<p>Waco -- Dr. Pepper Museum and the the suspension bridge that was the prototype for the Brooklyn Bridge. You can also canoe on the Brazos if the spirit moves you. Oh, and the Texas Rangers (not baseball) museum.</p>
<p>Also, if you like roller coasters, Astroworld in Houston, Fiesta Texas in SA, as well as Sea World. In Houston, NASA (Space Center Houston), then you can stop in Kemah for dinner. Also, Radio Music Theater is a Comedy Club that is scripted, and fun. D said if your D is into alternative music, the Engine Room has bands, etc., and is on Pease. Then, if you drive from Austin to SA, or reverse, stop at the outlet malls on exit 200 on 35. Great stores, wonderful bargains! Hemisphere Park in SA, can eat in the restaurant in the tower. Great views! Second Amy's on Guadalupe in Austin. Stay at the Driskill - it is a bit pricey, but VERY historic and wonderful Remington bronzes! If you don't stay there, at least walk through it. Great architecture, and you are in the heart of everything. Between Austin and SA, if you are into country and western you could detour into Leuckenbach (be warned - population 2). In Waco, the best hotel is the Hilton, but D stayed there, and said it was kind of an OK Holiday Inn w/out breakfast.</p>
<p>Six flags fiesta texas is much nicer than six flags astroworld.</p>
<p>Luckenbach is a bit out of the way. If you want the country/western thing, try the Gruene Hall (near New Braunfels and San Antonio). If you're doing Schlitterbahn in New Braunfels during the day, you do Gruene at night.</p>
<p>CT DAD - While in Austin try to stop by the Congress Avenue bridge at Town Lake a little before dusk. The largest population of bats in North America,
pproximatley 1 million of them, live under that bridge and every night at dusk they all fly out into the evening sky. It is really something to see. </p>
<p>If your into hockey, and the season starts by the time you visit, check out the games with Austin Ice Bats hockey team. </p>
<p>Also go to Symphony Square, Archer M. Hungtington Art Gallery, Atrium Gallery, Attals Southwest Gallery, Austin Museum of Art, Elisabet Ney Museum, Neill-Cochran House Museum, O. Henry Museum, the Ruth Borinstein Gallery, Texas Memorial Museum, Texas Military Forces Museum, the Umlauf Sculpture Garden and Museum, and Laguna Gloria Art Museum.</p>
<p>Also check out the National Wildflower Research Center or Zilker Park. Plus, tours are offered by Armadillo Express, Around Austin and Hill Country Flyer. Why not take a ride with Airscape Parasail?</p>
<p>Want to see the city at night - go to Mount Bonnel - take 35th St. west from Mopac and turn left when you get to Laguna Gloria Art Museum. Stop when you see the steps carved in the mountain on the left. Watch out for the bridge you cross on the way next to the water treatment plant, it's only 1 car wide. Wear comfortable shoes, and be prepared for lots of steps, it's steep. But the view is spectacular of the the Capitol, Town lake and lake Austin.
Mount Bonnel is the highest point inside city limits at 736 feet.</p>
<p>If you do all that's been posted, you'll be pretty busy while your're in Texas.
Come on and stay a spell. Btw, Mopac is named that because the freeway follows the original route of the Missouri Pacific Railroad. </p>
<p>Drive north on IH35 into Round Rock and go to a Round Rock Express baseball game, they're the AAA team for the Houston Astros. You might catch Roger Clemons there watching his son Coby play or even see Nolan Ryan watching a game. Round Rock ia also the home of what else, a round rock, in the middle of Brushy Creek, check out the wagon wheel ruts that can still be seen in the creek bottom. Aslo try the 90 minute walking tour of haunted historical spots downtown.</p>
<p>ok ctdad - now for stuff in Houston:</p>
<p>If you'll be here the last weekend of August, check out the Ballunar Liftoff Festival in Clear Lake. It's one of the the largest hot air ballon rallies in the country, nearly 100 or more hot air balloons every year.</p>
<p>Shopping at the Galleria is outstanding, but I always get sidetracked watching the skaters at the ice rink. </p>
<p>If ya'll are history buffs, visit the San Jacinto Battlefield and Monument, and the Battelship Texas. The monument is the the worlds tallest memorial. Or see the Lone Star Flight Museum in Galveston with it's restored aircraft on display. Don't forget to drive out to Katy, Texas west of Houston and visit Forbidden Gardens, it's a 1/8 exact replica of the Forbidden City in Beijing China. </p>
<p>The Museum district is awesome, my DD goes to the Glassell School of Art at the Museum of Fine Arts. Check out the MFA, and it's free on Thursdays. You can walk to most, if not all, of the museums and make a day of it just doing that. </p>
<p>While downtown go to the Aquarium and the underground tunnel system, which is great for shopping and getting out of our Texas heat. The tunnels are only open during business hours during the week, but still a really cool place to see.</p>
<p>If ya'll be in town between 8/10 and 8/20 go to the Shakespeare Festival at the Miller Outdoor Theater in Herman Park, we go every year, it's lots of fun.
