Weekend Texas getaway suggestions?

[CharlieMac]

South Padre is my first option, mainly because that's the only decent place I know. Any suggestions for a nice weekend getaway?

[Nbadan]

Downtown San Antonio. Park the car, get a cheap room on Priceline on a 4 or 4+ hotel close to river, and see all the city sites you never have time to see otherwise.

[Old School Chic]

How about Laredo? Just a thought :lol

[polandprzem]

Bring Texas to my place

[MannyIsGod]

Downtown San Antonio. Park the car, get a cheap room on Priceline on a 4 or 4+ hotel close to river, and see all the city sites you never have time to see otherwise.Oh fuck that. :lmao

Dude works on the River Walk!

Eriks, I don't know how "outdoorsy" you are, but if you and your wife like to camp maybe Big Bend or Enchanted Rock?

Jess and I like to check out the local Wineries, and you can check out a ton near Fredricksburg. Thats a pretty cool thing to do throught a day. You don't even need to know anything about wine, most of the places will walk you through everything. Most of the wineries offer free tastings and some offer tastings at low prices (3-10 bucks). You could even get a bed and breakfast and just hang around there.

[boutons_]

I was out in Concan last Friday. A few small hills, but looks very much like SA n/w side: cedar, live oak, some Sycamore, and Cypress along the Frio, and caliche, caliche, caliche. Hard, infertible country, not as pretty and gentle as I hoped for The Hill Country. The Frio river was about 6 inches below recent water marks, so tubing was tubing really crabbing along with your hands and heels, and walking. 6 inches more of water would have made a huge difference. But with enough sun block, the wind/water temperature was very comfortable and refreshing.

I'm sure there are other parts of the Hill Country that are more welcoming (but the rivers won't have much water). A friend went rafting near New Braunfels in April, same low-water story.

Texas pretty much sucks as geography compared to so many parts of the country. :)

[MannyIsGod]

I was out in Concan last Friday. A few small hills, but looks very much like SA n/w side: cedar, live oak, some Sycamore, and Cypress along the Frio, and caliche, caliche, caliche. Hard, infertible country, not as pretty and gentle as I hoped for The Hill Country. The Frio river was about 6 inches below recent water marks, so tubing was tubing really crabbing along with your hands and heels, and walking. 6 inches more of water would have made a huge difference. But with enough sun block, the wind/water temperature was very comfortable and refreshing.

I'm sure there are other parts of the Hill Country that are more welcoming (but the rivers won't have much water). A friend went rafting near New Braunfels in April, same low-water story.

Texas pretty much sucks as geography compared to so many parts of the country. :)
:tu to Concan. I like it there, but I haven't been this year and I probably won't go because of the low water levels. Thats some good tubing though.

[pache100]

Oh fuck that. :lmao

Dude works on the River Walk!

Eriks, I don't know how "outdoorsy" you are, but if you and your wife like to camp maybe Big Bend or Enchanted Rock?

Also, if you like camping, there are some excellent COE parks at Belton Lake. It's about 30 miles north of Austin. They have great tent sites, but they also have some shelters you can rent that are outstanding. Right on the water.

If you are looking to stay in a hotel, my favorite place is Galveston. There is so much to do and see down there (it's loaded with historical sites)...it's not a long drive...and it's relatively inexpensive...it's easy to find your way around the place...and there's the beach. You can usually find some great hotel deals on the internet (don't stay at the Flagship).

Another interesting place (my favorite place on the earth) is Lake Amistad at Del Rio. Very wild and rustic. But, they have some great locally-owned motels and the chains have moved in in recent years, too. Wonderful places to eat. Be careful if you go out on the lake at night, though (I wouldn't do it). There's some mean stuff that goes on out on the water on that lake after dark. Langtry, Texas is just to the west of the lake, though, and it is a very interesting place. It's where the Judge Roy Bean museum is located. They have some great displays, and they still have the actual saloon.

[boutons_]

It's pretty wild to see the Frio so low, but also see huge, uprooted tree trunks lodged 15-feet above the water level in other trees. Seems like everybody we chatted with was still pre-occupied with 2002 flood on the Frio, worst in 70 years.

http://www.frio.com/Guests/FrioCanyon/friocanyon.htm

[CubanMustGo]

If you go to Enchanted Rock be aware that they limit attendance in the park (it's a "state natural area"). I've seen lines of cars parked on the road outside waiting for people to leave so they can get in. The F'burg area is a nice place to visit but can get crowded on weekends. Lots of nice B&Bs up there, we stay at a place called "Palo Alto Creek Farm" which is a coupla miles out of town. Google it if you're interested. The beer at the Frederickburg Brewing Company is worth a stop and the food is a notch above the usual pub grub.

