Looking for suggestions for off campus local scenes while in Texas?

Parents Forum
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<p>Planning to visit the following colleges in late August after they start their fall session. </p>

<p>UT@Austin
Texas A&M
Rice
Trinity
Baylor</p>

<p>During our visit D and myself would like to check out the areas located off campus. Our plan involves arriving the day before, checking out the local off campus scene and then the following day proceed with the campus visit.</p>

<p>It would be helpful if we knew ahead of time the areas to visit to let D get a feel for the local off campus area. </p>

<p>As an example: For Trinity, one archive post indicated to check out and stay near the river walk and to eat at Mi Tierra in El Mercado.</p>

<p>Thanks</p>

2

<p>Trinity - Definitely the Riverwalk and Mi Tiera at the Mercado is wonderful. Blue Bell Ice Cream at the Ice Cream Store on Commerce overlooking the Riverwalk. The Mall at the Marriott end of Riverwalk, the Alamo. Rosario's at St. Mary's and Alamo Sts is a great Mexican Restaurant. If you like ribs, Tony Roma's on the Riverwalk. Also, if you want, a 1/2 hour drive away or so, you can go tubing down the Guadalupe River. 1 hour away is Schlitterbahn, rated the best waterpark in the world. </p>

<p>Austin - 6th Street - just walk up and down and you will see the nightlife. There is a GREAT bar - Comedy Dueling Piano's called Pete's there. Loved it! Go to the Lake or the swimming hole at Barton Springs. Chuy's for Mexican food - it's where the Bush twins were caught underaged drinking. (Make sure you ask for the creamy jalapeno salsa - it's free, just don't automatically serve it - it's to die for!!!!) The LBJ Library with the reproduction of the Oval Office, etc., and gowns of the First Ladies, and gifts from heads of State. Texas History Museum. </p>

<p>A&M - the Bush Library. The Blue Bell Creamery (ice cream tours and free ice cream) -The Monastery, the miniature horse farm.</p>

<p>Rice - You are right by the Museum District - take your choice - Art, History, Natural Science (with IMAX) Medicine, Holocaust, etc. The Galleria for shopping. Galveston. The Kemah Boardwalk (great seafood). See an Astros game at Reliant Stadium. The Spaghetti Warehouse downtown. Not many decent restaurants in the immediate area, but a bit down the road, lots of good Mexican, bar-b-que, etc. Hard Rock downtown (get a t-shirt). Westheimer Road for a eye-opening nightlife. The downtown Aquarium, Battleship Texas, Texas monument. Lots of theatrical productions downtown (you are just 15 minutes away).</p>

<p>Been to Waco, and there isn't much to do there at all. If it weren't for Baylor, Waco would hardly exist. It is a strict Baptist school, so nightlife is limited. Friends live there, and they say the same thing. Have been there for competitions, but the college life is heavy activity with frats and sororities (from alum who were and weren't greek).</p>

<p>Word of advice - when going to UT, make sure you are there about 45 minutes before the scheduled tour time. You meet in one building, and they bus you 30 minutes before to the tour start location. So if the tour is at 1:00, be there at 12:15. We found out the hard way.</p>

<p>All-in-all, there is a lot to do in TX. We just did UT and Trinity, and go to SA at least once a year. Love Austin and have been there many times.</p>

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<p>As far as I am concerned, this should have gone at the beginning of your recitation of the cool things to do in the San Antonio area!! The best waterpark in the world indeed, and I don't even like waterparks (but I loved this one).</p>

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<p>At Rice, check out Rice Village- on the west edge of campus. Lots of neat stores (upscale) and restaurants. There is a 3 mile running/walking loop around the perimeter of the Rice campus which is wonderful if you are so inclined. There are TONS of good restaurants in Rice Village. Also, if you miss Amy's ice cream in Austin, get some at the Amy's not too far from Rice.<br>
Second the recommendation to go to Barton Springs in Austin. Also, Town Lake has about an 8 mile running/walking path around it and is not too far from campus. It is where everyone does their running. It is a dammed up part of the Colorado River.<br>
I would skip Baylor and Waco entirely. It has no redeeming value. I would add Southwestern in Georgetown (north of Austin) instead.</p>

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<p>Riverwalk's mandatory, I think.</p>

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<p>I love the riverwalk.</p>

<p>Ditto on going to Rice village... if you like thai food, go to the lunch buffet at Patu. Closed Mondays, but I love it. If you're only in Houston for a day, skip Galveston; it's not very impressive, though an interesting way to spend a day. The museum district is great; I particularly like the museum of natural science.</p>

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<p>Have you not considered Dallas/SMU or Ft Worth/TCU? </p>

<p>Austin - if you like sushi, Kenichi probably had the best sushi I've ever had (and I live in Dallas, king of dining!!) Also walk up and down the street on the west side of campus as there are a lot of funky stores and restaurants</p>

