Tag Archives: Travel

9 Reasons to Travel to Dripping Springs, Texas

There’s been a lot of buzz around Dripping Springs, Texas lately. Situated just outside of Austin, it really hones in on the Hill Country’s rustic feel just outside the big city. When visiting, these are the top activities that should be on any list when visiting Dripping Springs

Stay
When in town, go authentic. It’s time to embrace what makes Dripping Springs, Dripping Springs. Cottages, inns, B&B’s, take a pick! There’s so many to choose from but stay in a place which brings character. It’ll add a little pizazze to your story!
(Above, The Liney Moon)

Eat
There’s so many great places to eat, the real question is where to begin? The Pizza Cave (below), Rolling in Thyme & Dough or Smoke n’Hops among other local favorites. Come !

Get Outside
Dripping Springs is the home to the Hamilton Pool reserve. Enjoy the famous Texas swimming hole over scenic limestone including a waterfall to help you cool off after a hike through one of the nearby parks.

Texas Hill Country Olive Oil
A growing crop, Texas produces olive oil! Stop in for a tour of the grounds and learn how the production of olive oil is growing in Texas. Inside, enjoy olive oil and balsamic vinegar tastings and even pair them with a wine tasting from some of the finest vineyards in Texas.

Explore the Wine Trail
Did someone say wine?! Dripping Springs is home to vineyards of their own including Solaro Estates Winery and Bell Springs Winery. Looking to stay in town, swing by one of the tasting rooms or wine tours to expand the selection. Need a drive? That’s available too!

Micro Brew Invasion
Dripping Springs is home to Jester King, Twisted X and Thirsty Planet Brewing Company. Smoke’n Hops and The Barber Shop are the local watering holes to help quench your thirst. Sit back, kick back and relax! Have a cold one!

Distilleries
The beverages go on and on! Deep Eddy Vodka, Dripping Springs Vodka and Treat Oak Distillery are all in town. Staying in Austin and want to come out for the day? Completely possible with one of the many tours to and from, including the Austin Tour Company which will bring you and your friends to and from downtown Austin to Deep Eddy Vodka for some fun and games.
Note: All tours at Deep Eddy Vodka must be booked in advance.

Mercer Street
“Take a step back in time on historic Mercer Street. Home to some of the first businesses in town, you’ll recognize that you’re on Mercer Street well before you see a sign. Historic buildings house the dancehall, perfect for the evening two-step, grab a beer or enjoy some frozen yogurt and ice cream. THere’s a place on Mercer Street for everyone.

Drive
This is the Hill Country. Explore it, embrace it, take it in. It’s best done behind the wheel with endless destination.

What’s your favorite attraction in Dripping Springs?
What’s on the top of your to do list?

Tips4Trips – Make a Weekend into a Mini Vacation

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This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and Walmart Family Mobile. All opinions are mine alone. #Tips4Trips #CollectiveBias

This summer has flown by so fast! There’s so much going on that sometimes it’s hard to plan a true vacation. One of my favorite things to do when I know I can’t travel far and just need that breath of fresh air is plan a vacation in my area on a whim! It’s possible!

Here are some great tips!

1. Pick a destination!
Is there a town within driving distance that you haven’t explored? My favorite way to make it interesting is just jumping in the car and getting on the road to see where I’ll end up! Pull up a map, pick out an area and don’t come home until you’re ready to hit the hay!

One of the best ways to do this is to use the maps on our cell phones (we all have them)! Our cell phones are such a great resource to find ideas, get to locations and capture the moments. I just picked up the new ZTE ZMax at Walmart under the Family Mobile Plan. The best part, is while using the phone, you’re also saving! The Walmart Family Mobile plans are low in price. For instance, the Walmart Family Mobile service is $29.88/month (for the first line) Unlimited Talk, Text & Data service plan which includes up to 1G of 4G LTE data. What better way to save and allow yourself a treat to little weekend break. It leaves a few extra funds to splurge while on your next vacation!

Disclaimer: All prices for phones and plans included in this post are accurate as of the date of posting; however, these prices are subject to change. Please refer to http://cbi.as/frw8 or your local Walmart for current pricing.

