in dallas for 2 nights (25th & 26th April)

Hello,

A bit of a far reaching question really but i was wondering if anyone had any good suggestions for something for me to do in Dallas for a couple of days. I arrive on saturday the 25th in the late afternoon and leave on the monday the 27th in the evening. I am on my own and on the way to jazz fest in New Orleans. I like sports, music and anything a little out of the ordinary. My flights are in and out of DFW. At the moment i haven%26#39;t booked anything in terms of hotels, restaurants or activities so any help in this area would be appreciated. I am a 34 year old man on a reasonable budget to help narrow down the possible options.

Many thanks,

JB

London.

in dallas for 2 nights (25th %26amp; 26th April)

I would suggest staying at the Grand Hyatt at DFW Airport. Here is the link to the website:

http://granddfw.hyatt.com/hyatt/hotels/

I have stayed here and it is fabulous. On the weekends it is quieter as it is primarily for business execs. If you are flying into DFW direct from London..Customs and Immigration is pretty much below the hotel. So all you have to do is to go up the elevator to the terminal level and take the elevator on up to the Hotel.

I was checking the schedule of sports for that weekend and FC Dallas and Texas Rangers both are playing games away from home. Sorry I am not much of a sports fan so perhaps others can chime in.

What you might enjoy in Dallas is going to the Sixth Floor Museum in Downtown Dallas. Here is the link for them: www.jfk.org

You might actually enjoy Fort Worth by going over to the Fort Worth Stockyards. You will get a more Texan feel over in Fort Worth. Basically in a nutshell Dallas has the best shopping and better restaurants..Fort Worth has more of the honkey tonk and actually world class art museums.

Another great website for what is going on is: www.guidelive.com

If you do go to Fort Worth to the Stockyards you have to go by Leddys http://www.leddys.com/

It is world famous for western boots etc..

Welcome to Dallas/Fort Worth sorry I am not much help. If you were a gal I%26#39;d say go shopping your pound is strong against our dollar!

in dallas for 2 nights (25th %26amp; 26th April)

Many thanks Kate.

I think staying close to the airport makes a lot of sense given the short amout of time I will be in Dallas. I like the sound of Fort Worth and the Stockyards. I%26#39;ll definitely head to Leddys and buy a hat. I had a look at www.guidelive.com and found a Rodeo in Mesquite. I think this is something I should do as I%26#39;ll never see anything like this at home. Do you know the Mesquite Rodeo? It doesn%26#39;t appear to be too far from the airport/hotel. I was wondering if I should book a ticket now or if it was something I could just turn up and get on the day? I don%26#39;t know how busy it gets or if it (Mesquite) is the best one to go to.

Thanks again for you help so far,

JB.

If, as katetx actually suggests, you are going to the Stockyards for that Texan and honky tonk feeling on Saturday night, you could go to the Stockyards rodeo rather than going all the way over to Mesquite.

www.cowtowncoliseum.com

www.fortworthstockyards.org

hi poodleone,

which is further from the grand hyatt dfw? Mesquite or Stockyards?

best regards

JB

According to Mapquest, Mesquite is about 35 miles from DFW, the Stockyards are about 25 miles.

And I was also going to suggest, if you want to have things to do on Sunday and are going to the Stockyards Saturday night, why not look into staying in downtown Fort Worth in the Sundance Square area? Embassy Suites, Courtyard by Marriot, Etta%26#39;s Place B%26amp;B, Worthington, etc for hotels. Lots of bars, restaurants, access to the museums.

www.sundancesquare.com

Actually the Mesquite Rodeo is world famous but I would stick to Fort Worth.There is a Rodeo every Saturday night..here is link http://www.cowtowncoliseum.com/

It will be convenient as it is in the Stockyards. Also one thing I forgot is Billy Bobs which had its heydey when Urban Cowboy came out in the 70%26#39;s. It is also down in the stockyards. Here is a link for Billy Bob%26#39;s.

www.billybobstexas.com

I would stick to the airport..it really puts you right in the middle of the two cities. Here is the link for Dallas Area Rapid Transit (also known as DART)

http://www.dart.org/riding/dfwairport.asp

The TRE (Trinity Rail Express) can take you to either Dallas or Fort Worth. However with it being the weekend you might want to look at schedules to see how frequently they run.

