New guide helps tailor visits to Texas parks

Austin, Texas — The Texas state park system has produced a new guide that makes it easy to tailor a park visit to individual interests.

The guide lists park tours and programs under “Experience Texas,” historic landmarks under “Remember Texas” and best places to see wildlife under “View Texas,” like the new World Birding Center, headquartered at Bentsen-Rio Grande Valley State Park.

For places to explore Hispanic heritage, look under “Viva Texas” and read about the hacienda style of the Magoffin Home in El Paso, the Cinco de Mayo celebrations in Goliad and the remains of rancho viejo at Big Bend Ranch.

The “Saddle Up” feature points out parks with riding trails, horse-friendly campgrounds and other facilities.

Anglers can check out “Fish Texas” for recommendations on where to catch Guadalupe bass (Guadalupe River, Inks Lake, Lost Maples and South Llano River), smallmouth bass in a wild remote setting (Devils River State Natural Area) and chain pickerel (Caddo Lake).

The free guide is available at various historic sites, travel centers and parks across the state, and can be downloaded at www.tpwd.state.tx.us/parkguide. The guide is not available to be mailed, but for general visitor information, call (800) 792-1112.

Golf magazine pitches top California courses

New York — Travel + Leisure Golf is recommending southern California as a golfer’s paradise, and the magazine’s March-April issue lists 11 of what it considers “world-class, publicly accessible” golf courses in the region, along with nearby attractions, places to stay and other information you can use to plan a golf vacation.

The courses recommended by the magazine are:

• Torrey Pines Municipal Golf Course, South Course, La Jolla.
• La Costa Resort and Spa, Tournament Course, Carlsbad.
• Maderas Golf Club, Poway.
• Pelican Hill Golf Club, Ocean North Course, Newport Coast.
• Arroyo Trabuco Golf Club, Mission Viejo.
• Aviara Golf Club, Four Seasons Resort, Carlsbad.
• Del Mar National Golf Club, San Diego.
• Oak Creek Golf Club, Irvine.
• The Rancho Bernardo Inn Golf Course, San Diego.
• Tustin Ranch Golf Club, Tustin.
• Monarch Beach Golf Links, Dana Point.