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On the Road

Small-town charm permeates lakeside Rockwall, just 30 minutes east of Dallas

CultureMap Create
Jun 11, 2026 | 11:40 am
rockwall san jacinto music series
The free San Jacinto Plaza Music Series is held downtown on Friday and Saturday nights.
Photo courtesy of Visit Rockwall

Picturesque sunsets at the lake, great golf, and small-town charm are par for the course in Rockwall, which is just 30 minutes east of Dallas. Live music is also big — there’s a reason why Rockwall was designated the Free Live Music Capital of North Texas.

From unwinding at the water to savoring the local dining and music scene, discover these summer-perfect possibilities in Rockwall.

Discover — and dine in — Historic Downtown Rockwall
As a designated Texas Main Street City, Downtown Rockwall is a revitalized, historic gem that’s home to shops and boutiques, a majestic historic courthouse, and must-try restaurants, all perfectly set within old-fashioned brick storefronts.

The Book Club Cafe specializes in down-home food with a twist, like sweet and savory takes on waffles and the best scratch-made biscuits and CFS (chicken fried steak).

Look for artisan-style wood-fired pizza and a solid wine list at Zanata; street tacos on hand-rolled tortillas and craft beer at Charlie’s; and an impressive array of burgers and all the fixins’ at the rancher-owned Wells Cattle Co. Word to the wise: Get the PBJ bacon burger for a delicious twist on the norm.

Downtown also hosts a charming Farmers Market from May through September, along with the San Jacinto Plaza Music Series on Friday and Saturday evenings from May through October.

Get a lake life
For beautiful sunsets, Lake Ray Hubbard views, and dining and entertainment, The Harbor is another district that’s not to be missed.

Thursday nights mean Concerts by the Lake, a free series that’s held through July. The 2026 lineup includes bands like Red (a Taylor Swift tribute), Walk This Way (Aerosmith tribute), The King Lives (Elvis tribute), Buffett Beach Band (Jimmy Buffet tribute), and Endless Summer (Beach Boys tribute) along with party bands like crowd favorite David Whiteman Band.

While you’re there, grab food and a ’rita or beer to-go at Dodie’s Cajun and creole restaurant.

If it’s not Thursday but you still are craving some music, you can often catch a band or karaoke night at Sideways BBQ, where they sling the smoked goods in a casual, lakeside setting.

Or BYOB for a relaxing night on the lake. Sail with Scott’s 40-foot-long sailing catamaran has starlight cruises along with family-friendly daytime options.

Or book a sunset cruise on one of DFW Boat Ride’s two double-decker boats like the Harbor Lights.

Tee off
Line up your tee shot down a lush, rolling fairway lined by magnificent trees at Buffalo Creek Golf Club, one of North Texas’ top public golf courses. Designed by Jay Morrish and former PGA Tour player Tom Weiskopf, the course features a challenging layout and an abundance of sand and water hazards.

Or for a different kind of golf game, head to the Harry Myers Disc Golf course. The 18-basket course wanders through open prairies and dense thickets of trees, creating a challenge backdrop for pros and amateurs alike.

Taste the good stuff
Neither a trip to Tuscany nor even the Texas Hill Country is required to sample some authentically Texan sips at Rockwall’s Rosini Vineyards, which crafts its dry and semisweet reds and whites with grapes grown in the Texas High Plains.

Newly opened, We The People Taproom puts a playful spin on American comfort food with a menu inspired by regional flavors discovered while traveling across the U.S. Guests can sample dishes like Nashville hot chicken sandwiches, Pacific Coast shrimp tacos, Chicago-style steak frites, Carolina shrimp and grits, and Philly cheesesteak eggrolls — all paired with a self-pour tap wall featuring rotating craft beer, wine, and cocktails.

The concept blends elevated “American street food” with an interactive dining experience designed for sharing and tasting your way through different flavors of the country.

Hit the trail(s)
For some off-road action, ride, hike, or jog the single-track looping pathways of the Squabble Creek Mountain Bike Trail. Consisting of six loops, the trail offers six miles of space to explore, as well as a picnic area where you can rest and recharge before heading out for more adventure

The one-mile trail at the Pettinger Nature Preserve also provides an escape to nature, and they have a butterfly garden, too.

And over in the family-friendly (and dog-friendly!) Harry Myers Park, there are walking trails along with barbecue areas, a swimming pool, and a Sprayground for summer chilling.

Find more to love about this lakeside town at Visit Rockwall.

Rockwall's charming and historic downtown is home to shops, restaurants, and more.

downtown rockwall
Photo courtesy of Visit Rockwall
Rockwall's charming and historic downtown is home to shops, restaurants, and more.
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Spa getaway

Canyon Ranch debuts luxe Hill Country resort with Texas’ largest spa

Stephanie Allmon Merry
Oct 30, 2026 | 12:59 pm
Canyon Ranch Austin
Courtesy of Canyon Ranch Austin
Canyon Ranch Austin is opening in October 2026.

Fort Worth-based wellness brand Canyon Ranch has debuted its long-awaited Hill Country resort: Canyon Ranch Austin opened October 29 with a 40,000-square-foot spa billed as the largest in Texas, a restaurant led by a three-Michelin-star chef, and an extensive lineup of fitness, medical, and wellness services.

First announced in 2022, the sprawling luxury resort sits on more than 600 acres overlooking Lake Travis in Spicewood, about an hour from downtown Austin.

