camping awards
Yogi Bear's Jellystone Park in Fredericksburg has a fun pool for children to swim.
Camping season has begun in the Lone Star State, and five Texas parks have earned new recognition as must-visit destinations in the just-released 2025 Campspot Awards.
Award-winning parks are chosen based on campground search platform Campspot's "comprehensive evaluation" to determine the best parks that offer the most memorable experiences.
Though none of the parks are near the Houston area, three of the award-winning parks are located in the Hill Country, while the remaining two are based in North and West Texas.
"The Campspot Awards aim to recognize those parks that are delivering outstanding guest experiences and embodying the spirit of modern camping," said Campspot CMO Erin Stender in a press release. "This year’s winners represent the variety and depth of camping in North America. From peaceful retreats where you can disconnect to adrenaline-pumping destinations perfect for families, we’re thrilled to showcase parks that are truly exceptional. Every campground on this list provides a unique experience for campers, and they’ve earned their place as the best in the business."
Top Central Texas parks
Yogi Bear’s Jellystone Park in Fredericksburg, located about 227 miles west of Houston, topped the list as the No. 1 Top Campground in the U.S. for 2025. It also won an award as one of the top RV campgrounds.
The resort is loaded with amenities to keep campers and families happy, such as an arcade, a dog park, GaGa Ball pit, mini-golf area, an outdoor theater, and so much more. The park is also near some of the Hill Country's iconic wineries.
Campspot says Yogi Bear's Jellystone Park is one of the best family-friendly parks in the heart of Texas Wine Country.
"Whether you are looking for a family vacation spot or a place to stay while visiting the area's beautiful wineries, they offer accommodations and amenities to fit your needs," the park's profile says. "Take a dip in the pool, relax at Blue Bonnet Hall, or grab friends for a game of mini-golf! Yogi Bear's Jellystone Park™ Camp-Resort at Fredericksburg, Texas has something for everyone!"
Hidden Valley RV Park in Von Ormy, a suburb of San Antonio, earned an award in the category for "Top Mid-Size Campgrounds."
The park is located 300 miles southwest of Houston, with Campspot showing 76 available RV sites available for campers. The park has many amenities, including a general store, laundry facilities, showers, bathrooms, a pavilion, and more.
According to its profile, Campspot says Hidden Valley feels like it's much farther away from San Antonio, tucked away in a "quiet country setting."
"Park your RV for a night, week, or month and enjoy the art, culture, and history that San Antonio has to offer," the profile says. "Onsite, enjoy a private creek for fishing, walking trails, bird and wildlife viewing, planned events, and more."
Hidden Valley RV Park in Von Ormy is one of the best mid-size campgrounds, according to the report. Hidden Valley RV Park/hiddenvalleyrvpark.com
Reviews for the park praising its peaceful atmosphere, its bountiful fishing opportunities, and its overall cleanliness. One reviewer specifically appreciated the large dog park and friendly staff members.
"The park is beautiful! Large , green spots — some by the creek. Conveniently located to get into downtown San Antonio. It was only about a 20 [minute] drive to everything we wanted to do. We had great WiFi up near the office. The dog park is enormous and full of toys for your furry friends. The staff was very nice and stayed late to make sure we got into our spot," the review said.
The third Central Texas park to earn an award is Yogi Bear’s Jellystone Park, Guadalupe River in Kerrville. This park is 266 miles west of Houston, and was named one of the top campgrounds for glamping.
Other Texas parks
Buffalo Springs Lake Campground in Lubbock, about 500 miles northwest of Houston, topped the list as the No. 1 quiet getaway in the country. Campspot calls Buffalo Springs an oasis "for all sports recreation and fun at the lake."
"They offer RV and tent camping, as well as their Buffalo Bay Marina with lakeside rentals and two incredible beaches," the park's profiile says. "Whether you choose to enjoy the water by boat, jet ski, canoe, or kayak, they have you covered! Also onsite you will have access to ATV trails, nature trails, concerts, fishing and more!"
