Minds-On Family Fun! A Day Trip to Johnson City

With plenty of things to see and do, Johnson City is a great place for a Texas Hill Country day trip with activities that appeal to the whole family, including science, history, outdoor adventure, food and much more. We’ve listed some of our favorite activities and stops, with plenty of space to safely explore and enjoy!

 You can start or end your day here at the Science Mill, a historic 1880s mill creatively reimagined into a bright and airy science museum with 50+ innovative outdoor and indoor experiences! The Science Mill is now open four days a week, with two entry times (10am-1pm and 2pm-5pm) Thursday through Saturday, and from 12-4pm on Sunday.

We’ve created a guide for different ways people can “play safe” and experience our interactive exhibits. Choose an outside-only, touch-free, or hands-on (with a safety focus) experience. Our newest exhibits in the expansive outdoor Science & Art Park include the Labyrinth, Butterfly Garden, Giant Bubbles Station and Scavenger Hunt. Learn more about the Science Mill’s fun and safe STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) experiences that will keep young minds engaged.

The Science Mill has plenty of outdoor space and tables for picnics, so feel free to bring your own, or stop by one of many local restaurants that are open for take-out and curbside pickup, including Pecan Street Brewing, Fat Boy Burgers, Hye Market food truck at the new Johnson City Coffee Co., East Main Grill, and El Agave, to name a few. Visitors are encouraged to plan ahead and verify hours and information with individual businesses. 

Want to stretch your legs? Adjacent to the Science Mill is the Settlement Trail to the Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park. This easy, round-trip trail is less than a mile long, and visitors can experience some of the historic landscape in the restored prairie and see the log cabin that was home to LBJ’s grandparents from 1866 to 1871. The interpretive exhibits are currently closed, but bathrooms at the event center are open for public use.

Just a block to the north of the Science Mill you can walk around the outside of President Johnson’s Boyhood Home, to which his family moved from their farm near Stonewall in 1913. Head 14 miles west of Johnson City to explore the wide-open LBJ Ranch, which is currently open for self-guided driving tours. Visitors can tour at their own pace with the ability to stop (outside) at sites along the way, such as the President's birthplace where he was born in 1908, the Johnson family cemetery, and the Johnson's ranch house, known as the Texas White House. The bathrooms behind the President’s birthplace are open. Bikes are also welcome on all or part of the route, which is a five-mile round-trip in length.

If you loved the critters at the Science Mill, including the adult and baby African Spurred tortoises, axolotls, and more, check out the Exotic Resort Zoo, just north of Johnson City, where you can take a drive-through tour and see antelope, gazelles, deer, emu, sheep, camels, yaks, llamas and more.

Peach season hits its peak in the Hill Country during the summer, and there are plenty of roadside stands where you can purchase these sun-kissed wonders. Check local listings here. 

Several state parks are within an easy drive from Johnson City, including Pedernales Falls State Park, Blanco State Park, Lyndon B. Johnson State Park, Old Tunnel State Park, and Enchanted Rock State Natural Area. Check with Texas Parks and Wildlife for the latest on day passes and entry guidelines. Outdoor adventure experts at the Expedition School offer paddleboarding, kayaking and canoeing in the Pedernales River Nature Park on Saturdays and Sundays.  

The Johnson City art scene has blossomed in recent years, and some galleries are currently open by appointment. You’ll also find other shops and restaurants open and eager for visitors. 

So much to do, and we haven’t even touched on all the options in nearby Fredericksburg, Blanco, Marble Falls/Lake LBJ, Dripping Springs, Burnet, Kerrville, Spring Branch or Boerne! If you can’t fit in everything and want to turn your day trip into a staycation, check out lodging, RV and camping options near Johnson City here. 

We’d love to hear about your Hill Country day trip or your visit to the Science Mill! Let us know your favorite spots, and tag us on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter.  

Tortoise, turtle or sea turtle – what is the difference?

With the opening of SciDive, we have sea turtles on the brain! Our staff biologist, Lisa Keys, shared some facts to help explain the differences among sea turtles, turtles and the Science Mill’s African spurred tortoises.

Trick question?

Surprise, they’re ALL turtles! That is, technically speaking. Scientists group species into categories based on shared features. The group Testudines includes species whose bodies are surrounded by shells that are fused with their ribs and vertebrae. “Turtle” refers to all species in that group – including tortoises and sea turtles.  

Still, important differences set tortoises, turtles and sea turtles apart. These aren’t hard-and-fast rules, but looking for a combination of these traits will help you start to identify who’s who. 

Home, sweet home

Typically, tortoises live entirely on land, while sea turtles live entirely in the water – they only come on land to lay eggs. Turtles spend time in the water and on land. There are, however, exceptions. For example, box turtles spend their lives on land.

