Fall Fun and Festivals in Central Texas

With fall in full swing in the Central Texas Hill Country, there are a number of fun fall activities happening in and around the city of Kyle. If you’re looking for a weekend day trip with the family or just an afternoon of fun, these fall festivities are Central Texas staples that delight both locals and visitors alike.

Photo courtesy CBS Houston, ROBERT FRANCOIS/AFP/Getty Images

Texas Renaissance Festival

The Texas Renaissance Festival is a longstanding Central Texas fall tradition. Located between Houston and Kyle, the fair celebrates all things medieval, with food, games, rides and more. Known as the largest Renaissance theme park in the country, the Texas Renaissance Festival recreates the look and feel of a 16^th century British village. From daring knights to fair maidens, kings and queens to Shakespeare himself, this festival invites the whole family to take a step into history. This year the festival will feature themed weekends, including Roman Bacchanal, Barbarian Invasion, Celtic Christmas, and more. The festival celebrates its 40^th anniversary this year, and is open Saturdays and Sundays until November 30^th, 2014.

Photo courtesy USA Today

Wurstfest

Another iconic fall festival, Wurstfest in New Braunfels is a haven for German culture and food. For 10 days in November, the Wursfest Grounds in Landa Park will be filled with sausage, beer, music and more. Newly expanded for 2014, this year’s Wurstfest will be the biggest ever, with a marketplace, additional live music stages and a vast selection of local craft beers as well as German brews. Originally just a sausage-centric festival, Wursfest has expanded to attract tens of thousands of visitors each year. Located just 30 minutes south of Kyle, Wursfest opens on November 7^th and goes until the 16^th.

Photo courtesy Chuy’s Christmas Parade

Chuys Christmas Parade

Christmas comes early in Austin with Chuy’s annual Christmas Parade. Held in the heart of downtown Austin on Congress Avenue, this parade features floats, giant balloons, and, of course, Santa Claus. Attendees of the parade are encouraged to bring a toy to donate to Operation Blue Santa to help bring Christmas gifts to kids throughout the area who otherwise would go without. It’s a fun way to celebrate the start of the holiday season, Texas style. The Chuy’s Christmas Parade takes place at 11 a.m. on the Saturday following Thanksgiving, November 29^th, 2014.

Tee Off at these Beautiful Golf Courses in Central Texas

What better way to spend the dwindling days of summer than with 18 holes on some of Central Texas’s scenic golf courses? The area around Plum Creek features a wide variety of courses to challenge and delight every player, whatever their skill level or taste. Whether it’s to talk business or just to relax and play, these nearby courses will allow you to enjoy the Texas Hill Country at its finest.

Photo courtesy of Grey Rock Golf Club

Grey Rock Golf Club

Just South of Austin, The Grey Rock Golf Club offers world class amenities only 30 minutes away from Plum Creek. With a spacious clubhouse nestled in a grove of live oaks, it’s a picturesque venue, great for relaxing after a round on the course, or for holding an event. The club also boats extensive practice facilities, with a well maintained putting green and driving range. With a friendly staff and a great layout, this course promises a superb golfing experience surrounded by the gorgeous Central Texas scenery.

Photo courtesy of Landa Park Golf Course

Landa Park Golf Course

Landa Park Golf Course in New Braunfels is located adjacent the serene Comal River. Known for being well manicured and maintained, this course also is often visited by local wildlife such as deer and wild turkeys. With a challenging layout and a beautiful setting, this course truly showcases the natural beauty of the Texas Hill Country. A great choice for golf outside of the immediate Austin area, the river setting is what truly makes this course stand out.

Photo courtesy of Plum Creek Golf Club

Plum Creek Golf Club

Right here in Plum Creek, the Plum Creek Golf Course offers a high-caliber golf experience just minutes away from home. This Texas-sized course on over 200 acres offers challenging play with unique character in the heart of the Plum Creek community. Seeded to stay green all year round, this course is one of the best in the area and also home to the Texas State Men’s and Women’s golf teams. Designed so that no two fairways touch, and with black tees at a challenging 7100+ yards, Plum Creek offers a distinctive golf experience that all players will enjoy.