Garner State Park near Concan is a super place to go but again gets crowded on weekends. Bastrop State Park E of Austin is cool, a pine forest where you don't expect to find one.

[MannyIsGod]

Fredericksburg Brewing Company is awesome. I like that place.

[MannyIsGod]

Oh, and the drive on 21 through that forrest is cool as hell.

[CubanMustGo]

Oh, and the drive on 21 through that forrest is cool as hell.

Speaking of cool drives, Highway 16 between Bandera and Kerrville takes you through some of the prettiest spots in the Hill Country. It's a great ride if you're on a motorcycle, lots of twists and turns.

[CharlieMac]

These are all great suggestions. Even Dan's. Actually Jess wants to get a room at the Hyatt downtown atleast for one night but you know, I see that dirty River water all teh time.

I was actually thinking of Fredricksburg because I've been wanting to hit up the Nimitz museum and Jess loves wine. So a bed and breakfast is definitely a possibility.

I think first I'll research the Bastrop State Park suggestion. It's been years since I've driven though Arkansas and seen a pine forest. Anything similar to that minus the rednecks will be nice.

[pache100]

I think first I'll research the Bastrop State Park suggestion. It's been years since I've driven though Arkansas and seen a pine forest. Anything similar to that minus the rednecks will be nice.

If you like the piney woods and don't mind driving a little farther, this area is a great place to visit...it really took me back, reminded me of north Georgia and South Carolina.


http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/spdest/findadest/pineywoods/

There are some great motels/hotels in the Palestine/Rusk area, and some B&Bs too. The Texas State Railroad day trip is AWESOME. You see some of the prettiest country in Texas, cool pine forests. You can take a steam train or the diesel one, I think they still have both. You do have to have a reservation, though. And I recommend getting a seat in one of the indoor cars, especially if you take the steam train (outdoor cars are a little sooty). The last time I went up there, we camped in the State Park and rode the train one of the days we were there. They were having a Civil War (actually, they had people dressed in period dress from all our wars) re-enactment. The players rode the train with us and put on skits. It was fantastic. Just seeing all the costumes and uniforms from the past was amazing. They had a whole group dressed as the Buffalo Soldiers, too. Excellent fun and educational, too.

[jcrod]

Hey Erik,
Check this place out, I found a pretty good deal a couple a weekends ago at the coast.

http://www.homeaway.com/

[xrayzebra]

Speaking of cool drives, Highway 16 between Bandera and Kerrville takes you through some of the prettiest spots in the Hill Country. It's a great ride if you're on a motorcycle, lots of twists and turns.


I concur with that. Also there is a great little park just the other side of
Bandera, lots of trees and a great place to picnic and just chill out for
a while. A great drive in a car, but don't be in a hurry, cause like he
said lots of twists and turns.

[CosmicCowboy]

Go to Aransas Pass/Port Artansas...you can get a reasonably priced motel room if you don't stay on the island...Rent kayaks from an outfitter and explore the lighthouse island trails...it's a very neat trip even if you don't like/know how to fish down there...all the newbies I have taken back in there loved it...the next day you can cross the ferry and play on the island/beach and then come back by way of the JFK causeway so you don't have to fight the line at the ferry getting off the island.

http://www.quintanna.com/mtnsports/seakayaker/tpwd_lhsetrail.html

[Spurminator]

Find a place with a good Bed & Breakfast.

[ORION]

Go to Aransas Pass/Port Artansas...you can get a reasonably priced motel room if you don't stay on the island...Rent kayaks from an outfitter and explore the lighthouse island trails...it's a very neat trip even if you don't like/know how to fish down there...all the newbies I have taken back in there loved it...the next day you can cross the ferry and play on the island/beach and then come back by way of the JFK causeway so you don't have to fight the line at the ferry getting off the island.

http://www.quintanna.com/mtnsports/seakayaker/tpwd_lhsetrail.html
my brother and I are hitting that up in a few weeks to find some reds !

[CosmicCowboy]

my brother and I are hitting that up in a few weeks to find some reds !

Make sure to check your tide tables and try to pick a one tide day with high tide in the morning. Hit the water early and have fun. I can give you more tips if you are interested. I was kayak fishing in there long before kayaking became fashionable and they "made" the trails...

