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    Spring ritual

    Where to see beautiful bluebonnets in the Texas Hill Country in 2019

    Melissa Gaskill
    Mar 15, 2019 | 4:39 pm
    Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center presents Wildflower Roadside Tour 2017
    Hit the road to see some stunning displays of spring wildflowers.
    Photo courtesy of Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center

    Spring is wildflower season in Texas. While bluebonnets enjoy the most fame — and the title of official state flower — Texas Hill Country landscapes offer a number of other abundant blooms, including Indian paintbrush, Indian blanket, pink evening primrose, Mexican hat, winecups, black-eyed Susan, coreopsis, and more.

     

    Andrea DeLong-Amaya, director of horticulture at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center in Austin, predicts bluebonnets peaking this year in late March or early April, depending on temperatures.

     

    “It’s a prediction — I don’t have a crystal ball,” she cautions.

     

    The month of April, she adds, is spectacular in general. “Even once the bluebonnets finish up, there are so many other things coming on. There is life after bluebonnets!” The upside to all the rain Texas endured in the fall and winter should be a truly photo-worthy 2019 wildflower season.

     

    So, grab a camera and hit the road to check out these top spots through the Hill Country.

     

     Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, Austin
    For some of the most reliable and accessible wildflowers, head to the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, roughly 12 miles southwest of downtown Austin. Open daily 9 am to 5 pm, it's $12 for adults, $6 for children ages 5 to 17, plus discounts for students and seniors. The center has native gardens, wild meadows, and experts who can tell you what you’re looking at.

     

     LBJ State Park and Historic Site
    Get up close, without worrying about a shotgun-toting landowner or highway traffic, at LBJ State Park and Historic Site near Johnson City. It should come as no surprise that the park enjoys fame for its wildflowers, as Lady Bird Johnson deserves much credit for appreciation of them in Texas. Meadows surround the visitor center, and a nature trail wanders from there to the adjacent Sauer-Beckmann Living History Farm. Fredericksburg Trolley offers wildflower tours of the area in its vintage vehicles.

     

     Pedernales River Nature Park
    This 222-acre LCRA park off U.S. Highway 281 in Johnson City has lake and river frontage as well as hiking and mountain biking trails. It also has spectacular displays of the usual Texas Hill Country wildflowers (bluebonnets, Indian paintbrush, pink evening primroses, winecups, and the like) easily and safely accessible for those obligatory photographs.

     

     Burnet
    The town of Burnet north of Austin claims the title of Bluebonnet Capital of Texas. The town holds a Bluebonnet Festival the second weekend of April that includes live music, a carnival, food, races, birding and, of course, looking at flowers. Blooms line the highways in this area; some of the best are State Highway 29 from Burnet to Llano and Ranch Road 2341 from State Highway 29 to Canyon of the Eagles Nature Park, where some of its many miles of trails wind among wildflowers.

     

     Georgetown
    One of the few locations in the U.S. where red poppies grow naturally, Georgetown celebrates with the 20th Annual Red Poppy Festival April 26-28. The free, three-day festival includes parades, a car show, live music, cooking contest, art, food, and family-friendly activities. Henry Purl Compton, a soldier in Europe during World War I, sent poppy seeds to his mother, who planted them at her home in Georgetown. The flowers spread and today bloom abundantly in the area around the town square.

     

     Willow City Loop
    Wildflower drives are a long-standing Texas tradition, and one of the best in Central Texas is the 13-mile, two-lane Willow City Loop. Take State Highway 16 north from Fredericksburg approximately 13 miles and turn east on Ranch Road 1323 to Willow City. Roadside property along this route is private, so no wandering into the fields. Or out into traffic.

     

     Bandera
    Driving Texas State Highway 16 from Bandera to Ranch Road 337 and then heading west toward Vanderpool and Leakey offers plenty of scenery any time, including glimpses of the Medina River, but in spring, wildflowers sweeten the route. Farm-to-Market Road 470 west from Bandera to Tarpley is another option, as are the roads around Utopia. The 5,000 acres of Hill Country State Natural Area have miles of trails through a variety of landscapes with abundant bluebonnets, Indian paintbrush, primroses, firewheels, wild petunias, and more.

     

     Blanco State Park
    The Blanco River flows through this small park just an hour from San Antonio, where bluebonnet, Engelmann daisy, Texas paintbrush, firewheel, greenthread, and four-nerve daisy wildflowers bloom in spring. Enjoy picnic areas, camping, screened shelters, fishing, and kayak and tube rentals.

