You haven%26#39;t been to College Station unless you%26#39;ve been to:
So far I%26#39;ve been told Dixie Chicken.
I%26#39;m sorry to tell you that there are no must-sees in C. Station.
I enjoyed the George W Bush Library.. even if you are not a fan, its worth seeing.
The George Bush Library
Kyle Field
Dixie Chicken
Bonfire Memorial
Ha! texhills - You are too funny! This is true, nothing in CS.
Hey, folks, just doing some forward planning. Considering visiting Phoenix area next Feb and driving across country to Austin TX. Gonna spend about ten days, stopping here and there. all suggestions re where to visit, accommodation, watering holes(bars) very welcome.
Thanks
That is a LONG drive (18-20 hours on a straight shot). There are some interesting stops to be made, if you don%26#39;t mind going out of the way a little -- Sonora, Meteor Crater, Painted Desert, and the Grand Canyon lie a few hours north of Phoenix (Flagstaff area). This makes the optimal route back to Austin along IH-40, instead of IH-10, which is more interesting. If you take IH-25 south toward El Paso, you can see much of New Mexico, and still catch the Pecos area of Texas.
West Texas gets very bleak after that. Be sure to start that part of the drive after a good rest. Unless you plan to head to Big Bend (well worth a visit), you won%26#39;t see much between El Paso and the Texas Hill Country... Few towns, few gas stations, few cars, few people...
A trip I%26#39;ve been wanting to take is the loop down 90 to Marfa (from I-10), then over to Big Bend and that area and back up 67. That would be a little out of your way, but a nice stop.
If you have the time, I highly recommend taking the route jodi mentioned. While the scenery off of I-10 in West Texas may be bleak, the Big Bend region is amazing. Coming from the West, I would exit at Hwy 17 and head down to Ft. Davis and Marfa, take Hwy 67 down to Presidio, and then take the River Road (RR 170) along the Rio Grande and into the Terlingua Ghost Town and on into Big Bend National Park. Take 385 North out of the park and into Marathon. This road will continue North to meet back up with I-10. I would plan to spend 4 or 5 days along this route.
Hi Folks, really appreciate all the suggestions....keep them coming please. Any hotels in Austin- three star is good for us. quinner
Just about anything right on the river (in town) will be great. That will put you in walking distance of much of the best the town has to offer.
Thanks Mike, gonna spend a few days in Austin, music, visit bars etc. What is the weather like in Feb? Thanks again.
quinner
quinner -- What%26#39;s your price range for a hotel? With that info, we can give you some good suggestions.
As for weather in February, it%26#39;s really hard to predict. We have some lovely 70 degree days in February, or it can be a bit chilly and rainy.
Around $70-100, generally shop on Travelzoo and Priceline etc for deals.
If you%26#39;re using Priceline, you should have no problem getting a nice hotel in that price range. Before moving here, I booked several Priceline four stars for less than $100. February is also a pretty quiet time in Austin, meaning there are not any major music festivals or sporting events that would fill up hotels early.
Hi
Well, you got some great advices already and I%26#39;ll add my $ 0,02.
Great plan to drive Phx-Austin in 10 days and many things to see like:
Day 1: Leave Phx to Tucson. Visit to Saguaro NP west and the unmissable Arizona Sonora Desert Museum (not a museum, more like a desert zoo). Stay Tucson
Day 2: First see Mission San Xavier Del Bac south of Tucson, then drive to Tombstone ';The town too tough to die'; for a visit and to Bisbee, an old mining town. Stay Bisbee
Day 3. From Bisbee via az80 to I10 (stop by the Geronimo Statue), to Las Cruces, see Old Mesilla and drive to Alamogordo, visiting White Sand NM.
Day 4: If weather permits, drive via Cloudcroft to Carlsbad and visit Carlsbad Caverns. This will be a long day. Cloudcroft is at a high elevation and snow may be prefend this stretch.