Lake Bonham Recreation Area also won an award in the category for "Top Quiet Getaways in the USA." The park is located 315 miles north of Houston on 1,200 acres of land in Fannin County, which is just south of the Texas-Oklahoma border. The park has a volleyball court, lots of water access, a recreational pavilion, and more. It has 4.7 stars across 269 reviews.
State Fair News
The time has come for crafty Texans to showcase their creativity: The State Fair of Texas has issued the 2025 version of its Arts & Crafts and Cooking Contest Guides, now available for download at BigTex.com/CreativeArts.
The State Fair’s Creative Arts team holds two kinds of contests: pre-Fair arts and crafts contests like quilting and jam-making; and Fair-time cooking contests, like best bread and best dish with cheese. There are more than 1,100 arts and crafts categories and 26 cooking contests.
Pre-fair contests
The 2025 Arts & Crafts Contests include Fine Art; Ceramics; Designer Craftsman; Dolls; Canning; Hobby Collections; Holiday Corner; Needlepoint, Crewel, and Counted Cross-Stitch; Needlework and Sewing; Afghans, Rugs, Quilts, and Bedspreads; Photography; Scale Models; Glue-a-Shoe; and The Great Pumpkin Challenge.
Actual registration for the 2025 pre-Fair contests will open online on May 7 with a deadline of Monday, July 28, to submit online entry forms and fees.
Contestants can submit their entries via mail by July 28 or hand-deliver items to the Creative Arts building in Fair Park on August 1, 2, and 3 from 9 am-5 pm.
In the weeks following, entries will be judged, and contestants will be notified once the results are finalized. Entries awarded a ribbon will be displayed during the 2025 State Fair of Texas.
Cooking Contests
The 2025 Cooking Contests include Bread; Cooking With Cheese; Honey, the Magic Ingredient; Beekeepers Honey, Farm to Fork; Chocolate; Pizza Cook-Off; Youth Cooking Contest; Best of Show-Down (invitation only); Play with your Food; Dough-Re-Me Pastry; Soup or Salad; Ice Cream Freeze-Off; The Ultimate Grilled Cheese Challenge; Charcuterie Board; Texas Chuck Wagon; International Cuisine; Speedy Dishes; Fair Concoctions; Chicken or the Egg; Cobbler Cook-Off; Tex Mex; and Candy.
The 2025 State Fair of Texas Cooking Contest Guide and the Cooking Contest Calendar are now available, with online registration opening on May 7, and closing Monday, July 28.
Blue Ribbon Battle
The State Fair of Texas is bringing back the Battle for the Blue Ribbons – a spring cooking competition consisting of three of the Fair’s most popular Creative Arts Cooking Contests: Cookies, Cakes, and Pies, running from May 16-May 18.
Amateur home cooks of all ages may enter for the chance to be awarded first, second, third, and honorable mention for a total of 40 blue-ribbon winners who will be invited to compete in their respective contests at the exclusive Best of Show-Down in the Competition Kitchen during the 2025 State Fair of Texas on October 5, 2025.
One contestant from each of the three contests will be awarded a Best of Show ribbon, allowing them to advance to a head-to-head battle for the Best of Show-Down grand prize. For more information about this specific competition and to register, visit BigTex.com/Battle.
Registration
Participants are encouraged use the online registration system for all contests. It allows the creation of a family account, which permits adults in the household to add additional contestants to the account and register youth contestants. Youth contestants will have their own designated entries for Creative Arts competitions, but all communications regarding those entries are sent to the primary adult on the account.
Although there are paper registration forms in the Arts & Crafts and Cooking Contest Guides that can be mailed to the Fair, it is recommended to use the online registration portal to ensure contestants receive helpful reminders and judging results of their respective contests.
The 2025 State Fair of Texas will opening on Friday, September 26, and run through Sunday, October 19.