[boutons_]

http://maps.google.com/maps?ie=UTF8&ll=27.849246,-97.101631&spn=0.116111,0.188484&t=h&om=1

[ORION]

Make sure to check your tide tables and try to pick a one tide day with high tide in the morning. Hit the water early and have fun. I can give you more tips if you are interested. I was kayak fishing in there long before kayaking became fashionable and they "made" the trails...
tell me everything you know !

[CosmicCowboy]

tell me everything you know !

OK...I can't give you any information on renting kayaks because I own mine but I can fill you in on the lakes...I have seen several rental places down there and you can probably check on the web for pricing/reservations...first, if you are fishing and not touring from my experience you need to plan your trip around the tides...I use this site...

http://www.saltwatertides.com/dynamic.dir/texassites.html

http://www.quintanna.com/mtnsports/seakayaker/tpwd_lhsetrail.html

If possible you want to pick a one tide day with high tide before sunrise...that way the back lakes are flooded and then drain all day...two tide days will work but the water will be pretty skinny in places. the fish move back in on high tide to feed...you will probably catch more reds than trout but you can catch both...I caught a 28" trout back in there once...

The easiest place to access is at the new park on the left on the causeway to the Port Aransas ferry...It's before the gambling boat exit and is pretty well marked. If I was doing it I would be there early...probably 5:45 so I could be rigged and on the water by sunrise...

Be careful crossing the channel to the lakes...lot of power boats use it...you don't want to get run over...you can go back in the "main" cut and then work the shorelines and back into the side lakes...

There are hundreds of little mangrove islands with interconnected lakes back iin there...thats where I go...most of the tourist yakkers stay out on the "big" water trying to follow the actual "trails" but I have more luck fishing in the smaller lakes...they are anywhere from little channels to lakes hundreds of yards wide...they are mostly firm grass bottoms about knee deep on a high tide...I find small groups of reds back in there tailing or cruising for crabs/shrimp...a lot of time you will find them by looking for "noisy water" near the grass edges...

Be very aware of the tides...as the water falls out of these lakes you will see the current moving faster...you want to start working your way out before the water gets too shallow and then fish the exits to the deeper cuts...The water falls completely out of some of these lakes...if you hardcore all day and don't pay attention you may find yourself walking and dragging your boat back to deeper water...

I am going to submit this before I lose it...

[CosmicCowboy]

Ok...tips...

I keep moving and "hunt" fish...I don't sit and soak bait. I have nothing against bait fishing but I only use artificials back in there because I can cover a lot more water...

I carry my fly rod in the hull just in case it is a "wind friendly" day and have caught reds back in there with it but most "normal" summer conditions don't allow it.

I normally carry 2-3 regular rods. One baitcaster will be rigged with a topwater and one baitcaster will be rigged with a plastic. Like most people I have my favorite lures/color combos and would be happy to share these but just use what you are comfortable with and have confidence in. Cover the same water with both types before you move on...If you only have one rod each then I would recommend that one of you use a topwater and one use plastic till you see what the fish are interested in. I usually carry an ultralight spinning reel with a tiny gold spoon for sight casting to reds in REALLY skinny water...I have seen them in there in water so shallow their back fins are out of the water and a heavy lure spash will spook them...

Speaking of spooking fish...if you aren't quiet back in there you won't catch any...I put a 15' tether on my kayak and tie it to my belt and wade slowly and quietly working the water and looking for signs of fish in the water...polarized sunglasses are a must...The bottoms are usually pretty firm and grassy about knee deep on a high tide...there is some oyster back in there so wading boots are nice...the cheaper zip up neoprene ones from wal-mart or academy are OK...I usually wear reef boots because I have them but I have never seen any sting rays back in there...

If this is all sounding like too much work people have been having good success fishing the outlet dropoffs from the lakes to the Aransas Channel with bait...

Feel free to ask any specific questions you might have...

[ORION]

If you opened a church I'd follow you ! My brothers just recently bought kayaks and they went out there a few weeks ago. They caught a few undersize reds off rootbeer colored jigs. I think maybe the change in pressure hurt their fishing because of that storm down there. I follow you ,but we really don't focus on tide conditions. We kind of just try and get the time off work and head out there. what you said about the tide makes perfect sense. I'm excited right now ! If you had to use live what would you use ?

[George W Bush]

Crawford, Texas is a very nice vacation spot. :tu

[CosmicCowboy]

If you opened a church I'd follow you ! My brothers just recently bought kayaks and they went out there a few weeks ago. They caught a few undersize reds off rootbeer colored jigs. I think maybe the change in pressure hurt their fishing because of that storm down there. I follow you ,but we really don't focus on tide conditions. We kind of just try and get the time off work and head out there. what you said about the tide makes perfect sense. I'm excited right now ! If you had to use live what would you use ?

