Is this resonable?

We are coming to Ft. Worth for an overnight. After combing the forum I have decided on the Zoo and the stockyards. I have 8 and 9 year old girls. We will have 2 full days and just spend 1 night.

Does this sound resonable or is there another attraction that would be more appealing?

Thank you!

Is this resonable?

One thing to keep in mind with the Stockyards, at least for kids, is to be there when the Longhorn herd is being brought in or taken out (1130 and 1600). Also, there is a bit of shopping but I think most kids would enjoy spending a little time in Billy Bob%26#39;s, esp. Friday or Saturday night to watch the bullriding. Or the Stockyards Rodeo, same nights. A little planning will keep them from thinking the Stockyards is nothing but walking around looking at stuff.

Another alternate activity is the National Cowgirl Hall of Fame in the Museum District- not an all day event but maybe something to do along with the zoo.

Is this resonable?

One more thing- if it is pretty weather, the Botanical Gardens with the Japanese Garden is a cool place to go- you can feed the koi. Lots of pretty areas to see and a good walk.

Sounds reasonable to me. And I love the Japanese Garden - it%26#39;s open later, so we usually do that after the zoo.

Or...we ride the Forest Park Train - it%26#39;s located on the road to the zoo entrance near University. I love this train; it stops in Trinity Park at the snack stand where we get a popcorn and soda.

fortworth.com/01visitors/0108justkids/010808…

Those would be fun activities for your kids. I%26#39;m with Poodleone at seeing the cattle drive and rodeo. Billy Bob%26#39;s allows kids, but they have to stick right with you, no going off to the bathroom independently.

And the stockyards isn%26#39;t a whole day event. I%26#39;d do the Cowgirl Hall of Fame in the early part of the day, then over to the Stockyards for the 4PM cattle drive, then the rodeo at Billy Bob%26#39;s or the regular rodeo.

SPI in April with the kids!

The kids and I will be joining my husband on his business trip to SPI in April at the Sheraton. Since my husband will be working during the day, what can the kids and I do? The kids are 4 and 2. I’m thinking the water will be too cool for swimming (pool and ocean), but we can probably play on the beach. Are there any things we can do around town? I haven’t been to SPI in 20 years. I remember an outdoor mall. Is it still there?

So any must see sites for kids? Kid friendly restaurants, etc?

SPI in April with the kids!

contact Sandy Feet and teach the kids how to build a sand castle. Or take them to the light house in Port Isabel and be sure to go to the sea turtle rescue place. It is an easy walk (maybe not with a 2 year old) from the sheraton to the jetties. It%26#39;s a great place to sit and watch the boats come in and also the dolphins frolic around there. The shelling can be good there, and there is usually a great blue heron hanging around close by. Or you can take them on a dolphin cruise. I like to go down by Dirty Al%26#39;s (you have to eat there) and watch the big fishing boats come in and off load their catch. The ';mall'; is really no more. I think the only thing in there is a nail salon..there may be some shops on the front. Ask and see if the Sheraton%26#39;s pool is heated...some are down there. If all else fails, there is a theater.

SPI in April with the kids!

You will find lots to do. Across the causeway is Sea LIfe Center its a non profit rescue org. The kids might enjoy visiting there. They have a touching cage and a great dolphin film. They might like to ';volunteer'; an afternoon there. Sea Life has several young volunteers. Shell hunting is big in my family. We spend hrs looking for shells. We bought a book on shell crafts this yr and made several things. Im not sure but the Sheratons pool may be a heated pool. Enjoy!

possible relocate to dallas

My husband and I are from the Houston area. We know all the negative things about big city living in Texas - the spraw, heat, humidity, etc. We are currently living in the Nashville area and have become quite spoiled! The terrain, the seasons, the size of the city, the traffic is not bad....the list goes on. Franklin TN is consistently voted the best small town in Tennessee. It is historic, charming, quaint, cherished and well-preserved....and 15 minutes on the other side of Franklin is the modern retail/boom town area with hotels, retail, class-A offices, etc. We love it here.

Unfortunately, our time here may be coming to an end and a move to the Dallas area looks like a possibility. If we accept this position my husband will be in the Irving area.

I love homes with front porches, renovated ';historic'; homes, and I love the trend of building new homes that are historic reproductions . We like living near charming historic districts and like good restaurants, great grocery stores (Central Market Whole Foods, etc.) . Our children are in college. We probably won%26#39;t spend more than 400-500K on a house. Any suggestions for where to look? Thanks so much!

possible relocate to dallas

I had read your post on Fodor%26#39;s, but didn%26#39;t reply...seemed like it was about to be an arguement about how great Highland/University Park is. The type of home you%26#39;re looking for gets bulldozed in HP/UP....they%26#39;ve lost some good ones.

So...Munger Place and Junius Heights are two areas that are under a historical district protection. ChrystinP wil have more info on this since she lives in Munger Place and loves it.

Lakewood is great as well as Lakewood Heights and Vickery Place.

We have a local monthly magazine showcasing these neighborhoods - The Advocate - see if you can find it on-line.

Whole Foods is moving from lower Greenville to Lakewood at the intersection of Abrams and Gaston. And Central Mkt is at Greenville and Lovers.

possible relocate to dallas

Forgot to mention M-Streets...there are so many neiborhoods - East Dallas encompasses all of them. Zip codes to look in are:

75214 - Lakewood, Vickery Place, Lakewood Heights

75218 - Forest hills

75206 - M Streets

What about Southlake and Grapevine? Would those areas be too far out for a commute to Irving? Or are those areas attractive mainly to families?

Southlake is great and most move there for the schools which are superior. It is family oriented and school oriented since their football team is top rated. There%26#39;s a Central Mkt in Southlake now.

Grapevine also has the feel you are looking for, but I don%26#39;t know much about the area since I live in East Dallas.

Personally, I%26#39;d go more for the area/neighborhood you%26#39;d like to live in. There are ways to get to Irving from East Dallas w/o getting on the highway - on Northwest Hwy. I can get to the DFW airport from East Dallas in 45 minutes during rush hour traffic taking Northwest Hwy...so Irving is probably a bit shorter.

Y%26#39;all might visit and do the driving and see what you can handle.

You should look in East Dallas. The area known as Lakewood has homes from the 1920s-1940s. It is just NE of downtown Dallas so a commute to Irving would be doable. The areas in Lakewood to check would be M-Streets and Hollywood Heights. These areas are a few miles apart, and really all the homes in this area are older and charming. This area has undergone a period of ';tear downs'; so there are newer homes here too. This area is east of US 75 and west of White Rock Lake. You can find an older home in the $400k-$500k price range.

I too would say M Streets/Lakewood area.

From your description of what you%26#39;re looking for I%26#39;d say you%26#39;re a candidate for Munger Place, Junius Heights, or Peak Suburban, in that order.

Munger is an exceptional neighborhood, 13 blocks of folks who know each other, are extremely active in protecting historic districts and in having parties.

www.mungerplace.com

Junius Heights is to the east of us, more of an eclectic mix of homes, just got Historic Conservation District status.

Peak-Suburban is to the west of us and they%26#39;re an up-and-coming district, where Munger was several years ago in organization and housing mix.

I like these three neighborhoods because there%26#39;s real easy access to I-30 and I-75 and I don%26#39;t feel all hemmed in like I would in a more internal neighborhood. And this area is like living in a small town where you know your neighbors. I have friends from each of these districts because we%26#39;re all at the same meetings, care about the same issues, are active in our communities.

Munger Place is having our home tour May 5 %26amp; 6, and you might want to try to come to see the neighborhood during that time, if it looks like you%26#39;re going to be moving..

Lakewood is less neighborly and more expensive as a general rule.

I wouldn%26#39;t buy in University Park or Highland Park if I were Mark Cuban and could afford it, but lots of people are highly enthusiastic about those cities.

There are also properties on Swiss Avenue that can be had for your price range, but I%26#39;d choose Munger over Swiss (and did).

The Munger Place home tour is great - that would be a PERFECT time for you to check things out!!!

All the other neighborhoods do home tours too...but usually not on the same weekend.

downtown eats, best bang for the buck?

Am going down to SA in 2 days %26amp; staying downtown so wuld like some good advice on great spots for entertainment %26amp; eating at night within downtown

downtown eats, best bang for the buck?

Need a little more info - are we talking upscale? unique San Antonio attractions? off the beaten path? Texas music? main stream pop/country music? cheap drinking? Mexican touristy?

downtown eats, best bang for the buck?

Yea... I would like to know too. We are simple people, not upscale. Just good family dining. Salmon and steaks? And a good Mexican restaurant as well.

here%26#39;s some places off the top of my head in no particular order....

on the riverwalk:

$ - Zuni Grill for apetizers %26amp; great cactus margaritas! Rio Rio for nachos %26amp; ritas. Mad Dog%26#39;s, D*ck%26#39;s Last Resort, Pat O%26#39;brien%26#39;s for beer/burgers/fried things

$$ - boudro%26#39;s for great steaks/seafood with a Southwestern flair: http://www.boudros.com/boudros/

$$$ - Pesca - more upscale: http://www.watermarkhotel.com/restaurant/

$$$$ - as seen on the Travel Channel, Las Canarias at La Mansion: omnihotels.com/FindAHotel/…Dining.aspx

nightspots: Howl at the Moon (piano bar), Poly Esters (retro dance club), Swig (martini bar), RiverCenter (Mall) Comedy Club

slightly off the riverwalk: Houston Street has many fine restaurants and a little further away south is El Mirador %26amp; Rosarios for excellent Tex-Mex food with good atmosphere. I don%26#39;t recommend any Tex-Mex restaurants on the Riverwalk for your main dinner....just apetizers. Here%26#39;s another restaurant with good country cooking just north of downtown: Liberty Bar: http://www.liberty-bar.com/

weather this weekend

I%26#39;m coming for a jewelry show this weekend. Since I%26#39;m used to the cold one digit weather right now, I%26#39;m sure it will feel warm down there to me. But what is the weather like right now? Do I need to bring a winter coat?

weather this weekend

yes, bring a winter coat. it%26#39;s been down in the 30%26#39;s at night. during the day it%26#39;s in the 60%26#39;s and sunny...perfect day weather!