BTW the Miller Outdoor Theater has something going on 3-4 nights a week, and it always free. </p>
<p>Richmond and Westheimer streets are the nightlife hot spots, Gilleys (remember the movie Urban Cowboy) is long gone, but there are others that are just as big and touristy, just follow the lines of cars. Traffic is a nightmare but the music make it worthwhile, there is something for every taste and genre. </p>
<p>If you plan ahead you can make reservations for the free tour of the Houston Ship Channel, it's by boat. I think I remember hearing that our port is the 3rd or 4th largest in the country, anyway its really big.</p>
<p>I'll post stuff for San Antonio in a little bit. Wondering how I know all this stuff? I grew up between santone (TX slang for San Antonio) and the Bayou City (Houston) and lived in Austin for 15 years. Yep, native Texan and proud of it.</p>
<p>ok ctdad - Ready for stuff in San Antonio?</p>
<p>Want to avoid some of the heat? Visit Natural Bridge Caverns, located between SA and New Braunfels. The underground caverns are beautiful.</p>
<p>If you want to step back in time, take the Mission Trails - the Alamo is one of several missions in San Antonio. My favorites are the Mission San Jose and the Alamo (of course). But be prepared for the hot weather and some driving to see them all. If you only have time for one, then definitely make it the Alamo. </p>
<p>You can take the trolley and see several historical sites and museums including the Alamo, Market Square, and San Fernando Cathedral along with several other sites. the "hop on hop off" pass is the best way to do this, great for getting off, seeing something, and getting back on again.</p>
<p>Try to drive thru the King William Historical District, it's an area full of historical homes built in the 1800's. Make a stop at Guenther house which is near King William and see the historical home of the founders of Pionier Flour Mills. The mill still operates and the food they serve is delicious and not too pricey. Perfect for lunch only, they dont serve at night. </p>
<p>Go to the Tower of the Americas at night for a really spectacular view of the city lights. Also visit the Spanish Govenors Palace, Vietnam War Memorial, and the SA Museum of Art, which is in a old castle looking building that used to be the Lone Star Brewery. </p>
<p>The Witte Museum is porbably the best museum in SA. It specializes in TX history and natural science. But the Institute of Texan Cultures is a neat place too. </p>
<p>Definitely do the river boat rides on the riverwalk, it's cooler at night with the
night life and temperatures, there is no breeze on the river boat cruises. the tour guides on the boats are truly full of information. Ya'll can even eat dinner on some of the boats, but this is pretty pricey I think. </p>
<p>BTW, my brother went to Trinity. I'll be glad to ask him any questions you or your D have. I know he really enjoyed going to school there. He graduated in 1995 I think.</p>
<p>Here I come again ctdad! </p>
<p>Bryan College Station is a pretty place, not big like SA and Houston though. </p>
<p>Stop by the Messina Hof Winery, the tour takes 1 hour and they offer wine tasting too. They make the best home grown Texas wines.</p>
<p>The local hotspot is on University Drive and next to TAMU at the Northgate Entertainment Center. They have it all food and music for just about everything. </p>
<p>Also visit the Veterans Memorial. I really like the Bronze sculpture there.</p>
<p>If ya'll don't mind taking a short drive into Hunstville, the Sam Houston Memorial, Museum, and Park, and the Texas Prison Museum are very interesting.</p>
<p>If ya'll are into looking at old graveyards (i am since i do genealogy) then find Demons Road, I've seen grave markers dating back to the 1700's. But dont go there at night, verry verrrry spooky. But if ya'll are into ghosts, go ahead and take a digital camera. Sorry, I don't remember how to get there.</p>
<p>For live music try Fitswilly's, Revolution Cafe, or Sweet Eugenes. If ya'll have never had a chicken fried steak then head for Longhorn Tavern. </p>
<p>I hope ya'll enjoy your visit to Texas. Everyone on this thread has given ya'll some great ideas. Let us know what ya'll thought of the schools after ya'll visit.</p>
<p>An update on Southwestern University in Georgetown....A new strip mall is being constructed. Georgetown is about only twenty or thirty minutes north of Austin. The school is lovely and is very attentive to the student. Austin has wonderful live music opportunities every weekend on and around sixth street. You should also be sure to try some great Texas BBQ while visiting. Austin has Stubb's BBQ (fun atmosphere) and Dan McKluskey's (more formal).</p>