If I was fishing the channel dropoffs with bait I would use cut shad or mullet on a "holder" rod for reds and use freelined live croaker for trout. Croaker are absolute killer on trout if you know how to fish them...you really need to work them...cast them out and jig them about 4 times fast every 10 or 15 seconds keeping your rod tip high...reel very slowly keeping your line tight...the trout will "tap" it lightly and you have to give them a little time to swallow the bait...a couple of slow breaths before setting the hook...if the miss the hookset leve the bait there and jig it again and give them a little longer the next time...they will sometimes come back for a second try...

I use a medium fast rod with a light spinning reel for croaker with 20# fireline and flourocarbon leader...no stretch on the line like mono and very sensetive...those trout taps can be very subtle...

[Jimcs50]

Marfa near big Bend

Great place to visit. You can go see where they filmed Giant and stay where James Dean stayed, and do the historical tour. Hooked up with some locals who had the best marajuana I have ever had. :)

I went gliding there, where they say is the best place to go gliding, because of the thermals.

[pache100]

Marfa near big Bend

Great place to visit. You can go see where they filmed Giant and stay where James Dean stayed, and do the historical tour. Hooked up with some locals who had the best marajuana I have ever had. :)

I went gliding there, where they say is the best place to go gliding, because of the thermals.

That's always the area with the coolest temperature in the state, too. And there are always the "Marfa Lights" to see at night. And, isn't the McDonald Observatory near there? That's someplace I've always wanted to go. I've never been to Marfa (except to drive straight thru), but Alpine is a very nice little town.

[Jimcs50]

That's always the area with the coolest temperature in the state, too. And there are always the "Marfa Lights" to see at night. And, isn't the McDonald Observatory near there? That's someplace I've always wanted to go. I've never been to Marfa (except to drive straight thru), but Alpine is a very nice little town.

Yes the temp is very nice, especially at night where sweatshirts or light jackets are required. The Marfa Lights Festival is late in the Summer, I think though.

[pache100]

The Marfa Lights Festival is late in the Summer, I think though.

Can't you actually see the lights just about any time of the year, though?

[CubanMustGo]

The main problem with Marfa is that it's 400+ miles from civilization as we know it. The new 80 MPH speed limits on I-10 west of Kerrville help there, tho.

Alpine's a surprisingly funky little town, too.

[Extra Stout]

What about the Highland Lakes?

Tyler's OK.
Galveston.
Canyon up near Amarillo.

[pache100]

The main problem with Marfa is that it's 400+ miles from civilization as we know it. The new 80 MPH speed limits on I-10 west of Kerrville help there, tho.

That's very true. That's probably the worst drive I have ever done. 8 hours of NOTHING on a BAD stretch of road. Well, one time I did it, it was raining cats and dogs about half of the trip; we sat in a diner in Ozona for about 2 hours watching it rain so hard we coud barely see our truck which was parked right outside the window, about 5 feet away from our table. I haven't had the bad fortune to have to do that drive since they re-instated the 80 mph speed limit, though.

[Jimcs50]

Can't you actually see the lights just about any time of the year, though?

Yes you can. There is an area a few miles out of Marfa where you go to view the lights, built specifically for watching them. I misread your first question and thought you were mentioning the Festival.

[CharlieMac]

http://www.fredericksburg-inn.com/index.htm

That's the joint we'll be staying at next weekend.

Marfa sounded interesting, but that drive sounds hellish.

Thanks for all the suggestions though. The summer of Erik has just begun.....

[MannyIsGod]

If you're going to go wine tasting, make sure you hit up Sister Creek, Torre de Pietra, the Fredricksburg Winery, and Chilsom Trail. Those are all good.

[katyon6th]

Hope you two have fun, Erik!

[Hook Dem]

OK...I can't give you any information on renting kayaks because I own mine but I can fill you in on the lakes...I have seen several rental places down there and you can probably check on the web for pricing/reservations...first, if you are fishing and not touring from my experience you need to plan your trip around the tides...I use this site...

http://www.saltwatertides.com/dynamic.dir/texassites.html

http://www.quintanna.com/mtnsports/seakayaker/tpwd_lhsetrail.html

If possible you want to pick a one tide day with high tide before sunrise...that way the back lakes are flooded and then drain all day...two tide days will work but the water will be pretty skinny in places. the fish move back in on high tide to feed...you will probably catch more reds than trout but you can catch both...I caught a 28" trout back in there once...