Day 5: Leave Carlsbad, drive to Guadalope Mountains NP (a hiking NP, you can%26#39;t drive in, but some great views on El Capitan. See the photo in my avatar) Then drive 54 to Van Horn, us90 to Marfa, us67 to Presidio and the fantastic drive along Ria Grande to Big Bend NP. Another option from Carlsbad is to drive to Pecos, Balmorhea SP, to Marfa via Ft. Davis and on to Big Bend.
Day 6: All day for Big Bend NP
Day 7: Drive Big Bend to Marathon, take us 90 to Del Rio. See Judge Roy Bean center in Langtry and stop at the Pecos River/Rio Grande Overlooks.
Day 8. Del Rio to San Antonio
Day 9. San Antonio (at least one day but you could spend a whole of a lot longer there)
Day 10: San Antonio and to Austin.
Many more details to give.
Happy planning
Tet
If I visit Austin, where is there more stuff to do? Downtown or by the lake?
To what lake are you referring? There are several in the area. The lake that is actually downtown is now called Lady Bird Lake (formerly Town Lake), on the west side of town is Lake Austin and a little further west is Lake Travis. If you%26#39;re coming to Austin as a tourist, plan to spend time downtown enjoying the nightlife and live music, and want to see the sights, then most definitely stay downtown. You can kayak on Lady Bird Lake and there are boat tours. If you have transportation and want to go boating on your own or water skiing, you can venture out to Lake Austin or Travis during the day and rent a boat for a few hours.
I know the whole area like the back of my hand and know the best places to go and do and see. Let me help with inside information. I have lived here for 40 years. Just got married and the wedding was ABSOLUTELY perfect!
Thanks for all your help islandprincess, I thought of yet another question. Is there anywhere at the marina that we can buy shrimp right off the boat? I have a source in Port Aransasa and would really appreciate a similar one in SPI. If not, where is the best place to buy fresh seafood to cook in our condo?
IMHO, the B%26amp;A seafood market is Port Isabel is the best place to get fresh seafood. Right on the hiway not far from WalMart. They have been around forever and know their business.
B%26amp;A Seafood is on the right side of Highway 100 if you are coming off the causeway from the Island. They can be a bit pricey sometimes but oh, well, what you gonna do? Try across the street where Hwy 100 turns goes over the channel. There is a Quick Stop, the one with all the cool fishing quotes on the marquis, that has big fresh shrimp that are great for butterflied fried or coconut shrimp. I did not want to pay Island prices for a few coconut shrimp so I did it myself at home and boy, was that good eatin%26#39;! Your best deal is to find a shrimper who can get you the greatest deal. I will email you his number privately. $25.00 with this guy is like over $100 and some from some of these stores. It is what they do.
How about Reyes Seafood in Laguna Heights? I know that B%26amp;A get their oysters from them and they are delicious,but we have never stopped at Reyes%26#39;. I wonder how their prices are? I tend to like B%26amp;A because it is scrupulously clean and always friendly. Sorry the restaurant closed in the old spot. Has anyone bought it yet?
Sure, the owner is Meme Reyes and he is an inspirational man whose wife and family are a pleasure to know. You will not find kinder or better or more Christian people. They would give you the shirt off their backs. Their lunch buffet is $7.99 and their hours are from 11-4:30. Meme has said if you eat at their buffet and can%26#39;t drive home they will take you home.
Hi islandprincess. Congrats on your wedding!! I was planning on a trip there this week and was wondering if there are any good spots for finding beach glass/sea glass. Also, are these places accessable to the general public or do I need to get some sort of tour or something? I have seen Big Shell beach pictures and it sort of looks like they have beach glass. Any info would be greatly appreciated. Thanks...Shar
In response to the question about the restaurant that was in the old B %26amp; A, Darlene (the owner) said back in June that someone was interested in opening it and using the same cook they had previously. I am keeping my fingers crossed! I sure miss that food.
