TexasTripper Travel Blog

Bret Michaels to Headline Gonzalez Thunder Rally

2008-07-04T11:03:00.001-05:00

Motorcycles and hard-rocking riffs are a potent combination, and revved up rockers are guaranteed to have "Nothin' But A Good Time" when Poison frontman Bret Michaels takes the stage as the headliner for the Gonzalez Thunder Rally. A three-day deluge of chrome and leather over 20,000 strong will descend October 10 - 12, 2008 at JB Wells Park for a party with a purpose, as proceeds from the festival benefit Norma's House, an organization which helps children of domestic abuse.

Tickets are already on sale for the event, and special VIP tickets are in demand for die-hard heavy metal fans. Not only will attendees with VIP tickets enjoy such velvet rope amenities as seating near the stage, VIP parking, a private restroom and bar, free food and a souvenir T-shirt, each VIP ticket holder is automatically in the running to win autographed memorabilia and a back stage meet and greet with the performers.

From "Talk Dirty To Me" and "Every Rose Has Its Thorn" to songs heard on his VH1 reality series "Rock of Love," Bret Michaels will rock your world on October 11th. Other acts scheduled to take the stage over the course of the three-day events are Great White, AXE and Electric Ocean.

For more information:
• visit www.GonzalezThunderRally.com

San Marcos Plans Summerfest for July 4

2008-07-01T16:48:00.001-05:00

This year marks a new location with a larger stage for Summerfest, San Marcos' Independence Day celebration on Friday, July 4, a free event. This year the event will be held at the City of San Marcos' San Marcos Plaza Park.

The Parade: The annual Children's Parade is scheduled for 5 p.m. Line-up will begin at 4:45 p.m. Costumed kids will be judged in "most patriotic" and "cutest divisions" with prizes awarded in each category and a "best overall" named.

Music: This year's musical lineup will feature the high-engery Austin band JUMPSTART with all types of music. Opening the musical entertainment at 4 p.m., Alton Rex and the Crabby Grass Boys will be making their fourth Summerfest appearance. Immediately after the Patriotic Program and the Children's Parade, San Marcos native David Ybarra and his LA Blues Band will take the Summerfest stage at 6:15 p.m. JUMPSTART will play its popular music mix from 8 p.m. to 9:30 p.m., leading up to Summerfest's expanded fireworks exhibition. Closing the day for Summerfest with a performance immediately after the fireworks is the local band Trio-Faze, who plays a mix of original rock, soul and blues.

Fireworks: The fireworks show will be staged from the parking lot on the west side of Bobcat Stadium on the Texas State University-San Marcos campus.

Food & Fun: Food and activity booths will open at 4 p.m. A variety of food and other items will be available from on-site vendors. No glass containers or alcohol are allowed at San Marcos Plaza Park.

Parking: Parking for Summerfest will be available at Texas State's Bobcat Stadium and Coliseum parking lots.

For more information:
• visit www.summerfestsanmarcos.com

Messina Hof Plans 31st Annual Harvest Celebration

2008-07-01T16:13:00.003-05:00

It's almost time for the 31st annual Harvest Celebration at Messina Hof in Bryan. Get ready to stomp some grapes!

This year's harvest events are:

Moonlit Harvest
Friday, July 18, 2008
Here's your chance to pick and stomp grapes, get a souvenir t-shirt to imprint with your purple feet, and enjoy a Vineyard Cuisine dinner at The Vintage House. Price: $69.95 plus tax and gratuity.

Harvest Daytime
Saturday, July 19, 2008 – Sunday, August 17, 2008 (Saturday and Sunday only)
You'll have your choice of four options at different prices:

Option 1: All day activities: including picking, stomping, t-shirt, lunch, food and wine pairing seminar
8 a.m.
Price - $69.95 plus tax and gratuity on Saturdays
$59.95 plus tax and gratuity on Sundays

Option 2: Picking, stomping plus t-shirt
8 a.m.
Price - $39.95 plus tax and gratuity

Option 3: Picking, stomping and lunch
8 a.m.
Price - $39.95 plus tax and gratuity

Option 4: Food and wine pairing seminar
1:30pm
Price - $19.95 plus tax and gratuity

Murder Mystery Dinners
Saturday, July 19, 2008 – Saturday, August 15, 2008
All Murder Mystery Dinners begin at 6:30 PM and cost $69.95 plus tax and gratuity.