The property has 141 guest rooms, 1.5 miles of lake frontage, and a network of trails winding through the surrounding terrain filled with native landscape and wildlife. Visitors might just spot a few deer or even a bald eagle.

Designed by Texas architecture firm Lake Flato, with interiors by Dallas-based Waldrop + Nichols Studio, the property melds indoor spaces with the outdoors.

“The opening of Canyon Ranch Austin represents years of thoughtful planning and nearly five decades of expertise dedicated to creating a destination that serves as home to deeply personal and highly impactful experiences for our guests,” says Mark Rivers, CEO of Canyon Ranch, in a release. "It’s a place that could only exist here and is shaped by the extraordinary landscape and spirit of the Texas Hill Country. Canyon Ranch Austin brings together our company’s unmatched expertise in health and human performance with the joy of discovery, connection, cuisine, and exceptional hospitality."

According to the release, guests can choose from more than 30 daily activities, individual consultations, and programs focused on physical health, mental wellness, spirituality, nutrition, and performance. Here's a closer look:

Supersized spa
The resort's 40,000-square-foot spa is its centerpiece, with 40 treatment rooms offering massages, facials, and body treatments alongside beauty services, recovery therapies, and newer wellness technologies.

The indoor-outdoor facility includes a salon and retail boutique, two pools, cold plunges, rain showers, indoor and outdoor whirlpools, aromatic steam rooms, and a traditional cedar sauna with continuous aromatherapy. Relaxation areas are designed to take advantage of natural daylight, while a custom soundtrack incorporates sounds from the Texas Hill Country.

The spa's offerings include exclusive beauty retreats, among them "Get Snatched," featuring celebrity facialist Ivan Pol, creator of the Beauty Sandwich.

Spa Lounge at Canyon Ranch Austin This is one of the spa lounges that will be available for guests. Courtesy of Canyon Ranch Austin

Focus on women's wellness
Canyon Ranch Austin also introduces the Women's Wellness Collective, a program focused on women's health at different stages of life. The resort describes it as the first dedicated practice and program of its kind in a resort setting.

Services and educational programming address perimenopause, menopause, hormonal health, postpartum care, aging, and beauty. The Collective is led by a team of practitioners, including Medical Director Dr. Riteesha Reddy, a board-certified rheumatologist with menopause certification and training in integrative and lifestyle medicine.

Dining with a Michelin-recognized chef
Dining is another big part of the resort's all-inclusive experience, with four food and beverage options.

Estella is the signature restaurant, with a vaulted dining room overlooking water and meadow views. Its culinary program is led by Val Cantú, a Central Texas native whose San Francisco restaurant, Californios, holds three Michelin stars. Executive Chef Blake Ransom oversees the resort's daily menus.

Cantú grew up in nearby Brownwood, where his father owned a Mexican restaurant. He has said his Texas roots will influence Estella's menu, including its tortillas.

“When I’m making tortillas, I feel connected at a root level,” Cantú said when his appointment was announced. “It reminds me of making tortillas with my grandmother and my dad.”

The more casual Flying X Café serves as another dining option. Guests can also visit the Mini Bar at the Rendezvous lounge or Oak Valley, an outdoor grove for special dining events.

Estella Estella is the signature restaurant at Canyon Ranch Austin. Courtesy of Canyon Ranch Austin

Fitness and outdoor adventure
Beyond the spa, Canyon Ranch Austin has two major facilities devoted to fitness and health.

The Barn is a 27,000-square-foot fitness facility with a gym, studios, and an outdoor field for fitness and movement. The Wellspring is a 12,000-square-foot medical center housing physicians, clinicians, technology, and health services. Nearby, CR Vitality offers recovery services and equipment, including Ammortal technology.

The resort's wellness programs span preventive and functional medicine, brain health, sleep, stress regulation, metabolic health, nutrition, and emotional and spiritual well-being, they say.

Outside, guests can explore more than five miles of hiking and biking trails, try watersports on Lake Travis, or visit the lakeside beach and sauna. A spring-fed water feature known as Longfield Pond covers more than seven acres. The racquet center includes four pickleball courts, two tennis courts, and a padel court for those who've taken up the popular racquet sport.

Canyon Ranch Austin Guests can hike along the shores of Lake Travis.Photo courtesy of Canyon Ranch

Home on the Ranch
For those who want to make the Canyon Ranch lifestyle a little more "permanent," The Ranch Home Collection offers 134 single-family homes within the property.

Designed by Lake Flato and Canyon Ranch, the homes incorporate natural materials and features intended to bring wellness into daily life, the company says. Standard amenities include a sauna, cold plunge, and stargazing features. Homes range from about 3,200 to 4,800 square feet, with homesites spanning 0.8 to 3.7 acres and prices starting at $3.8 million.

A swanky stay
Overnight stays at Canyon Ranch Austin start at $1,325 per person, per night. The all-inclusive experience includes lodging, meals, and access to daily fitness and wellness activities, while additional spa treatments and services may cost extra.

The resort's Stay Your Way package includes a $200 nightly spa and fitness credit for stays of two nights or longer. Stays of three nights or longer also include an additional $300 health and wellness credit. Rates vary by season, package, and occupancy.

Canyon Ranch was founded in Tucson, Arizona, in 1979. After Goff Capital acquired the company in 2017, its headquarters moved to downtown Fort Worth. The brand's Fort Worth wellness club and spa opened at the Crescent in 2023.

Canyon Ranch Austin is at 600 Moonlight Bend, Spicewood.

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