BTW, I was under the impression that the Quik Stop and B%26amp;A were run by the same family. When B%26amp;A is closed, the sign always sends you to the Quik Stop, and at one time Darlene was talking about putting the restaurant over there.... but I%26#39;ve been wrong before
Congratulations!
Going next June with my family no children in group wondering what is the best hotel to stay in? We are not wanting to rent anything hotel would be best for us.
Wanting something more upscale with great pool.
Thanks
I am wanting to send my son and new bride, wedding Aug 9, 08 there for honeymoon. Looking possibly for top rated hotel with honeymoon suite, balcony w/ocean view, on the beach. Something really, really nice. They can only stay 3 nights, then back to work. I thought the Sheraton, but saw bad reviews because of construction close by. La Copa? Read roof blew off Bahia Mar. How is Radisson? I can%26#39;t really tell what is right on the beach. Reviews on the internet are so mixed it is hard to really tell what is good or not. Thanks for any help.
Did I say Luxury and/or jacuzzi? I am wanting to really treat them. They are hard working, very responsible, super young people.
My family is visiting SA at the end of this month and expect to got to the Buckhorn Museum. I can%26#39;t find any admission prices so I can plan my budget. Has anyone been recently?
There are actually two separate museums The Buckhorn Museum and The Texas Ranger Museum.
Prices are:
One Museum - Adult $13.99, Child 10.99 (ages 3-11)
Both Museums - Adult $16.99, Child 13.99
Prices include two days of admission.
Thanks. We definitely want to see the horns, fins and feathers but what about the second? Is it worth the extra $2. ( I have a $1 coupon on combo ticket)
It depends if you are interested in The Texas Ranger.
You should read up on it to see if it interest you or not. We%26#39;ve visited %26amp; thought it was interesting %26amp; worth the few extra dollars.
www.buckhornmuseum.com
Have a great visit in whatever you decide on.
I am planning a bachelorette party down in Austin for early October we are headed out there from the DFW and Houston area. I was wondering if anyone knew of some good hotels down there. We want to have a spa day on Saturday then party on Saturday night… does anyone have any ideas on places to stay? Also, looking for some good local places to hit on Friday night.
Lots of great hotels downtown. How many rooms will you need and what is your budget?
For a spa downtown, check out Milk + Honey -- http://www.milkandhoneyspa.com/
What sort of local places are you looking for? Live music? Just a bar to hang out? Dance clubs?
I second Milk and Honey, it%26#39;s one of my favorite spas. For a splurge, there is also Lake Austin Spa. There are many hotels in the downtown area, stay north of the river if you plan to walk and go to 6th St.
We will be travelling through Texas by rental car this September. As a foreign tourist I do not have the intention to get caught for speeding on the lone star roads but I suppose that sticking to speed limits is not very popular for some drivers behind. I also gathered that the driving attitude in Texas is quiet macho. Any advice on how to behave in traffic and towards cocky drivers would be welcome.
I believe you will find that most Texas drivers are quite courteous. City drivers can be a bit aggressive and unforgiving of those who deter them from arriving at their destination but all in all I would not worry much and the best advice I can give is ignore the occasional driver who fails to show you Southern hospitality.
Good advice would be to plan your routes as best you can to avoid being ';lost';, get a gps device for sure, stay with the flow of the traffic...if everyone is driving 5-10 miles over the limit best to do the same and not become a detriment to traffic flow.
I agree with what was said above, and would like to add that while drivers in Houston or Dallas may exhibit an attitude that could be described as ';macho,'; if my that you mean aggressive, if you%26#39;re driving off of the interstates on what we often refer to as ';country roads,'; you%26#39;ll most likely encouter drivers who are going much much slower than the posted speed limit. They will often pull over to the side of the road and let others pass, but don%26#39;t count on it. Where in the state will be you driving?
Thanks Mr Ted and Gehrig. I quote here from this same site onder Houston-health and safety:
quote: Don%26#39;t show your road rage. The driver next to you could well be armed. If you%26#39;re irritated at another driver, don%26#39;t give them the old ';one finger salute';. It could get you in real trouble. unquote.