2. Find a new attraction!
It’s so easy to search for ideas! Pick a topic, plug it into your phone (remember the above photo) and it’ll provide a ton of ideas! Trains, hiking trails, movie theaters, historical landmarks, destinations unknown. That’s not counting what you’ll come across along the way. The world is a fascinating place. Dig into it!

If you are really into adventures, use the phone go Geo-cache. It’s a great way to go on a treasure hunt of objects anywhere. Start your treasure hunt!

3. Grab some fresh air!
Do something outside! Doing something outside always gets me excited, exhausted and feeling very accomplished. Head out to the lake, go for a hike, rent a kayak and paddle around. Take a train ride across town, visit a splash pool with the kids. Opportunities are endless!

4. Eat!
To have a vacation, we must treat it like a vacation. Don’t go to your “usual”. Have some fun and play around with a new place. Try the new restaurant that opened down the street. Come across a place that you’ve never heard of? Plug in restaurant into your phone and see what comes up and go there! Don’t hesitate in trying something new! It’s what you’d be doing if you were hundreds of miles away from home.

5. Don’t forget to capture the moments along the way!
Remember, we always have our phones in our pockets. Don’t forget to grab photos along the way of your adventures! These are the moments that you’ll want to remember next weekend when you remind yourself to do this all again!

How can the Walmart Family Mobile help plan your summer weekend vacations?!

10 Travel Ideas To Start The New Year

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Travel Ideas to Start the Year, Travel Ideas, Travel Tips, Travel Goals, Adventure Ideas, Get Out of the House

It’s time to start fresh! It’s a new year and a perfect time to begin with a clean slate and spring up some great travel ideas for 2015! Traveling doesn’t equate to having to explore an area that’s great distances away – sometimes it mean exploring what’s in your area! It’s a great time to explore, prepare and anticipate what can happen this year. Here are a few ideas for this January!

1. Give Yourself a Goal. It’s time to plan for a “big” trip this year. Is there a place that’s been sitting on your bucket list that you’d love to scratch off? A friend that you haven’t seen in much too long? Where would you like to go and what do you need to get yourself there? Being a plan. (If you’re into going above and beyond this would be a great time to create a bucket list for 2015!)

2. Visit a Museum. Many are free. This would be a great afternoon trip!

3. Visit the Zoo. Sure it’s January and it’s a little chilly but bundle up and head out on a sunny afternoon and it’ll be a great day. (The Dallas Zoo currently has a $5 admission for January and February.)

4. Take a Drive. Sometimes it’s great to just get in the car and go. Drive with no location in mind and see where you end up or give yourself a destination to a place where you haven’t been before or in a while. Treat yourself to lunch. Don’t rush, just take it easy and relax.

5. Get Outside. There’s an endless amount of beautiful parks out there and it’s up to all of us to explore. Put on some comfortable shoes and go for a hike, grab your bike, rent a kayak and get out there and enjoy nature!

6. Attend a Brewery Tour. Ever meet those cold, grizzly days in January? What to do? Take a brew tour! Breweries are popping up everywhere, take advantage. Grab a few friends or go solo (there’s always friendly people at breweries) and go try out a few new brews!

7. Go for a Progressive Meal. These are the best! Can’t decide where to eat or do you have a list of new places to try? Why not try them all?! Start at one for appetizers, another for your main meal and a final for dessert!

8. Live Music. Find a local venue and go to a show. What’s great about live music is that it can be found anywhere and tickets can be free or at a low-cost. Try a new venue or visit your favorite and experience the sound of someone you’ve never heard before. (An extra tip – some radio stations have live shows which are free or have a small admission with multiple artists playing.)

9. Attend an Event. It’s pretty amazing the amount of events that go on in the community. Take advantage! Find a chili cook-off, football playoff party or even attend the rodeo that’s coming to town. Be local – take part!

10. Go to a Game! Professional or local – it doesn’t matter. Go root for your favorite team or home team!

Need more ideas or further details on the above? Shoot me an email or contact me on Twitter (@DownHomeTravel) and I’d love to help you out! Be sure to get out there this year!