Mystery Dinner themes:

July 19 - “Pirate Murder Mystery”
July 26 – “Celebrity Celebrations”
August 2 – “Storm Survivors”
August 9 – “Case of the Missing Matchmaker”
August 15 – “Murder on the Mound”

Harvest Vintner’s Dinners
Friday, July 25, 2008 – Saturday, August 16, 2008
All Vintners’ Dinners begin at 6:30 PM. Cost of the dinners range from $69.95 to $125 plus tax and gratuity.

Harvest Vintner’s Dinners:

July 25 – French Chateau Wines
August 1 – Beringer Wines
August 8 – Terlato Wines
August 16 – Grand Finale – Italian Wines

For more information or to register:
• call (800) 736-9463 ext. 34.

To reserve a Harvest Festival package:
• visit http://www.messinahof.com/docs/MH_%20Harvest_Reg_Form_08.pdf

For information or reservations for the Villa Bed & Breakfast at Messina Hof:
• call (800) 736-9463 ext. 22

Amazing Texas Author to be Featured at Clute's Mosquito Festival

2008-07-01T14:37:00.000-05:00

There's a new Texas guidebook coming out this month: Amazing Texas (Jefferson Press). Recently TexasTripper caught up with the author to ask her more about this unique guide to a unique state; check out our interview just posted on TexasTripper.

Author T. Jensen Lacey will be signing books at the The Great Texas Mosquito Festival in Clute on July 24.

Willie's Place Set to Open This Week

2008-06-30T21:37:00.000-05:00

The long-awaited opening of Willie's Place (as in Willie Nelson) will take place later this week in the town of Carl's Corner near Hillsboro. You might be familiar with this facility; it operated for many years as a truck stop named Carl's Corner on the southbound side of I-35. After an extensive renovation and expansion, it is now reopening as Willie's Place at Carl's Corner. It's appropriate that the reopening take place on the July 4 weekend because in its Carl's Corner days, this was the setting for several of Willie Nelson's famous picnics.

The events kicked off on June 30 with a sold out private benefit but the coming days bring several public events. On July 1 and 2, the facility's Whiskey River Saloon will be host to David Allan Coe & Ray Wylie Hubbard from 8pm to midnight.

On July 3 in the Willie's Place Theater, the day will be filled with free music. Here's the schedule at present:

10am Mike Siler
1pm Heather Myles
6pm Merle Haggard
8pm Ray Price
10pm Willie Nelson

Along with three stages, Willie's Place has a restaurant, gift shop and general store, facilities for truckers, and Willie's biodiesel fuel.

For More Information:
• visit http://www.biowillieusa.com

Legendary Texas Authors Sign Books in Fredericksburg

2008-06-29T10:44:00.002-05:00

If you love Texas books, here's an upcoming event for you: a book signing by two legendary Texas writers. Elmer Kelton and Mike Cox will be signing books on Saturday, July 5 at Fredericksburg's Books Books Books from 1-4pm.

Kelton is a seven-time Spur Award winner and Cox is a Texas Institute of Letters elected member. The two have a long list of Texas-related titles including Cox's newest book, The Texas Rangers: Wearing the Cinco Peso, 1821-1900 (Forge, 2008).

For More Information:
Books Books Books
155 East Main
Fredericksburg, Texas
phone 830-997-5259

Arlington Promotes Staycation

2008-06-22T09:12:00.001-05:00

Arlington has long been a top summer vacation destination thanks to Six Flags Over Texas, Six Flags Hurricane Harbor, the Rangers Ballpark at Arlington, and lots more, but this year the city is promoting another good reason to vacation in the Metroplex: the "Staycation." With the price of gas and food on the upswing, vacation budgets are being pinched...but can still go a long way when you vacation close to home.

The Package: The Arlington Convention & Visitors Bureau has come up with the Staycation Central Package. The Staycation Central package allows guests to choose their dates and from a myriad of hotel options, ranging from budget to full-service.

The package comes with coupons, a free visitors guide, a map and more information about Arlington and its incredible vacation values. The only way to buy a three-day Six Flags Over Texas park pass, which is interchangeable between Six Flags and Six Flags Hurricane Harbor is with a package on http://www.arlington.org.

Price: Vacation packages start at only $59 a night, quad occupancy, two-night minimum stay, based on availability.

For more information:
• call (817) 265-7721 or (800) 433-5374

To book a vacation directly:
• call 1-866-656-FUNN
• visit www.arlington.org/staycation

The Woodlands Planning Texas-Sized Fireworks Show, Celebration

2008-06-20T11:46:00.005-05:00

Are you making your Fourth of July plans yet? We've just received a detailed schedule for the 11th Annual Red, Hot & Blue Festival and Fireworks Extravaganza in The Woodlands, home of one of the greatest fireworks displays in the greater Houston area.