     

     DeWitt County
    Known as the Wildflower Capital of Texas, DeWitt County celebrates Wildflower Month in April. Places to enjoy it include a 132-mile loop formed by U.S. Highway 181 from San Antonio to Kenedy, Farm-to-Market Road 792 to Texas State Highway 80 to Nixon, east on U.S. Highway 87 toward Westhoff, then south to U.S. Highway 183/U.S. Highway 77A to Goliad, and the back to Kenedy on Texas State Highway 239 East. More than 1,000 different species have been documented on this route, according to the Wildflower Center. The Cuero Chamber of Commerce provides maps of the area’s wildflower trails.

     

     Goliad State Park and Historic Site
    This park, nestled on the banks of the San Antonio River, has several good wildflower spots, including near Cardinal’s Haven Blind, the Longhorn tent camping area, and fields along the road to the Jacales camping area. Expect a slightly different color blend created by Huisache daisies, phlox, coreopsis, and rose prickly poppies. Drive south on U.S. Highway 183 and cross the San Antonio River to see fields of flowers in front of historic Presidio la Bahia.

     

     Government Canyon State Natural Area
    This 12,000-acre State Natural Area right in the city has 40 miles of trails. Interpreter John Koepke reports that all of its trails offer good wildflower viewing. The Frontcountry Trail, Savannah Loop, Lytle’s Loop, and the ADA-accessible Discovery Trail all offer fairly easy hiking and a nice variety of blooms. The Backcountry trails prove more challenging and have less variety of flowers, but more rugged, scenic backdrops for photos. Visitors enjoy a large variety of blooming trees, shrubs, and cacti as well, including Spanish dagger, sotol, horsecrippler, agarita, mountain laurel, huisache, and redbud. Guided wildflower walks are offered in March and April.

     

     Guadalupe River State Park
    Four miles of river frontage and 13 miles of hike-and-bike trails are reason enough to visit this park just outside of San Antonio. Spring wildflowers are an added attraction in the Edwards Plateau landscape of its uplands. Park rangers offer related special events including a guided wildflower walk on March 12 and The Legend of the Bluebonnet reading and hike on March 30.

     

     A word of warning before you go
    Remember that while it isn’t illegal to pick the blooms, it is bad form. Leave them for others to enjoy and so the flowers can go to seed and make more for next year. By the same token, minimize trampling of the plants. DeLong-Amaya says that crushing the plants repeatedly (by, say, sitting on them) can destroy the flowers. Be aware that fields can also contain fire ants and the occasional snake. Be careful if walking through grass where it’s not possible to see where you’re stepping.

     

    Finally, be respectful of private property — no climbing fences, going through gates, or driving up driveways to get that photo. You might get a less-than-warm welcome.

     
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    Awards News

    Dallas hotels win big in 2025 World's Best Awards by Travel + Leisure

    Amber Heckler
    Jul 9, 2025 | 4:30 pm
    Omni PGA Frisco Resort & Spa​
    Photo courtesy of Omni PGA Frisco Resort & Spa
    Omni PGA Frisco Resort & Spa is the No. 2 best resort in Texas.

    Several renowned Dallas-Fort Worth hotels and resorts were just declared the best in the world by Travel + Leisure readers, according to the publication's annual World's Best Awards.

    Omni PGA Frisco Resort & Spa and Grapevine's Gaylord Texan Resort & Convention Center were honored among the top five best resorts in Texas, and six more distinguished Dallas-Fort Worth properties made the cut among T+L's list of the 15 best hotels in Texas and in the U.S.

    Every year, Travel + Leisure surveys its readers to determine the ultimate travel experiences around the world, which include the top hotels, resorts, travel destinations, and more. The 2025 survey had more than 180,000 responses from T+L readers with over 657,000 votes across 8,700 accommodations, cruise lines, and other properties.

    Omni PGA Frisco ranked as the No. 2 best resort in Texas, just one spot lower than its 2024 ranking. The resort is a relative newcomer in Dallas' rapidly expanding list of travel lodgings, as it's only been open for a little more than two years. The report said this golf-focused retreat is an impressive place to stay for visitors that have a "packed itinerary," regardless if that includes spending time on the green or not.

    "This resort has it all — golf, spa, dining options of all types and an amazing activity schedule," a T+L reader said.

    The Gaylord Texan Resort is a popular favorite among Dallas-area travelers, and it ranked as the 5th best Texas resort for 2025. In 2018, the resort debuted its $120 million Vineyard Tower, which added 303 deluxe guest rooms and 86,000 square feet of meeting space.

     Pool at Gaylord Texan resort The family-friendly pool at the Gaylord Texan has a lazy river and more than enough chaise lounges.  Photo courtesy of Gaylord Texan  

    The publication celebrated the five winners – the remaining three located in Texas' other major metros – for their lavish atmospheres that makes guests feel like they've escaped the hustle and bustle of their respective cities.

    "Our top five resorts in Texas are all scenic sanctuaries in or nearby the state’s biggest cities, offering an abundance of activities for visitors looking for relaxation and recreation," the report said.

