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If you have been looking for an RV campground that offers family entertainment, stunning sunrises, and sunsets, and even a little bit of history, then Brackenridge Park and Campground is right up your alley. This campground is part of the Brackenridge Recreational Complex which also includes Texana Park and Campground and the Brackenridge Special Event Center.
Brackenridge Park And Campground
Brackenridge Park and Campground is located on the banks of beautiful Lake Texana, just outside of Edna, Texas. The park offers 134 RV sites with 16 of those being pull-thru sites. These 16 sites are located out I the open area close to the gated entrance of the campground. We opted for one of the pull-thru sites with full hookups because it was right next to the water, and we like to watch RVers coming into the park.
The rest of the sites are located among several oak and pecan trees that give you the feel of being deep in the woods.
There are also two sets of “wagon wheel” sites that are situated in a circle and are perfect for the extended family to bring out their RVs for birthday bashes, cookouts, or family reunions.
All RV sites have 20-, 30-, and 50-amp hookups as well as water, a picnic table, fire ring, and a bar-b-que pit.
If you like history, Brackenridge Park and Campground has plenty of it. There is the original Texana Church, the original Brackenridge Family Homesite, and the Brackenridge Family Cemetery that is a short hike down one of the many nature trails within the park.
Brief History Of Brackenridge Park And Campground
Before this land was known as Brackenridge Park and Campground, it was home to the Brackenridge family. John Adams Brackenridge was known for giving great speeches. In fact, it is said that Abraham Lincoln would walk miles to listen to him talk about law. In the mid 1800’s Mr. Brackenridge moved his family to this location from Indiana. And opened a mercantile business. Once his wealth increased, he purchased the property and built a large two-story plantation home.
Original Brackenridge Homesite
The original Brackenridge family homesite is a short walk up one of the hiking trails at the end of the campground. The original house has since been moved to Edna, turned into a hotel, and burned down decades ago. However, the original cistern is still in place. It was used to catch rainwater from the gutters that drained off the roof. It holds approximately 32,000 gallons of water and was the largest structure ever recorded in Texana. The top of the cistern is still visible, however there is a metal grate covering the opening to keep anyone from falling in.
Brackenridge Family Cemetery
A bit further down the trail from the original homesite is the Brackenridge Family Cemetery. The massive granite monument was the largest single block of granite in Texas at the time. There is a four-foot wall surrounding the gravesites and when you are there, you can’t help but get a little spooked. You can’t see much over the wall, except for overgrown vegetation and the monument. The family didn’t want future generations of people to care for the property inside the wall, which is why it is still overgrown.
Kellie and I made it all the way to the cemetery with Chance and House. On the way back to the truck, Chance was having a hard time keeping up, of course one step to us is like 10 to him. He tried his best to keep up but just couldn’t in the end. So, I carried him for most of the trip back to the truck. I could imagine he was grateful for that.
Historic Texana Church
Inside the Brackenridge Recreational Complex, before you get to the office to check in for Brackenridge RV Park, you will pass a little white church on the left side of the road. This church was built in 1859 and John Adams Brackenridge helped organize the Texana Presbyterian Church here. Although the church is small, the Brackenridge family accounted for more than half of the congregation. The church was moved from the old Texana location, restored, and now can be rented out for weddings and other gatherings.
“I Believe We Found The Windiest RV Park In Texas”
We made our reservations several weeks prior to our trip and decided to start our trip on a Wednesday. Why? Because that is one of the best ways to score the great RV sites. If you wait until the weekend, all the good sites are usually booked.
We battled the wind the whole trip. From the drive there until the day we left, the wind was relentless. There was no way we were going to get to enjoy the awning unless we wanted to pick it up in the field across from our site.
Kellie and I were sitting at the picnic table one afternoon and I told her, “I believe we found the windiest RV park in Texas”. An area resident that was enjoying the weekend at the park told us that, “It gets a lot worse”, suggesting that the wind is always blowing at this RV park. However, if you can deal with gusty winds, this campground is nothing short of amazing.
On the bright side, Brackenridge Park and Campground would be the ideal place to fly a kite…
Local Food Favorites
We posted on our Facebook page that we were at Brackenridge Park and Campground. And someone commented on the post that they used to live in nearby Edna and if we were so inclined, AJ’s Burgers and More was a must for a great cheeseburger. On our second day at Brackenridge Park, we had to head into Edna to pick up a few things. Like most trips, we always forget something. While we were in town, we decided to take that advice and found out he was right.
AJ’s Burgers And More
AJ’s from the outside doesn’t look like a place that you would stop unless you knew about it. As we stepped inside, we noticed that the building used to be an old service station. If you grew up pre-1990’s you probably remember these stations. They were the places you would go, and the attendant would fill your vehicle up, check the oil, and wash the windshield.
So, if you are ever in Edna, Texas or if you are staying at Brackenridge Park and Campground, it would be worth your time to grab a bite to eat at AJ’s. You won’t be disappointed.
Estella’s Mexican Restaurant
Another quick trip we made was to the neighboring town of Ganado. We went there specifically to visit Papaw’s Attic; a thrift store we had heard about on the local radio station. After browsing through the store, we decided to grab lunch and the only place open was Estella’s Mexican Restaurant. Again, it’s not the typical place you would stop, but we were fooled once again. We ordered the three crunchy taco plate and oh my goodness…they were the best tacos Kellie and I have ever eaten.
And again, if you are ever driving through Ganado or visiting Brackenridge Park, make sure you stop and grab the best tacos in Texas.
Conclusion To Brackenridge Park And Campground
Brackenridge Park and Campground is the perfect place for families to gather. Not only enjoy nature, but to participate in other activities like disc golf, mini-golf, or fishing. One thing we noticed during our stay was the amount of people that were out playing games with the kids, riding bikes, or even fishing. The RVers who had the site next to us had a weekend full of family fun. Grandma was inventing cool games for the kids to enjoy, like water-gun races. You loop a string around a tree, thread it through two red solo cups, making two separate lanes. Then you use your water-gun to shoot water into the cup to try to get to the other end first.
If you are planning a trip to Edna, don’t forget your kite.
Have you ever been to Brackenridge Park and Campground? If so let us know in the comment section below.
We need your help. We tried to sponsor 10 games of mini-golf and use our Bug’N Out Rv’N stickers as a “receipt” to redeem the free game from the park office. However, the office said we couldn’t do that because it was soliciting. If you are a blogger or a business owner, or if you have any suggestions on how we can go about doing something like this, please either leave us a comment below or contact us with your thoughts. We would love to hear from you.
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