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

Any glaring problems? Weekend in Austin

Hi everyone

I am travelling from Australia to a conference in San Antonio for the last week of April. I have a weekend spare after the conference and was thinking of doing the following - any advice on any glaring issues with this plan would be much appreciated!

Please note, I am trying to do this travel on a seriously low budget, hence the use of public transport etc. If you think the greenback is struggling, you should try the Aussie dollar!

Saturday am: take train from San Antonio to Austin, arrive 9:30am.

Saturday %26amp; Sunday: sight-see Austin, stay at Extended Stay America Austin Downtown Townlake (http://bit.ly/IUbDZ)

Monday: take coach from Austin to Houston, arrive at 10:45am, for 5:50pm departure back to Oz.

Thanks in anticipation

Any glaring problems? Weekend in Austin

Austin has a reasonably good bus system, so you can do well there, if you stay near downtown. From that side of the river, it is a little hike to the center of town, but nothing unmanageable by foot. 6th street is walkable, and a few clubs have live music and no or little cover.

You can also walk down to Barton Springs for a dip in the natural spring pool, and get up to the Capitol building, and walk the nice trails around Town Lake.

Think of it this way: it is a large college town. Many students get by on $20 per week (their food %26amp; housing being prepaid)...

Any glaring problems? Weekend in Austin

Kavya, you%26#39;ve chosen a great place to stay. Very conveniently located on w. 6th at Guadalupe and economical at that!

It%26#39;s a short walk to lots of restaurants, clubs and such on 6th, 5th, etc. And there will be some places where there%26#39;s no cover charge.

On arriving in town pick up an Austin Chronicle (free alternative newspaper at stands around town) to get a feel for what%26#39;s going on.

The Austin Visitor%26#39;s Center is at 209 E. 6th and open 7 days a week. Good place to get a free visitor%26#39;s guide and maps. Get the Chronicle here too.

Welcome to Austin!

Thanks to you both for taking the time to respond to my query. I have gone ahead and booked everything now, and will be sure to rate the hotel here on Trip Advisor, to give back some of the love!

colon cleansing

austin bats

A group of 4 couples are visiting Austin at end of the month...besides just hanging out on the lawn, is there a primo way for watching the bats at Congress St. bridge? We%26#39;ll be there from 4/30-5/3

austin bats

Lots of people hang out on the bridge. There are walkways along both sides of the vehicle lanes, so people just stand and wait for the bats to emerge. If you want to eat while waiting or watching, the TGI Fridays at the Radisson Hotel has out outdoor patio with a great viewing location.

austin bats

There is a boat that goes under the bridge and shines lights on the bats - a little different from jsut sitting on the lawn and they do dinner cruises too. http://www.capitalcruises.com/bat-watching/

We like to take visitors on Lone Star%26#39;s informative boat tour. They are BYOB. Reservations are a very good idea.

http://www.lonestarriverboat.com/

Port Aransas daytrip with kids

We are going to Corpus in June with a daytrip to Port A. Me, my husband and our two girls ages 3 %26amp; 6. Its our first trip to the beach with the kids and since our honeymoon to Cancun. My husband has no other beach experience and its been years since I%26#39;ve been. So the real issue though is parking and restrooms. I%26#39;ve found where there%26#39;s free parking at Horace Caldwell Pier and restrooms/showers at IB Magee Park. But we don%26#39;t mind paying to park if its better and if there are restrooms. So, what%26#39;s the best spot on the beach for the day with the kids?

Port Aransas daytrip with kids

In Port A you can park (and drive) on the beach. This is great if you have little ones because you don%26#39;t have to lug all you belongings out of the car.

You%26#39;ll need to buy a parking sticker (around $10) that%26#39;s good for all season.

As to restrooms - I%26#39;d simply use a restaurant or store%26#39;s before I head to the beach. With 3 and 6 year olds you can change in the car.

2009 Seaworld Fun Pass

Wondering here if anyone else has used or will use the 2009 SeaWorld ';Fun Pass';, where you pay for a single day online and get the rest of the year free. It%26#39;s the same price as a regular day pass. Adults $54 and kids $47 but you can come back the rest of the year unlimited.

If anyone has done this or will do this before June 29 or 30 we%26#39;d be interested in ';sharing'; these passes with you. We need 2 adults and 1 kid.

We%26#39;ve ';shared'; these passes before at Seaworld San Diego and it does work. They electronically finger print you but its used for only that day. Anyone can use them after that day.

Contact us at jeff102d@hotmail.com to know more. j

South Padre in Winter Months

Does anyone have any recommendations for condo or hotel lodging at reasonable rates for 2-3 winter months on South Padre? Would need some kitchen facilities, does not have to be fancy.

