After coming out of a season of quarantine I knew when I began to travel again I wanted to make sure I took precautions to keep both myself and others safe. My friend Amberley and I love going on getaways and were so excited to partner with Discover Denison to show off how to enjoy Denison even while social distancing.

1. There are so many fun places to stay in Denison. We stayed at the Gandy Dancer Airbnb. It’s within walking distance from downtown and so cute! They are taking extra precautions when cleaning and even have a sign to explain what they are doing differently. I highly recommend this Airbnb it had a great coffee bar, the beds were super comfortable, and all of the decor was cozy and adorable!

2. Three words FLOWER CROWN WORKSHOP! We absolutely loved doing a flower crown workshop at Zig Zag Galleries. The gallery space is so beautiful and has vintage clothing and jewelry for sale. They also offer other workshops including some of the recent such as the rainbow doormat workshop or tassel garland workshop. Jenna is amazing and the workshops are perfectly designed for creative people who need a creative outlet or non-crafty people who need step-by-step directions. If I were you I would plan your trip around one of the workshops that are offered!

3. Best Burger Barn- Denison last time I had been in Denison so many people recommended having dinner here and yet I didn’t get the chance to try it. I’m so glad we did this time! The food was delicious and the pretzel with cheese was legit out of this world. Since then Amberley and I have talked about that pretzel multiple times (mouth-watering emoji), but everything we ate including the burgers and fries were so good!

4. CJ’s Coffee Cafe- The perfect place to grab breakfast whether you want to drive through or eat on the patio you can easily enjoy their yummy breakfast croissants and iced coffee while social distancing. The staff was so friendly and the food was done very quickly!

5. Kayak on Waterloo Lake- iPaddlePort makes it easy to reserve online and have a contactless pickup. Everything is done online and all you do is type in the code, pull your kayak down the lake, and then go! It is only $10 an hour and easy to use. My only recommendation is to make sure to have a friend with you if you’re pregnant because the kayaks are bit heavy.

6. The Point on Lake Texoma- It is about 15-20 minutes from town, and perfect for a sunny day lunch outside. The patio has tables that are great for social distancing and the view from the deck is beautiful! I love enjoying any meal with a lake view and this did not disappoint. I recommend the Turkey Melt with raspberry jam!

7. Shopping- One of my favorite parts of downtown Denison are the shops! There are so many cute shops, but there are a couple I highly recommend. Monsters on Main is so fun. “Her goal is for you to leave with a smile on your face and a monster under your arm!” She makes the monsters out of leftover fabric from her upholstery business. I got the cutest little custom monster for baby boy’s nursery! Next, we headed to Totally Addicted they have handmade bath and body products that are made from fresh and organic ingredients! I love all of their products that I tried, but my top two favorites are their body whip and bath bombs they are both extremely moisturizing. Then we went to Pop Around the Corner if you remember from last time I couldn’t get enough. They have a very extensive menu and all of their flavors are so unique. They have anything you can think of from caramel to birthday cake, to cookies n’ cream, and tuxedo. A new favorite was Pop Crunch Popcorn that has the best combination of chocolate and various nuts. Next, we visited Kitsch Please which is a vintage and antique lovers paradise. The inside of the store is so unique and they have so many cool pieces to purchase at very affordable prices! Lastly, we stopped by Under the Eiffel Boutique. It is an awesome boutique with everything from adorable dresses to graphic tees and SO many great accessories!

8. 1880 Ice House- This is everything I love about Texas summers it’s an Austin-styled beer garden and spirits parlor setup. It has a large patio so you can sit outside, listen to live music, play corn hole, and enjoy amazing food from Knife & Whisk food truck!

9. On our last day in Denison of course we had to go back so I could show Amberley both Revolution Coffee Co. and 410 Collective. I’m not sure where to start as this is my favorite little spot in Denison! They have unique lattes, a jungle of the very best places and succulents, and a collective of small shops and businesses that have such fun items! I could sit and enjoy a coffee in here all day.

Denison, TX has so much to offer and so many social-distancing friendly places to visit. Regardless of your level of comfort, there is a wide range of indoor and outdoor activities! I have a highlight saved on Instagram with videos from each of these places and more information. When you get a chance plan your trip to Denison, Texas. You won’t regret it!

XOXO,   

Jillian