playbook / T R A V E L SOUTH
LADY BIRD JOHNSON WILDFLOWER CENTER | AUSTIN
Founded in 1982 by its namesake—the Texas native and former first lady “Lady Bird” Johnson—in the Texas capital city, the wildflower center now spans 284 acres and bursts with wildlife, native trees and plants. You’ll see the variety of fall-blooming flowers, like fall aster and prairie goldenrod, for yourself when you come to play in Fortlandia, a collection of custom forts designed by local architects, designers and artists and open to the public for imaginative play Oct. 4, 2021, through Jan. 30, 2022. The playhouse design from a group called the Masketeers was inspired by discarded masks—a recognizable symbol of the pandemic—which the group has reframed as a symbol of hope and environmental education. You’ll find six forts in the center’s Mollie Steves Zachry Texas Arboretum and a bonus fort along the Ann and Roy Butler Hike-and-Bike Trail at Lady Bird Lake. In addition to the Fortlandia exhibit, kids can play on Fort Build, the wildflower center’s year-round build-your-own-fort nature play area, and on select Saturdays this fall, join free drop-in activities to learn about trees and leaves. Whenever you visit, be sure to pack a picnic to eat al fresco, or grab a bite from the center’s on-site Wildflower Café. Admission is $12 for adults, $6 for children, and free for 4 and younger, and reservations open seven days in advance for daily admission from 9am–5pm. Also included with admission: access to Silvana, an immersive light maze on display for the first time in North America. Starting in December, both the Silvana and Fortlandia exhibits light up at night for the Luminations series. // 512/232-0100; wildflower.org/fortlandia ➽ ABOVE: This secret hideout “Connect” awaits at Fortlandia, the new exhibit now open at LADY BIRD JOHNSON WILDFLOWER CENTER in Austin. // RIGHT: A life-size Dinosaur Bob, one of dozens of STORYBOOK SCULPTURES on permanent display, towers over downtown Abilene.
Stop and smell the roses at these fall travel destinations in Texas and Oklahoma WORDS
ELIZABETH SMITH
AHHH, OCTOBER. AS THE AIR TURNS COOLER and beckons us outdoors, we can’t help but follow. To make the most of your autumn, think of the new season as a fresh opportunity to explore the world beyond your usual haunts—and beyond Dallas-Fort Worth. Fall head over heels for these underrated travel destinations in Texas and Oklahoma, offering special family events, exhibits and entirely new attractions ripe for exploring this October and November. Plus, you’ll find each of these stops within a 3-hour drive from North Texas, so you can discover the natural beauty, cultural history and imaginative experiences all in one weekend. 70
october/november 2021 | DFWCHILD
WEST
NATIONAL CENTER FOR CHILDREN’S ILLUSTRATED LITERATURE | ABILENE
Plenty of happily-ever-afters begin in small towns, but more so than usual in Abilene, the official Storybook Capital of America and home to the National Center for Children’s Illustrated Literature (NCCIL). The museum,
PHOTOS COURTESY OF ALICIA WELLS; ©STORYBOOK SCULPTURES/STEVE BUTMAN PHOTOGRAPHY
WEEKEND WAYFARERS
