Credit: Photo by Gerald E. McLeod

Looking back over the last 12 months, these are a few of my favorite things and places; some I’ve mentioned before, others have been a secret until now.

Best Free Willy Moment: Watching hundreds of sea turtles run into the surf at Padre Island National Seashore. Hatched from eggs rescued from the dunes, the babies are released from May to August.

Best Wildlife Spectacle: The world’s largest colony of bats spilling out of Bracken Cave outside of New Braunfels is one of the most impressive wildlife events in the world. After years of being jealously guarded, it is now threatened by development. Attend one of the summer public viewing nights while you can.

Best Condiment: Honey Jalapeño Mustard from the Apple Store in Medina. Next door to Love Creek Orchards, a pick-your-own farm, the store features apple products, but the hamburgers off the grill are terrific. You can take home a jar of the mustard that makes the burgers famous.

Best Smoked Turkey: Rabke’s Table Ready Meats processes the turkeys they raise, and their pepper rub makes it great. They’re hard to find on Eckert Road outside of Willow City, but well worth the effort.

Best Fruit Pie: Blueberry crunch pie from Blueberry Hill Farms in Edom is only available for a few weeks in June and July, when the berries are in season at the family-owned pick-your-own farm.

1,154th in a series. Collect them all. Day Trips, Vol. 2, a book of “Day Trips,” is available for $8.95, plus $3.05 for shipping, handling, and tax. Mail to: Day Trips, PO Box 33284, South Austin, TX 78704.

This article appears in September 13 • 2013.

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Gerald E. McLeod joined the Chronicle staff in November 1980 as a graphic designer. In April 1991 he began writing the “Day Trips” column. Besides the weekly travel column, he contributed “101 Swimming Holes,” “Guide to Central Texas Barbecue,” and “Guide to the Texas Hill Country.” His first 200 columns have been published in Day Trips Vol. I and Day Trips Vol. II.