If you do decide to do some shopping...Northpark Mall is the best in Dallas and has the most comprehensive shops. You can actually take the DART train to the Park Lane station and there is a shuttle that will take you to nearby Northpark. Here is a link for Northpark and they also have a duty free program. The concierge desk is very helpful and they are located just inside the mall right beside Neiman Marcus.

www.northparkcenter.com

Tax Free Shopping information

taxfreetexas.com/Participating_Retailers.html

HTH

I called the Mesquite Rodeo. They are having a festival that weekend at the Arena. They will have a rodeo that night. She did not say it was necessary to buy tickets in advance. But that is up to you.

Here is a link if you stay at the Grand Hyatt of how far is it...

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d%26amp;source=s_d%26amp;saddr=2337+South+International+Parkway+Dallas,+Texas,+USA+75261-9045%26amp;daddr=1818+Rodeo+Drive,+Mesquite,+Texas+75149%26amp;hl=en%26amp;geocode=%26amp;mra=ls%26amp;sll=32.83427,-96.65284%26amp;sspn=0.235396,0.604248%26amp;ie=UTF8%26amp;ll=32.825942,-96.832123%26amp;spn=0.235417,0.604248%26amp;t=h%26amp;z=11

(If it doesn%26#39;t link just copy and paste in new browser)

You will need a car to go to the rodeo however you can rent one at the airport. I think you need to decide if you want to go through all the trouble to go to the Mesquite Rodeo. It is up to you.

thanks for all your help katetx and poodleone - amazing.

i%26#39;ve booked the grand hyatt now, it looked great and i heard some good things about it. Also for ease, as I%26#39;m not there for all that long and should cut down on any unnecessary traveling.

I%26#39;ll probably end up going to the stockyards for the rodeo.

once again guys thanks for your invaluable advice.

JB.

Things to do with kids

What are the 10 best things to do with toddlers (ages 4,2,1) in the Austin area? Looking for any of the non-typical responses (i.e., we know all about Zilker, etc).

Things to do with kids

Here%26#39;s my list - it includes the typical things because they really are good things to do with kids.

Austin Children%26#39;s Museum www.austinkids.org/

Barton Springs Swimming (there%26#39;s Plenty of shallow parts) www.ci.austin.tx.us/parks/bartonsprings.htm

Zilker Park - Playgrounds and miniture train ride http://www.ci.austin.tx.us/zilker/

Deep Eddy Pool - more swimming http://www.deepeddy.org/

Austin Nature Center http://www.ci.austin.tx.us/ansc/

Boggy Creek Farm http://www.boggycreekfarm.com/

Congress Street Bridge - Bats

Amy%26#39;s Ice Cream http://www.amysicecream.com/

Along with all of the regular kids things - pizza restaurants, toy stores, ice skating, roller skating

Then there are day trips - New Braunfels, San Antonio, etc.

Things to do with kids

Here%26#39;s a few other things -

Austin Zoo - It%26#39;s semi-rural and an animal rescue facility, but it%26#39;s small enough they don%26#39;t get whiny

Capitol grounds - They may get bored seeing the building, but they love running around on the Capitol grounds, rolling down the hills, climbing trees etc.

Outdoor free music events - Let them run around, dance, bring a big blanket %26amp; plenty of snacks.

McKinney Falls State Park - it%26#39;s just outside of the city, but there%26#39;s some good trails.

Wildflower center - see if the Little House is open. They have activities for young children.

City Hall for the great art.

(I was just there yesterday with my five year-old for work.) Your kids should go to the elevator area for a fun interactive surprise. I could not drag my daughter away. She also liked the sheep on the second floor balcony and the bird in the snack room. My daughter loved goofing around outside, too.

Forgot about Bats - duh!