Free Concert: The fun starts on Thursday, July with a free “Star-Spangled Salute” concert by the Houston Symphony at The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion. Bring a blanket and enjoy the show beginning at 8:00 pm. The pavilion’s gates will open at 6:30 pm.

Parade: On Friday, July 4, the celebration starts at 9 am with the South Montgomery County Fourth of July Parade, featuring marching bands from around the Houston area, classic cars, floats, fire trucks and more. Bring a lawn chair and sit along the route, which begins at The Woodlands United Methodist Church, continues along Grogan’s Mill and culminates at Market Street.

Fireworks & Fun: From 6-10 pm, the 11th Annual Red, Hot & Blue Festival takes place at Waterway Square, the newest development in The Woodlands, located between Waterway Avenue and Woodloch Forest Drive. The Fountains at Waterway Square contains a water wall spanning 120 feet. As part of the festivities, it will feature choreographed displays of dancing columns of water, cascading waterfalls and “boomer” jets shooting water more than five stories high.

Entertainment will include live music from Texas native Rodney Hayden and the local Lord Stirling's Fifes and Drums. Face painting, caricatures, strolling entertainers, food and beverage concessions and the children’s interactive fountain.

Food Contests: What’s a Fourth of July without a hot dog and watermelon eating contest? H-E-B will host the hot dog and watermelon eating contest at Waterway Square every 15 minutes from 6:30 pm - 8:45 pm. Register in advance for the eating contests at www.redhotblue.org.

The July 4 Schedule: A festival activity lineup for July 4 is as follows:

6:00 p.m. Presentation of Colors
6:05 p.m. God Bless America
6:10 p.m. Rodney Hayden
6:55 p.m. Opening remarks from local notables
7:05 p.m. Parade Awards
7:20 p.m. Rodney Hayden
8:55 p.m. Retiring of Colors
9:15 p.m. Fireworks Extravaganza

Parking: Parking is available for $5 in the Town Center Parking Garage located on Six Pines Drive. Visitors may park for free at the orange, yellow and green lots along Timberloch Place. Trolleys will operate from 11 am to 8 pm on July 4. For a map, visit www.redhotblue.org or call 281-363-2447.

Road closures for the festival include Timberloch Place between Woodloch Forest Drive and the I-45 South feeder. This area will be shut down and barricaded on July 3 and remains closed until given the all clear by a public safety officer on July 4.

Water Taxis: Water taxis will operate along The Woodlands Waterway on July 3 from 11 am -10 pm and July 4 between 11 am and 11 pm. The water taxis will not operate during the fireworks display on July 4 from 8:45 pm - 10 pm, but will resume operation after the fireworks have completed. Special water taxi pricing for July 4 includes an All-Day Pass for $4 and a Seniors/Youth/Disabled Pass for $2.

Photos courtesy Red, Hot & Blue Festival

Austin City Limits Festival Announces Lineup

2008-06-14T21:19:00.001-05:00

The Austin City Limits Music Festival (also called the ACL Music Festival) is one of the city's most popular annual events...and a time when hotel rooms are at a premium. The lineup for the 2008 event, scheduled for September 26-28 in Zilker Park, has been announced. This year's event (which will include about 130 bands) will include Beck, Robert Plant, Allison Krauss, The Foo Fighters, Erykah Bad, and Manu Chao.

Hotel & Pass Package: The Austin Convention & Visitors Bureau is also offering exclusive access to discounted three-day passes and a minimum of two nights hotel accommodations through an ACL travel package.

For more information on the festival:
• visit www.aclfestival.com

Update, Photos of Fire at Texas Governor's Mansion

2008-06-10T11:35:00.004-05:00

There's still no word yet on if the Texas Governor's Mansion will be able to be repaired following this weekend's fire (which is now believed to have been arson). The damage is extensive, though, which you'll see in this video of still shots:

TexasTripper to Launch Online Texas Cookbook Next Month

2008-06-10T11:25:00.002-05:00

We won't be officially launching our new online cookbook until next month but we wanted to give you a sneak peek of the TexasTripper Online Cookbook! We're up to almost 100 recipes so far (and, don't forget our barbecue recipe section) and will be adding new recipes from across the Lone Star State daily. Look for a launch of this new feature (and a Texas food-related contest) next month!

