Hempstead Travel Guide

Plus Size Road Trippin’ Travel Guide Travel Guide NOTE: Though Hempstead doesn’t offer a lot to include in a travel guide, I wanted to showcase this small town 50 miles west of downtown Houston because what it lacks in size, it makes up for in heart. Both events I’ve included in this guide take year ‘round planning, dedication, and is done to celebrate and honor veterans from wars in the distant past up to today.

Places where physical accessibility was addressed and/or accepted. Liendo Plantation Watermelon Run for the Fallen

Places I visited while on a road trip that had easy & affordable parking access. Liendo Plantation Watermelon Run for the Fallen



Liendo Plantation Hempstead isn’t a big travel destination, but can be an interesting stop if national historic landmarks intrigue you. This former cotton plantation was built in 1853, restored in the 1960’s, and opened to the public in 1973. You can get a tour by a docent in period clothing on the first Saturday of most months for $10. I was able to tour the home during the former Civil War Weekend events that happened yearly. Unfortantely, they were canceled after 2019.

Civil War Weekend - Discontinued One of the most unique events I’ve been to is the Civil War Weekend, put on each fall. It was very educational and lots to see! I had no idea how slowly the battles went. Very entertaining though.

It was nice to tour the Liendo Plantation during this time and there were tents to shop in. The “surgeon” caught me by surprise though, as did the real cannon fire! Unfortunately, when I went to check on this year’s dates I found that the community decided to discontinue the event.



Watermelon Run for the Fallen This 5K walk/run is hosted annually around the country in the middle of Augustin. In the Houston area, it’s put on in the city of Hempstead, about 30 minutes NW of the Cypress area on 290. They have a really nice ceremony each year that starts around 8AM before the run. At the finish line they have a big celebration with free watermelon, iced treats (changes each year), and live music. They also have all of the military branches there recruiting and showing off some of their cool vehicles. Note: I always want to bring Ellie but you walk/run mostly on concrete roads and in the middle of August, in Houston, it’s extremely hot. Even in the morning, it’s still too hot for Ellie’s paws.



Brenham Travel Guide Click HERE

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Galveston Travel Guide Click HERE

San Antonio Travel Guide Click HERE

About the Author Brandy Alexander is an educator in the Houston area. Her passions include reading, training teachers across the country, going to dog parks with her rescue pup Ellie, and exploring this beautiful world. Where is Brandy began as a blog in 2009 when Brandy traveled across the country to New England, from Texas, on her own adventure. Her posts were merely to prove to her family that she was still alive. Now, she loves chronicling her journeys to help others maximize their own experiences when traveling, regardless of their circumstances!

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