Over Easter weekend, my parents came to visit Austin, so I got to show them some of the Austin sights! We went on a half-day trip to Gruene, a small town in the Texas hill country about an hour from Austin. It's near New Braunfels, just north of San Antonio. Interestingly, Wikipedia describes Gruene as a "former town". Previously a cotton town, by the middle of the 20th century, it had turned into a ghost town. However, Gruene has undergone a revival and is now primarily a tourist destination. Currently, it's an adorable place to visit, home to a general store, wine tasting room, general store, shops, restaurants, and Gruene Hall, famous for being Texas' oldest dance hall. The Gruene Historic District is on the National Register of Historic Places. Gruene General storeOne of our first stops was the Gruene General Store, which is a fun place to wander around for a bit. We were immediately sidetracked by the large display of nut butters, salsas, and dips that customers could sample at the front of the store. I have to admit that we probably tried more than our fair share of samples. As a note, I thought the maple pecan honey butter and the praline pecan honey butter were awesome. Pecans are a big part of Texas culture. You see pecan pralines sold everywhere. The pecan tree is the state tree of Texas. So, trying a pecan delicacy in Texas is a must! The store also offered Texas souvenirs, including items for the big universities in the state, and a fudge/ice cream counter. The GrapevineOur next stop in Gruene was The Grapevine, a wine tasting room. All the wines on the tasting menu were from Texas, although you could order glasses or bottles of wines from elsewhere as well. The Texas Hill Country has a lot of wonderful wineries, particularly in Fredericksburg. Each of us tasted three wines and then ordered a glass. I chose the Texas Southwind Blackberry from Refugio, TX, near Corpus Christi. It was definitely a sweet dessert wine, but I can't pass up blackberries, my favorite fruit. Outside The Grapevine, there are old barrels grouped with benches for seating. We ended up with a beautiful day for enjoying wine in the sunshine. The Grapevine also had a small stage, and we happened to sit down just as a band was setting up. I couldn't have asked for a better afternoon than to sip a glass of Texas wine in the sunshine, listen to some music, and enjoy the company of my family. The GristmillFor dinner, we ate at The Gristmill, a restaurant situated overlooking the Guadalupe River. The restaurant is located in the remains of the Gruene cotton gin, which burned down except for the brick boiler room. Patrons can sit inside, surrounded by old brick and warm wood, or outside, enveloped in green trees. It also happens to be right next to famous Gruene Hall (see description below). We all ordered entrees of either steak or fish, both of which were delicious. Our group was lucky enough to grab a seat by the window, so we had sunshine pouring in through the trees as we ate and a small slice of river was visible through the branches. It's hard to imagine a more picturesque place to eat! Gruene HallGruene Hall is probably the most famous attraction in Gruene, TX. It is billed as "Texas' Oldest Dance Hall", built in 1878. I wasn't familiar with Gruene Hall until moving to Texas; however, the first time I went there, my mom told me, "I've always wanted to go to Gruene Hall!" The inside of the hall is a large room with wooden floors, a bar, and a stage. Out back, there is a huge garden with tables. This place has hosted famous musical acts, including Willie Nelson, George Strait, Townes Van Zandt, Hal Ketchum, Ryan Bingham, and more. I have to admit that the pictures below are not from our visit last weekend. There was unfortunately no live music going on when we stopped in Gruene Hall, so we just walked inside to take a look around. The pictures below are from the Turnpike Troubadours concert that I went to in the fall. First of all, the Turnpike Troubadors are amazing live, so it was an awesome show! Also, Gruene Hall was such a fun place for a concert! Maybe it's because I was not raised in Texas, but I have never been to a concert quite like it. Almost everyone was wearing cowboy boots, and, during the upbeat songs, they would stomp their boots on the floor, creating a heavy beat and loud energy. And the coolest thing is that, in a place filled with so much history, you can just imagine people decades ago dancing around the wooden floor, their boots making the exact same noise. Gruene Hall should definitely be considered when looking a live music venues in the area. When we went to the Turnpike Troubadours concert, we drove from Austin just for the concert and returned that evening. It would be easy enough to plan a vacation to Austin, but head to Gruene for one evening for a concert. Check the concert listings - you don't want to miss this historic venue! Explore GrueneThe sights above are some of the most well-known in Gruene, but it has even more to explore. We browsed an antique store that offered a wide variety of treasures, from old flags to jewelry to cowboy hats to furniture. In addition to the tasting room, there are a couple of wineries - Vineyard at Gruene and Winery on the Gruene. There are adorable bed and breakfasts for folks who want to stay in this town for a weekend. On the third weekend of every month, Gruene also has Gruene Market Days, a market of over 100 vendors that sell handmade goods, art, and food. I have heard great reviews of Gruene Market Days and would love to head there sometime!