Port Aransas or Corpus Christi for one night.

My wife and I will be going through this area in the middle of Feburary. We would like advice on staying in Port Aransas or Corpus Christi. Also advice on local eaterys. Thank you.

Port Aransas or Corpus Christi for one night.

Hi

You can%26#39;t compare CC and PA. 300.000 inh. vs 3000. A big city vs a beachtown. If you are in a hurry I suggest to stay in CC. You can reach PA from the north only by (free) ferry and it takes quite a long detour to reach it from the south on Mustang Island. But if you want to stay in an old fashioned and nice little town. Go PA. We stayed in a condo in PA so can%26#39;t tell you about other lodging or dining. Sorry.

Tet

Port Aransas or Corpus Christi for one night.

Stay at Port A. Corpus is too ';big city'; might as well get a room in Huston. Port-A has a lot of charm and gulf views that you can%26#39;t get in Corpus. My two cents worth. ';Are we there yet?';

bloom-

Relocating: Dallas or Houston?

I will soon have a degree in both video production and graphic design. I plan on relocating soon after college. Which city has the best job market/industry for my fields: Houston or Dallas?

Relocating: Dallas or Houston?

You%26#39;d be better off checking with counselors at your school or the Texas Film Commission regarding what%26#39;s going on in Texas production wise.

www.governor.state.tx.us/divisions/film

I know of only one studio in Dallas. Have no knowledge whatsoever of studios in Houston.

But this is a niche type question which is not going to get really great answers from this forum.

Relocating: Dallas or Houston?

I would try Austin. Great city and tech sector is booming. Probably not as many jobs but better city to live in (I live near Dallas).

i think it depends on exactly what you are looking to do. there are a lot of post production shops in dallas. i do know a few people in the field, and most of them live in dallas or austin...

kid friendly condos

I will be staying in SPI for one week in the third week of august. We will be 2 adults and 3 kids (ages 7, 4,3)

Do you know of any really good condos to stay at that are close to the main attractions? on the beach?

Plus, I read somewhere that there is a free shuttle bus on the island..is this true?

Thanks

kid friendly condos

Yes there is a shuttle. Most of the condos on SPI are kid friendly. We stay at Gulf View One. Depends on how much you want to spend. Its not as expensive as some of the other condos. Its not beach front although its within walking distance of the beach and if you get on a higher floor you can good view. Gulfview One offers 2 bedroom and 2bath I think they have 2. They also have one bedroom. We have also stayed at Sunchase which was on the beach it was a lot more expensive and a big hassle to get around in with kids. Just too big for us too hard to do laundry. Your kids might enjoy Sea Life Center its just across the causeway. Has a touching cage and a great dolphin film. We find lots to do on SPI.

kid friendly condos

The Radisson used to have a kids%26#39; activity director for the summer. You could call and check. Also, their condos are undergoing a facelift (there are already some very nice ones in there but were some pretty bad). They have one heated and one regular pool, three hot tubs, shuffleboard, tennis and very easy access to the beach. Shuttle stops there. It%26#39;s three blocks from the waterpark.

Dallas, Forth Worth or elsewhere?

Question for you experts...

I%26#39;m going to be on a business trip on Feb. 21 - 23rd at Hilton in DFW airport however my wife is planning to fly down on the 23rd and we are going to stay in the area until Sunday evening to then fly out of DFW airport.

Where would you recommend to stay for us to see the area (shopping), have a nice dinner or hit a nice bar for a glass of wine? I will have a car. I%26#39;ve been to Dallas before and it doesn%26#39;t really excite me much however I%26#39;ve been reading posts on here and Fort Worth seems to be a nice spot for a weekend. We are both professionals looking to enjoy the site for a weekend to get away from work and relax!!!!

Any suggestions on city, hotel, restaraunts, etc.?

Any help would be greatly appreciated!!!

Corey

Dallas, Forth Worth or elsewhere?

Well, I am really surprised no one has responded yet.

If Dallas doesn%26#39;t excite you, then definitely go to Fort Worth.

You don%26#39;t mention price range for the hotels.

The Ashton Hotel, very upscale http://www.theashtonhotel.com/about.htm

The Worthington, not as upscale, but still very nice

marriott.com/property/propertypage/DFWDT

If you want either of those you need to book now.

Less upscale but good location: Hilton.

There are also the usual Marriott properties (the Worthington is a Mariott Renaissance property) scattered about in pretty good locations.

You don%26#39;t mention a price range or interests.

If I were going to Fort Worth for the weekend I%26#39;d think about attending the Four Day Weekend Comedy

http://www.fourdayweekend.com/

Check out what%26#39;s going on at Bass Hall, the Jubilee Theater, Stage West Theater (located in the old modern art museum space in the cultural district), or the Circle Theatre.

I don%26#39;t do shopping, but downtown is fun to walk through and there are a variety of small stores (no big department stores) downtown.

Definitely go to the Cowgirl Museum. If you like art go to the Kimbell or the Amon Carter. The Sid Richardson Museum of Western Art is fabulous and just the right size to appreciate, but not get tired of visiting. That%26#39;s not phrased well. I like art, but I don%26#39;t like to spend all day at a museum. sidrmuseum.org/nu_site/…

Go to Billy Bob%26#39;s one evening, if you like country music at all.

What kinds of restaurants are you looking for?

Dallas, Forth Worth or elsewhere?

CHRISTYNP -

thanks for the reply and information. Based off of your initial comments you sound like Dallas is a good place to stay at. Am I correct? If so, where would you recommend we go?

Basically, she will be flying in Friday evening so we wil have all day Saturday and most of the day on Sunday.

Hotel : Look for medium to upscal hotels in a nice area convenient to walk to most of the things.

Food: Not too picky as we only have a couple of days.

Nightlife: maybe a theatre play, comedy club would be nice

During the day: Would like to site-see and see some of the history in Dallas.

Based off of what our preferences are above, would you recommend Dallas or Fort Worth? How far is Fort Worth from Dallas anyways?

thanks again for your help!

Corey

Being a Dallasite... I LOVE Dallas! You should stay in the Hiton, Highland Park. Discover what the ';Bubble'; is like! We are a beautiful neighborhood right smack in the middle of Dallas. Go to HIghland Park Village to shop and to eat. Have dinner at any of these: Cafe Pacific, Patrizio%26#39;s, or MiCocina. You can have the best seafood in Dallas, or Italian (at a great value) or TexMex with the BEST margs or Mambo taxis anywhere in the world! If you want trendier... stay at Hotel Zaza... in the uptown area... easy to get to... and eat at Dragonfly. It%26#39;s a wonderful restaurant.. and the rooms at Zaza are very memorable! I%26#39;ll write more later.... going out for my anniversary dinner at the St. Germain now....... I can tell you lots more!!! Feel free to e-mai me at lisagrasso@charter.net

ENJOY!!

Cheers,

Lisa

In Fort Worth....

If you like Mexican food and if the weather is nice and warm try Joe T Garcia in Fort Worth. They have a beautiful patio that lights up at night. From there you can hit downtown and go through a ton of selections on bars- Flying Saucer is great if you like to try lots of different beers.

In Grapevine there are some nice restaurants around the Gaylord Texan- not 10 minutes from DFW Airport.

Talk to your hotel staff, they can almost always offer great reccomendations, especially the locals.

Hmm, I%26#39;m missing something about our communication here. The first response I wrote is entirely regarding Fort Worth. Those hotels and suggestions are all in Fort Worth. Dallas and Fort Worth are about 30 miles apart and about equidistant from DFW airport which is northeast of Fort Worth and northwest of Dallas.

Hotel Zaza is extremely expensive. I believe you said you wanted a moderate priced hotel. For Dallas you can get great web rates on the Magnolia, Hotel Lawrence, and the Adolphus on occasion and those are the hotels I%26#39;d look at first in Dallas. Their normal rates can range from about $150 and up.

There are lots and lots of posts here about recommended hotels in Dallas, if you look through the last six months posts you%26#39;ll find lots of good info on hotel recommendations. I like being downtown and those are the hotels I%26#39;d choose downtown.

Moderate priced options in Dallas are either of the Bradford Suites locations.

But you%26#39;ve already said Dallas bores you, so I%26#39;d give Fort Worth a go this visit. I love both cities and travel between the two fairly often. Amazingly enough, very few Dallasites seem to make it to Fort Worth events, and vice versa. Don%26#39;t know why because they%26#39;re both fabulous cities with lots of items of interest.

If you%26#39;re going to be here the first weekend of March the North Texas Irish Festival is coming up.

