Innholdsfortegnelse for August 2018 i Texas Highways Magazine

TRAVELING IN TEXAS IN late summer can require a little more grit and creativity than the rest of the year. There are the obvious destinations that offer immediate antidotes to the scorching heat—mainly any body of water deep enough to submerge in, whether a lake, river, or swimming hole. But I was reminded on a recent trip to Amarillo that respite and rejuvenation can also be found in unlikely places. Coasting down a long stretch of State Highway 217 in Canyon, passing only a handful of other cars on the nearly hour long drive to Palo Duro Canyon, I turned off the radio and enjoyed the silence and solitude accompanied by the stark views of the Panhandle’s signature rolling plains and open skies. Far away from the constant noise, traffic,…

JUST NORTHWEST OF DOWN town Houston, a sprawling complex of factories and warehouses that once churned with heavy industry now fosters a different kind of production as the home of Sawyer Yards—quite possibly Texas’ largest concentration of working artists. And on the second Saturday of each month, the complex opens the doors of its 400 studios to give the public a taste of this burgeoning artistic epicenter in the city’s historic First Ward. David Adickes’ cast-concrete sculpture ART adorns the entrance of Sawyer Yards, its oversized letters hinting at the funky, creative vibe inside. Here, during the Second Saturday event, hundreds of people mill about the grounds listening to live music, lining up at food trucks, and browsing The Market at Sawyer Yards, an outdoor offering of arts, crafts, and…

BOATING IS FOR EVERYONE ON THESE 9 TEXAS LAKE CRUISES COLONEL PADDLEWHEEL BOAT GALVESTON Tucked within the leeward shore of Galveston Island, Moody Gardens is the launching point for the stately Colonel Paddlewheel Boat. This three-story, 1880s-style vessel plies the waters of Offatts Bayou daily. With two enclosed decks and an open-air promenade deck, the Colonel can accommodate 699 guests. Its 45-minute excursions provide passing views of the Galveston causeway and the chance to spot coastal birds and marine life, including an occasional dolphin. Along the way, guides tell the story of the island’s history, highlighting the importance of the shipping industry. The Colonel offers libations and snacks as well as a monthly dinner cruise. —Heather Brand Moody Gardens is at One Hope Blvd. in Galveston. Boat tickets cost $12.95…

IT’S A GOOD TIME TO BE THE HOUSTON ASTROS. After several tough seasons of rebuilding and an unpopular move from the National League to the American League, the team capped its recovery last fall with its first World Series title. They did it with a roster of charismatic young players who breathed new life into fans across Houston and beyond. But as they were coalescing into a contender last summer, Hurricane Harvey flooded Houston, leaving the city desperate for a break in the clouds. The Astros answered the call. “It created a bond and became part of the storyline,” says Richard Justice, who’s reported on the Astros for MLB.com and the Houston Chronicle for 18 years. “They understood that playing baseball was not going to drain one teaspoon of water…

WHEN JIM LEITCH and his wife, Cathy Casey, opened the Inn on Lake Granbury in 2005, they couldn’t predict their new business would dovetail with the fresh energy now infusing Granbury. While the two are too modest to claim credit, their subtly sophisticated lodging helped shift the appeal of this lakeside destination just southwest of Dallas-Fort Worth. Prior to the inn’s debut, Granbury’s prevailing charms clung mostly to a sweet, old-fashioned ambiance often associated with creaky antiques shops, tea rooms, and bed-and-breakfasts broadcasting a comfortable, grandmotherly atmosphere. That’s what travelers sought in their weekend stays here. These days, however, visitors to the area are seeking splashy fun by way of new kayaking, paddleboarding, and waterskiing opportunities. Shops offer more modern choices including art, housewares, clothes, and jewelry, and a few…

