Photo Credit: @karolamramirez

Summer is just around the corner, and there is no better time to get out and enjoy Tyler. Combat summer boredom with some of Tyler’s best outdoor adventures this season. Tyler offers events, activities, and attractions for young and old, many of which are only offered seasonally. This summer get out of the house, and enjoy the beauty and fun that Tyler has to offer!

Make A Splash

With temperatures reaching above 100° during the Texas summer, it’s important to stay cool. To beat the heat this summer, make a splash! Spending the day at Lake Tyler is an easy, inexpensive way to make summer memories. Just go for the day, or bring a tent and camp all weekend. You and your family and friends can go swimming, enjoy some of the nature trails around the lake, or go fishing. While there, try out one of Tyler’s most popular summer adventures: standup paddle boarding. Tyler Paddle is one such place to test your standup paddle boarding skills. Tyler Paddle is located at The Boulders on Lake Tyler, and features paddle rentals, kayak rentals, fishing kayak rentals, and group rates.

Photo Credit: @theraechill

Play in the Park

One of the cheapest forms of entertainment is to explore one or many of the parks. The City of Tyler offers more than 1,000 acres of public parkland and open space. Within these parks there are playgrounds, athletic fields, walking and biking trails, tennis courts, multi-purpose courts, and more. Other park amenities include a skate park, disc golf facilities, spraygrounds, and a swimming pool at Fun Forest Park. If you enjoy nature trails, ride the four pedals of the rose. This is a challenge to ride, run, or walk all four designated trails located at Faulkner Park, Lindsey Park, Tyler State Park, and UT Tyler. Fill out a form online to prove that you have completed the challenge and receive a decal for your car.

Go On An Outdoor Adventure

To get your outdoor adventure started, download the FREE Go East Texas Outdoor & Adventure Pass at TylerOutdoorPass.com for discounts and a chance to win prizes. Experience the best of East Texas and save with this FREE pass! Enjoy such attractions as the Caldwell Zoo, zip lining, hot air ballooning, gardens, parks, and more. Visit 10 locations across East Texas for automatic entry into a twice-a-year drawing for the Grand Prize East Texas Getaway Package. Sign up and start adventuring today.

Go To A Festival or Event

Festivals and events are great ways to get out and enjoy the summer. Plus, many of the events offered in the area are cheap or free, which is even better! On almost any given night throughout the year you can catch live entertainment somewhere in town. Enjoy some tunes on the patios of some of your favorite restaurants in town.

 

Visit Tyler, in partnership with Eguide, has the most comprehensive calendar in the region. For a full list of events, go to VisitTyler.com/calendar or download the free Visit Tyler, Tx app.

Photo Credit: @thalia_molina

Experience the Wildlife

Tyler is a natural beauty, and wildlife is all around. One of the best places to experience nature in Tyler is the Tyler State Park, one of the most popular State Parks in Texas. The beauty of east Texas awaits you at this 985-acre State Park. It’s the perfect place for bird watching with more than 200 species of birds identified at the Park. It is also home to a number of East Texas animals including white-tailed deer, raccoons, foxes, coyotes, reptiles, armadillos, opossums, and more. The Park also hosts several events throughout the season such as survival skills information, birding classes, and fishing days.

 

In Tyler, you can also explore nature from other areas of the world. One of the most popular places to visit exotic animals is the Caldwell Zoo. The Caldwell Zoo is recognized as one of the top small zoos in the US and houses more than 3,000 endangered and beautiful wildlife from Africa, North America, and South America. The Zoo is currently completed a renovation project that included an expanded elephant yard and pool, a raised giraffe feeding deck, a new café, and an ADA-accessible path leading to the African Overlook. So even if you have been to the Zoo before, it’s going to look a lot different this year.

 

Get even closer to the animals with the zoo’s popular animal encounters including feeding the giraffes, keeper talks, the wild bird walk about, and even get the chance to meet the penguins and bears up close.

Send the Kids to Summer Camp

Tyler offers a variety of different summer day camps for your kids to enjoy while you’re at work. Summer camps give children the opportunity to learn new things, meet new friends, and stay active throughout the summer. Several organizations and entities host camps that specialize in everything from arts, crafts, and culture to sports and recreation as well as a few that combine all of these activities. Different camps offer different activities and events, and encouraging your children to attend a camp is a great way to expand their horizons. Get your children’s input on what type of camp they would enjoy, this way you can make the best decision on which camp to attend.

 

Living in a city that offers some of the best attractions in Texas, there is so much for you to experience right in your own backyard! This summer, break away from the ordinary, and explore Tyler. For a full list of attractions, restaurants, and community events go to VisitTyler.com or download the free Visit Tyler, Tx app.

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