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    Spelunker Claus news

    Texas caverns' underground concerts take holiday visitors caroling in the caves

    Brianna Caleri
    Nov 13, 2023 | 5:22 pm
    Austin Gilliam San Antonio Natural Bridge Caverns

    Performers like Austin Gilliam have been enjoying this unique concert venue.

    Photo courtesy of Natural Bridge Caverns

    An underground Christmas celebration sure sounds edgy and cool, but little could prepare visitors for this literally underground venue. Natural Bridge Caverns, just on the northeast edge of San Antonio, is hosting its 10th Christmas at the Caverns "season of celebration," but this one adds even more shimmer to these dark depths.

    Natural Bridge's "Caroling in the Caverns" opportunities and new Holiday Live Underground Concert series bring the public up close with professional singers and musicians for resonant performances in the stunning underground space. This year, the cavern's festivities are extended five days longer than usual, lasting December 2-30.

    The live concerts will take place in a newly developed space dubbed by a release "the deepest underground event venue in Texas."

    Photos highlight the unique offering, highlighting performers bathed in light from nowhere amid the quasi-cathedral natural environment. Considering the acoustics, it's almost weird that we don't have more concerts in caves.

    "Our 'Live Underground' concerts have been so popular, when we were looking for a way to celebrate our 10th anniversary, it seemed like the perfect way to extend the festivities," said President of Natural Bridge Caverns Brad Wuest in the release.

    There are five artists scheduled to play during the holiday series:

    • Zack Walther Band on December 21
    • Scotty Alexander on December 26
    • Matt Castillo on December 28
    • Payton Howie on December 29
    • Clay Hollis on December 30

    Both below and above ground, classic traditions are returning, starting on December 2: a trail of lights that stretches a third of a mile (with some new additions), a 30-foot Christmas tree, a visit from "Spelunker Claus" and Mrs. Claus. More unusual, the 5,000-square-foot "Reindeer Roundup Maze" gives kids a festive mission.

    It's not all just entertainment; in the spirit of the holidays and Christmas at the Caverns tradition, the venue will be collecting food and financial donations for the New Braunfels and San Antonio Food Bank. It will also donate a portion of ticket sales, adding to its previous cumulative donation of $125,000 and 1.25 million pounds of food.

    While visitors are there, they might as well take some of the year-round tours that will still be running throughout the holiday festivities. A concert ticket also gets guests into all of the other holiday events, and there are multiple other ways to organize a visit.

    Tickets for Underground Live Concerts are available at naturalbridgecaverns.com.

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    where to travel right now

    New Hill Country retreats beckon + more Texas travel ideas for June

    Amber Heckler
    Jun 1, 2026 | 9:00 am
    Ottine Mineral Springs
    Photo courtesy of Ottine Mineral Springs
    This mineral springs retreat is offering new wellness services in celebration of the first anniversary of its opening.

    School's out, summer has arrived, and with it comes a bounty of weekend getaway inspiration for Dallas travelers.

    Travelers on the hunt for the ultimate summer adventure outside of Dallas can head down Austin for a Father's Day barbecue showdown, leap to the coast for a restaurant takeover at a Galveston hotel, or say hello to Maisie the Highland cow at a new farm retreat in Jewett, Texas.

    Here are CultureMap's top picks for a June vacation around Texas.

    Around Texas

    As summer arrives and gas prices remain high, fuel-conscious Texas travelers can book their next road trip with transportation startup Shutto, which recently launched new routes connecting major cities like Dallas, Austin, Houston Galleria, and The Woodlands. Each route includes a pit stop at Buc-ee's — a quintessential road trip moment — and travelers can also book private, customizable trips beyond the scheduled routes. Fares start at $87 per person to Austin and $97 per person to Houston, and trips can be booked online.

    Central Texas and the Hill Country

    The historic Faust Hotel in New Braunfels has finally completed its thoughtful restoration and reopened its doors for Hill Country travelers. All 45 guest rooms and 15 deluxe suites have been updated with king beds, custom vanities, 55-inch streaming televisions, retro Frigidaire mini-fridges, and much more. The hotel's new signature restaurant, Wilhelm & Werner, mixes Texas and European culinary influences with dishes like an "apple strudel" of foie gras and pork, saffron tagliatelle with Gulf shrimp, and poulet rôti with a savory bread pudding. Nightly rates at the Faust Hotel begin at $215 in June.

