The year 2025 saw Fort Hood Sentinel staff visit, eat and explore their way across Central Texas and beyond.<\/p>\n
Traveling Soldier, a column dedicated to our travels, allowed readers to join us on our adventures through a first-hand account of each distinct sight, sound, smell and taste.<\/p>\n
An array of exciting and unique activities are within reach of the Fort Hood community, and there is something for everyone to enjoy.<\/p>\n
Rhinory<\/p>\n
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Blake, a 4,100-pound southern white rhinoceros at Rhinory, takes a drink June 7, 2025, following an afternoon nap at Rhinory in Fredericksburg. Texas. Blake is the resident rhinoceros at the winery and an ambassador for conservation of his species.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Sentinel file photo by Heather Ashley, Sentinel Assistant Editor<\/p>\n
Heather Ashley, Fort Hood Sentinel assistant editor, traveled to some unique venues such as the Rhinory in Texas Hill Country.<\/p>\n
A 55-acre winery located about 12 miles west of downtown Fredericksburg on U.S. Highway 290, the Rhinory features wines from Texas and South Africa and a 4,100-pound southern white rhinoceros named Blake.<\/p>\n
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The back area of Rhinory in Fredericksburg, Texas, features a large covered patio seating area as well as several tables spread out across the yard area, all with clear views of Blake, the resident southern white rhinoceros. From the back, the entirety of Blake\u2019s spacious pasture area can be viewed.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Sentinel file photo by Heather Ashley, Sentinel Assistant Editor<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s a winery with a mission \u2014 to aid efforts to protect and save Blake and his fellow rhinos, ensuring the species\u2019 survival,\u201d \u00a0Ashley described.<\/p>\n
Rhinory is located at 13112 E. U.S. 290 in Fredericksburg and is open 11 a.m.-5:30 p.m. daily. Reservations are recommended for wine tastings on Friday and Saturday. For more information about Rhinory, their wines and their conservation efforts, visit\u00a0rhinory.com<\/a>,\u00a0facebook.com\/TheRhinory<\/a>\u00a0or\u00a0instagram.com\/therhinory<\/a>. Blake also has his own Instagram page at\u00a0instagram.com\/blaketherhino<\/a>.<\/p>\n Old Taylor High<\/p>\n The exterior of Old Taylor High in Taylor, Texas, is largely unchanged since 1923, when the building served as the town\u2019s high school and later, middle school, before opening as retail space in 2019. The campus includes the former gymnasium that now houses restaurants.\u00a0<\/p>\n Sentinel file photo by Heather Ashley, Sentinel Assistant Editor<\/p>\n Ashley\u2019s quirky travels didn\u2019t stop in the Texas Hill Country.<\/p>\n \u201cAfter seeing a social media post about a former high school that had been converted into a shopping mall, I knew I had to check it out,\u201d she said of Old Taylor High, a former high school and middle school now home to 17 retail spaces, including boutiques, vintage shops and spots serving adult beverages and eats, at Taylor.<\/p>\n The first-floor hallway inside the Shops at Old Taylor High in Taylor, Texas, retains the appearance of a school with classrooms now converted into retail and dining spaces. Lockers still line the halls throughout the building.\u00a0<\/p>\n Sentinel file photo by Heather Ashley, Sentinel Assistant Editor<\/p>\n Built in 1923, the two-story orange brick building served as the high school until 1969. It served as Taylor Middle School from 1969 to 2001. Despite its transition to retail, the building has retained its school-building aesthetic, with lockers and glass-fronted display cases still lining the hallways.<\/p>\n The Shops at Old Taylor High, located at 410 W. 7th St., are open from noon to 8 p.m. Monday through Wednesday, noon to 9 p.m. Thursday, noon to 10 p.m. Friday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday and 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday. For more information, visit\u00a0oldtaylorhigh.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n Waco Downtown Farmers Market<\/p>\n Mama D\u2019s stall set out samples of various pickles for attendees to try Nov. 15, 2025, at the Waco Downtown Farmers Market at Waco, Texas.\u00a0<\/p>\n Sentinel file photo by Ayumi Davis, Fort Hood Sentinel Editor<\/p>\n Ayumi Davis, Fort Hood Sentinel editor, also had an interesting shopping experience at The Waco Downtown Farmers Market that featured local agricultural producers and vendors from within 150 miles of Waco.<\/p>\n \u201cThere was plenty to browse, from fresh produce to delicious-looking cinnamon rolls to handcrafted wooden toys,\u201d Davis said. \u201cThere were also food trucks and coffee trucks for those looking to eat or drink while shopping the morning away, as well as live music to listen to.<\/p>\n The Spoonery allows customers to choose a spoon or fork on the spot to be made into a custom ring at its stall at the Waco Downtown Farmers Market in Waco, Texas. After careful deliberation, Ayumi Davis, Fort Hood Sentinel editor, chose a spoon with a straight handle and flower design.