stop and smell the bluebonnets

CNN Travel says Texas' Hill Country is a 'best place in the world to visit'

"Frequently overlooked" might be a stretch as the Hill Country keeps making these big lists.

A new report says that one of the best places to visit in the entire world is right here in Central Texas.

CNN Travel named the Texas Hill Country one of the best places to visit in the world in 2024. The region was included alongside 23 other high-flying destinations such as Greece, Morocco, Panama, and Greenland.

CNN Travel said the intention of the report was to highlight "places that are still largely undiscovered, or alluring in the offseason, or frequently overlooked for their larger first cities or neighbors."

It also includes locales that it says are "making it easier for tourists to visit and those that pay close attention to encouraging tourism that's sustainable."

The Central Texas area is one of only three destinations in the U.S. featured in the report. The others are northwest Michigan and Florida's freshwater springs.

In the report, CNN Travel cited the Hill Country's springs, trails, wineries, dance halls and more as reasons for globetrotters to make a stop. Below is the full entry on the region:

"In the heart of Texas, Hill Country boasts its own natural springs. One prime spot, Krause Springs in Spicewood, lures visitors with more than its spring-fed pool and natural swimming hole — there’s also a butterfly garden full of magical wind chimes. And the Blue Bonnet Cafe — home to some of the world’s most divine cream pies — is just a short drive away in Marble Falls. [...]

Read the full story and watch the video at KVUE.com.

hill country kvue nature sustainability lists

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.

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