    Faust Hotel New Braunfels The revamped Faust Hotel blends the property's historic bones with new furnishings. Photo by Jason Risner

    A Gonzales County wellness retreat is celebrating its one-year anniversary with a roster of new services, events, workshops, and more to come later this year. Ottine Mineral Springs is now offering private Watsu experiences, a massage performed in the mineral pools by licensed therapists before the general public arrives. The oasis will soon offer poolside cabana rentals, and open a climate-controlled indoor lounge and soaking space. Guests can book day passes (starting at $65), events, and spa services online. Reservations are required.

    Limestone Fields, a new farm retreat on Lake Limestone in Jewett, is now accepting reservations for stays on its 16-acre property that sits along Lake Limestone. Guests are welcome to explore the expansive area, which also includes a working farm with chickens, ducks, and two Scottish Highland cows. Limestone Fields hosts 10 furnished cabins with front decks that overlook a pond and back decks that open to the lake. Stays start at $200 a night and usually have a two-night minimum. Prices vary with seasonality.

    Maisie the Scottish Highland cow at Limestone Fields Maisie is a miniature Highland cow that lives on the farm.Photo by Ashley Estave

    Texas trade organization Texas Hill Country Wineries is offering a new way to experience its participating wineries' vintages with a new Barrels & Bites weekend event pass running from June 12-14. During the weekend, passholders can visit up to four wineries each day for winemaker-led experiences including elevated tastings or curated food and wine pairings. New this year is the Grand Tasting event at Ron Yates in Johnson City on Friday night from 5-7 pm, where passholders and single-ticket holders can try samples from 21 different wineries. Individual passes are $175, couples passes are $300, and single tickets for the Grand Tasting are $35 per person.

    Austin

    Adventurers can take their barbecue-loving dads for a smoke-filled weekend at Omni Barton Creek Resort & Spa in Austin for Father's Day weekend from June 19-20. The resort will host its second annual barbecue festival, Smoke: A Celebration of Fire and Flavor, bringing together the most prolific pitmasters and acclaimed restaurants for two days of live-fire cooking and live entertainment. The weekend kicks off with a VIP dinner experience on Friday featuring a multicourse meal of elevated barbecue dishes from chefs, and the barbecue showdown will commence Saturday with an open-air tasting event, live music, and a fireworks finale. Weekend bundle passes are $479 per person, with single admission tickets available for each day of the festival.

    San Antonio

    Magik Theatre, a beloved San Antonio children's performing arts center, is getting ready to for its grand reopening after months of renovations with a celebration party and a performance of The Very Hungry Caterpillar starting Saturday, June 13. The reopening party will feature a ribbon-cutting at Hemisfair Park, plus children's activities, a live DJ, and more. The Party in the Park is free to the public. Tickets for The Very Hungry Caterpillar, which will run until August 2, range from $26.50-$33.50 per person.

    On the Gulf Coast

    Galveston's seaside refuge Hotel Lucine is hosting the third annual Bludorn by The Sea dining series from June 12-13. Acclaimed Houston chef Aaron Bludorn will stage a two-night takeover of the hotel's on-site restaurant, The Fancy, with a raw bar pop-up from 4-7 pm, and elaborate four-course dinners planned each night. A Courtyard Party will precede Saturday's dinner from 12-3 pm with a yakitori-style grill-out and live music. Dinner reservations for Friday and Saturday ($95 per person) can be booked via OpenTable, and visitors are encouraged to book a stay at the hotel for the weekend.

    Dallas-Fort Worth

    June brings the arrival of World Cup season, and one Dallas-Fort Worth hotel is making its debut just in time to welcome FIFA fans from all over the world. The retro Caravan Court Hotel in Arlington will open at 205 N. Collins St. on June 1, less than a mile away from AT&T Stadium. The hotel offers 143 luxuriously appointed guest rooms, an in-house restaurant, martini bar, and a rooftop lounge. Room rates begin at $109 per night in June.

    Ottine Mineral Springs

    Photo courtesy of Ottine Mineral Springs

    This mineral springs retreat is offering new wellness services in celebration of the first anniversary of its opening.

    Hotel Vin in Grapevine has launched a new "Route 66 Pit Stop" package in celebration of the iconic roadway's 100th anniversary. The package includes an Americana snack basket, Texas wine flight, disposable camera for capturing the journey, and grab-and-go breakfast for the road. Guests can also visit “The Vin Pit Stop" Lounge at WineYard Grille + Bar, the hotel's al fresco dining concept, for light bites, road trip-inspired specialty cocktail flights and Texas wine. Nightly rates for the "Route 66 Pit Stop" package start at $419.

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