Governor's Mansion Heavily Damaged by Fire

2008-06-08T17:49:00.004-05:00

If you've watched Texas news today (or even many of the national broadcasts), you've probably seen the devastating fire suffered by the Texas Governor's Mansion in the early hours of this morning. Already suspected as arson, the fire caused substantial damage to the historic structure which dates back over 150 years. The mansion was undergoing a renovation so the historic furnishings were in storage off site.

Top Coastal, Hill Country Destinations Named

2008-06-03T20:32:00.002-05:00

The San Antonio Express-News has released the results of their 10th annual Reader's Choice poll conducted to select the best coastal and Hill Country destinations.

And the results?

The best coastal destination (for the past seven years) was once again Corpus Christi. Fredericksburg was named the best Hill Country destination.

POTD: Cedar Park Heritage Festival

2008-06-02T12:25:00.003-05:00

Saturday marked the second annual Cedar Park Heritage Festival, held beneath the Heritage Oak tree in town (which thankfully provided some much-needed shade on that 100 degree day.) The event showcased the heritage of this area that was formerly populated by cedar choppers who made their living cutting cedar posts on the acres of juniper trees that surround the community.

The one-day event included local arts and crafts:
blackpowder demonstrations:

performances by the Austin band, Duck Soup:

a demonstration by the K-9 division of the Cedar Park Police Department:

and squaredancing demonstrations:

Day Trips from Austin Hits Local Bestseller List

2008-06-02T12:09:00.003-05:00

We were excited to see the latest edition of our Day Trips from Austinguidebook listed in yesterday's Austin American-Statesman as the #6 local bestseller!

Time for a New TexasTripper Contest!

2008-05-30T14:03:00.003-05:00

It's time again for a new TexasTripper contest! Thanks to gas prices, this contest will focus on Texas Vacations for Free with a whole package of prize materials for one lucky winner:

• a copy of the new Free Texas guidebook by Tab Lloyd. It's a great look at free attractions all through the state!
• a bluebonnet festival t-shirt and a Taylor International Barbecue Cookoff t-shirt
• a Schlitterbahn ball cap
• a San Antonio photo album for your vacation photos
• an autographed copy of both our Day Trips from Austin and Day Trips from San Antonio guidebooks, both covering places you can travel in just two hours (and one tank of gas!) from these two cities

To enter the contest, head over to our contest page and complete a five-question survey about how gas prices are impacting your travel plans this summer! We'll select one winner at random the end of June. Good luck!

POTD: Dime Box Museum

2008-05-29T17:34:00.002-05:00

This sign pointing to the Dime Box Museum just might be one of our favorite directional signs in Texas. The museum showcases the history of tiny Dime Box, located southeast of Austin. The town is named for the box where residents could once mail a letter, dropping a dime inside to cover postage.

Kerbey Lane Named Best American Breakfast

2008-05-28T15:35:00.002-05:00

Every year the Austin Chronicle conducts a poll to determine reader favorites (one year our book, Texas Getaways for Two, was selected Best Romantic Guidebook!) This year's poll named Kerbey Lane (with four locations in town) as home of the best American breakfast. In this TV clip, you'll see a Kerbey Lane chef preparing one of the restaurant's top breakfast dishes, migas, and learn how to make this simple dish. (OK, it's not an American breakfast dish but tacos and migas are tops in Austin!)

Austin Celebrity Travel News

2008-05-27T15:16:00.001-05:00

Gossip sites are all abuzz about the possibly new pairing of Kate Hudson and Lance Armstrong. On May 16th and 17th, People magazine online reports that the celebrated cyclist took the silver screen beauty on a gastronomic journey through the city he calls home, beginning with a visit to Eddie V's Edgewater Grille (which has recently become the place for Austin stargazing, as evidenced by the item below). The couple and a coterie of family and friends also walked past the surf board which greets patrons at the entrance of Hula Hut, which offers a view of Lake Austin along with a self-proclaimed "Mexonesian" (Mexican and Polynisian) menu.

Seafood lovers at Eddie V's Edgewater Grille were surprised to find themselves serenaded by two happily married music legends recently as Elvis Costello and Diana Krall sang four duets after dining at the award-winning establishment, the Austin American-Statesman reports. Foodies can eat to the beat of live music from a variety of local artists in the venue's V-Lounge seven nights a week.

Actress Heather Graham, who did the Frug with funnyman Mike Meyers in "Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me," got the chance to check out the groovy goings-on in Austin, Texas this month. Filming on her latest flick, The Ex-Terminators, began on April 28, 2008, and on May 1st cameras were set up for a scene at Northwest Hills Pharmacy and Hardware Store on Far West Boulevard, KXAN news reports. Movie buffs may also have been lucky enough to spot Grahams' co-stars Chasing Amy star Joey Lauren Adams and country crooner Robert Earl Keen around town during the 25-day shoot.