There are very few places in the US where you can witness millions of bats leaving their roosts to go hunting for food. San Antonio (Austin) is lucky to be near two very easy spots:

One is the Congress St. Bridge in Austin. Advantage - Austin is fun, lots of shopping, restaurants, live music. Downside - it%26#39;s an urban setting, noise and traffic.

The other is the bat cave at Old Tunnel Wildlife Management Area 鈥tate.tx.us/huntwild/鈥?/a> near Fredericksburg. Upside - cool wilderness setting, shopping, and restaurants nearby in Fredericksburg. Disadvantage - viewing area has limited capacity and they close off the area when it reaches capacity (get there early.)

OK here%26#39;s a secret about the bats (at either location.) While it%26#39;s way cool to watch them leave at dusk, it%26#39;s even more cool to watch them come back in the morning. Arrive about 30 minutes before sunrise. Yes I know it%26#39;s early, but it%26#39;s worth it! As you approach the roosts, you%26#39;ll hear this vibrating noise, sort of like paper tearing. It sounds so close. As it gradually gets lighter, you%26#39;ll start to see them, thousands of bats diving down and into the tunnel or under the bridge. It%26#39;s so cool! The bats feed at up to two miles high, when they are ready to come back to roost, they tuck in their wings and start a freefall. As the get close to the ground, they open their wings to navigate back to their spot, that%26#39;s the noise you hear.

powder coat bmx frame

Wrestlemania XXV - out of town visitors

It appears that several are attending this event all across the globe - quite a few from UK and around the states. There have been lots of questions and hopefully most were answered.

To help the next event and for others coming to enjoy Houston - please post back after the event (good and bad). Give your opinions - stick to the facts (opinion and facts can be two different thinks - but you know what I mean) and let the next person decide for themselves.

Enjoy Houston

I will re-post this so it will move to the top after the event - but this way those that are willing can plan to take notes.

Wrestlemania XXV - out of town visitors

HI KW,

Bump! This is a great idea!:)

ciao, ciao,

cupcake

Wrestlemania XXV - out of town visitors

Now that the event is on - bump

Anyone that attended want to give your thoughts comments about Houston (not about the event itself)?

Hi everyone just came back from Houston a few days ago from my WrestleMania journey!I will give my time to write this as everyone that has helped me plan this has been excelllent,so it%26#39;s the least I could do!

What I liked about Houston,I loved the Galleria shopping it included everything that you could think off.I really like the amount of places where you could eat in food court like the chinese takeaway was lovely and give too much which is great.The Cheesecake factory is an excellent restuarant with great service to.I loved how everything was close together like Minute Maid Park,George R Brown and Toyota Center were just minutes from each other!Went to the Toyota Center and it was a lovely stadium and just looking out the window was breathtaking with DownTown in the background!I also visited Reliant Park for all WWE events and Reliant Stadium was brilliant and so easy to get from one part to another on Metro which is really cheap!I also visited the ZooNASA,Aquarium,Houston Museum Of Natural Science the dino exhibit was the best thing in my oppinion,so intresting!

What I didn%26#39;t like,well I think the nightlife seemed a bit bland as everywhere was dead at 9pm and apparently does not start until 11:30pm and the bars didn%26#39;t seem upto much apart from the Sport Bars and Molly%26#39;s in Downtown that had a good atmosphere with wrestling fans mixing with Basketball fans!There was alos some other things,ut nothing too major

It was awesome! I stayed in the Hilton which was a beautiful hotel. I used the rail to get around which was free. Took the bus for a buck from IAH to the hotel and back. No complaints at all; Houston was great!

colon cleansing

Vacation in April

I am exploring options for a family vacation in May. We have an 8 and a 4 year old. We went to Disney last year, but can%26#39;t afford something as big this year due to the economy. What is the weather like mid May? Are there any family resorts that have things for the kids to do that are also close to a nice beach? TIA

Vacation in April

May will be getting quite warm with temperatures possibly in the 90%26#39;s.

