December getaways

Fa-la-la in fresh air at these 11 Texas parks decked for the holidays

Roasting s'mores around a campfire under a starry sky sounds like the picture-perfect break from the holi-daze of December.

Texas state parks and historic sites are decking their halls — well, trees and structures and campsites — to welcome guests in search of a little socially distanced peace and quiet this month. There are campground decorating contests, drive-thru lights tours, and special winter hikes planned through New Year's Day.

Reservations for overnight stays can now be made for up to five months in advance, and up to 30 days in advance for day-long visits. For extra safety, capacity limits, cashless transactions, and other safety protocols have been instituted, as well.

Whether you need to use up some end-of-year PTO or you're in search of some fa-la-las in fresh air, here are some of the holiday happenings coming up at Texas parks. Check their website for even more.

North Central and East Texas

Tyler State Park
A Pineywoods Christmas takes place December 11-12. Stroll or drive through the Lakeview and Big Pine campgrounds of Tyler State Park and take in campers' elaborately decorated sites. Then mask up and stop in the Silver Canoe Park Store for discounts on one-of-a-kind holiday gifts from East Texas.

Daingerfield
Daingerfield State Park hosts the eighth annual Christmas in the Park from December 16-19. The event hops on the biggest holiday trend of 2020: the drive-thru lights tour. Take a drive through the park lit up like Santa Land and marvel at the decorated campsites and lights. The event takes place 6-9 pm Wednesday and Thursday, and 6-10 pm Friday and Saturday. Free admission during those days and times only; otherwise, it's $4 per adult and kids are free.

Eisenhower State Park
Light Up the Park encourages campers to decorate their campsites with holiday cheer. Those who do will be allowed to camp for up to a full week for free. Setup runs December 14-17. Then on December 18-19, visitors can drive through and see the lit-up sites and drop off letters to Santa in a special "North Pole Mailbox." They'll waive the $5 entry fee if you bring an unwrapped toy for donation.

Lake Mineral Wells State Park
Wake up and start 2021 the healthiest way possible, with a First Day Hike from 10 am-12 pm January 1. You'll join a park interpreter on a strenuous walk, crawling and scooting through some of the most remote areas of the park's Penitentiary Hollow, including caves and rock crevices. Spots are limited and reservations are required. If you think you'll oversleep for the first one, the hike repeats at 2 pm.

Central Texas

Lake Whitney State Park
Decorate your campsite and help spread some Christmas cheer at Christmas in the Park. Guests can then drive through and see them for free between sunset and 8 pm on December 19. Come back January 1 for a First Day Scavenger Hunt Hike — don't forget your smartphone to snap photos of the treasures and turn them in for a prize.

Lyndon B. Johnson State Park & Historic Site
The 51st Annual LBJ Tree Lighting will be a virtual event, streaming on Facebook and Instagram on December 20. However, guests can still visit park headquarters and the Sauer-Beckmann Living History Farm to view the decorations that will adorn the sites the week before Christmas. Don your mask and visit the gift shop for unique last-minute gifts.

Gulf Coast and South Texas

Goliad State Park & Historic Site
Stroll the history of Mission Espiritu Santo in the History in Lights event, running nightly from 6-8 pm through New Year's Eve. Lights and shadows bring the story of the site and its heroes to life as visitors walk the same path taken by Native Americans and Spanish Franciscan priests. Entrance fee is $4 per adult (free for kids); social distancing is required, and face coverings are encouraged.

Lake Corpus Christi State Park
Lighted Holiday by the Lake takes place December 11-13, and a Christmas Light Drive Through on December 12. Reserve a campsite in either the Javelina or Opossum camping loop for December 11-12, decorate it with Christmas lights, and your camping fees will be waived. Then take a free drive through lighted campsites on the night of December 12; to gain free entry, arrive any time between 6 pm and 9 pm that night.

