waste away here

Texas' first Jimmy Buffett-inspired resort opens for margarita-fueled escapes

Jimmy Buffett fans are in luck. The first Texas location of Margaritaville Lake Resort has officially opened to guests.

Set on 186 waterfront acres on the shores of Lake Conroe, outside of Houston, the 20-story resort features 303 luxury suites, as well as 32 lakefront cottages with available boat slips. Five signature Margaritaville-inspired restaurants and bars dot the complex, anchored by LandShark Bar & Grill, with panoramic views of Lake Conroe.

The three-acre Jolly Mon Water Park boasts a lazy river, an all-ages pool, waterslides, a splash zone, plus a year-round heated pool. Active guests can also look for a family-friendly 18-hole golf course, miniature golf course, pickleball and tennis courts, and a 10,000-square-foot Fins Up Fitness Center.

Boating, fishing, and waterskiing rentals are also available, and those looking to chill (it’s a Buffett-themed resort, after all) can while the day away in the 18,000-square-foot St. Somewhere Spa, which also offers a full hair salon.

Some 72,000-square feet of indoor/outdoor IACC approved meeting space awaits those looking for a corporate meeting, special event, or wedding venue.

The development of the resort is a joint venture of Songy Highroads (SHR) and The Wampold Companies, and it was announced last year. SHR, a commercial real estate firm based in Atlanta, and Wampold, based in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, are co-managing partners of the new resort, according to a press release.

The resort has opened with strict safety protocols in place, including contactless service, heightened cleaning standards, social distancing measures, and more.

“It’s exciting to be the first resort to introduce the Margaritaville lifestyle to the Lone Star State, offering a quick, drivable escape from major cities like Houston, Dallas, Austin, and San Antonio,” said Lisa Fasbender, general manager of Margaritaville Lake Resort, Lake Conroe - Houston, in a statement. “We look forward to welcoming our guests and providing a safe haven to escape, unwind, and enjoy the laid-back lake life.”

The signarure 'ritas.

Margaritaville Lake Conroe resort Houston

Photo courtesy of Margaritaville Lake Conroe - Houston

The signarure 'ritas.

vacation

Holiday News

American Airlines expects record-setting travel on Thanksgiving 2024

Photo courtesy of American Airlines

American Airlines ready for takeoff.

The holidays are looming and American Airlines is ramping up. Over the upcoming Thanksgiving weekend, the Fort Worth-based airline expects to process nearly 8.3 million customers across more than 77,000 flights.

According to a statement from American's COO David Seymour, the airline is having a good fall season and canceled fewer flights than its peers during October.

“Thanks to the hard work of our 130,000 team members, we canceled fewer flights than any of our major competitors this October and beat our own records for on-time departures and arrivals,” Seymour says.

That's surely good news. One hates to rain on their parade, but in June 2024, the only flight I booked this year, my flight was canceled less than 24 hours before take-off. I had made hotel reservations, scheduled a pet sitter, planned events, and arranged for a friend to pick me up at the destination airport. One employee speculated that it may have been "insufficient crew." Their only solution offered was: Feel free to reschedule your flight.

Thanksgiving facts and figures
The travel window runs from November 21 to December 3, and the airline expects to carry more than 500,000 more customers than it did last year.

The most-traveled day will be Sunday, December 1. The second most-traveled day will be Monday, December 2.

The peak of peak: 1,035 mainline and regional aircraft will be enroute at 10:45 am on Sunday, December 1 — the highest number of flights handled at any given time during American’s travel period.

The airline expects to serve more than 6.8 million Biscoff cookies on board from November 21 to December 3.

Travel tips
Download the American Airlines app and check in for your flight, noting added any bags to your trip. This will save you time at the airport.

If traveling internationally, download the Mobile Passport Control app, which can speed up your entry into the U.S. Global Entry members can download the Global Entry app, which allows you to submit your entry and go straight to the officer.

Upon arrival at the airport lobby, scan your mobile boarding pass to print bag tags quickly at a kiosk. If you’re not checking bags, go straight to TSA security with your mobile boarding pass.

holidays