Just re-read your post, I missed the moderate to upscale, in that event you might find Hotel Zaza to be entertaining. This is in Dallas. And the Dragonfly is getting good reviews, but I haven%26#39;t been there. I found one of the reviews I read to be offputting in that it commented along the line that if you weren%26#39;t in the upscale in-crowd you would be out of place, and I%26#39;m just not too interested in places that have delusions of grandeur. Food is food, after all, and I don%26#39;t care if the society crowd eats there or not, if the food is good. But very often if the society crowd is there, the food is overpriced, service not too special if you%26#39;re not one of the notables, and long delays while flowers are put in just the right place on the plate to cover up that you only got four scallops. Not my thing.

Why don%26#39;t you tell us more about what your interests and price ranges are and then maybe we could give more directed responses.

And also, what time frame is your visit in? While Dallas/Fort Worth don%26#39;t have intense winters, we do have weather, and time frames would tell us more about what to suggest.

Hi there my husband and I stayed at the Texan Gaylord last October and it was fabulous, the bedroom very spacious with 2 large beds in a lovely bathroom and a balcony overlooking the atrium which is fantastic. The restaurants are very good, we used the riverside one for a buffet breakfast and then the steak one in the evening.

Lovely to have a glass of wine (or two) in the Silver Bar and watch the world go by, very relaxing

For your wife there is a shopping mall quite nearby but the trolley bus takes you there and back. Also, not far from Dallas shopping.

If you go, enjoy it because we did

Popet

Upscale-

Four Seasons Los Colinas/Irving overlooks the golf course where Byran Nelson Tournament is held.

One of my favorite restaurants in Los Colinas/ Irving is Cool River.

There is also some good restaurants in Grapevine off of 114.

Gaylord- Great Sunday Brunch ( per friends) I however don%26#39;t know as I managed to slip on a shrimp and spent the afternoon in the ER without ever getting a bite of food.

But it is beautiful inside.

I worked in Los Colinas for 15 years and was a resident 8.

For information on hotels, restaurants in Los Colinas you use Irving as city.

I moved back to MO 2 years ago so some of my info may not be current.

Shopping- Grapevine Mills or Galleria in N Dallas.

Suggestion you might check in your wife taking SuperShuttle to hotel or check with hotel to see if they have a shuttle, some of the near airport ones do.

in fort worth, i%26#39;d stay downtown...really anywhere downtown is nice. and for restaurants, i%26#39;d try del frisco%26#39;s, reata, or joe t garcia%26#39;s.

in dallas, i%26#39;d recommend looking in the uptown/downtown area for the best deal on a hotel. they are all nice in both areas. the best steakhouse in dallas/fort worth, hands down, is nick and sam%26#39;s.

http://www.nick-sams.com/ and for a nice glass of wine, try the library at the magnolia hotel.

Great sports bars near American Airlines Center?

Some friends of mine are going to see if we can get decent seats to the upcoming NHL All Star game in Dallas. If we don%26#39;t, we want to hang at a good sports bar in the area. Any recommendations?

By ';good sports bar,'; I mean something with a fair number of TVs, decent prices, lively chatter, and perhaps the occasional lovely lass to gaze upon for a spell.

Also, the place doesn%26#39;t have to be right on top of AAC, just within a couple of miles.

Great sports bars near American Airlines Center?

I have friends who like Frankie%26#39;s on McKinney Ave.

Great sports bars near American Airlines Center?

There is a Hooters in close proximity of AA Center.

And for those easily offended by Hooters, D*cks Last Resort is next door they will insult you in whole different way :-) There are a few other sports type bars further up in the West End such as Gators.

The Metro Grill in the Knox Henderson area is a really nice hangout with lots of TVs, the upscale young crowd, and easy to get to from downtown.

I%26#39;m from out of townand am going to the all star game next week. I went to the game in 2003 in Florida and they had a hugh beer garden. Is anything like that planned for this year?

I%26#39;m from out of townand am going to the all star game next week. I went to the game in 2003 in Florida and they had a hugh beer garden. Is anything like that planned for this year?

San Francisco Rose isn%26#39;t necessarily right next to AAC but it%26#39;s in the area. Off of Greenville.

there are lots of sports bars in the immediate area, no reason to go too far.

all of these are on mckinney, within a couple of miles of the AAC:

mckinney avenue tavern - personal favorite

frankie%26#39;s

christie%26#39;s

uptown pub

knox street pub

the corner bar

most of the other bars in the area have tv%26#39;s, but aren%26#39;t necessarily designated as ';sports bars';...sometimes if those are all really crowded you can get a table at the loon, which has a big screen and about 8 other tv%26#39;s.

Girls Night Out Ideas.

So friends I am in need of some great nightlife spots to take a group of 12 girls (ages 24-27) out for the night. I work in Dallas but rarely go out in Dallas. So I am looking for a place that has great energy, good music, not overly priced drinks, somewhere we can dance, sing, and have an great time. (I am hoping this is not too much to ask..) My one rule is, I am not looking for anything that requires us to stand in line waiting for a guy with an earpiece to judge if we are trendy enough for the place. Then if we are one of the ';lucky'; ones we have to pay some stupid cover. We are easy going girls that are laid back and looking for fun.

Let me know if you have any great places that fit some of these descriptions.

Girls Night Out Ideas.

I suggest Obar, Luqa Lounge (haven%26#39;t been there yet but have heard it was good for nightlife), Cretia%26#39;s in uptown, Glorias (which has great happy hour prices and free salsa dance lessons on certain nights), Glass Cactus in Grapevine, Gilleys (if you%26#39;re wanting a country flair).

hope this helps a bit.

There is another post on here about a girl%26#39;s trip Feb. 15 or 16th that may help you for more ideas.

Girls Night Out Ideas.

Sounds like a good idea. I just got here in Dallas a couple of weeks back and sarching for nice frineds to hang out with. Let me know if you wanna hang around with me some time. My email address is shahzad4_5@hotmail.com.

Bye

for that age, i would suggest the uptown area. if you don%26#39;t want to wait in line, the quarter might be a fun spot, along with any of the bars in the immediate area.

Things to do?

My sister currently lives in Austin and will be joining me in Dallas for a few days in March. What are some of the must things to do in Dallas? We’ll definitely be giving Sonny Bryan’s a try and would like to try some other recommendations as well. I’m 40 and my sister is 37 so we’re not club people, but would love to find a neat bar to hangout at it. Maybe one that has live music. Thanks!!

Things to do?

Where in Dallas are you staying?

Things to do?

We%26#39;ll be staying at the Renaissance Dallas Hotel which is north west of downtown in case you don%26#39;t know where it is.

The Renaissance Dallas Hotel is more in the area known as Market Center, right off of the section of I-35 called Stemmons. You will be close enough to downtown to take advantage of the West End, Deep Ellum, Uptown by cab or, once downtown, you can get on the DART light Rail and go up to Mockingbird Station, City Place or North Park Mall.

Other folks will will chime in with specifics or you can scroll back through some of the recent postings- there are several new and interesting places mentioned. We like to go to Poor David%26#39;s Pub for live music- that would require a cab from your hotel or will you have a car?

My sister will be driving up from Austin so we%26#39;ll have her car. I doubt we%26#39;ll be taking taxi very often if at all.

Check out The Pigeon Hole in Irving Texas. It is easy to get to and a nice safe place to enjoy good music. It is not a bar, it is a non-smoking venue and it has great live music. I think you will like it.

www.thepigeonholeirving.com.

If you are going to be in Dallas on March 16, a great place to go is the Dallas Museum of Art- they have a program called ';Late Nights'; the third Friday of the month with music, dance, poetry, wine tastings, tours of exhibits- lots of interesting things to see and do.

(www.dallasmuseumofart.org)

We%26#39;ll be in Dallas from March 30th through April 1st.

Definitely check out Poor David%26#39;s, the Granada, and Billy Bob%26#39;s to see who%26#39;s playing.

The only Sonny Bryan%26#39;s I%26#39;m fond of is the original on Inwood, but they%26#39;re only open during the day (M-F until 4 PM, Saturday%26#39;s until 3PM).

You%26#39;ll be here at a pretty time of the year and right in the middle of the Dallas Blooms at the arboretum, sure to be fun, 60s themes are the focus this year (Flower Power!)

dallasarboretum.org/Events/Dallas_Blooms.htm

Thanks for the info on Sonny Bryan%26#39;s!! We%26#39;ll have to make sure we hit there on Friday.

I%26#39;m not sure what kind of music you%26#39;ll be looking for...but The Balcony Club is good for your age range...yes, I%26#39;m in that range too!!!

http://dallas.citysearch.com/profile/34445667

I keep trying to think of bars that have music, but all that comes into my head are places like The Double Wide and Bar of Soap...which may not be what you%26#39;re looking for.

Pick up a Dallas Observer or look at dallasobserver.com for music/bar listings. Also guidelive.com.

There%26#39;s a dual Matisse exhibit at the Dallas Museun of Art and the Nasher Sculpture Center...across the street from each other.

bloom-

Brit relocating to texas (huge massive change for me)

My partner is relocating to Austin, we are in our late 30%26#39;s and having visited Austin twice during the past 18 months for two weeks (each time), I have some conerns over meeting up with new people - my partner will be working - I won%26#39;t be able to. I am not big into the music scene (my partner is) so 6th street isn%26#39;t really my scene. I would really love to get some background from expats and their experiences. Our first visit, it was unbearably hot and I couldn%26#39;t function (however, all I do is complain about UK weather!!!!). Everyone we met was welcoming and friendly, but we were looking at property, so I guess they would be nice (I am cynical - then I am English). This is a huge step for me and I would love some feedback, particulary on where to rent for for the first 6 months and the best area to look for purchasing a property. Thanks to anyone who responds.