    The full list of best Texas resorts, in order, are:

    • The Houstonian Hotel, Club & Spa, Houston
    • Omni PGA Frisco Resort & Spa, Frisco
    • JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort & Spa, San Antonio
    • Omni Barton Creek Resort & Spa, Austin
    • Gaylord Texan Resort & Convention Center, Grapevine

    Best hotels in Dallas-Fort Worth
    The region's most opulent hotel, Hotel Drover in Fort Worth, was crowned the best hotel in the Metroplex for the second year in a row. It also earned the No. 1 title in 2022. The hotel has only been open for four years, but it has remained a clear reader favorite, as it previously booked a top-five spot in Travel + Leisure's best Dallas-Fort Worth hotel list in 2023.

    Hotel Drover succeeds at providing guests with a flawless level of service and accommodations, while its dining attractions add to the overall opulence of the property's amenities. The report goes on further to say that "no hotel attracted Dallas fans more" than this Western-themed getaway.

     Hotel Drover lobby library The lobby of the Hotel Drover contains a library and a Lucchese boot boutique.Photo courtesy of Hotel Drover

    "Hotel Drover, Autograph Collection, located in Fort Worth’s historic Stockyards, pulls in plenty of charm in its design, including across its rooms that resemble luxury ranch lodging with exposed beams, dark wood headboards, and colorful textile touches," the report said. "There's also a Lucchese boot boutique in the lobby, so every guest can snag a pair to bring home as the ultimate Texas souvenir."

    A reader said they would recommend this Fort Worth hotel over any other place in Texas, and declared it "the definition of Texas" thanks to its attentive staff, thoughtful Western decor, and its classic Southern food.

    In a press release, general manager Aaron Ide said the entire Hotel Drover team was honored to receive the worldwide recognition.

    "This recognition is a reflection of our passionate team and the authentic Western experiences we strive to create," Ide said. "It’s especially meaningful to receive this honor during the 30th anniversary of the World’s Best Awards, and we are proud to represent the vibrant spirit of Fort Worth."

    Dallas' iconic Rosewood Mansion on Turtle Creek ranked as DFW's second-best hotel for the second consecutive year, and it was the No. 1-winner in 2023. This legendary hotel has continued prospering and growing its reputation since it was acquired by a Dallas investor firm in 2022, and has since earned a prestigious One Key status in Michelin's inaugural Texas guide in 2024.

    Though Rosewood Mansion didn't nab the top spot on T+L's list, it did claim the No. 1 spot in U.S. News & World Report's 2025 rankings of the best resorts in Texas.

     Rosewood Mansion on Turtle Creek terrace Rosewood Mansion on Turtle Creek terrace  Photo courtesy of Rosewood Mansion on Turtle Creek  

    The full list of Dallas-Fort Worth winning hotels, in order, are:

    • Hotel Drover, Autograph Collection, Fort Worth
    • Rosewood Mansion on Turtle Creek, Dallas
    • The Ritz-Carlton, Dallas
    • The Adolphus, Dallas
    • Omni Dallas Hotel

    Best hotels in the U.S.
    Fort Worth's esteemed Bowie House, Auberge Resorts Collection was one of three Texas properties to earn acclaim on T+L's separate list of the "15 Best City Hotels in the U.S." Bowie House ranked as the 14th best hotel nationwide, and a T+L reader said it "set the standard for luxury hotels in Fort Worth."

    "Another Southern favorite, Bowie House, Auberge Resorts Collection (No. 14) was applauded for its culinary offerings, expertly curated art and decor, and 'professional' and 'friendly staff,'" the report said.

     Bowie House bar Bowie House boasts all of the Southern charm one would expect to find in a Texas hotel.Photo courtesy of Bowie House

    The Post Oak Hotel at Uptown Houston and Hotel Emma in San Antonio were the only other two Texas hotels to earn spots on the list of the best hotels in the country.

    Other Texas awards
    San Antonio was deemed one of the best U.S. travel destinations in 2025, ranking 12th out of 15 total cities.

    In a release, Travel + Leisure editor in chief Jacqui Gifford said the 2025 World's Best Awards "reflect a travel landscape in motion."

    "From a high-desert city in the American Southwest to a quiet Greek island, our readers are seeking depth, character, and a strong sense of place," Gifford said. "We're thrilled to honor the hotels, destinations, and travel companies that are delivering those transformative experiences."

    The best hotels in Houston, in order are:

    • The Post Oak Hotel at Uptown Houston
    • Hotel ZaZa
    • Four Seasons Hotel Houston
    • JW Marriott Houston Downtown
    • Hilton Americas-Houston
    The best hotels in Austin, in order, are:
    • Commodore Perry Estate, Auberge Resorts Collection
    • Austin Proper Hotel & Residences
    • Four Seasons Hotel Austin
    • Fairmont Austin
    • Archer Hotel Austin
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