South Padre in Winter Months

What would you consider reasonable? How many bedrooms? or and efficiency?

South Padre in Winter Months

If being on the beach or bay is not a priority, check out my post under the ';houses or condos?'; thread for some rental agencies. Also, motels like Super 8, Travelodge, Ramada, Comfort Suites and Knightsbridge Inn all have kitchenettes, continental breakfasts and have monthly rentals. Anything on the water will be substantially more expensive.

suite my skin tone

Macy's

Can someone suggest the best Macy%26#39;s in the Dallas area? I%26#39;ve never been to Dallas and wanted to check out my favorite department store while I%26#39;m in town.

Thanks!

Macy's

I would think North Park.

Macy's

I%26#39;m a huge shopper and would agree the best Macy%26#39;s is at North Park.

Another vote for NorthPark - also has Nordstrom, Nieman Marcus, Dillard%26#39;s, and Barneys.

What is a really good mexican restaurant near pizza hut park

Thank you in advance.

What is a really good mexican restaurant near pizza hut park

Either Manny%26#39;s or Mattito%26#39;s

www.mattitos.com

www.eatatmannys.com

What is a really good mexican restaurant near pizza hut park

how near are you wanting?

Because i can give you a short cut into Pizza Hut park to bypass crazy traffic if going on a big concert night and tell you about my favorite mexican food location with great views.

if interested, it is Angelinas on Main Street in The Colony. Eat there, fresh homemade tortillas and a large covered/screened patio overlooking Lake Lewisville. Excellent fajitas and the chimichangas are great too! Then, when you leave Angelinas, turn left out of the parking lot, heading North on Main street. Continue until you pass Albertsons on your right hand side...about 6-7 miles down. Turn right onto Main Street (Frisco%26#39;s Main Street) and continue on until you come to Pizza Hut park on your left about 3-4 miles down. This is a great way to bypass the traffic, and leave that way too.

That is so helpful! Thank you! We will have a driver taking us to the concert - but I wanted a good Mexican meal prior to Margaritaville!!!!

You are great - thank you!

enjoy Jimmy!!!!

I have been to many concerts at PH park...I leave nearby and I have learned it%26#39;s a mess with traffic in and out. Most people use the obvious routes into the park. There is a route in/out behind the park too, but right now that road is under construction and we tried it once and it backfired on us lol...

Angelinas is a great place and moderate priced.

I hope you enjoy!

err...i should say i ***LIVE*** nearby lol...

There%26#39;s a Canatina Laredo near the Westin at 121 and Legacy Dr. A Mi Cocina at the Shops of Legacy. And a Cristina%26#39;s near Stonebriar Mall. None of those should disappoint.

i hope you had a great time at the concert!

So sweet - thank you - but I had to surrender the tkts - dh was out of town -(I couldn%26#39;t go w/out him!) it was me, Radio Margaritaville and a swirl in hand, tear in my eye!

Thanks for remembering and for your wonderful advice.

TX1

New Stadium

Hi, I am driving in from out of town and will be all of the games. Can anyone tell me how far of a walk or drive it is? And will there be a shuttle. My hotel is on Brookhollow Drive.

New Stadium

Although you posted in the Dallas forum, are you actually staying at one of the hotels in Arlington on Brookhollow Plaza Drive? From that area it is over 2.5 miles, closer to 3 mile walk, mainly along Ballpark Way. As you can see from some of the threads on the Arlington forum, it is still a mystery whether anyone has it together for some sort of shuttle system to the Cowboy venue.

There is a trolley system for 20 of the Arlington hotels that currently go to Six Flags and the Ballpark but haven%26#39;t yet found any mention as to whether it will go to the football stadium.

If you contact your hotel and find out some shuttle info, please post back. Inquiring minds want to know

New Stadium

When I contacted my hotel, the Comfort Suites near the new stadium, they told me the shuttle would not go to the new stadium.

I will post my adventures after my trip, June 6-7.

Actually, I just checked with Arlington....they say there is no public transportation to the stadium, some hotels may offer shuttle service.

There is NO public transportation in Arlington at all (remember my mantra- largest city in the US with NO MASS TRANSIT)- maybe this first football season will put some pressure behind the issue. You would hope they could learn something from the mess that was Texas Stadium in Irving for so many years.

I hope for all those who look forward to going to this new stadium that either jerry will step up or some entrepreneur(s) have a plan up his/her/their sleeve.

colon cleansing

what age??

My family is traveling to SPI in July. We have two 19 year olds coming with us this year. Are there any nightlife hot spots for 18 and up?