Here are some things to do locally:

Corpus Christi Area Attractions

General information from CC Convention and Visitors Bureau

http://www.corpuschristicvb.com/

USS Lexington Museum WWII Aircraft Carrier

http://www.usslexington.com/

Texas State Aquarium

http://www.texasstateaquarium.org/

Museum of Natural History with Columbus ships replicas

http://www.ccmuseum.com/museum/index.cfm

Port Aransas Chamber of Commerce

http://www.portaransas.org/

Aransas National Wildlife Refuge -- Home of the Whooping Cranes

www.fws.gov/southwest/REFUGES/texas/aransas/

Padre Island National Seashore

http://www.nps.gov/pais/

The King Ranch

http://www.king-ranch.com/

Resorts I can recommend:

Sandcastle

www.portaransas-texas.com/sitepages/pid42.php

Holiday Inn Sunspree

www.ichotelsgroup.com/h/d/ss/1/en/hotel/pdino

Port Royal

http://www.port-royal.com/index.html

Vacation in April

The enire family can enjoy a sightseeing tour on Captain Clark%26#39;s Flagship in downtown Corpus Christi. The Selena memorial is on the corner of Peoples Street. The Nina Columbus replica ship is in the marina and the Flagship, 3 deck, paddle-wheel style sightseeing boat is around the corner. www.captclarksflagship.com

We were recently in South Texas and ran over to Corpus Christi and Padre Island for a day to scout it as a possible future spring break option. It is definitely off the list of consideration. My kids are older (teens) but I wouldn%26#39;t go there for any family vacation.

Coming into Corpus Christi you go past miles of oil refineries which is OK but not real attractive for a vacation spot. The bigger issue was when we got to the National Seashore beach. At the Padre Island visitor center the first thing we saw were signs warning about trash on the beach. Ocean currents meet there and collect “the world’s trash” on the beaches (their words). The signs warned to look out for medical syringes, hazardous chemicals and oil tar. As we walked the beach we found that they were definitely right about the trash. Even though they said the beach was cleaned daily, there was much trash mixed in with the wide band of seaweed at the high tide line. The waves looked great but we lost our interest in the water – we may have been better off not seeing those signs.

Anyway, when it comes time for that next trip south for spring break we will be turning left and heading back to Florida.

The pp was correct. The Padre Island National Seashore does have trash. It is about 80 miles of

natural beach, not the manacured sort one finds in front of beachfront hotels in Florida. After hurricane IKE there was miles of trash from the upper gulf coast washed ashore here. Maybe not as pristine as some but it is a beach with a personality all its own. And nesting Kemp%26#39;s Ridley sea turtles.

Padre Island National Seashore is a National Park. It is purposely kept is a natural state and because it is 100%26#39;s of miles of beach difficult to keep pristine. I am sorry that you found our area uninviting. Did you visit the beaches along Mustang Island? Did you visit Port Aransas, Rockport, Fulton? Did you see Bob Hall Pier and JP Luby Surf Park? How about Corpus Christi Beach? I hope your opinion of our area wasn%26#39;t based upon driving by the refineries and visiting one small area of the National Seashore? Yes, we cannot compare with the beaches of California or Florida but we do have great fishing snd watersports, are much less expensive, and have some of the greatest people you will ever meet. I hope you will give us a 2nd look!!

I think the Holiday Inn Emerald Beach downtown corpus Christi is nice for kids that age. Great pool, right on the beach, ping pong and shuffle board and other games indoors. Downtown Corpus Christi offers a sightseeing cruise on Captain Clark%26#39;s 3-deck paddle wheel boat where numerous birds and the bottle nosed dolphin can usually be seen. The museum is good. Accross the harbor bridge is the Texas State Aquarium and the USS Lexington. Whereever you stay, you better hurry to make reservations.

Wyndham La Cascada

Does anyone know anything about the La Cascada on the riverwalk. We are not able to find much information on them and have rented a condo for vacation the week of the 4th of July.

Also, if their are no fireworks on the riverfront for the 4th is their somewhere else we can go see a fireworks show ?

Wyndham La Cascada

Sorry I do not know much about it, although I am from San Antonio...... I have an interview scheduled with them on Tuesday so I will get some info and try and return back to you.....But if not they normally have fireworks off of the tower of America. It is the tallest building in San Antonio with a restaurant on top that rotates as your dining it%26#39;s quite nice they just renovated it this year. .....Also at the Hemisfair park and Fiesta Texas.....Well I hope you have a wonderful time when you come down.