Brit relocating to texas (huge massive change for me)

Since this isn%26#39;t a relocation forum, your post will probably be shut down soon. Here is a site dedicated to relocation:

http://www.city-data.com/forum/texas/

Please read the Terms of Service Announcement before you post there (that would be the rules) and also do a search of previous Austin posts and you%26#39;ll get tons of information.

Enjoy!

Help!

We are flying in a day early for a cruise out of Galveston. I don%26#39;t know if it would be cheaper to stay a hotel close to the airport and shuttle/taxi (?) to Galveston the day the ship sails or go directly to Galveston and spend the night and then get a taxi to the port. The shuttles are kind of pricey. Any input would be appreciated!

Help!

You can probably get some reasonable rates at Galveston hotels right now - off season. Holiday Inn Sunspree doesn%26#39;t look bad.

Help!

There have also been posts about favorable rental cars from (I think) Enterprise designed specifically for folks flying into Houston and cruising form Galveston.

If you have not already left for your cruise, I would recomend

staying in Galveston the night before. Depending on the day of the

week, the traffic from hobby airport , across the causeway, to Galveston can be highly unpredictable. Houston traffic can be a

nightmare, so just to be safe, drive on down to Galveston when you

can take a leisurely pace, and ot worry about being late for the

boat. You do not want to miss your boat!

Some of the Galveston hotels and motels offer cruise ship

specials, etc. such as the Holiday Inn, the name brand ones, and some have shuttles to take you there that morning.

Have a nice trip!

If you have not already left for your cruise, I would recomend

staying in Galveston the night before. Depending on the day of the

week, the traffic from hobby airport , across the causeway, to Galveston can be highly unpredictable. Houston traffic can be a

nightmare, so just to be safe, drive on down to Galveston when you

can take a leisurely pace, and ot worry about being late for the

boat. You do not want to miss your boat!

Some of the Galveston hotels and motels offer cruise ship

specials, etc. such as the Holiday Inn, the name brand ones, and some have shuttles to take you there that morning.

Have a nice trip!

Fun restaurant in Austin

A bunch of my daughter%26#39;s high school classmates will be

journeying to Austin next month for a school-sponsored

event. Anyone know of a fun restaurant they could go that

would give them a nice memory of their trip to the city?

Thanks in advance for your suggestions.

Fun restaurant in Austin

Where in Austin will they be staying and/or meeting?

Fun restaurant in Austin

They are staying near Town Lake (if that helps - or is everything

near Town Lake?!). We have not been informed yet of exact

hotel, unfortunately.

Brit relocating to texas (huge massive change for me)

My partner is relocating to Austin, we are in our late 30%26#39;s and having visited Austin twice during the past 18 months for two weeks (each time), I have some conerns over meeting up with new people - my partner will be working - I won%26#39;t be able to. I am not big into the music scene (my partner is) so 6th street isn%26#39;t really my scene. I would really love to get some background from expats and their experiences. Our first visit, it was unbearably hot and I couldn%26#39;t function (however, all I do is complain about UK weather!!!!). Everyone we met was welcoming and friendly, but we were looking at property, so I guess they would be nice (I am cynical - then I am English). This is a huge step for me and I would love some feedback, particulary on where to rent for for the first 6 months and the best area to look for purchasing a property. Thanks to anyone who responds.

Brit relocating to texas (huge massive change for me)

Hi Surrey - having never lived in Austin, I couldn%26#39;t really give you any renting or property advice. I love to visit but always stay in hotels. :)

As far as the weather, however, oh yes, it gets hot in Texas. Our summers are our longest seasons and the heat can be quite something. It definitely will take you some getting used to! In regards to the friendliness of the people you encountered on your visits to Austin, I think you%26#39;ll find that that%26#39;s the norm in Texas - of course, I%26#39;m biased, but we are generally a very friendly bunch of people and making friends should be no problem for you!

Local Expert...

How in the world do you become a LOCAL EXPERT?? I was born and riased here and lived here for the past 40 years!!!! Where is my title? LOL!

Local Expert...

If you post often enough and with enough interest and enthusiasm, Trip Advisor will email you and ask if you wish to become a local expert. It is nice to be asked but you can say no if you wish to remain ';independent';.

Local Expert...

Your sooo indie...poodle...;) wink wink

And I%26#39;m soo stupid...can%26#39;t even spell...ugh!!!

yea- I%26#39;m holding out to be the local expert for Kerens!

Now that is FUNNY. I%26#39;m holding out for L.Expert for Cedar Hill ! ;)

(Not many know where Kerens is...how about Gun Barrell, Cayuga, or Bardwell :)

I had look Kerens up on the map!!

I definitely wasn%26#39;t born and raised here. Haven%26#39;t even lived here all that long comparatively (since 1991). TA asked me to be the local expert very early on, I have no idea why. What I do is enjoy the heck out of living in Dallas! And I really should be the local expert for Poughkeepsie, too, where I%26#39;ve never lived but also love. I think I%26#39;ll let them know I%26#39;m willing that poor forum goes for months without responses.

Well, gee....doesn%26#39;t anyone travel to Sachse, Texas anymore....what about Wylie....shucks we%26#39;ve cleaned up since the Betty Gore Axe murder thang. hmmmm...that sounded alot better in my head....really didn%26#39;t need to RE-LIVE that one.

LOL... Oh heck... I%26#39;ve given information about McGregor at least TWICE! Wasn%26#39;t asked either time though.....(We%26#39;re outside of Waco, to save y%26#39;all form looking on the map)

San Antonio during Fiesta with kids

I am going to be in San Antonio during the Fiesta. I wanted to go to the parade Saturday 4/28, but don%26#39;t know too much about it. I see they sell street chairs for $8 a person.

Is that the best way to go?

Can you recommend a good area with a good restaurant near by?

My kids are 4 %26amp; 3.

Thanks!

San Antonio during Fiesta with kids

Are you staying downtown? That might have a bearing on your choices. In general, I like to view the parade at the beginning of the route. That lets me leave before most of the other folks are leaving. Of course I have to get there earlier.

There are various seating options.

1. Bring your own and stake out spot early (some folks move in several days before.)

2. Purchase seats from one of the organizations (like Boy Scout Troops) that set up 3 rows of chairs on the side street. The first row is almost always sold out ahead of time, but good second row seats can be purchased a few hours before the parade.

3. Purchase official grandstand seats they’re available from the Fiesta Commission.

4. Purchase seating from businesses along the route. This is especially nice for the River Parade. There a several restaurants that sell a package which includes dinner.

For information about all things Fiesta chect out the Official Fiesta Website.

San Antonio during Fiesta with kids

Thanks for your reply. I%26#39;m staying at the Hyatt in Hill Country and driving in to the parade. I guess I%26#39;ll buy a chair from the Boyscouts like you recommended.

For viewing the night parade on Saturday night, I always like to get seats in the grandstand set up at Maverick Park (Jones Ave. at Broadway). I think these seats are sold by the Downtown Lion%26#39;s Club. The great thing about this location is it is near the beginning of the parade and the park is available if the the kids get restless sitting down. Broadway also turns slightly at this intersection, so you%26#39;ll get a good view up the street of the floats and bands as they approach.

Another advantage is that the grandstand seats give you better view over the people in front of you. Seats in the 2nd or 3rd row on the street are generally lower than the seats in front due to the curvature of the street for drainage purposes. This can really be a problem with small children. On the other hand, you have to judge whether you%26#39;ll feel comfortable with the little ones on open grandstand where they could slip down between the seats.

I%26#39;m confused and don%26#39;t know what this Fiesta/parades are all about???? We will be in San Antonio March 29 to April 2. Will we be able to see a parade and what is all entailed?????

Every year there is a ';Fiesta'; in San Antonio. This year the dates are 4/20-4/29.

Its a 10 day celebration with festivities, parades, etc.

When you are there it will not be going on. Sorry.

bloom-

distance from Kemeh to downtown

I%26#39;m going to a conference in Houston and thinking of the family coming along for a little outing. I%26#39;m going to ned to be in downtown but we are thinking of staying near the Kemeh boardwalk for the kids. How long would it take to get from there to downtown in the morning rush hour?

distance from Kemeh to downtown

Hi Texas,

I hate to be the one to tell you this, but to get to downtown from Kemah, you%26#39;d have to take I-45 North, and in AM rush hour, it%26#39;s murder. On a good day, you%26#39;d be looking at probably an hour or so. To get back in the evenings, you%26#39;d need the same amount of time, if not a bit more. That%26#39;s a well-traveled area during the week (and even on weekends, because of Kemah%26#39;s attractions) so you%26#39;d be spending quite a bit of time in the car. :(

distance from Kemeh to downtown

Depends on the time of day you are going. If I am going at posted speeds - I can make the drive in about 45 minutes. The biggest hold up is not the freeway but the traffic lights between the freeway and the boardwalk. You could stay at a hotel closer in Clear Lake and still have easy accessibility to the boardwalk and to downtown.

Casino Buses

Anyone know how I could locate day trip buses to casinos in Shreveport/Bossier City?

Casino Buses

I found this info on the Shreveport forum actually....but you also might try to ';google'; this info, or contact some of the larger hotels in the Dallas area and they may be able to direct you also.

Amtrak and Coach USA bus lines were mentioned in the other forum. A link provided was www.dallas.coachusa.us/casinotours.cfm

Hope this helps you out.

Family visiting Houston, area/location advice?