HELP- I need a room with trendy/sexy decor...

In or near Dallas or northern suburbs. I am looking to book something where I can have some pictures taken in the room. (nothing too racy, but fun for my soon to be husband) In the past my photog. has used the NYLO but they are now saying no to this sort of thing which really stinks! So something with similar decor and with good architecture or elements in the room. We are planning for July but there are so many choices I have no idea where to start or which hotels would be uptight about this sort of thing. To be honest I am not sure why the other hotel has issue with it as she is not selling the photos.

Can anyone help or suggest something??

HELP- I need a room with trendy/sexy decor...

If you%26#39;re taking photos in the room how would they know? Not familiar with the Nylo--very definitely mixed reviews from what I casually glanced at.

Would check out the Belmont, the Magnolia, or the Hotel Indigo.

HELP- I need a room with trendy/sexy decor...

You would think they wouldnt know but apparently they found out she had done some before for a few brides, similar type photos, and while she was doing some a few weeks ago they called the police and issued them each $750 tickets!

Don%26#39;t know what your budget is. Hotel ZaZa has an ';Erotica Suite'; very sexy!

I second Hotel ZaZa.

3rd - ZaZa is exactly what you are looking for.

4th on Hotel Zaza. I remember during a Rachel Ray episode she stated it was so sexy she%26#39;d marry it or some such.

control panel buttons

Metro rail in Houston

Hi I am stopping at the Holiday Inn near The Galleria Mall,just wondering how far is the metro rail from the mall?I am planning on going to reliant park,Toyota center and zoo etc does the metro connect to all of these places?Where is the best bar near the Galleria as well,looking forward to coming here for the 1st time for WrestleMania,thanks

Metro rail in Houston

ridemetro.org/SchedulesMaps/RailSched.aspx

Above is the site for metro rail. You cannot get it from the Galleria. You may take a bus to downtown and then take the rail to relaint, the zoo etc.

The closest bar (to the Galleria) that I can think of is Roxy%26#39;s. I am not much into the bar scene - so other can give you better input.

Metro rail in Houston

The rail line does not go to Toyota Center, it is about 5-6 blocks from the rail line.

You might be better off staying downtown where you can ride the rail to reliant, walking distance to toyota, rail to the zoo and just catch a cab to the Galleria. Lots of bars in Midtown (near downtown) and a few new ones opening up in Downtown - including House of Blues and across from it Cork Wine Bar, The Flying Saucer Pub. Also a lot of new bars on Washington Avenue but you%26#39;d need a cab to go there - but it is near downtown as well so would be a short cab ride. If you want to stay downtown check into the Residence Inn or Courtyard by Marriot - both are right on the rail line.

Hey all. Is there a way to get the locations or addresses of the Metrorail areas? I%26#39;m trying to find places to eat but I want to make sure they are within walking distance of the nearest rail. The schedule %26amp; map really doesn%26#39;t seem to help, unless I%26#39;m reading it wrong (which is quite possible, lol).

Soda, here is a link that might help you out

www.visithoustontexas.com/HVGSPRING09_Eng.pdf

Public transit in Houston stinks. Rent a car. Parking is widely available and usually free or cheap.

For light rail in Houston, especially around the Galleria, is expected to be up and running I think around 2014. Otherwise, it would take the ride on the Westheimer bus to downtown where you can catch MetroRail.

Rental Homes in Galveston

I%26#39;m looking for a small home to rent either on or near the beach. I do have a dog so it would have to be pet friendly. I%26#39;ve been looking on the internet but all of the places are so big and expensive. It is only myslef and my friend going so we don%26#39;t need a big house. I wouldn%26#39;t mind a big place as long as it was moderately priced and near a good beach. Does anyone have any suggestions of places you%26#39;ve been before?

Rental Homes in Galveston

www.sandnsea.com is a good agency to try, we%26#39;ve booked thru vrbo.com and you look for the paw for pet friendly. I like the west end for beach and quiet relaxation.

Sunny Beach is a small area just past the end of the seawall, Pirate%26#39;s Beach and Pirate%26#39;s west are nice areas about 5 minutes past the seawall; there was some beach erosion from the hurricane so keep that in mind. 5 min. further west is Jamaica beach, I like their grocery store and the restaurant next door to it but haven%26#39;t stayed there. Terramar Beach is further west.

Rental Homes in Galveston

Homes on the water are expensive - I have booked also through both sandnsea. com and vrbo.com. The farther away from the water, the least expensive it will be. Also, there are several condos along the seawall that are pet friendly. You would have to cross Seawall Blvd. to get to the water, but condos are cheaper than homes. Love Galveston - going back again in August.