~Crystal~

Wyndham La Cascada

4th of July Fireworks -

Woodlawn Lake - City%26#39;s display, food booths

Theme Parks - Both Sea World and Fiesta Texas will be open late and have displays. There are many spots around Fiesta Texas where you can just park and watch the fireworks.

Mission%26#39;s Game - I%26#39;m not sure if there is a home game on the 4th, but they usually have fireworks after the game when it%26#39;s on the 4th or the next home game after.

Small towns nearby - One of the best displays I saw was New Braunfels%26#39;. We were at Schilterbahn and the fireworks were at Prince Soloms Park.

CSTREVINO and OCTOBOY thanks for your reply. CSTREVINO if you have time to reply again it would be so appreciated, we are a little worried since we can%26#39;t find any info on the location we rented. I have heard it is new. Do you know if that is true ??

I JUST MADE RESERVATIONS AT LA CASCADA,for the fourth of july week also. i haven%26#39;t had any luck either.i called the hotel and they said that they are working on that at this time to post pictures of the hotel.i think some of the theme parks at san antonio will have fireworks.

I am also staying there the week of July 22nd and yet I have not seen any pictures. I am just curious of what it looks like, Please someone email pictures or something

This is a brand new beautiful resort that just opened up. I%26#39;m positive that you will have a wonderful stay there.

Wyndam La Cascada is a vacation ownership(timeshare) resort...just opend on 5/29/07. It is part of the Wyndam Fairfield family and you can visit www.efairfield.com and click on resort search to find more info or call the resort at 210-228-2900. I%26#39;m a Fairfield owner and their newer resorts are usually very spacious, comfortable, well maintained and stocked with everything you need. All you need to do is bring grocery items, which is not a bad idea since most units have full kitchens....we usually find the nearest Walmart Supercenter for grocery items or go to the nearest grocery store. This will really cut down on your dining expenses.... They will try to get you to attend a 1 1/2 - 2 hour timeshare presentation but they do offer some kind of free gift even if you don%26#39;t buy.

The fireworks from the Tower can be seen from a long distance. So if this place is downtown you should be able to see it from where you are staying. You should call La Cascada and ask them if the fireworks can be seen from there and if they have an area where you can go and watch it from. It is beautiful to watch with such great display. Besides the places that the others have mention, Fort Sam and Randolfh AFB have a show. I hope you have a great time while in the SA.

Try this site

lacascadaluxury.com/鈥?/a>

I am going down 7/1-7/8.

This is an add to sell condos at 230 wryer Ave.

We are at 226 Dwyer Ave

The luxury condo with an opportunity to build a highrise luxury address second to none in San Antonio, the development team behind La Cascada saw to it that no corners were cut in bringing a first-rate Riverwalk living experience to this dynamic city. with it%26#39;s 12 stories perched a short stroll from downtown%26#39;s cultural, entertainment and shopping hotspots, life here is as fast or languid as you wish. spacious floorplans bring to mind more custom-home than highrise, and the many accommodations within mean you only go out when you see fit. a fitness center, business center, multiple balconies and a rooftop pool and spa make home a fabulous alternative to going out. inside each residence, you%26#39;ll find sumptuous hardwoods, granites, tile and marble finishes. separate tubs and walk-in showers in large bath areas, and walk-in closets. the building also features private, gated parking and a lobby staff to help maintain your privacy. best of all, buying here doesn%26#39;t require making a reservation and placing your highrise desires at the mercy of construction schedules or cost overruns. you can tour La Cascada today, and close on your new home in days, not years. visit us today to see for yourself, what living this life in downtown San Antonio is all about. luxury has a home above the city and next to the river: La Cascada.

LIMITED NUMBER

OF RESIDENCES REMAINING FROM THE 650K-1MIL

For additional information, please contact our on-site

sales experts.

230 Dwyer Avenue

Try this site

lacascadaluxury.com/鈥?/a>

I am going down 7/1-7/8.

