Lobby Christmas tree at the Westin La Cantera Hill Country Resort
Imagine a world-class destination resort less than two hours from Austin that is hosting a perfectly Texan holiday experience. At the Austinot, we strive to find the very best to experience in and around Austin, and this definitely makes the list.
Beginning now through January 6, 2013, we recommend that you gather up your family or that special someone and head south to Hill Country Holidays at The Westin La Cantera Hill Country Resort. Read on and you’ll understand why this holiday event can’t be missed.
Location is Perfect for Everyone on Your List at The Westin La Cantera
The Westin La Cantera Hill Country Resort could not be in a more perfect spot. Regardless of who you plan to share the experience with, there’s something for everyone within a stone’s throw of the Resort, or right there on the grounds.
Fun for all ages, especially when cookie decorating is involved
The Resort sits perched on the southern end of Hill Country, with stunning views that will leave you breathless. It’s adjacent to one of the finest shopping malls in Texas: the Shops at La Cantera. On top of all that, it’s less than a five minute drive to the front gates of Six Flags Fiesta Texas.
No need to leave the Resort, though. There is definitely something for everyone to do at The Westin La Cantera Hill Country Resort. Though there are special events year round, Hill Country Holidays stand out as something magical and one of a kind.
What You Can Expect from Hill Country Holidays at The Westin La Cantera
It’s no surprise that the resort itself has plenty to offer its guests:
- Beautifully manicured grounds
- Heated pools featuring water slides for the kids and cascading waterfalls
- A 21+ private swimming pool and hot tub for adults to relax
- A one-mile nature trail
- Signature restaurants
- Elegant bars with professional mixologists on staff
- Live music
- A state of the art workout facility
- World class service from a highly trained staff
…And so much more, making The Westin La Cantera Hill Country Resort the worldwide destination that it is.
During the holidays, you get all of the normal perks of the resort, and then some. Brittany and I had the opportunity to experience a handful of these Hill Country Holiday extras, and we plan to go back to experience the rest.
There are seven main events and activities to experience as part of Hill Country Holidays at the Westin La Cantera. The dates of each offering differ, so make sure you check each listing to make sure you don’t miss it!
Santa
December 13-24, from 6-8 PM. What holiday would be complete without a quick second to hang out with Santa? Good news, even Santa knows that The Westin La Cantera is the place to be during the holidays. Even though his schedule is swamped, we’ve heard from a pretty good source that he’ll be on site.
Santa’s Workshop
Creating wooden ornaments and toys in Santa’s Workshop
December 13-24, from 6-8 PM. Because Santa is spending so much time at The Westin, he decided to bring his elves with him. And he needs help from the little ones in your group to finish building all of the toys for this Christmas. This is a really fun workshop for kids, where they can build and paint planes, cars and more. Definitely a great activity to do together with your little one.
Mrs. C’s Cookie Factory
Decorating a gingerbread man cookie at Mrs. C’s
December 13-24, from 6-8 PM. Mrs. Claus was not about to let Santa and the elves have all the fun at the Resort. So she came along too and opened up her cookie factory on site! Fun for everyone – receive a kit with a gingerbread cookie, frosting, sprinkles and chocolate chips, and decorate your very own cookie. Note: some gingerbread cookies don’t make it out of this room alive (Brittany’s sure didn’t).
Frost
Enjoying Frost, The Westin’s synthetic ice skating rink
Now through January 6th, from 11 AM-8 PM. Ice skating in Texas Hill Country?! Well, kind of. This is a synthetic ice skating rink located on the grounds of the Resort. Skates are available on site and the skating rink is open to all ages. Pro tip: Save the skating for the evening hours. Because the rink is synthetic, it isn’t cold. Skating for 45 minutes can be a workout, so this activity is definitely more enjoyable during the cooler evenings.
Pirates’ Holiday: Buccaneers in Toyland from The Magik Theatre of San Antonio
Finding Jolly Ole White Beard
December 1st, 8th, 15th, 16th, 22nd and 23rd at 4 PM and December 15th, 16th, 21st, 22nd and 23rd at 7:30 PM. This is a delightful live comedy performance put on by The Magik Theatre of San Antonio. Kids of all ages will enjoy the zany adventures of these pirates as they search for Jolly Ole White Beard. This show may sell out so you need to plan in advance, but the cost is nominal and well worth it. Pro tip: Let the kids sit on the floor up front by the stage. They’ll really enjoy being up close and interacting with the cast.
North Pole
Toys, games, crafts and movies at the North Pole
Now through January 6th, from 9 AM-10 PM. The Westin La Cantera Kid’s Club has been transformed into an Elves Playland. This is a great place for kids to enjoy a variety of holiday themed activities, like arts and crafts. Toys and Christmas movies are also available.
Legendary Holidays
December 13-24 at 5 PM. Perhaps the crown jewel of Hill Country Holidays at The Westin La Cantera, this is an event you don’t want to miss. A real Texas cowboy, “Makin’ Dust” from Bandera Texas, takes you on a walking caroling tour of the Resort. Pausing to light the legendary fire pit, you’ll make Texas style s’mores before continuing on the journey, while your authentic storyteller recounts cowboy legend and lore. This tour finishes under a flurry of snow that is sure to delight. Yes, I said snow. Christmas carols, Texas lore, s’mores and snow…what more could you ask for?
Personal Reflection on Our Visit During Hill Country Holidays
At the Austinot, we get invited to do a lot of things. As a matter of fact, we get to do some really fun things. We’ve been beekeepers for a day; we’ve also been screenprinters. We’ve been behind the scenes at a major theme park and we’ve even interviewed the GM of Austin City Limits. Truth be told, we never promise to write a “nice” or positive article. We know our readers want the straight scoop and that is always what we give.
The Austinot was invited to visit The Westin La Cantera Hill Country Resort and experience what Hill Country Holidays was all about. We have to tell you, we were honestly impressed.
From the moment we arrived, we enjoyed our experience. I know we’re special guests, so I spent time observing how the staff treats guests in general. The service has been impeccable. I even saw a barback take the extra effort to take some photos for a non-English speaking group that was having a hard time communicating what they were asking for.
The resort is impressive. The decor for the holidays in the lobby alone is Texas-sized and photo worthy. I shared one photo from the lobby on Facebook on the Texas Hill Country page and it received 297 shares and over 1,500 likes.
As far as Hill Country Holidays, Brittany and I really enjoyed the Pirates’ Holiday play. We laughed out loud with the small children in the audience and were smiling as we exited. Decorating cookies together was also especially fun. Mostly because Brittany had eaten most of hers before we left the room, and she playfully teased me about how hard I worked at decorating mine. We watched people ice skate on the Frost rink, and everyone seemed to be enjoying it.
Proof of my visit during Hill Country Holidays
Because we visited before December 13th, we didn’t get to experience all seven Hill Country Holidays activities, but The Westin said they’d invite us back out. I’d really be interested in checking out the Legendary Holidays. I’ve heard great things.
Beyond Hill Country Holidays, we took time to enjoy the Resort itself during our stay. We relaxed in the adults-only hot tub and sat in the lobby listening to live music, while enjoying some drinks together. Our room was nice, spacious and comfortable. And again, the service was impeccable.
If you are thinking of doing something special with your special someone or your family this holiday season, we highly recommend you consider Hill Country Holidays at The Westin La Cantera. If you’re on a budget, don’t write it off without investigating first. The Resort is running a Hill Country Holidays Package that includes $25 Resort credit during your stay.
@EricHighland asks:
Have you ever been to The Westin La Cantera in San Antonio?
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