Free TRAVEL INFO! TO RECEIVE FREE travel information from the following destinations, simply circle the number on the attached reply card that corresponds to your selection, fill in your name and address, and drop it in the mail. To find our advertiser information online, go to texashighways.com/advertiser-information. 1 Abilene Convention & Visitors Bureau 2 Andrews Chamber of Commerce & CVB 3 Beaumont Convention & Visitors Bureau 4 Big Bend Ranch Rodeo 5 Blanco Chamber of Commerce 6 Brady/McCulloch County Visitors Center 7 Brazosport Convention & Visitors Council 8 Brenham/Washington County 9 Bullock Texas State History Museum 10 Cedar Park Tourism 11 City of Angleton 12 City of Bryan 13 City of Gonzales 14 City of Grand Prairie 15 City of Longview - Tourism 16 City of Wimberley 17 Corpus Christi…

TEXAS SUMMERS ARE SO HOT, the only choice a daytripper has is to head straight to the nearest body of water and stay submerged for as long as possible. On just that sort of sweltering day, I took a drive to visit one of the Hill Country’s most popular lakes, Lake Travis, just 20 miles outside of Austin. I found plenty of ways to get wet, and a whole lot more. 9 a.m. I started off driving past the mighty concrete wall that keeps the lake at bay—Mansfield Dam. Completed in 1942, it’s the tallest dam in Texas at 270 feet and is considered one of the most scenic in America due to its sheer face that fronts the roadway. Mansfield Dam Park, a county park featuring a playground, picnic…

A LONG-SMOLDERING literary scene is catching fire in Dallas, with its book festivals, writing conferences, and poetry readings, not to mention a resident first lady in Laura Bush who founded both the Texas and National book festivals. But the dearth of independent bookstores in a city known for its vibrant retail scene always put a damper on its bookish aspirations—until now. Interabang Books, a thoroughly Dallas bookstore in high-end Preston Hollow, opened its doors last summer. The store occupies a space in an upscale strip center featuring neighboring draws like Central Market and Hollywood Feed, and a Barnes & Noble across the street. Other independent bookstore efforts in Dallas are found in hip spots like Bishop Arts or Deep Ellum. But there’s no trendy neighborhood for Interabang—just this buttoned-up corner…

KOREAN FOOD JOINTS ARE POPPING UP ALL over Texas, but when Kitok Moore opened her first and only restaurant in Waco in 1975, she wasn’t sure the townsfolk were ready for cuisine from her native land. She stuck to standard Texas diner fare and even hesitated calling the joint Kitok, keeping up the signage of previous tenant The Burger Factory during the transition. It was only after Moore earned a reputation for day-changing cheeseburgers that the menu started reflecting the Korean-American duality of the owner and her husband, Robert, a former U.S. Army helicopter pilot she met when he was stationed in Korea. Moore added about one Korean dish a year, topping off at about 15 by the time she sold the restaurant in 2001. In over 40 years, Kitok…

DESTINATION: GLADEWATER ► San Antonio 6 hours ► Houston 3.5 hours ► Dallas 2.5 hours ► El Paso 11 hours WITH ITS OLD BUILDINGS, PASSING trains, vintage shops, and faded storefronts, Gladewater can seem like a relic from a bygone era. Elvis Presley used to play here. So did Johnny Cash. But in another sense, Gladewater is modern: The recent arrival of a brewpub and the opening six years ago of a bed-and-breakfast have turned the offcial “Antique Capital of East Texas” into one of the most walkable downtowns around. Once you get here—the town is about half an hour’s drive northeast of Tyler—vehicles become optional, and visitors can spend a weekend venturing no farther than a few blocks to shops, a couple of restaurants, and entertainment at the Gladewater…

IN 2008, THE CITY OF EL PASO AND ITS COMMUNITY Foundation restored and reopened the historic 1930sera Plaza Theater with a bang—and a festival. Ten years later, the party continues. The Plaza Classic Film Festival, Aug. 2-12, is a 10-day celebration of classic film, screening everything from An Affair to Remember to Lilies of the Field. While a bulk of the movies are shown at the Plaza, you can also catch a flick outdoors on Oregon Street next to San Jacinto Plaza, at local museums, the public library, or nine stories up atop the Mills Plaza Parking Garage. The star-studded festival brings in about 40,000 people annually to the city—even celebrities, including Al Pacino, El Paso native Debbie Reynolds, Rita Moreno, and Richard Dreyfuss in previous years. This year’s honored…