This is an add to sell condos at 230 wryer Ave.

We are at 226 Dwyer Ave

The luxury condo with an opportunity to build a highrise luxury address second to none in San Antonio, the development team behind La Cascada saw to it that no corners were cut in bringing a first-rate Riverwalk living experience to this dynamic city. with it%26#39;s 12 stories perched a short stroll from downtown%26#39;s cultural, entertainment and shopping hotspots, life here is as fast or languid as you wish. spacious floorplans bring to mind more custom-home than highrise, and the many accommodations within mean you only go out when you see fit. a fitness center, business center, multiple balconies and a rooftop pool and spa make home a fabulous alternative to going out. inside each residence, you%26#39;ll find sumptuous hardwoods, granites, tile and marble finishes. separate tubs and walk-in showers in large bath areas, and walk-in closets. the building also features private, gated parking and a lobby staff to help maintain your privacy. best of all, buying here doesn%26#39;t require making a reservation and placing your highrise desires at the mercy of construction schedules or cost overruns. you can tour La Cascada today, and close on your new home in days, not years. visit us today to see for yourself, what living this life in downtown San Antonio is all about. luxury has a home above the city and next to the river: La Cascada.

LIMITED NUMBER

OF RESIDENCES REMAINING FROM THE 650K-1MIL

For additional information, please contact our on-site

sales experts.

230 Dwyer Avenue

Grand Hyatt Parking

Is there any reasonably priced parking lots near the Grand Hyatt?

Grand Hyatt Parking

I cant answer for sure. My guess is that you will have to pay but I would call the hotel and get specifics for the hotel guest.

The place is just huge!

Grand Hyatt Parking

The parking is $30 for overnight parking at the hotel. So, I was wondering if there are any other parking options near the hotel?

There are several enclosed garages in the immediate downtown area which are cheaper..There also are several open parking lots..Parking meters are free after 6 PM...There are some choice meters right before the Marriott Riverwalk but will fill up fast...One of my fave open parking areas is on Durango behind La Villita Near what used to be Plaza San Antonio(I believe it is a Marriott property now..

To check out parking garages here is a website that may help you out I hope

www.visitSanAntonio.com click on area maps on the lower side of the website then downtown for parking.

Check out the info at tripadvisor.com/Travel-g60956-s301/San-Anton…

While it%26#39;s a little dated and prices may be up a little, the general info is correct.

Thanks to all.

One more question. What restaurants are near the Hyatt Place on Jones Maltzberger rd?

What part of Jones Maltsburger near the airport or the Quarry???????

I think the Hyatt Place is closer to the Quarry.

Ponchitos, Canyon Cafe, Water Street Oyster Bar, Piate, Paesanos, Florios, Flemmings, PF Changs, Panera, Chili%26#39;s, Joe%26#39;s Crab Shack, Stoneworks, Whole Foods, Freddies Frozen Custard, Sushi Zushi, La Posada Del Rey, Order Up, Pei Wei are all within a mile or so.

Near the airport.

It%26#39;s one and the same - close to the airport but closer to the Quarry.

Public transportation?

We are going to San Antonio in October and staying in the Medical Center area. We would like to visit downtown/Riverwalk area for one or two days of our trip. Would we be better off taking public transportation to the Riverwalk area or taking our car and parking nearby?

Public transportation?

I would say taking your car %26amp; park nearby %26amp; then use the streetcar to get around in the downtown area.

Here is a website to find parking lots or garages.

www.visitSanAntonio.com on the lower part of the page is Tools that has Maps click on it then what you are looking for.

Here is the website for trolley/streetcar www.viainfo.net/Busservice/Streetcar.aspx

Here is the website for public transportation if you decide that%26#39;s what you want to do. www.viainfo.net/Busservice/schedules.aspx

Hope this helps you out in what you are looking for.

Public transportation?

driving your car would give you more freedom...immediate parking meters run for 2 hours..but if you find meters just a few blocks away..you can park cheap for 8-10 hours. / You should only need to park your car once when you go downtown...downtown is walkable or you can take the trolley.

cant install webcam