<p>San Antonio = Riverwalk. 'nuff said.</p>

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<p>In Austin, other than what has already been said, Chuy's Hula Hut is a good restaurant (and reasonably priced). If you follow 6th street (it's a oneway street) and go straight (it changes into something else that I don't remember at the moment) you'll get into a more residential area and it will be on your left. It's kind of a cross between Tex-Mex and Polynesian, here's a menu <a href="http://www.hulahut.com/hulahut_menu.pdf%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.hulahut.com/hulahut_menu.pdf&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>If you go to Dallas, go the the West End. There are a lot of restaurants and it's got quite a bit of night life but not like the nightlife on 6th street. It's mostly restaurants, a few bars/clubs, and the American Airlines center is about 1/2 mile down the street if there is an event you want to go to on your visit (concerts, hockey, basketball, etc depending on the time of year). Also, there is Fair Park, which is moslty museums (you can buy a pass that admits to all eight I believe) and depending on the concerts and fairs.</p>

<p>In Fort Worth, the Stock Yards is probably the best bet. Lots of stores and things to do if you are in to that kind of stuff. You can ride the Tarantula (old train) or there are rodeos most weekends at the coloseum. There are restaurants ranging from burger bars to high class steak houses, but I would suggest Joe T Garcia's. At dinner they only serve to entrees, fajitas or enchiladas. Also, the cultural district may be of interest - Kimbell Art Musuem and Modern Art and a few other museums</p>

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<p>Second the Hula Hut. 6th street west, just past downtown, just at start of the bridge on the left. If no parking in the lot, can park on the street (bridge). Lots of UT students there, and families. Great food - great prices! Shakes are awesome! All that Blue Bell ice cream, no doubt!!!!</p>

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<p>Near Rice, you might check out House of Pies or Katz's, my favorite 24-hour Jewish deli. You'll see tons of Rice students at both places. I second the Amy's ice cream suggestion. For Burritos, try Freebird's, right by Amy's. Star Pizza is in that neighborhood as well, and we all love to go there. Other than food, there are a pretty good amount of cultural things (symphony, ballet, opera, etc.) in houston, but i think they don't do much during August. Do check out the museums, Hermann Park (includes the Houston Zoo, if that's your thing), and if your child is a potential pre-med, make sure to at least walk around the Texas Medical Center and marvel at its size. PM me if you have questions about Rice!</p>

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<p>On your way THROUGH Waco (hint: do not stop at Baylor) get off at the Valley Mills exit on the south edge of town. Immediately to the east of I35 on the traffic circle is a small diner called the Health Camp with great greasy burgers and milkshakes. It's famous- has been written up in many "best burgers in the country" articles.
Does it sound like eating is a big past-time in Texas?</p>

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<p>The West End is very touristy if that's what you want - for the good bar scene you should hit Deep Ellum, and a lot of the good restaurants are concentrated in Uptown (McKinney Avenue) or Knox-Henderson.</p>

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<p>Second the suggestion for Katz's. Just know that you should share your order - they are TX HUGE!!!!!! So, find something you and child both like and split it. Unless you have a fridge in your hotel room, you won't want to take leftovers with you.</p>

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<p>BTW, if you go for ice cream in SA on the River Walk, ask for the caramel, fudge pecan turtle ice cream - hard to find anywhere else (specialty flavor), but outrageously delicious! It even has chunks of turtle candy in it.</p>

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<p>Definently get ready to have a great time in Austin. Try the MAgnolia Cafe for breakfast the next morning, it is really good but expect a wait.</p>

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<p>If you decide to go to Dallas deep Ellum is where I would hang out. It is the most fun part of Dallas, and there is some okay food down there. If you miss Chuy's in Austin you can get it in Dallas. Just take 75/Central, and get off on KNox- Henderson. It is on the side with the matress store on it, and it is on your left. Expect a wait there as well.</p>

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<p>CTDad: if you are going to look at Trinity, then I would also add a stop at Southwestern University in Georgetown (about 35 miles from Austin)</p>

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<p>Taximom, "Great Minds"- I suggested Southwestern, too!! Awesome school and sort of hidden to many outside Texas.</p>

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<p>The only thing my daughter found of interest in Waco was a small mall with some funky stores, where I was persuaded to part with some of my money for clothes, and the Starbucks on campus. We managed to occupy ourselves for a few hours at most.
Ditto on the advice to visit Southwestern, although there is even less to do there, unless you head back to Austin, which is apparently what a lot of the students there do. Pretty school.</p>

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<p>Houston: Amy's and Freebirds are both great, as is House of Pies. Like jenskate said, if your D is interested in medicine, check out the Texas Medical Center. It's one light-rail stop away (get out at Dryden/TMC and walk around from there). There's some small "museums" on MD Anderson and in the Texas Heart Institute at St. Lukes. Also, at Herman park, there are frequent outdoor performances at Miller Outdoor Theater, ranging from opera and Shakespeare to symphonies. Unless you have tons of time, skip Galveston - the beach isn't that great at all. However, the Aquarium restuarant in downtown and the Kemah boardwalk down on I-45 (both restaurant/entertainment areas owned by Landry's Seafood) are both fun, but probably not typical student activities.</p>

<p>College Station - The home of the original Freebirds Burritos; also, the George Bush Library/Museum</p>

<p>Waco - I went once for a UIL Academic competition. There's a bear exihibit on campus thats cool. Also, the Common Grounds coffee shop is a really cool place to hang out for a while</p>

<p>San Antonio - the River Walk, of course, and if you're remotely interested in TX history, the Alamo might be interesting.</p>