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Top Texas destinations

9 Texas state parks make new list of America's best for 2025

Amber Heckler
Aug 6, 2025 | 6:28 pm
Garner State Park

Texans already know Garner State Park is among the best parks in the nation.

tpwd.texas.gov/

Nine beautiful Texas state parks earn acclaim in a new ranking of the 100 best state parks in the U.S. "for great value stays," and Garner State Park in the Hill Country makes it inside the top 10.

The 2025 HomeToGo State Park Index ranks 100 state parks to determine "the 100 most affordable options for superb state park stays in the USA," they say.

To come up with the rankings, HomeToGo (a vacation rental marketplace) uses factors such as affordability (based on the lowest median nightly cost per person at a nearby lodging); a "hidden gem" score based on search volume; the overall size, number of trails, and diversity of wildlife of each state park; and a "scenic score" based on the number of photographs taken at each park.

The No. 1 best state park in the U.S. for an affordable getaway is Ohiopyle State Park in Pennsylvania.

No. 8-ranked Garner State Park, located about 350 miles from Dallas in the Hill Country, was the only Texas park to earn a spot among the top 10 nationwide. Garner climbed one place from its 2024 ranking of 9th best.

Garner State Park spans 1,774 acres of land, boasting 16 miles of trails for hiking enthusiasts and 2.9 miles of Frio River access for swimming, tubing, fishing, paddle boarding, and much more. The summer evening dances are popular events that bring in visitors of all ages, according to the park's website.

"Since the 1940s, young folks (and the young at heart) have been gathering at the park’s concession building on summer evenings for a jukebox dance," the site says.

HomeToGo said it costs about $66 per person to book a stay at a vacation rental near Garner State Park. However, budget-conscious visitors can likely save more money by choosing to stay on-site at various campsites and screened shelters for as little as $15 per night. The park also has several cozy cabins with and without fireplaces for $130-$400 per night.

South Llano River State Park was the only other Texas site to earn a spot among the top 50 U.S. state parks, coming in at No. 25. This park is located 290 miles southwest of Dallas, and also offers numerous opportunities for biking, nature watching, stargazing, and swimming. The park also has nearly 23 miles of hiking trails at varying difficulties to accommodate both beginners and expert hikers.

South Llano State Park South Llano State Park has two miles of river frontage.tpwd.texas.gov/

South Llano State Park is also designated as an International Dark Sky Park, meaning the park has "an exceptional or distinguished quality of starry nights and a nocturnal environment that is specifically protected for its scientific, natural, or educational value, its cultural heritage, and/or public enjoyment."

The report says visitors can find accommodations near South Llano River State Park for about $63.77 per night, though the park offers three different types of campsites for visitors: Hike-in primitive campgrounds ($10 nightly), campsites with water ($15 nightly), and campgrounds with electricity ($20 nightly).

"Most campsites have water and electric hookups, and a restroom with showers nearby," the park's website says. "Our six walk-in sites have water and a restroom with showers nearby, while the five primitive hike-in sites have a chemical toilet nearby, but no water."

The remaining state parks that earned spots among the top 100 include:

  • No. 51 – Goose Island State Park
  • No. 72 – Buescher State Park
  • No. 73 – Galveston Island State Park
  • No. 78 – Fort Richardson State Park & Historic Site
  • No. 79 – Caddo Lake State Park
  • No. 84 – Fort Boggy State Park
  • No. 91 – Balmorhea State Park
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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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