Our family is visitng Houston for a get together, its centric for all of us. Plenty of children are coming along and we are contemplating staying at a Best Western. There is one in Greenspoint, another at Northwest and one called Heritadge...any idea of which location is better/nicer/safer?

Family visiting Houston, area/location advice?

Wow, these are 3 seperate areas of town. Greenspoint is on the northside near the Bush Intercontinental airport, Heritage is on the east side and northwest is on HWY 290 at Antoine.

I am not familiar with the east side of town, but Greenspoint can be very questionable. I would stay at the northwest location if these were my picks.

Location would really come down to where/what you were planning to do while in town. The northwest location is convienent enough to do most things and there are lots of restaurants nearby.

Family visiting Houston, area/location advice?

Thank you Knr for your reply. We are mainly just trying to spend some time together. There might be some shopping for sure and cheaper entertainment for the children (maybe six flags). But our main concern is staying in a good safe, family oriented location. Some requests are to not be near the medical center nor so close to downtown.

We are not familiar with Houston, is there an area you would recomend? I have been reading about the woodlands but it seems so far from everything - including IAH.

Six Flags Astroworld does not exist anymore. Six Flags Splashtown does and it is a waterpark.

The original areas you listed would not be near the Medical center or downtown, but the 290 location would give you easy access if you wanted to go into the city.

I would advise the Woodlands area if you don%26#39;t need to be in the city. It is very safe and clean. Again lots of shopping, dining and things to do as well as easy access to the city if needed. It is not any further than the other locations you listed, and alot easier to get to from IAH. I would say from the airport, it would be about a 25 minute drive.

For more information on The Woodlands area, look at www.town-center.com.

There is still a Best Western in the Woodlands, along with a Marriott, Fairfield Inn, Courtyard by Marriott, Drury Inn, Hilton Garden Inn, Residence Inn, and the Woodlands Resort. I think these will all be mentioned in the above website.

Hi shadentom,

knr%26#39;s gave you great advice - my only two cents to throw in on your post is my recommendation that you do not stay in the Greenspoint area. It isn%26#39;t the safest by any standards, and although there are ongoing attempts to clean it up, I%26#39;d stay away from it if at all possible.

I hope you and your family enjoy our town. :)

From what I can tell about what you want, I would also look at the Clear Lake area. You would be near Space Center, Galveston, Kemah and shopping.

I would recommend staying away from both Greenspoint and from the 290/Antoine locations. If you can find something in the Galleria area or even Clear Lake you would be much better off as far as safety.

If you do go in the Clear Lake Area, check out Armand Bayou%26#39;s Breakfast on the Bayou. Great natural wildlife while in the city. www.abnc.org

Why not the Galleria area? Lots of restaurants, not too far from the museum district and the zoo, a range of hotels to choose from.

I agree with the above poster about staying in the Galleria area. There are tons of restaurants and hotels to choose from. The Galleria area is also not to far from the zoo, Museum of Natural Science, The Children%26#39;s Museum, Hermann Park, and other places for children.

Visiting Dallas with a 16 year old girl....HELP ME!

Hello everyone! I will be in the dallas are March 15-18th with my teenaged daughter for spring break. We have booked rooms at The Doubletree on Market Center, The Hyatt Regency on Reunion Blv, and The Radisson, on Mockingbird, Love Field, totally random I know, but I%26#39;m a priceline addict, lol! Anyway, we have tickets to The Door in Deep Ellum one night, and we will be stopping by her favorite store Buffalo Exchange to shop, and I am hoping to find other hip things to do with her (we are celebrating good grades, hopefully). She LOVES fashion, music, theater and all things ';Scene'; to my chagrin, as I love museums, art and jazz. Any suggestions as to where the cool teens are and where there are inexpensive things to do with her? We went to 6 flags last year, and Texas DeBrazil, and had a good time, but we really want to check out the more ';outside'; things to do. Your help is truly appreciated!

Visiting Dallas with a 16 year old girl....HELP ME!

outdoor shopping:

west village at lemmon and mckinney is great and fun!

mockingbird station at 75 and mockingbird

highland park village at mockingbird and preston

snyder plaza at hillcrest and lovers

for eating:

probably hit the west village area, mi cocina or taco diner would be fun.

other outdoor:

nasher sculpture museum downtown

Visiting Dallas with a 16 year old girl....HELP ME!

Mockingbird Station has Urban Outfitters, American Apparel. Good eats at Margarita Ranch. There%26#39;s also a so-so sushi place (Reikyu) and a Rockfish, Starbucks, etc. Angelika movie theater also - maybe something good will be playing that you%26#39;ll both enjoy.

If the weather is bad - Northpark Center would be your best bet. There%26#39;s an Urban Outfitters there too and XXI. Also Swatch...lots of cool places. And good eats in the food court (Which Wich is my fave) and plenty of sit down restaurants - Luna de Noche, PF Changs, etc. Besides...for you, mom....the mall also houses some of Ray Nasher sculpture and art collection which is throughout the mall. It%26#39;s really spectacular. Also an AMC movie theater.

If she like vintage things - go to Dolly Python on Haskell, just past Cityplace. I think the cross street is Delano.

In the same block as Buffalo Exchange is Corner Market. And across the street (more across from the Granda) is Izmir Deli (Middle Eastern) and Big D Hot Dogs.

I know the Radisson on Mockingbird is skanky - you%26#39;ll want to pass on that place.

Yes, I read a review of the Radisson, but too late! already booked for one night : ( via Priceline...you never know what you%26#39;ll get. Thanks for all the suggestions. We%26#39;re going to go to the Museum of Art, I heard there was a Matisse exibit in town. Does anyone know if the week of March 12 is spring break in Dallas too? Will there be other teens at the malls, etc. Again I thank you for the input.

When I said ';outside'; I meant out of the usual...I think it might still be too cold to go to the park? But maybe not....I see that was unclear now. Will I be really afraid to stay at the Radisson? I can%26#39;t afford to just not use it Prepaid, non refundable....

I think that will be the beginning of spring break here. Not sure what happens exactly - some people go out of town, others don%26#39;t. I%26#39;m sure there will still be plenty of teens at the mall.

There%26#39;s a dual Matisse exhibit - sculptures at the Nasher Sculpture Center, paintings at the DMA - they are across the street from each other.

Radisson - who knows. Probably a crap shoot. Bring some antibacterial wipes....;)

I know many people (with and without teenagers) love to shop at Sam Moon%26#39;s on Harry Hines. I think it is one block north of Hiway 635 (LBJ Freeway). Harry Hines is an interesting shopping area with discount shopping.

I noticed you previously made posts about WICKED. It will be at Fair Park but it starts on April 18 or 19.

Check out the Sam Moon site to see if it%26#39;s what you%26#39;re looking for:

http://sammoon.com/

Again thanks to all! Yes Travelin! We went to NYC and it was sold out, and impossible to get tickets....we%26#39;ll definately see it there if we can. Are there any good plays that anyone can suggest?

ChrystinP is our theater expert. But you can do a search on guidelive.com.

www.guidelive.com/portal/page…

2 room suite on Riverwalk with balcony/terrace?

Can anyone suggest a hotel with 2 room riverview suite with terrace or balcony? Also, really comfortable beds are a must. Contessa looks really nice...but looks to have only floor-to-ceiling windows. Omni Mansion del Rio reviews talk about nice terraces but...some reviews suggest it needs an update on bedding, etc. We definitely want to be on riverwalk with 2 room suite for our family of 5. Appreciate any suggestions...thank you!

2 room suite on Riverwalk with balcony/terrace?

The Westin has terraces or balconies, but I don%26#39;t know about the suite situation. You may need to contact the hotels directly to find out if they offer 2 bedroom suites, or can make 2 1-bedroom suites connecting via a doorway.

As per your other post, weather temperatures can change dramatically from day to day, you%26#39;ll just need to check a few days before departure.

2 room suite on Riverwalk with balcony/terrace?

We just stayed at the Westin a couple of weekends ago. We didn%26#39;t have a suite, but we had connecting rooms (a king bed in one, two doubles in the other). We had a balcony overlooking the Riverwalk; it was small but large enough to sit out and drink coffee on. The bedding.... oooooohhh yeah. Really comfortable.

I loved it there, recommend it, and will stay there again. But I didn%26#39;t realize before I went that even though it is ';ON'; the Riverwalk, it%26#39;s not really ';ON'; the Riverwalk. It is on a not-traveled part of the Riverwalk. So if you%26#39;re hoping to sit out on your balcony with a margarita and people watch, you won%26#39;t be seeing anything. If you%26#39;re hoping to take the elevator down to Riverwalk level and be in the midst of the fun riverwalk stuff, this isn%26#39;t the hotel for you. In order to get to the main ';Riverwalk';, you have to walk a block or so, THEN go down to the Riverwalk level. The upside to this is that there%26#39;s no Riverwalk noise! LOL.

I did really like the Westin, and recommend it if you%26#39;re okay with not being on what tourists consider ';The Riverwalk';.

thank you both for your posts...they were very helpful...the Westin sounds great but, I did not realize that it was not in the thick of things. We have a little one and I would love to sit on the balcony or better yet the terrace and have cocktails and people watch while she naps....she%26#39;s #3 and can sleep thru anything :). Is there a hotel ya%26#39;ll can suggest that has wonderful beds and a terrace with people watching? I%26#39;ve been researching but, it is hard to get a true idea. Thanks so much!