Brazos Bend State Park
The whole family can take part in a self-guided, self-paced, ADA-accessible holiday hike at Brazos Bend State Park from 10 am-4 pm December 19. Pick up a guide at the Nature Center and then hit the Creekfield Lake Trail to learn about the the park. When you're done, head back to the Nature Center to share your findings and receive a holiday gift.

West Texas and the Panhandle

Abilene State Park
During Fa La La in the Forest on December 12, campsites, screened shelters, and yurts will be adorned with lights and decorations, and guests can drive through and see them. The Friends of Abilene State Park will be there to take monetary donations instead of entrance fees (suggested: $5 per car), and the park will also collect donations for Abilene Food Bank (canned goods only) Toys for Tots.

Hueco Tanks State Park & Historic Site
Bundle up and join the ranger-guided Home for the Holidays Hike at 11:30 am December 19. The family-friendly jaunt through the mountains near El Paso will introduce hikers to all of nature's wintery treasures in the area. Admission is $9 for adults, $2 for children. Reservations are required, and social distancing will be enforced.

Goliad State Park brings history alive throughout December.

Photo courtesy of Texas Parks & Wildlife

Goliad State Park brings history alive throughout December.

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BACKSTAGE PASS

Universal Music unveils new hotel and amphitheater near Texas Hill Country

UMusic Hotel & Private Residences Austin

Rendering courtesy of UMusic Hospitality & Lifestyle

A rendering of the property, with another building extending off-screen to the right.

Texas travelers who want to make sure their next weekend trip takes full advantage of the “Live Music Capital” have an upcoming community to consider: UMusic Hotel & Private Residences Austin, an effort owned by White Rocks and developed in partnership with Universal Music Group, will bring 150 hotel rooms, 600 private residences, and a new amphitheater to a 71-acre site at the edge of the Hill Country.

A representative says an opening is projected for the first quarter of 2029, with construction beginning in the first quarter of 2027. Residences are on sale now. Different units cost $850-$1,450 per square foot, depending on variables like locations, views, and more.

There is already one UMusic Hotel operating in Madrid, Spain. The Austin location will introduce private residences for the first time.

The keystone of the property will be White Rocks Amphitheater, an open-air venue that takes advantage of the natural surroundings. More than 70 percent of the site will "remain green open space," the release says. There will also be a performance venue inside the hotel, plus professional recording and content studios.

Music is the central force of the property, but it's not the only thing to do at the hotel. There will also be a bar, a nightclub, a comedy club, dining, a rooftop pool and fitness center, and a spa and wellness center.

At the spa, visitors can get traditional treatments like massages, facials, hair, makeup, and manicures, while the wellness center offers weight training, steam rooms, hammam (a Southwest Asian or North African bath), plus more advanced technologies including red-light therapy, peptide therapy, cryogenic chambers, and more. Sometimes the amphitheater will host yoga, weight training, and other physical events.

Similarly, the residences will have access to their own set of amenities including, a private pool and fitness facilities, underground parking, and common areas, the release says. They can visit the hotel anytime and enjoy the culture there, too.

"The result is a living environment that offers the peace of a private retreat alongside the vibrancy of an international cultural hub," the release says.

Since nature is such a big part of the plan, the developer has a number of sustainability commitments going into the project. Those include a mostly hidden plant for hot and cold water and power, microgrid energy tech, a closed-loop water system that developers say complies with a 100 percent water reuse goal set by the city, and DarkSky-compliant practices that help reduce light pollution, which is better for wildlife and seeing stars. That will help at monthly stargazing events held at the amphitheater.

The developers have also committed to the creative community that made them want to work in Austin to begin with; things like allocating a portion of ticket sales to a perpetual endowment for local artists and nonprofits, setting up paid gigs for emerging talent, and partnering with schools and other cultural institutions, sometimes for mentorship opportunities.

“Our vision is to create places where culture is made, shared, and celebrated," said UMusic Hospitality & Lifestyle president Jordi Solé in the release. "This property combines performance, wellness, nature, and community into a single living ecosystem, reflecting Austin's creative spirit on a global stage.”

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