\u00a0<\/p>\n Sentinel file photo by Ayumi Davis, Fort Hood Sentinel Editor<\/p>\n For more information about the Waco Downtown Farmers Market or to check out vendors and see events, visit\u00a0wacodowntownfarmersmarket.org<\/a>.<\/p>\n Sandbox VR<\/p>\n With the virtual reality experience Ayumi Davis, Fort Hood Sentinel editor, and her friends chose at Sandbox VR in Austin, Texas, they were able to choose from eight different characters across four categories. She chose a female knight with a sword who could throw fireballs.\u00a0<\/p>\n Sentinel file photo by Ayumi Davis, Fort Hood Sentinel Editor)<\/p>\n Davis diverted from vintage to virtual reality with a visit to Sandbox VR in Austin.<\/p>\n \u00a0\u201cA group of up to six people at about $50-60 a person can do virtual reality together and have 10 different experiences to choose from. You have to pick which game before you go, so we chose \u2018Seekers of the Shard: Dragonfire,\u2019 on account of my friend loving fantasy,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n \u201cImagine you could be transported to a fantasy world where you fight dragons and goblins to save the kingdom or battle your way through a zombie apocalypse,\u201d Davis described. \u201cAt Sandbox VR, friends and family can go on virtual adventures, all with the aid of technology.<\/p>\n \u201cThe graphics were pretty cool to see,\u201d she added. \u201cI was able to move my character pretty well (and was swinging my arm like crazy slashing goblins and throwing fireballs).\u201d<\/p>\n For more information about Sandbox VR, visit\u00a0sandboxvr.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n PopStroke<\/p>\n Friends and the fianc\u00e9e of Samantha Harms, command information chief, watch as their other friend moves to set up his putt at PopStroke in Austin, Texas. It took the group about two hours to make it through one of the 18-hole courses.\u00a0<\/p>\n Sentinel file photo by Samantha Harms, Command Information Chief<\/p>\n Samantha Harms, command information chief, opted for a more traditional game during her visit to PopStroke, \u201cAustin\u2019s mini golf oasis.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhen PopStroke opened just an hour down the road from Fort Hood, I knew it was the perfect opportunity to relive my golfing era,\u201d she expressed.<\/p>\n Sand volleyball is one of the many activities patrons can utilize at PopStroke in Austin, Texas.\u00a0<\/p>\n Sentinel file photo by Samantha Harms, Command Information Chief<\/p>\n The venue features two 18-hole putting courses with synthetic fairways, rough patches and unexpected turns, as well as three pickleball courses, two sand volleyball courts, a full-service restaurant, a plethora of TVs and jumbotrons, an ice cream parlor and an e-sport lounge, Harms described.<\/p>\n PopStroke has more than a dozen locations across the country. For more information about the Austin location, visit\u00a0popstroke.com\/venues\/austin<\/a>.<\/p>\n Texas White House Historical Park<\/p>\n Hereford cattle enjoy the shade at the Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park in Stonewall, Texas. Cattle can be found throughout the LBJ Ranch, just as they were in the 1950s and 1960s.<\/p>\n Sentinel file photo by Samantha Harms, Command Information Chief<\/p>\n In addition to golf, Harms also enjoys visiting historical locations.<\/p>\n She visited the Texas White House Historical Park at Stonewall, located two hours away from The Great Place. It has a visitor center and the home of President Lyndon B. Johnson Ranch which showcases his boyhood home, the Johnson settlement, Junction School, his birthplace, the family cemetery, his grandparents\u2019 farmhouse, a show barn and more.<\/p>\n The reconstructed birthplace of President Lyndon B. Johnson stands tall as part of the Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park in Stonewall, Texas. The home closely resembles the original home, which was removed in the 1930s.<\/p>\n Sentinel file photo by Samantha Harms, Command Information Chief<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s easy to spend hours wandering around the different sites offered at the historical park, simply immersing yourself in the history of Johnson and his family,\u201d Harms said. \u201cAs someone who grew up moving around in a military family, I personally love the idea of being so settled somewhere that it affords multiple generations to grow up on the same land. The Johnson family did just that \u2014 it is just one of the many things I admire about visiting the historical park.\u201d<\/p>\n Visitors should note the Texas White House Complex is closed due to a rehabilitation project but the LBJ Ranch and Johnson City is well worth the visit while the complex is waiting to open again.<\/p>\n For more information about the park, visit\u00a0nps.gov\/lyjo<\/a>.<\/p>\n Inner Space Cavern<\/p>\n Rock formations line the trail for the Adventure Tour at the Inner Space Cavern in Georgetown, Texas.<\/p>\n Sentinel file photo by Derika Upshaw, Fort Hood Public Affairs<\/p>\n History lessons continued during a visit to Inner Space Cavern in Georgetown.