Have you checked out the Hilton Palacios del Rio? I haven%26#39;t stayed there, but it seems like it might fit your bill.

restaurants with a view, quiet gardens/parks, and sunsets

What are some restaurants with a good view of hill country/lakes/scenery/etc, other than oasis?

What are some nice quiet, beautiful parks and gardens in or around austin, other than zilker gardens?

Speaking of gardens/plants, when is the best time to view blooming wildflowers (such as bluebonnets) and where?

And where is the best place in or around Austin to view a sunset?

restaurants with a view, quiet gardens/parks, and sunsets

For a lake view and food, and sometime entertainment, try the Iguana Grill on 620, closer to 71 than Oasis. Tex-Mex or Mex - Mex food is good, drinks very good, sunset view super. Music in the summer is much better than you would expect especially on the weekend.

Web site is here:

http://www.iguanagrillaustin.com/.

restaurants with a view, quiet gardens/parks, and sunsets

Lakeway Inn has a good restaurant with a great lake view. During the summer months Shades is a good bet - you catch the water taxi from the Lakeway Marina to go across the lake - $1 each way. Johnny Fins is on the lake, food is okay if you stick to the basics - burgers. There%26#39;s Carlos and Charlies, and Aunt Tilly%26#39;s, too. All 3 of those are on the south shore.

Beware of the Iguana Grill if you dislike poor service. They%26#39;re notorious.

bloom-

Holiday Fun

Myself and a friend are visiting a 3rd British guy currently working in Austin for a holiday at the beginning of March for a week. Unfortunately he will be working all day so we%26#39;ll have to amuse ourselves during the day time.

I was wondering if anyone had any good suggestions of things to do? Suggestions could involve cultural activities, social activities, retail activities, anything fun/interesting really. All suggestions welcome!

Thanks!

Holiday Fun

www.austintexas.org is the Austin Visitor%26#39;s Bureau site and has a lot of info. If the weather is good, try renting a canoe on Town Lake. The Museum list is long and the LBJ Presidential Museum is especially good. The Bullock Museum is another one not to miss. Shopping is interesting on S. Congress and in the 2nd street district.

One night try to get to Esther%26#39;s Follies. Great comedy on 6th.

Univ. of Houston

Traveling to Univ of Houston and need hotel in a safe area as will be staying 2 nights with teenagers. Flying into IAH. Would like something fairly close, if possible but will stay farther out if more safe. We%26#39;ll be pretty busy with spare time at night. I%26#39;ve read about the Galeria area- how far is that from Univ of Houston? Is there a closer area anybody can suggest?

Univ. of Houston

The immediate area of campus is one of the lower-income areas of the city. There is one hotel on campus (Hilton), but it%26#39;s expensive, and nothing else for several miles (except motels that you don%26#39;t want to be in).

The Galleria area will take you 20 minutes if you%26#39;re lucky. Traffic will usually make it much longer.

There are a couple of hotels in the Museum District, but many more in the Medical Center area. Getting to UH is still going to take you 15 minutes at least though, but you%26#39;ll generally be off of the freeway and traffic won%26#39;t affect you as much.

The only other option is stay closer to Hobby Airport. It%26#39;s definitely not a good area, but there are a few cheap hotels and, again, it%26#39;ll take you about 15 minutes to get to UH with no traffic.

Univ. of Houston

The Hilton on campus is part of the Hilton school of hotel and restaurant management and is run by students -- and has a good reputation. Other than that, I would choose to stay in the Galleria area which shouldn%26#39;t take you too long to get to campus from there. There are a few hotels downtown which would be safe in the daytime and probably at night but basically downtown shuts down at night so the area is very desolate where the reasonable priced ones are.

West University area would be good to stay in and I believe they have a Courtyard Marriot or Residence Inn in that area.

Forgot to mention, if you do stay at the HIlton on Campus - there isn%26#39;t much in the area at night - so you%26#39;d be driving out to shop or do anything entertaining.

Brooklyn Jazz Cafe

Does anyone have any input on the Brooklyn Jazz Cafe, especially since it moved to South Lamar?

Brooklyn Jazz Cafe

All I know is that it moved...which you know. You get out much, much more than me....even from Kerens!!!

Brooklyn Jazz Cafe

Aw, pepper- don%26#39;t I wish that was true! For some reason, in wandering the net, I wandered across the BJC and realized I never read anything about it so thought I would ask. Maybe ChrystinP will chime in.

Lots of great new posts lately with fresh ideas- makes me miss the ';big cities'; a little bit.

But you%26#39;re close to the Galaxy Drive-In....somewhere I%26#39;ve been wanting to go; just dreading the drive home!!!

I haven%26#39;t been there since they moved. I haven%26#39;t done much at all in the Southside section, which is really strange, because I used to be so active as a volunteer with Old City Park and love that area of town. I was really pleased when it started developing and haven%26#39;t utilized it like I would like to.

Just this last month I%26#39;ve really made a practice of going to new places. It%26#39;s so easy just to go to your favorite places and not try new things.

shopping in San Antonio

Coming from a remote Northern Canadian town I%26#39;m exciting about being in San Antonio for a week. I%26#39;d like to go shopping and will be staying downtown. As I%26#39;m in town for work I don%26#39;t have alot of time but would like to fit in a little shopping. I%26#39;ll be staying downtown, probably on the riverwalk, and won%26#39;t have a car. I%26#39;d like to know where, and if, I can find all the big names in one spot? Target (I keep hearing how great and cheap it is), Pottery Barn, Banana Republic, Gap, Old Navy, etc.

Does such a place exist in San Antonio?

shopping in San Antonio

You can find some of those types of stores at the RiverCenter Mall, which is downtown on the Riverwalk. Also, for unique gifts try La Villita: http://lavillita.com/ The nearest Target would be far away from downtown and would require some type of transport. here%26#39;s information on the bus system: http://www.viainfo.net/Ride/Default.aspx There is a bus that goes to the Quarry Market - north of downtown just off 281. http://www.quarrymarket.com/ this outdoor strip mall has many shops such as Banana Republic, Gap, Old Navy, Whole Foods, Pier 1 Imports, Bed Bath %26amp; Beyond, etc....... on the VIA info website there%26#39;s a personal trip planner. i found that if you can get to the Quarry Market by taking the #5 bus from downtown %26amp; transfer to #505 bus at Basse Rd %26amp; McCullough. (please double-check me on that) If the shops on the Quarry Market website don%26#39;t sound great, then there%26#39;s plenty of other places to shop in San Antonio like the Shops at La Canterra. There is a Target just down the highway from the Quarry Market. Here%26#39;s the address: 8421 US Highway 281 N San Antonio, TX 78216 [phone]: (210) 375-0332

Tours

Duck Tour , Treasure Island Tour or both? Do they run in Feb?

Is the trolley easy to use? Thanks.

Tours

Try going to www.galveston.com and see if you can gather more info about the tours you are interested in.

Tours

It%26#39;s been many years since my family did the Treasure Island tour, but it was fun and very informative. The guide gave us lots of historical facts and humorous insights about the island. We took the tour during the summer, and it was unbearably hot. We went to several residential areas, in addition to the commercial areas. I would go again, and recommend this tour.

Texas City, Galveston, Houston trip for first-timers

Will be vacationing in these three cities from 2/16-2/23 for the first time and would gladly welcome all recommendations for sightseeing, and restaurants. We are staying at the Fairfield Inn in Texas City during the whole trip. We are budget-type travelers so nothing fancy in the way of eateries, please. Thanks for your help.

Texas City, Galveston, Houston trip for first-timers

Hi kernelbozo.

You could spend one day in Galveston and tour several things that are inexpensive or free. Riding the ferry from Galveston Island to the Bolivar peninsula is free, and you may get to see dolphins along the way. Visiting the historic Strand area in downtown Galveston is free other than paying for parking, and a lot of fun poking around in the shops. Walking down the seawall would not cost anything and would be a good way to see the coast.

Seawolf Park has an entry fee and also a charge to tour an old WWII submarine and Navy ship. My grandkids love doing this, and we have done it several times.

There is also a small charge to take a tour of one of the old historic homes along Broadway - Bishop%26#39;s Palace is very interesting, and so is Ashton Villa. You could end your sightseeing day by having a seafood lunch or dinner at one of the inexpensive seafood restaurants in town.

bloom-

Drury Plaza Hotel Riverwalk San Antonio

Has anyone been to the new Drury Plaza Riverwalk Hotel in San Antonio. Apparently it%26#39;s brand new. Would like to know if location is noisy and what the rooms are like.

Drury Plaza Hotel Riverwalk San Antonio

I%26#39;m trying to decide between the Drury Plaza and the Drury Riverwalk. I believe they are close to one another but I would like the closest one to attractions like restaurants, clubs, etc. I would also like the quietest (no construction noise), prettiest, and the nicest of the two.

Thanks,

Stacy

Drury Plaza Hotel Riverwalk San Antonio

The Drury web site confuses me.... Is the Drury Plaza open yet? I have been watching this thread for a while now and I am surprised by the lack of response.

I am looking at this hotel instead of the Crowne Plaza where I am attending a meeting based on the reviews I am seeing here. Is this an OK walk in the mornings and afternoon in April?

Locals usually are not the best for hotel advice. I鈥檝e never stayed at either, but do have a good knowledge of the area. From what I can discern from the Drury website the Plaza one is not open yet, but will be soon. Locations are near each other, hence the confusion. Both locations should be a convenient and safe location.

I went by there today. The Drury Plaza is the old Alamo National Bank Building. It isn%26#39;t open yet, but they have a sign out front that says they are hiring.

