Texas getaways

America's largest indoor waterpark splashes into Texas this fall

The waterpark spans more than 200,000 square feet.

Courtesy rendering

A project four years in the making is finally roaring into Texas. Kalahari Resorts & Conventions, an African-themed, $550 million development, is scheduled to open November 12 in Round Rock, just outside Austin.

The resort is designed to be an all-in-one destination, with 200,000 square feet of convention meeting space, a massive hotel, restaurants, a spa, entertainment center, an adventure park, retail shops, three acres of outdoor pools, and the country's largest indoor waterpark. Combined, the newest Kalahari property spans a massive 1.5 million square feet, notes a release.

Restaurants, rides, and other amenities
Like its other resorts in Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin, the Texas resort is designed as a destination to suit both families and businesses. The hotel's 975 guest rooms include one-, two-, and three-bedroom suites as well as a presidential suite options. It also offers five onsite restaurant options: Double Cut, a steakhouse and bourbon bar; Cinco Niños, a modern Mexican kitchen and tequileria; Sortino’s Italian Kitchen; B-Lux Grill and Bar, serving gourmet burgers and shakes; and Great Karoo Marketplace, a buffet.

Tom Foolerys Adventure Park — yet another part of this multimillion-dollar project — features thrill rides, climbing walls, indoor zipline, bowling, laser tag, escape rooms, and mini golf. A "cutting-edge" arcade dishes out traditional arcade games, along with video games, blacklight mini golf, virtual reality, XD Dark Ride 5-D, and mini bowling, in case regular bowling just isn't enough.

And then, of course, there are the water features. The indoor waterpark, billed as the country's largest, clocks in at 223,000 square feet, with 20 pools/whirlpools, 30 waterslides, a surf simulator, an adult grotto with swim-up bar, and waterfalls. The park also boasts a 37-foot LED display screen with surround sound that can be rented out for private movie screenings.

Kalahari Round Rock also has three acres of outdoor pools in case swimming inside isn't your thing.

The property also houses 10,000 square feet of retail spaces, including the "Amatuli marketplace featuring authentic African items." A release notes that once this space opens in spring 2021, it will not only be a place to indulge in retail therapy, but it will also offer workshop tours, activities, and information sessions.

Doing business
You can't have conventions in your name and not offer special amenities for business travelers. Along with the aforementioned 200K square feet of corporate meeting space, Kalahari Round Rock is outfitted with two ballrooms; 16 meeting rooms and hospitality spaces; and outdoor meeting areas and outdoor event space, including an event barn, covered terraces, lawn, and open-air amphitheater.

As it gears up for its November 12 opening, the resort says it's also looking to hire about 700 employees, aka associates, for a variety of jobs, including lifeguards, managerial staff, culinary staff, and information technology work. For more information, visit the Kalahari website.

"We can’t wait to open our doors and welcome the Texas community to the Kalahari experience this fall,” said Kalahari owner Todd Nelson. “We have 1.5 million square feet of space to play and room to roam. It’s been a challenging year, and what better way to get away from the worry and enjoy time having fun together as a family and community.”

In response to that challenging year, Kalahari has implemented a series of safety measures across its resorts, which a rep says will be in use at the new Round Rock property, as well as adhering to all local and state guidelines.

The company has also laid out a series of cleaning and sanitization plans, and also requires employees to take their temperatures before a shift and wear masks while on the property. In a bid to minimize the use of cash, the company is offering guests the ability to add funds directly to a room key to pay for things while staying at the resort.

In addition, guests are asked to maintain at least six feet of social distance while on the premises, and use hand sanitization stations offered as well as engage in proper hygiene methods. Read the full list of safety measures here.

openings hotels

Spa getaway

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

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, Austin.

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