Austin revelers were among the first to see the black diamond engagement ring that now graces Carmen Electra's left hand. The former "Baywatch" babe shimmied down Sixth Street during a parade to promote a search for an assistant to The Most Interesting Man in the World, aka the pitchman for Dos Equis beer. According to the Austin American Statesman, the femme fatale called the Four Seasons her home away from home during her stay, a hotel in which actor Sean Penn temporarily planted roots as cameras rolled on the much talked-about drama "Tree of Life".

--by Grace Sydney

POTD: "Welcome Home," Austin-Bergstrom International Airport

2008-05-23T20:24:00.003-05:00

This sculpture, titled "Welcome Home," by L. Heather MCMahan is on display at the Austin-Bergstrom International Airport. The boots are clay reproductions of desert issue combat boots. The artist says, "It is my way of saying 'Thank you'; "Welcome Home' and 'Godspeed' to our men and women in the armed forces..."

52008: Dancing with Dinosaurs in Houston

2008-05-20T14:03:00.003-05:00

The Houston Museum of Natural Science is kicking off its fifth year of Mixers, Elixirs and IMAX®. Beginning June 6, the perfect Friday night party returns with some of Houston’s most popular bands, a new IMAX lineup, and the addition of a private VIP room, known as “The Lab.”

The Mixers: At 6 p.m., the excitement begins in the Grand Entry Hall with award-winning DJ Sun spinning the wheels – or partygoers can make the evening larger than life with an IMAX® film to start. Doors to the Hall of Paleontology open at 7 p.m. for live music, dancing under the dinosaurs, a cash bar and complimentary appetizers.

The Band Schedule:
June 6 Mango Punch
June 13 Little Brother Project
June 20 Picture Book
June 27 The Fab 5
July 11 Mambo Jazz Kings
July 18 Grupo Batacha
July 25 The Handsomes
August 1 The Chromatics
August 8 Siakara
August 15 Grady Gaines & The Texas Upsetters
August 22 Lady D and the Zydeco Tornadoes
August 29 Grupo Ka-Che

VIP Room: “The Lab,” located in a the Cullen Hall of Gems and Minerals, fills with the sounds of DJ Sun, all accompanied by hors d’oeuvres, a top shelf cash bar, exceptional wait staff and comfortable seating. Admission is limited, special ticketing is required, and patrons must be 21 and up, with a valid ID.

IMAX: Every hour from 6 - 10 p.m., partiers can eake a break with an IMAX film including Galapagos 3D; Dinosaurs 3D: Giants of Patagonia and Grand Canyon Adventure: Rivers at Risk 3D.

Price: Tickets for Mixers, Elixirs and IMAX® are $13 for museum members, $15 for non-members and include a cash bar, complimentary appetizers and an IMAX® ticket. Tickets for the VIP room are $30 for members and non-members.

For more information:
• visit www.hmns.org
• call 713-639-4629

Photo courtesy Houston Museum of Natural Science

POTD: Austin Fountain, Bicentennial Time Capsule

2008-05-19T09:07:00.000-05:00

This fountain provides a quiet backdrop just across the street from Austin's new Long Performing Arts Center.
Near the fountain, you'll see a plaque for the Bicentennial Time Capsule, housing the story of how Austin celebrated the 1976 Bicentennial. The marker calls for the reopening of the capsule on July 4, 2075.

POTD: Cedar Chopper Barbecue Cookoff

2008-05-16T08:23:00.000-05:00

More photos from this weekend's first annual Cedar Chopper Barbecue Cook-Off in Cedar Park, northwest of Austin.

POTD: Barbecue Cookoff

2008-05-15T08:27:00.000-05:00

Did you know that May is National Barbecue Month? Texas doesn't really need designated month since barbecue's definitely a year-around activity here but May does kick off the barbecue cookoff season. Look for competitions throughout the state as cooks compete for cash prizes in categories including brisket, ribs, chicken, sausage, beans and sometimes wild game. This shot was taken at the first Cedar Chopper Barbecue Cookoff in Cedar Park last weekend.

POTD: Cedar Park's First Annual BBQ Cookoff

2008-05-14T08:17:00.000-05:00

Saturday was a hot, windy day in Cedar Park but numerous attendees showed up to same the 'que from the first annual AT&T and Cedar Park Chamber of Commerce Cedar Chopper Barbecue Cookoff.