Zoo & Gator Park, Lake Hawkins Paddling & Dinner at Taste Of Italy

Meet us at the East Texas Zoo & Gator Park (9515 FM 1255, Grand Saline) at 12:30 on Saturday July 26th. This is a small zoo with unusual animals (many that you can pet and feed). Afterwards lets go paddling at Lake Hawkins (30 minutes away) around 2:00. This is a clean 700 acre lake that is fed by several springs. We'll meet on the peninsula (to the right past the Taste Of Italy restaurant (2448 CR 3440, Hawkins). Just look for people with boats. We can paddle, swim and hang out on their white sand beach until 6:00. Then we load our boats and meet at the Taste Of Italy at 7:00 before we head home. I will reserve a table on the deck overlooking the lake. There are no boat rentals on Hawkins but there are usually NTCD members with extra kayaks and paddleboards to loan. Just RSVP and post a comment that you need a boat. There is also a FREE waterfront camping area available at Hawkins.