an effort to avoid the crowds.
San Antonio River Walk
Did you know San Antonio has a river walk? I didn’t. But it’s beautiful! It’s basically another street one level below the cars, except it’s beautifully landscaped and it’s just for pedestrians and a few boats. There are several hotels and stores with entrances down on the river walk.
Tower of the Americas
Our next stop on our tour of San Antonio was the Tower of the Americas, a 750-foot-tall tower, complete with a restaurant and observation deck at the top. It was built in 1968 and was the tallest observation tower in the US until 1996. Now it’s the tallest observation tower in Texas.
Tower of the Americas Travel Tip
Buying tickets online ahead of time didn’t seem to save us any time. We still had to wait in line at the ticket window to pick up wristbands before getting in line by the elevator.
San Antonio Zoo
Comparing the San Antonio Zoo with the Baton Rouge Zoo really doesn’t seem fair. It’s like comparing a major league team with one from the minors. There’s nothing wrong with the Baton Rouge Zoo, but the San Antonio Zoo is so much more.
They had several exhibits with a walkway that enabled the animal to walk over a pedestrian pathway.
I also appreciated their signage. In addition to the usual signs about a particular species in front of its exhibit, there were several signs that seemed to try to point out the bigger picture. For example, this one gave examples of different beaks and feet and how birds use them.
It seems the people in charge have a sense of humor.
We stopped for a bite to eat near the capybara and anteaters. The food (hot dog and pretzel) was great. My only complaint is that we couldn’t find a menu anywhere. All we could see from the windows was chips and pretzels. The only reason we knew they had anything else was we saw someone walk away from the counter with a hotdog. We never did see a menu on the building, and we couldn’t find one online either.
The seating near the food stand provided a great view of the capybaras and giant anteaters. That’s when I was able to get this video.
Eclipse Day!
We chose to go to Kerrville for the eclipse because it had the best chance for clear skies at that time of year. Unfortunately, the weather didn’t get the memo because it was partly cloudy all morning. Fortunately, the clouds parted often enough for us to watch the beginning of the eclipse and some of totality. Just after totality, we couldn’t see much of anything.
Despite the clouds, the eclipse was amazing to see!
Where We Ate
Betty Gene’s
Billy Gene’s is only two miles from the campground entrance. They’re right on the river and have outdoor seating with a lovely view. We sat inside, but there’s a big window so you can still enjoy the scenery.
I was pleasantly surprised to find they had pink lemonade. The chicken tenders, fries, and side salad was delicious.
Wildlife
And then there are these black birds I’ve started seeing. They aren’t crows. The most distinctive thing about them is their tail. It looks like a V when the fly, but I can’t get a good video of it. After a little Googling, I believe they are great-tailed grackles. According to allaboutbirds.org, a male’s tail “folds into a distinctive V or keel shape.”
Again, while not specifically wildlife, I’m including tree photos here. The campground has these amazing bald cypress trees by the river. I’ll do my best to limit the number of tree photos I subject you to. Corona included for scale.
Happy travels!