If you are visiting Austin or San Antonio, make a half-day or full-day trip to Gruene, and enjoy the laid back small town vibe as well as the historic charm. It also makes a great getaway for people living in those cities who want a day trip or a weekend away. And, if you visit in the spring, you just might see some Texas bluebonnets on the way. These wildflowers line the highways and pop up in fields. Be warned: it is illegal to pick Bluebonnets! However, take all the pictures you want with these beautiful flowers. We certainly seized the opportunity! Happy spring!
0 Comments
When you combine a mini golf course, brightly painted sculptures, and a BYOB policy, you get a mini golf experience that's not just for the kids anymore. Peter Pan Mini Golf has been a staple in Austin, TX since 1948. It's impossible to miss if you're driving by, with a giant statue of Peter Pan out front and a big dinosaur head poking over the fence. They have two courses that you can play, East and West. Every hole has some sort of brightly painted sculpture, including a few borderline creepy animals (take a look here), that you have to avoid when putting. A game costs only $6 per person for one course or $9 per person for both courses. And, yes, you read that right: Peter Pan has a BYOB policy, meaning that those over 21 can bring in coolers or backpacks with beer, hard cider, or other drink of choice as long as there are no glass containers. Peter Pan Mini Golf is the perfect activity on a sunny afternoon or at midnight on a Friday. Keep in mind that, if you're bringing the kids, especially at night, there will be groups of twenty-somethings drinking as they putt around the course, but nobody really gets rowdier than loud cheers and bets on the game. If you are looking for your experience to involve drinking and fewer children, head over to Peter Pan after dark on a weekend. If you want smaller crowds, daytime might be best, unless there are birthday parties or special events. This is a great option for some fun on a budget in Austin. With one course costing only $6 per person and BYOB drinks, you could feasibly spend under $10 if you split the cost of some drinks with a group or grab something you already have in the fridge. If you want to make a real night of it and play both courses, you can spend under $20 for the mini golf and drinks. These calculations are subject to the quality of your drinks, of course. When compared with going out to bars or even to a movie, Peter Pan is a pretty affordable night out. I've been to mini golf courses in other cities, where it is a pretty traditional mini-golf experience and I could play through the course pretty quickly. However, I have never seen a mini golf course packed with people of all ages at 10:00pm on a Saturday night. We had played at Peter Pan one other time, earlier in the evening, and I think it's pretty rare to find a mini golf place that gets more lively as the night gets later. My husband and I waited at every hole we played, but it wasn't annoying - it was part of the experience. We were surrounded by people who were having a good time. We chatted with the groups playing in front of and behind us. We cheered for players who got holes-in-one. We took pictures of people with the huge animal sculptures at every hole. We were offered cans of beer from fellow players. Being at Peter Pan Mini Golf late on a Saturday night was like being at a really laid-back outdoor bar that happens to have a mini-golf course. In Austin, notorious for the slogan "Keep Austin Weird", it makes sense that even the mini-golf course would be quirky. But, that quirky charm and laid-back fun is exactly why Peter Pan Mini Golf has been around for over 60 years!
During a break in graduate school, two of my friends and I decided to have a staycation in Nashville. When you live in a city, you get to experience all the fun activities and places that the city offers, but it can also be easy to fall into a rut, going to the same favorite coffee shops, bars, restaurants, and stores. For our staycation, my friends and I planned out activities that we had always wanted to try in the city - new hiking trails, different restaurants, and shopping at the mall that we had never explored. In the same spirit, I will be exploring all that Austin, TX, my home, has to offer in a weekly Staycation series on this blog. After all, what's the point of living in a super cool place if I don't take advantage of the myriad of activities and share those tips with others? Tune in every week for a different feature on Austin: restaurants, coffee shops, outdoor activities, concerts, festivals, breweries, neighborhoods, the Hill Country, and more. |
AuthorMy name is Alyssa Good and I have a passion for travel, adventure, culture, and new experiences! I focus on budget friendly travel, trip planning resources, and seeking out new experiences. Archives
December 2017
Categories
All
|