Shell shapes

Tortoises have high, dome-shaped shells, while turtles and sea turtles have flatter, more streamlined shells for moving through water. But, again, there are exceptions! The pancake tortoise, as its name suggests, has a flattened shell. It hides out in the narrow crevices between rocks.

A sea turtle’s teardrop-shaped body also makes it easier to glide and dive. It’s awesome for swimming, but has a limitation: sea turtles can’t tuck their heads and limbs into their shells for protection. When a predator is near, sea turtles instead swim sideways to make themselves look bigger – too big to swallow!

Look to the feet

Tortoises have stumpy, flat-bottomed “elephant feet” for walking on land, with strong nails for digging. They tend to move slooooowly. Turtles have webbed toes for paddling through the water and can be surprisingly speedy on land. Sea turtles have fused-together toes that form flippers. They hold the title for fastest-swimming reptiles.

What’s for lunch?

Tortoises love their veggies; as a rule, they eat only plants. Turtles eat a variety of plants and animals, although some species eat only animals – feasting on insects, fish, crustaceans and sometimes even mammals. Most sea turtles eat animals or a mix of plants and animals, such as fish, seaweed and crabs. But a few species have special diets. Adult green sea turtles eat only plants, like seagrass and algae. Hawksbill sea turtles munch mainly on sea sponges. Leatherback sea turtles are “gelatinivores”: they eat only jellyfish, sea squirts and other Jello-like invertebrates. 

Speaking of lunch: You can meet the Science Mill’s African spurred tortoises at weekend feedings! Public feedings are scheduled for most Saturdays and Sundays at 2:15pm; check with the front desk or call 844-263-6405 to confirm. For an extra serving of adorable, watch the baby tortoise hatchlings on the live Tortoise Cam.

Explore as a sea turtle!

Now that we know a little more about tortoises, turtles and sea turtles, it’s time for a deeper dive: become a sea turtle with SciDive, our new 4D virtual reality experience! Swim along a digital coral reef and meet a fellow sea turtle, who acts as your guide. SciDive is a not-to-be-missed experience that ages 8 to 108 will enjoy. (Kids must have an arm span of at least 48”, or their parents’ assistance, to ride SciDive.) Limited spots are available for SciDive each day, so be sure to reserve your spot online before you visit. 

How can I help turtles, tortoises and sea turtles?

Watch out for turtles and tortoises crossing the road. When roads cut through habitats, they may need to reach a pond or find a safe place to lay eggs on the other side. If you see one crossing and it’s safe to do so, you can even help. Follow the turtle’s lead: don’t turn it in a new direction or move it to a spot you think looks more ideal. That can be disorienting and could put the animal in harm. Instead, help it safely reach the side in the direction it was moving.

Big picture, reducing the amount of plastic we use and finding responsible ways to recycle it also helps – sea turtles often mistake plastic pollution for food or get tangled up. Together, we can help keep our oceans clean and sea turtles safe and healthy.

2019 Highlights (+ 2020 Sneak Peeks)

2019 brought exciting changes at the Science Mill, including a new gallery, new exhibits, and new events. Our staff has grown and so has the scope of our programs, bringing hands-on science to communities throughout Texas. With our 5th birthday coming up in February, we’ve been thinking about how far the Science Mill has come (over 200,000 visitors welcomed!) and where we’re headed next.

Here's a look back at 2019, along with a few previews of what’s planned for 2020. Thank you for being part of this year of discovery!

January

Snow Day kicked off 2019 with snowball slingshots, a snowball-swatting robot and more than 1,600 visitors. Snow Day returns January 18, 2020 with even more snow (over 30 tons!), music, live ice sculpture carving, and more!

February

The 1,000 square-foot Aquaponics Greenhouse had its grand opening in February. In this unique experience, visitors get an up-close look at tilapia, prawns, and koi that provide the food to grow fruit, vegetables and tropical plants in vertical growing tubes, floating rafts and a giant living wall. Ours is one of a kind, but you can DIY an aquaponic garden at home. Funding generously provided by the Elizabeth & Floyd McGown Charitable Fund.

Spring

2019 brought new and not-to-be-missed events: releasing butterflies at Butterfly Bonanza; touching and even tasting bugs at Incredible Insects; mixing sci-fi and high-flying tech at Drones and Droids, and the return of SHARK WEEK! Stayed tuned for more exciting events to come in 2020!

Congrats to the first class of STEM Scholars, who graduated in May! STEM Scholars participated in nine months of Homeschool Days, exploring topics from augmented reality to Oobleck.

Summer

STEM Summer Camps grew in 2019, with 27 camps across central and south Texas. Campers used STEM skills in two action-packed camps to survive a post-apocalyptic world and tap into their inner secret agent to design and create techy gadget to complete a secret mission.