The Drury Inn and Suites is in the next block north of the Drury Plaza. The construction next to it appears to be in the concrete form work stage, which should be quieter than the demolition that took place earlier.

Thanks everyone

They must be getting real close..Their system is allowing me to make reservations for the first week of March.

i think it%26#39;s suppose to open feb.1st. i have reservations in the first week of march so let me know if anyone stays there. tell me how it was.

I have a reservation the end of March and would also be very interested in anyone hears when it opens and how it is, it sounds great tho and nice location....

There was an article in today%26#39;s business section,in the SA Express-News..It said that there may be a soft opening,as early as next week...The suite on floor 23,looks very appealing(2 story,spiral staircase)...I don%26#39;t know where Rick Drury got his money from,but he is obtaining properties all over town,and offers a quality product,that because of pricing,is in demand..This often warrants high ratings on trip advisor..Overall The Watermark and Westin La Cantera,among many others,smokes Drury properties...Just my professional opinion...

Thanks for the updates....I made reservations at the Crowne just in case

I%26#39;ve just made a reservation to spend a few days there on my kids spring break in March. We%26#39;re looking forward to going, it%26#39;s looks like a lovely hotel.

Romantic Dinner?

Got a nice surprise last night. My in-laws want to take the kids this weekend, so the wife and I have some time to ourselves. Can anyone recommend a nice local place where we can enjoy a quiet meal? I am not looking for anything on Sundance Square. Been there, done that.

Thanks!

Romantic Dinner?

Sapristi! Oops, just realized that is NOT quiet- but it is good. If you do consider it, go early, less of a crowd. Funny, I can%26#39;t think of anyplace quiet. Which is kind of sad. But typical now days.

Romantic Dinner?

Is Lanny%26#39;s Alta Cocina still open? That%26#39;d be a nice meal. Or Bistro Louise.

Sapristi! looks perfect (my wife loves mussels). However, jusdging by some of the photos, the portions look really small. Not that I want to gorge myself, but the only I hate more than bad service and ridiculous wine lists is an entree that barely fills me up.

Any thoughts?

Also, does anyone know if there is a food-related forum for the Fort Worth area? I am a New Orleans native and a self-ascribed foodie, but have not been able to find any reliable online sources for food-related conversation in this area...

Have you tried chowhound.com?

I posted a review of Sapristi! last June when we went. We had the mussels and loved them (they have a large variety so it is hard to choose). I didn%26#39;t think the portion sizes were small at all- my husband has quite the appetite so I think he would have commented if he thought so. Excellent wine choices. The place itself is a bit small, lively (noisy?), crowded during peak time but just charming as far as menu and service went. Of course, haven%26#39;t had a chance to go back since. Would like to try the Sunday brunch sometime. Wherever you go, please post back- would enjoy hearing what you decide.

Well, we made reservations for tomorrow night, so I will definitely post a review.

You know, I am a member of a New Orleans-based food forum where posters not only discuss restaurants, but also exchange recipes and pontificate on other food-related topics. I would love to find, or even start, an active forum like that here.

Chowhound is good, but way too big. I want a forum dedicated only to local restaurants...

Five Stars for Sapristi. This small, locally-owned bistro the perfect University area hideaway for diners looking to get away from the hustle of the city but demanding a top tier dining experience.

Food, ambience, service. All perfect.

Ideas on resort/ranch accommodation near Ft. Worth???

Would like to spend a few days in Ft. Worth, possibly in a ranch-type environment. Anything you can recommend -- suitable for women?

Thanks

Ideas on resort/ranch accommodation near Ft. Worth???

To the northwest of Ft. Worth is the wild catter ranch. Look at www.wildcatterranch.com for more information.

Ideas on resort/ranch accommodation near Ft. Worth???

knr- is this somewhere you have been? It looks to be about 85 miles out of Ft. Worth- the website looks great. I know people who would love to go to a ';dude ranch'; a little closer to the Metroplex and it would be nice to be able to recommend it.

No, I haven%26#39;t been to the ranch. I found out about it last year and want to go, it looks really nice. It%26#39;s been a long time since i%26#39;ve been to a dude ranch, and that was in Bandera.

The Wildcatter is a nice place, we%26#39;ve been on site and eaten at the restaurant. I would in no way call it close to the metroplex. Probably at least 1 1/2 hrs away.

Rough Creek is a 4 star resort in a ranch setting.

www.roughcreek.com

It is about an hour from Ft. Worth by Glen Rose.

My wife and I had our rehersal dinner at Rough Creek Lodge, and I can attest to its being a first class destination. It was named the Condé Nast Johansens Most Outstanding Lodge in North America and has been named one of the Dirona Distinguished Restaurants of North America every year since 2003. They also offer a wide variety of recreation and hunting activities.

This is a five star lodge, with top notch accomodations and dining. This is NOT your typical dude ranch.

Thank you for the recommendations of Wildcatter Ranch. My girlfriend and I went there for a couple of days -- to check it out as a good destination for my girlfriends%26#39; getaway blog.

It was a terrific guest ranch -- I personally wouldn%26#39;t call it a dude ranch (and I explain that in my first post about the ranch.) Its Web site is wonderful and very true to life. We absolutely loved it, loved the accommodations, the activities and the restaurant. Most of all, we loved the people -- very genuine, down-to-earth and thoughtful. It appeared to us that no detail was left out as they planned and built this guest ranch -- it%26#39;s only about 1-1/2 years old. We thought it would be a terrific destination for a group of gals who want to really get out of their daily lives with some new and fun experiences.

We plan to return later this year with our families.

Girls weekend Feb 16th -

We have reservations at Adolphus. $116 per night. there is 18 of us coming from st. louis. I%26#39;ve searched and searched this sight for a good resturant recomendation. I have information overload.

We are going to Westend on Friday after we get in.

Saturday we are going out to dinner befor we go out for the night. I would think a $20 per plate average with some above and some below would be good. I want something unique to Dallas (well the south). We won%26#39;t have a can but don%26#39;t mind taxi%26#39;s or Dart if needed.

So......

Suggest away!!!!!!!

Also, for our night out on Sat. I heard Ghost bar? Also one of the girls wanted to go to Coyote Ugly, any opinions.

Thanks for any info.

Yeah!!!!!!!!!

Teach

Girls weekend Feb 16th -

I would stick to downtown where you%26#39;ll be staying rather than wait in line at Ghost Bar. Coyote Ugly seems like a place that more men would go to rather than women...what is it that you like? What kind of scene are you looking for?

Mi Cocina in West Village would be fun for dinner and afterward, you might just want to hang out in their bar - Mambo Taxi is a popular drink. Taco Diner in West Village also.

I like hanging out in the Knox-Herderson area. Good places for dinner: Cuba Libre (Latin), Tei Tei (Japanese). Both places have bars.

Girls weekend Feb 16th -

A family in Dallas has a long history of restaurants. Their name is Pappas (Greek surname). The own several restaurants, all of which are very good.

There is Pappacitos (Mexican), Pappadeaux (Cajun) and Pappas Steak (steak!). When three of us ate at Pappadeux recently we ordered 1 salad, one large entree platter, and one desert. We each ordered a non-alcoholic drink. We shared everything kind of family style and had food leftover. They serve very large portions. With tip the meal was about $55.

The Pappas%26#39; restaurants can get very crowded with long waits. But they have the capacity to seat 18. Some our their restaurants have ';rooms'; that you might request.

You might call ahead to whichever you choose to get a reservations and maybe go before the normal evening crowd arrives to avoid feeling rushed.

Houston%26#39;s near Preston and Northwest Highway is one of my favorite high-quality casual restaurant. They have a wide range of prices and great burgers, unique salads, steak, and chicken.

THanks, I actually ate at Pappaduex when I was there in July. It was great. My husband and I stayed at Bradford suites downtonw. It was perfect. We rented a car and went to fortworth for a day checked out the Stockyards and caught a Rangers game. We went to the downtown aquarium, and ate at a mexican resturaunt in West villiage and it was great. We sat outside, they had misters. I cannot for the life of me remember the name. I was on the oppisite side of gators, that is all I know.

Thanks for the tip on the Coyote bar. I don%26#39;t think that will be our thing. Since we are going to west villiage Friday night when we get in, do I don%26#39;t really want that to be our Sat night too? Is there enough to do to go there two nights. It didn%26#39;t seem like it when I was there, but I was 8 1/2 months prego. I think we will deffinitely hit one of those restaurants though. I%26#39;ll call to see who can accomadate 18 people for dinner on a Sat night. I%26#39;ll try the first one first. Sorry I%26#39;m responding to your posts with out seeing them.

Is there are bar that is a little more ';honkitonk,'; as one of the girls called it than another. Some think they will be able to see a real country bar. But I don%26#39;t think a big city could have that. I have heard Billy Bob%26#39;s mentioned. How far is that from our hotel? I guess I could look it up.

One last thing, sorry, but which bars should we hit on Friday night, are there covers. I think we are not really needing a big party just a place we can hang out drink some drinks and maybe listen to music. Thanks for all your help.

Thank , Teach

Yes, I%26#39;m replying to my own message. I FINALLY get it. Mi Conina is an all night thing. I reread the post and then looked up reviews and I guess there is a pretty cool bar upstairs. So, that will be the start of our evening on Sat. night. It might also be the end, but these girls tend to get antsy. So we will have to see.

Thanks.

Actually...you%26#39;re going to the WEST END when you get in - a touristy kinda place. There may be a Mi Cocina there...I don%26#39;t know since I never go down there.

