Day Trips - The Austinot

9 Must-see Texas Hill Country Holiday Light Trails

November 20, 2019 by Joleen Jernigan 4 Comments

Bastrop Holiday Lights Trail — Bastrop is aglow with the warmth and twinkly lights of the season (Credit: Colin Guerra)

Hear, hear, the sparkly season is near! From now through the end of the season, festive holiday light trails adorn Texas Hill Country, and we’ve discovered the best and brightest dazzlers around.

We love love love the Trail of Lights at Zilker Park, yet if you want to set forth on an illuminated adventure beyond Austin’s most famous light trail, follow these shining beacons signaling from across Texas Hill Country.

These holiday light trails go above and beyond for those of us beguiled by the night and mesmerized by shiny objects. Yeah, I’m waaay into it. If you crave holiday glitz and are up for a quick road trip, then these nine Hill Country destinations will satisfy your quest to shine on.

One exciting new trend I’ve noticed this year is that some of these light trails have added even more events, attractions, and/or lights, and most of them are open longer than before. This gives you extra time to make the short road trip to experience these twinkly trails.

Note: I’ve added the distances to each trail from the Texas State Capitol this year to better help you plan your trip. Happy lights-gazing!

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Escape City Crowds at 4 Gorgeous Parks in Marble Falls, Texas

October 7, 2019 by Katrina Cervantes Leave a Comment

Devil’s Waterhole area of Inks Lake State Park (Credit: Marble Falls CVB)

One of my favorite things about Austin is you get the perks of living in a city, alongside access to so many natural spaces–so close by that some are within city limits. Not all city dwellers are so fortunate!

As our city grows, many more people are getting to enjoy the benefits of this dynamic. Larger populations enjoying Austin’s city parks, however, means more crowds and scarcer parking. I’m a big advocate of getting outdoors, so by no means do I think this should stop anyone from spending time at your local park. But for those who are interested in getting farther outside city limits, there’s a wealth of relatively untapped natural space waiting to be discovered.

This list focuses on a few parks in Marble Falls and the surrounding area, roughly an hour away from Austin in Texas Hill Country.

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Explore Spring Lake at The Meadows Center for Water and the Environment

August 21, 2019 by Joleen Jernigan Leave a Comment

The Meadows Center Snorkeling Tour in San Marcos — The Meadows Center guides small groups of snorkelers on educational tours of Spring Lake (Credit: The Meadows Center)

Rejoice, Central Texans! For the first time in decades, members of the public are allowed to enter the crystal-clear waters at Spring Lake in San Marcos. Exclusive yet affordable snorkeling tours, scuba diving excursions, and stand-up paddleboarding tours of the lake are now available through The Meadows Center for Water and the Environment.

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10 Best of Texas Wine Country: Where to Go Now and Why

July 29, 2019 by Camellia Falcon Leave a Comment

The first time I went to Texas Hill Country as a wine destination was about 15 years ago. It was akin to visiting a small farm, and I left without bothering to dream of what it could become.

If this story were made into a romantic comedy, a montage would now begin of Texas wine makers learning the Texas grapes, testing and finding the grape varietals that were going to work best in Texas, and building beautiful tasting rooms and properties. People from all over the world would hear of the Texas Wine Country region, as the number of wineries grew to more than 260. I would return a decade later, and fall in love.

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Shoot a Flamethrower at DriveTanks.com West of San Antonio

July 1, 2019 by Guest Blogger Leave a Comment

DriveTanks.com Uvalde Texas — Drive and shoot tanks, and try your skill with a Vietnam-era flamethrower

Guest article by Sarah Snyder

Set on the 18-thousand-acres that is Ox Ranch, DriveTanks.com is a Texas Disney World without the lines. Set in Uvalde, west of San Antonio, DriveTanks.com is what you might imagine when you hear the name—a place for people to go out and drive tanks. You can also shoot guns of various types, including flamethrowers.

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Challenge Your Inner Ninja Warrior at Waterloo Adventures on Lake Travis

June 10, 2019 by Joleen Jernigan Leave a Comment

Waterloo Adventures Obstacle Course on Lake Travis — Master all 80 obstacles at Waterloo Adventures

Waterloo Adventures on Lake Travis is the perfect place to practice for those American Ninja Warrior tryouts. Even better, you get to stay cool while doing so because it’s on the lake. Literally.

Austin’s rainy spring morphed into full-fledged summer almost overnight. Now we have one thing on the brain: get in/on/near the water! My friends and I recently spent a fantastic day at Waterloo Adventures in order to share our experience with you.

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How to Have a Perfect Day Trip to Boerne, Texas

April 22, 2019 by Samantha Saenz Leave a Comment

Ye Kendall Inn Boerne Texas — I had an eclectic good time in Boerne, Texas

The charming town of Boerne, Texas, lies less than two hours southwest of Austin. It’s right in the heart of Hill Country, but you’ll find much more than sweeping views when you visit.

Here are my favorite activities, food, and drink I discovered during the 48 hours I recently spent in Boerne.

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Glamp Like an Airstream Champ at Lake Bastrop North Shore Park

December 11, 2018 by Jonas White Leave a Comment

Airstream glamping Lake Bastrop’s North Shore Park

Airstream glamping at Lake Bastrop’s North Shore Park

I wouldn’t describe myself as an outdoorsman. Sure, I love sitting outside, preferably with a taco and a beverage. And yes, one of my favorite activities is riding my bicycle around Lady Bird Lake’s Hike and Bike Trail.

But I’ll be real with you guys. I’m not great at the great outdoors. Yet, there I was at Lake Bastrop’s North Shore Park in late November, sitting outside by a roaring fire as the temperature dropped below 30 degrees.

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31 Ways to Completely Rock Your Trip to San Antonio

November 26, 2018 by Joleen Jernigan Leave a Comment

La Tuna Fire Pit on San Antonio Texas Day Trip

Contributing Bloggers Joleen Jernigan and Sam Saenz relax by La Tuna’s fire pit (Credit: Sam Saenz)

San Antonio, our big city neighbor to the south, has way more to see than the Alamo, River Walk, and Spurs. I used to live there and put this guide together in order to share my secret San Antonio with you. Trust me, one trip won’t do it justice!

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Savor the Flavors of Argentina at El Gaucho Winery

November 7, 2018 by Samantha Saenz 1 Comment

Wine Tasting at El Gaucho Winery in Spicewood TX

Kick back, relax, and savor the flavors of El Gaucho’s Argentinian wines

Head out in any direction from Austin and you’re bound to come across a winery. In Spicewood, you’ll find El Gaucho Winery–a little piece of Argentina tucked away in the rolling hills near Lake Travis. Check it out the next time you’re looking to kick back in the Texas Hill Country, sip on full-bodied Argentinian wines and savor authentic cuisine.
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