<\/p>\n Visitors can choose from three tours \u2014 Adventure Tour, Hidden Passages Tour and Wild Cave Tour. A new group runs about every 20 minutes, and the tour takes about an hour and 15 minutes to complete, explained Derika Upshaw, Fort Hood Public Affairs.<\/p>\n Formations of stalactites and stalagmites, cave formations created by mineral deposition that hang down and grow up, respectively, in Inner Space Cavern in Georgetown, Texas, are seen at the end of the Adventure Tour.\u00a0<\/p>\n Sentinel file photo by Derika Upshaw, Fort Hood Public Affairs<\/p>\n \u201cWhile in the cave, we learned about the different rock formations, the bones of various animals found there \u2014 such as mammoths and saber-tooth cats, which were originally from this area \u2014 and the explorations that have taken place since the cave was discovered during the construction of a highway above it around the 1960s,\u201d Upshaw said.<\/p>\n \u201cThis is a great way for the children to have fun and still sneak in some learning during the summer as it pertains to science,\u201d she added.<\/p>\n For more information about Inner Space Cavern, its tours and prices, visit\u00a0innerspacecavern.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n Cajun Crabs & Shrimp<\/p>\n The Crazy Fish plate features a whole fried tilapia, gumbo, rice and fries at Cajun Crabs & Shrimp in Killeen, Texas. The meal could be enough for two people.\u00a0<\/p>\n Sentinel file photo by Derika Upshaw, Fort Hood Public Affairs<\/p>\n After venturing all the way to Georgetown, Upshaw stayed closer to home to enjoy a local seafood gem \u2014 Cajun Crabs & Shrimp, where \u201cFresh Catch Meets Fiery Cajun Flavors,\u201d the website boasts.<\/p>\n \u201cThis place is a whole vibe, not only because it\u2019s a great place to come with friends or coworkers, but for the families too,\u201d Upshaw said.<\/p>\n Cajun Crabs & Shrimp served California seafood tacos filled with delicious coleslaw and fried catfish June 15, 2025, in Killeen, Texas.\u00a0<\/p>\n Sentinel file photo by Derika Upshaw, Fort Hood Public Affairs<\/p>\n \u201cThe place has a beachy, crab shack ambience that makes you want to be at the beach. The menu feels like a tasty fusion between Creole and Mexican cuisine,\u201d she described.<\/p>\n Visit ordercajuncrabsshrimp2.com\/cajuncrabsshrimp3-ty5iaj<\/a> for more information about Cajun Crabs & Shrimp.<\/p>\n Discovery Green<\/p>\n The motorized bumper boats at Kinder Lake in Discovery Green in Houston are designed for gentle collisions and major laughs.<\/p>\n Sentinel file photo by Janecze Wright, Fort Hood Public Affairs<\/p>\n As for me, I couldn\u2019t stop raving about the food at Discovery Green.<\/p>\n Located about three hours from The Great Place, Discovery Green is a nearly 12-acre oasis in the heart of downtown Houston that caters to the diversity of its residents with a lake, promenade, fountain, dog runs, public art installations and tree-shaded walks that offer postcard views of downtown.<\/p>\n Gateway Fountain in Discovery Green in downtown Houston is a popular attraction for children and adults to enjoy sun-drenched days.<\/p>\n Sentinel file photo by Janecze Wright, Fort Hood Public Affairs<\/p>\n Tucked between soaring skyscrapers and the hum of city life, the space is where the young and young at heart unwind, and the soft roundness of water and greenery contrasts against the sharp angles of the concrete buildings all around.<\/p>\n It\u2019s not just a park, but a living, breathing testament to what happens when the bustling city gives way to tranquility and green space becomes the soul of a city.<\/p>\n Discovery Green is a place where the city slows down, joy speeds up and every season brings its own kind of magic, and I look forward to visiting again.<\/p>\n Find out more about Discovery Green at\u00a0discoverygreen.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u00a0Lake Austin Lights<\/p>\n Mozart\u2019s Festival of Lights is the perfect complement to the Lake Austin Lights cruise in Austin, Texas.<\/p>\n Sentinel file photo by Janecze Wright, Fort Hood Public Affairs<\/p>\n To cap off a year full of extraordinary trips, I lit up the holidays with a Christmas-themed boat tour of Lake Austin courtesy of \u201cthe crown jewel\u00a0of Austin Rental Boats Lake Austin Lights cruise.\u201d<\/p>\n Thousands of lights created a stunning contrast to the ink black lake as we glided over the water, making our way past various holiday displays and passing other colorful boats.<\/p>\n Two nutcrackers stand guard on each side of the Lake Austin Lights tunnel in Austin, Texas. It was my favorite part of the cruise.<\/p>\n Sentinel file photo by Janecze Wright, Fort Hood Public Affairs<\/p>\n The breathtaking 80-foot\u00a0Floating Tunnel of Lights culminated in a truly enchanting experience.<\/p>\n Evenings are the best time to see all the lights, and various time slots can be booked online.<\/p>\n Though Austin Lights is over for this holiday season, I would definitely suggest putting it on the holiday list for next season. Until then visit austinrentalboats.com<\/a>\u00a0to gain insight on other boat rental opportunities.<\/p>\n Call the company at 512-957-1444 to inquire about a military discount.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n
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