The Mi Cocina I%26#39;m mentioning is in the WEST VILLAGE.

There%26#39;s another Mi Cocina in HIGHLAND PARK VILLAGE that has the 3rd floor bar.

I%26#39;ve heard people mention Adair%26#39;s for country music. You might research that.

And Gilley%26#39;s is near the convention center.

http://www.gilleysdallas.com/

I ate when I do not know what is going on!! : 0 )

I now know the difference between West Village and West end. Yeah!!!! Thanks for everything.

Hello!

I would like to suggest some other options for you.

Eighteen females may get a bit too ansy in some of these places that are listed.

GhostBar is a blast, but you would wait all night...so skip it.

West Village is of course in Uptown Dallas.

I do highly reccomend eating at Mi Cocina, it%26#39;s my favorite Mexican food here so far! And, Mabo Taxi (write that down), is what to order at the bar.

The problem is this restaurant is absolutely packed on the weekends, the bar area is generally so packed that you are standing shoulder to shoulder. So, if you go...call them about reservations, they may not be able to accomadate you.

Prices are reasonable, salsa is spicy, and the drink is delicious!!

There are several bars in the area that are fun in the area.

Creetia%26#39;s...get there earlier too...it gets packed. Claim your seats! They have a DJ.

The Corner Bar is also fun. It%26#39;s in the Knox/Henderson area. If you go there, there are several places to eat within walking distance. On The Border I believe is down there. Or you could go to Sambuca%26#39;s and stay all night, dinner and entertainment.

In the downtown/West End area....do not go to Coyote Ugly...trust me. I was soo dissapointed when I went, the place was very run down and no one was in there, no girls line dancing on the bar or anything. Flop.

Do eat at Sonny Bryan%26#39;s BBQ. It%26#39;s so good, very reasonable about $10, including a drink.

Gilley%26#39;s is a fun place and it is HUGE...several bars and space for the 18 ladies to let loose!

A hot spot in the area as well is Obar. I love it there. Very classy, modern, fun place to be. Beautiful people and bartenders, DJ, outdoor patio and all.

Also, Glass Cactus has a rooftop bar area and generally live music and it%26#39;s arms length away from the Adolphus. They also do a Sunday Brunch.

I hope this helps as well.

andream- I think you mean Iron Cactus. Glass Cactus is in Grapevine at the Gaylrod.

Fare from Halingen

Party of 5 coming from (and going back to) Harlingen airport. Anyone know best way to go and pricing. Taxi (too many for one?). shuttle, limo? No car rental. Any advice appreciated.

Fare from Halingen

There is a shuttle service from Brownsville thats where we fly in I think its 2.00. Ive never flown into to Halingen though. You might ck online with airport. We fly from Ky to Brownsville. Sorry not much help.

Fare from Halingen

There used to be a shuttle service called SurfTrans. I am not for sure if they are still in business, but the # was 1-800-962-8497 (at least that is what it used to be). There are taxis, but call ahead for rates (it will be expensive). I am assuming that you don%26#39;t meet the age requirements for car rental, cause that is the best solution. I suggest calling the airport in Harlingen and seeing what they advise.

cheapest way to get there from airport

A group of us are going on a cruise. We are purchasing are own air because the price royal caribbean gave us was crazy. Even the shuttle service is $95 per person. There is eight in our group. Should we rent a couple of cars, town car, taxi???? We are coming in the night before and staying a hotel near the port. Any suggestions??

cheapest way to get there from airport

There have been several previous posters on this that you might want to search for. Enterprise apparently has a one-way rental program for the cruises, ezconnections.com I believe is a shuttle to check out. Texan shuttle is another that I recently found out about.

cheapest way to get there from airport

In the above post, I meant ezcruiseconnection.com, sorry.

Thanks for the web site. Do you know of any hotels that offer free shuttles to the cruise port?

I think I remember someone saying that the Holiday Inn on the Seawall did. There is also the Wyndham Tremont Hotel close to the cruise area.

A word of caution because I can%26#39;t remember what cruise line it is, but double check that you are cruising from Galveston and not La Porte.

You may also check into Galveston Limo Service 800-640-4826

A limo would be a great way to go. If there is a group of you going you may be able to split the cost evenly and pay less than you would for a cab or shuttle service. For example, if the limo fee is $100 and there are 10 of you, that%26#39;s only $10 per person. Something to think about....

Call excelsior limo and see what they can do for you. Great company and service.

Thank you for all of the advice.

bloom-

Suggestions for day trrips from San Antonio

I will be in San Antonio for a few days in early July. I will have a car. What is worth visiting outside the city, within about 100 miles ?. Any ranches worth a day trip ?.

Suggestions for day trrips from San Antonio

Austin is about an hour and a half away, and it%26#39;s a great place to take a day trip. Lots to do, fun city, great food. Are you looking for a more active day trip, or more taking tours and seeing historic things?

Suggestions for day trrips from San Antonio

Hi

We%26#39;ve stayed little under 10 days in this area a couple of years ago and besides intensive visits to San Antonio and Austin we made a couple of trip to Hill Country. It%26#39;s a very pretty region and towns like Comfort, Bandera (guest ranches) Fredericksburg. And don%26#39;t forget Gruene and New Braunsfeld between San Antonio and Austin. I%26#39;m a Willie Nelson fan and even found Luckenbach....

Tet

Luchenbach is FUN! We came across it on a beautiful day trip from San Antonio this fall. We made the drive out to Lost Maples State Park to hike as we%26#39;d done the previous fall. The hiking was great and fall color was beautiful, but we had as much or more fun sitting, people watching, and listening to the music in Luchenbach on our way back.

The prior year we stopped in Bandera on the way home. It happened to be Cowboy Days or some such thing in Bandera. We dropped by the 11th Street Cowboy bar after our hike. There were horses hitched to posts outside the bar and inside, well, we stepped back in time. Boots and jeans and dancin and drinkin%26#39;. :%26gt; In the middle of the afternoon! :D This fall we tried to recapture the flavor of our first trip to Bandera, but sadly it was not the same. Even the 11th Street Cowboy bar seems to have found itself...with the dance floor and outside seating expanded tenfold and all looking very new and bright. Too bad!.

Luchenbach though on a weekend? Fun if you have the time and have seen all you need to of SA. You have to hunt for the town off the highway, and once there, you have to find your way down to the river and the stage. Other than that, there is nothing in Luchenbach, but it%26#39;s the most ';real'; nothing you%26#39;ll ever find!

I still like Gruene too, although I %26#39;ve seen an increase in tourists there just in the short time we%26#39;ve lived here. Their music scene, again, is very real and this is only a short afternoon%26#39;s trip from SA, not a day%26#39;s commitment.

Texas Whirldwind Tour

Coming in to dallas from the UK end of may and leaving to go back from Houston 8 days later. looking at dallas-ft worth-austin-houston as an itinery, enjoy bars and a good time...be grateful for any advice on either a better itinery or where to go..

Texas Whirldwind Tour

Hey UK,

Bars depend on age bracket more than anything. Weather nice in May, not hot yet. In Dallas, for a good drink and people-watching, try Adair%26#39;s Saloon on Commerce St. near downtown, just in Deep Ellum. Great old country jukebox %26amp; bands. Sonny Bryan%26#39;s for BBQ. S%26amp;D Oyster Bar off McKinney Ave. for New Orleans seafood. In Ft.Worth, check out The Stockyards %26amp; also Sundance Square in downtown for all the nightlife and restaurants you can stand. Joe T. Garcia%26#39;s for margaritas and Tex-Mex is a Ft.Worth institution. I live near Dallas but both Ft.Worth %26amp; Austin are more fun to me than Dallas. In Austin you%26#39;d probably want to hit the Wharehouse Districe off 5th St. and also the infamous 6th St. Any kind of club you can imagine. Try Chuy%26#39;s (on Barton Springs) for real good Tex-Mex and velvet-Elvis decor. It%26#39;s a legend down there. Have a great trip!

Texas Whirldwind Tour

in dallas: www.leeharveys.com for a great outdoor venue and a fun, unique atmosphere. the loon is a great dive bar with a stiff drink. the balcony club in lakewood is great. for clubs, try the ghost bar at the W hotel. as far as food, try louie%26#39;s pizza on henderson avenue, mi cocina for some tex-mex (get a mambo taxi). for a nice steak, try nick and sam%26#39;s or bob%26#39;s steak and chop house.

fort worth: joe t garcia%26#39;s for food and great margaritas, then head downtown and try some of the bars down there. embargo is a cool bar on 8th street. the oui on bluebonnet circle is a great dive bar. you also might want to go to a texas ranger%26#39;s baseball game, the ballpark is in arlington, located directly between dallas and fort worth.

austin: for food: trudy%26#39;s tex-mex or for a nice meal, jeffrey%26#39;s can%26#39;t be beat. you definitely want to see 6th street, but the bars on 4th and 5th are better (all of these are downtown). also might want to head out to chuy%26#39;s on town lake.

houston...no clue. i think i%26#39;ve heard that the area around rice village is fun.

Thanks for the info, will definately check these out, looks like we%26#39;ll be in Austin when The Biker Rally is on, (31st May), what%26#39;s it like, any good !

Biker rally is super cool, but really crowded. It%26#39;s just fun to see that many folks on motorcycles having a great time. Austin seems to have frequent rallies, not sure why.

The only thing I didn%26#39;t see here was Houston stuff. All the Dallas and Austin stuff look great. In Houston ,check out downtown and the Montrose area.