Photo courtesy of Clay-Kizer Golf Course

Clay-Kizer Golf Course

As Austin’s largest municipal golf complex, the Clay-Kizer facility offers players 36 holes on two courses in South Austin. These small courses are known for being reasonably priced and well maintained, and suitable for players of all levels. With tree-lined fairways surrounded by Williamson Creek, these courses offer a variety of play at one convenient location. Five sets of tees make the course the right challenge every player. An Austin staple since 1974, these muni courses are a great golf experience at an affordable price.

Photo courtesy of Fazio Foothills at Barton Creek

Fazio Foothills at Barton Creek

One of the most highly rated courses in all of Texas, the Fazio Foothills at Barton Creek offers a stunning experience in the heart of Austin. Known as the hardest of the four Barton Creek courses, nearly every hole of The Foothills boasts fabulous, postcard-worthy views. Though the Fazio Canyons is the signature course at Barton Creek, The Foothills is a local favorite as well. This premiere course features waterfalls and caves and takes advantage of the best of Central Texas’s natural features. It’s a little pricier, but the resort facilities and unforgettable layout are worth it. Ranked first in Golfweek’s 50 Best Resort Courses in the US and also named the Best Resort Course in Texas by Golf Digest, this course is one of Central Texas’s must-plays.

Wurstfest: Sausages, Beer and Texas-German Fun

The first ten days of November, New Braunfels will host the city’s largest and most popular event – Wurstfest: an annual celebration of the German heritage and culture that remains in the city from the influx of German immigrants to Central Texas in the 1850s. The ten-day celebration is rich in Alpine and Bavarian culture, with great food, German, Texan and domestic beer, live music, dancing, carnival rides, games and more.

Photo courtesy of The Huffington Post

The event runs daily from November 1^st to November 10^th. On weekdays, Wurstfest opens at 5 p.m., and 11 a.m. on the weekends. Tickets to the event are $8 before Halloween, and $10 after.  In addition to the Wurstfest event itself, there are a number of other local events happening in New Braunfels and beyond, including “Frankenwurst,” at the Circle Arts Theater, the ARToberfest art show at the New Braunfels Art League, and the 45^th annual Wurstfest Regatta in Canyon Lake.

Photo courtesy of USA Today

Wurstfest has been a staple in New Braunfels since 1961 when the event began as a promotional event for the city’s sausage-making industry. Since then, Wurstfest has exploded into one of the largest cultural events in the state. Recently it was rated the #3 event in the state of Texas, behind San Antonio’s annual Fiesta celebration and the Texas State Fair.

For more information about Wurstfest and to purchase tickets, visit www.wurstfest.com

New Braunfels

photo by ret0dd, Flickr.com

About:

Ok, so maybe New Braunfels is more of a Go30. But go. You’ll thank us later. Plus, you’ll save a good 20 minutes off people coming from downtown, and that’s if they don’t get stuck in traffic.

New Braunfels is a popular destination for tubing, water parks, and traditional German festivals. According to the town website, it’s “little bit of old Germany smack dab in the middle of the Texas Hill Country. New Braunfels is the kind of old-fashioned town that makes folks feel right at home. After all, in New Braunfels you can dine at bier gartens and dance to oompah music. Tube down cool, clear rivers or sail across deep, blue lakes.”

Tips:

1. Check out Wurstfest. It’s NB’s version of Oktoberfest. It’s very family friendly and generally runs for a week around Halloween. [more on Wurstfest here]
2. If you want to tube, check out the Comal River first. It’s cold year round and has several water shoots. [more on NB Tubing here]
3. Schlitterbahn is an amazing waterpark, with fun for the whole family. Hit the park early to avoid the rush [more on the park]

Links:

• NB Tourism
• Wurstfest
• Schlitterbahn Waterpark