If high gas prices and inflation have thrown your outings off course, don’t worry; the City of Victoria Convention & Visitors Bureau is here to help you find activities close to home that won’t break the bank.
The CVB maintaints a comprehensive calendar of local events at www.explorevictoriatexas.com. Take a quick glance and you’ll find activities to suit all ages, tastes and budgets—all while avoiding a pricey fill-up for an out-of-town trip.
If you enjoy spending time in nature, mark your calendar for the grand opening of the Athey Birding Sanctuary at 3003 Vine St. On April 23 (Earth Day weekend), you can stop by between 9 a.m. and noon for free family-friendly activities hosted by the CVB and local community organizations. Don’t forget to grab a free snow cone!
Looking for more ways to enjoy the beautiful weather we’ve been having? Our local parks are always free and open to visitors, from the well-known Riverside Park and Ethel Lee Tracy Park to community parks right in your neighborhood. You can visit www.victoriatx.gov/parks to see a list of local parks. The Victoria Educational Gardens, with its beautiful flowers and butterflies, is a good option as well.
The CVB’s partnership with the Museum of the Coastal Bend will give you a firsthand experience of the lives of prehistoric hunters from our region. For just $1, you’ll get three chances to throw an atlatl (a spear-like weapon) at a woolly mammoth target. If you hit the bull’s-eye, you’ll win a free sandwich from Uncle Mutt’s Bar-B-Q.
Art lovers won’t want to miss “Chromatic Nature,” the new exhibit at the Nave Museum featuring color-themed paintings by Texas artists Eilen Thedford and Dona LeCrone Walston. You can also stop by the Victoria Art League to view works created by their members.
Have you paid a visit to downtown recently? The Victoria Main Street Program is helping to keep the place hopping with fun monthly events like Tunes at Noon (coming up next on April 13) and Market on Main (coming up April 16). Make sure you’re following them on Facebook to learn more about new businesses and upcoming activities downtown.
For those who like to create memories at the ball diamond, the Victoria Generals will start their season in June. They’ll be hosting a few free ticket nights, including a free Father’s Day game June 19 sponsored by the CVB.
The Victoria Public Library is planning a whole slew of springtime events, ranging from story times and book clubs for all ages to arts, crafts, music and more. You can check out their event calendar at www.victoriatx.gov/library to find out what’s next.
If you’d like to learn more about our local history, visit www.explorevictoriatexas.com or stop by our office to pick up a map of the Victoria Trail through Time or the Old Victoria Driving Tour (which can also be a walking tour if you so choose). You can scan the QR codes on the Trail through Time to get a free T-shirt letting people know that you explored Victoria.
The next episode of “Explore Your Victoria,” featuring Outlaw Pass, will debut on TV15 (channels 15 and 115 and online at www.victoriatx.gov/tv15) at 4 p.m. April 14. You can catch up on previous episodes on the Victoria Texas Videos YouTube channel for even more fun activities near you.
Joel Novosad is the director of the City of Victoria Convention & Visitors Bureau.