...Waw! Quiet impressive comment for a European and the trigger :-/ which made me ask this question.
@Mr Ted: Preparation is still in an early stage. We%26#39;ll start off in Houston, head for hill country including SA, Fredericksburg aso. Then further to Palo duro, Big Bend and lots more. I am still discovering and already looking forward to this 3 exciting Septemberweeks.
Don%26#39;t worry too much, drivers for the most part are courteous. One thing to remember on the interstate or freeways is the left hand lane is sort of considered the ';fast'; lane or passing lane. If you are in this lane on the interstate and a car approaches you from behind, they will expect you to move over to the right to allow them to maintain their speed. If you don%26#39;t move over, some drivers will tailgate you. If you%26#39;re nervous about driving here, you may want to avoid that lane.
BTW, I think the advice of avoiding the use of the ';one finger salute'; holds true for anywhere in the world, not just Texas.
@stadenaar -- Just keep in mind as you plan your route that Palo Duro Canyon and Big Bend are roughly 500 miles, or a 10+ hour drive, from each other. Palo Curo is in the far northern part of Texas, near Amarillo, which is not near any of the other places you mentioned.
Regarding the ';warning'; you received in the Houston forum, just be courteous and you should have no problems anywhere on the road in Texas. I%26#39;ve often been a less than courteous driver and have never experienced anything like what is being alluded to by that comment.
Common sense, good manners works here as well as in most other countries.
Welcome to Texas! if you want to see the real Texas, try to plan your trip so you can avoid the Interstate highways. The state roads are usually well-maintained, and county roads are, too. You can have wonderful unexpected encounters at local diners, rest stops, and shops. Also, you%26#39;ll see more of Texas and less of billboards if you take the ';roads less traveled';.
The driving attitude on state and county roads is usually ';I%26#39;ll get over on the shoulder so you can pass'; or if you stop to take a photograph, two or three cars will stop to see if you need assistance. You can order a free map of Texas and a free state travel guide at TravelTex.com and have it snailmailed to you (I don%26#39;t know if they charge postage for foreign countries, but I doubt it).
Sure hope you have a wonderful vacation, and want to return!
I don%26#39;t know about the laws where you usually drive, but the speed limit in Texas goes down at night so be sure to watch out for that.
I drive 30,000+ miles a year within the parts of the state that you will be driving in mostly, and most of the drivers are really nice. I%26#39;ve never had a flat or breakdown without someone stopping to see if they could help. I agree that you will enjoy the roads that are not interstate best.
When you get closer to knowing when and where you are going, write in again so that we can give you some tips.
We are very proud of our state.
I just wanted to emphasize what the previous poster pointed out - watch for areas with a lower night time speed limit. It is a very easy way to get a ticket.
If you are driving in rural Texas, pay special attention when you start seeing somes homes or buildings after miles and miles of fields. There is a very good chance that the speed will be reduced, sometimes significantly, in areas where people live and/or work (even if it is only a few blocks).
after living all over the USA I can proudly say that there are some horrible drivers everywhere - not just in Texas. And there are people that always think they are more important than anyone else on the road. And, driving across the entire state, you will - most likely - run across a few of these people. Just laugh at their ignorance and move on. Most of us are not like them. I agree with the other posts - stay out of the left lane on highways unless you are passing someone - this will make people mad more than anything else. Also, from my experience (being pulled over around 6 times by Texas Highway patrol) the officers are usually very friendly. And I have never been given a ticket by a highway patrol officer! Texas is a fairly popular state for drug runners (since it borders Mexico) and that is a big part of what they are looking for. I%26#39;ve passed a State Highway patrol officer (he was going the other way) going 85 mph (speed limit 70) and he smiled and shook his finger at me. Don%26#39;t worry - I think you will be pleasantly surprised at how nice people are in Texas.