Happy birthday, African Spurred tortoise hatchings! We asked you to help name the new arrivals and, after a close vote, we’re delighted to introduce Tortellini, Shelldon and Yasil.

October

Science Outside capped its first year with a family workshop at Pedernales Falls State Park, connecting 4th-7th graders with tech tools to conduct experiments in nature. (Registration for 2020 coming soon!)

November

We hosted our biggest bash yet at the Night of 5s Benefit, celebrating the Mill’s first 5 years and our vision for the next 5 years including new exhibits, site development, and STEM summer camp expansion. All proceeds directly supported Science Mill programs.

December

Masters of Disguise opened in December, with live animals and digital games that highlight amazing adaptations used to blend in, stand out and hide in plain sight. Catch it for a limited time in 2020!

Cue the confetti cannons! On December 22, 2019 the Science Mill welcomed its 200,000th (and 200,001st) visitor!

And some bonus news we received at the close of 2019:

The Science Mill is newly accredited by TEA to provide Continuing Professional Education trainings. Workshops will equip educators to ignite students’ curiosity and aid their exploration of STEM careers.

Meet the Masters of Disguise

Meet the Masters of Disguise, the Science Mill’s newest exhibit opening December 21. Bringing together live animals and STEM interactives, this temporary exhibit invites you to take a closer look at the ways that animals blend in, stand out, confuse the eye or hide in plain sight.

“Camouflage comes in many forms, but they are all about survival,” explained Zac Zamora, Science Mill Creative Director. “Animals need to avoid predators, secure food and attract a mate. Features that help them survive get passed onto future generations.” A visit to the Science Mill’s axolotls illustrates this idea. “Compare an albino axolotl with its darker tank mate,” suggests Lisa Keys, Science Mill Animal and Plant Care Technician. “While they’re bred as popular pets, it is unusual to see an albino axolotl in the wild—they rarely survive.”

Extreme adaptations allow animals to masquerade as other objects in their environments. Covered in lumpy growths, a Vietnamese mossy frog hopes that predators will overlook it as just another clump of moss. Similarly, a giant African stick mantis “becomes” a branch by stretching out its twig-like limbs. The jeweled flower mantis uses this strategy to hunt: unsuspecting insects that wander near are suddenly snatched up by a hungry “leaf.”

For animals who rely on blending in, movement can blow their cover. “Mantids and chameleons disguise their movements, too,” Lisa observed. “They will rock back and forth in the middle of each step to match the swaying leaves around them.”

Scientists think some patterns help to camouflage animals in motion. On the run, a zebra’s stripes may confuse a predator and make it harder to track its path. High-contrast patterns, like black and white, visually break up an animal’s shape. “Militaries borrowed this idea during WWI,” Zac noted. “Ships were painted with ‘dazzle’ patterns to make it harder to gauge their speed and direction for planning an attack.”

To test theories about stripes, scientists in England created a video game. Instead of lions and zebras, humans try to capture “dazzlebugs” with varied patterns. You can try out the Dazzlebug game at the Science Mill; each round you play adds new data on which patterns are hardest to catch.

The Sinaloan milk snake’s stripes may “dazzle” predators while it slithers away to safety. But as you’ll see in the exhibit, those bold stripes definitely don’t blend in—and that is the point. The brightly colored stripes allow it to impersonate the highly venomous coral snake. “Red, yellow, black and white are warning colors in nature,” said Lisa. “It’s a way to advertise that you are dangerous, so would-be predators stay clear.” In the case of the harmless milk snake, it’s false but effective advertising.

Color-changing chameleons have become synonymous with blending in, but their colors are really about being seen. Panther chameleons use color to communicate: to signal danger, to attract (or reject) a mate and even to battle for turf. Male panther chameleons put on a bright display when they fight; the loser goes dark to say, “I give up!”

The secret to the chameleon’s color change lies in a layer of cells that contain tiny crystals. As a chameleon’s skin relaxes and tenses, these cells bunch together or spread out, causing the crystals to reflect light as different colors. Some octopuses and cuttlefish add another trick: along with light-reflecting cells, a web of muscle fibers lets them change their skin’s texture.

Studying how animals produce these dramatic changes inspires scientists and engineers. In the Masters of Disguise exhibit, you can try out panels that change color in response to temperature. A network of nanocrystals, similar to a chameleon’s cells, reflect different colors as they shift from a solid to a liquid and back. It’s a technology used in digital screens. Other materials are still in the experimental phase, such as shape-shifting silicone sheets and panels that automatically change patterns by sensing their environment. “Creating an artificial octopus skin would be an amazing feat,” mused Zac. “It’s a step closer to a real-life invisibility cloak!”

Masters of Disguise will only be at the Science Mill for a limited time, so plan your visit soon!