The easiest place to access is at the new park on the left on the causeway to the Port Aransas ferry...It's before the gambling boat exit and is pretty well marked. If I was doing it I would be there early...probably 5:45 so I could be rigged and on the water by sunrise...

Be careful crossing the channel to the lakes...lot of power boats use it...you don't want to get run over...you can go back in the "main" cut and then work the shorelines and back into the side lakes...

There are hundreds of little mangrove islands with interconnected lakes back iin there...thats where I go...most of the tourist yakkers stay out on the "big" water trying to follow the actual "trails" but I have more luck fishing in the smaller lakes...they are anywhere from little channels to lakes hundreds of yards wide...they are mostly firm grass bottoms about knee deep on a high tide...I find small groups of reds back in there tailing or cruising for crabs/shrimp...a lot of time you will find them by looking for "noisy water" near the grass edges...

Be very aware of the tides...as the water falls out of these lakes you will see the current moving faster...you want to start working your way out before the water gets too shallow and then fish the exits to the deeper cuts...The water falls completely out of some of these lakes...if you hardcore all day and don't pay attention you may find yourself walking and dragging your boat back to deeper water...

I am going to submit this before I lose it...
Jack.......very good info. I'm originally from this area and after living in SA since 1974, I'm getting back into fishing again. Where did you purchase your Kayak? Any info? I'm very interested in this type of fishing.

[midgetonadonkey]

You should spend the weekend in Bishop.

[Guru of Nothing]

I'm surprised nobody else has mentioned this - check out the Dan Blocker museum in O'Donnell. A great time to be had, and if you are hungry, there is a Town and Country convenience store (conveniently) located right off of Highway 87. The fried burritos, 2 for $1 last I checked, are to die for. Be sure to ask for extra hot sauce packets.

And if you want a little night-life action, Lubbock is just a hop, skip and a jump away.

http://www.sukkinen.com/kuvat/hoss1.jpg
A Man's Man

[CharlieMac]

You should spend the weekend in Bishop.

I don't even know what Bishop is.
I'll check out a winery though.

[CosmicCowboy]

Jack.......very good info. I'm originally from this area and after living in SA since 1974, I'm getting back into fishing again. Where did you purchase your Kayak? Any info? I'm very interested in this type of fishing.

My kayaks are like this one...

http://www.wildernesssystems.com/product.asp?productid=34

I got into it in the late 90's when they were pretty rare...there were only a couple of brands to choose from...There are a lot more choices now...from very economical to expensive/elaborate and a lot of them are more fishing specific now...They all will do the same basic thing but vary in speed/stability/storage/gadgets etc...

It really is a blast...it's fun to "guess right" and get on fish...I love paddling back with a limit of reds and going by these guys in their $50,000 flats rigs that are getting skunked cuz they can't get back where the fish are...

[Lady Marmalade]

Horse Shoe Bay -- Marriott Resort

http://marriott.com/property/propertypage/AUSHB

[CosmicCowboy]

I don't fish the lighthouse lakes as much as I used to because of the crowds...I know lots of other other places to put in as well...I don't mind paddling/working and will go a long way at times...I have gone 10+ miles on some days...I can get to a lot of the classic power boat areas with the yak...Dagger, Traylor, Redfish Bay, Shamrock, Hog Island, Bird Island etc...the only downside is that if you guess wrong and don't get on fish you can't just pick up and move like you can do in a powerboat...

[Hook Dem]

My kayaks are like this one...

http://www.wildernesssystems.com/product.asp?productid=34

I got into it in the late 90's when they were pretty rare...there were only a couple of brands to choose from...There are a lot more choices now...from very economical to expensive/elaborate and a lot of them are more fishing specific now...They all will do the same basic thing but vary in speed/stability/storage/gadgets etc...

It really is a blast...it's fun to "guess right" and get on fish...I love paddling back with a limit of reds and going by these guys in their $50,000 flats rigs that are getting skunked cuz they can't get back where the fish are...
Thanks for the good info Jack. If I get into this like I think I will, I'll hit you up for some good places to put in. Good fishing to you!!!!

[thispego]

great stuff cosmic! ive been wanting a kayak for a while now and couldnt decide whether i should get a fishing style kayak or a regular, strictly paddling style kayak

im probably going to end up with one meant for fishing, since that is what i would mostly use it for anyways... these are great tips though for someone who has never been down there for this type of fishing