While it may not feel like fall yet, it's time to get into the September spirit and take full advantage of a fun weekend getaway or staycation this month. Dallas travelers can immerse themselves in the Hill Country at a unique Fredericksburg treehouse resort, or find a new favorite local band in Temple, Waco, or Houston. Locals can alternatively enjoy a relaxing vacation closer to home by booking a "cowboy core" experience at a Fort Worth hotel, or celebrate Grapevine's 39th annual GrapeFest with a glass of wine in hand. And you can't forget that the State Fair begins at the end of the month.
Here are our top picks for summer Texas travel events, hotel deals, and more in September.
Austin
The beloved Pecan Street Festival – which bi-annually celebrates Austin's creative community with an artisan vendor market and live music performances – is returning to the Hill Country Galleria in Bee Cave for its fall festivities, September 13-14. The fall music lineup includes 12 different acts, including "The One Man Funk Band" Henry Invisible, R&B duo TheBrosFresh, honky tonk band Armadillo Road, and others. Festival admission and parking at the Hill Country Galleria are both free to the public.
For any last-minute Labor Day plans, Texas residents can get an exclusive 20 percent discount on their stays and valet parking at The Loren Hotel on Austin's Lady Bird Lake using the promo code "TXRES". The hotel is situated just minutes south of downtown, making it an ideal vacation hub for travelers that want to explore the best the city has to offer. Additionally, the hotel's art gallery, Paggi House, will debut its new exhibition "Anything But Paint" featuring 11 artists (including three Austin-based artists) on September 18. Rates begin at $208 nightly with the discount code.
The award-winning Commodore Perry Estate is gearing up for football season with several pop-up experiences, featuring Fraulein Boots (September 14), Heritage Boots, Trovador Custom Hats, SAKS, and jeweler Nak Armstrong. Texans can also take advantage of the resort's "Texan Getaway Offer" for game day weekends with promo code "texas" and receive 30 percent off the resort's best available rate plus a $100 dining credit. Nightly rates begin at $416 with the discount in September.
Central Texas and the Hill Country
Upscale treehouse resort Onera in Fredericksburg has recently added23 new luxurious units on its sprawling property, bringing its total number of intimate lodgings up to 35 in all. The resort's high-end treehouses have private decks and outdoor soaking tubs, and they share public amenities such as a swimming pool, hot plunge, saunas, and firepits. Nightly rates at Onera Fredericksburg begin at $180 in September.
The Diamond is Onera Fredericksburg's unique take on an A-Frame.Photo by Jeff Jones
Photo courtesy of Pecan Street Festival
The fall Pecan Street Festival will be held at the Hill Country Galleria in Bee Cave.
Starting weekly from September 3 through October 1, the Levitt AMP Waco Music Series is returning for its fall season at the Bridge Street Plaza, also known as "Waco's Front Porch." The new season will bring live music from diverse artists such as cumbia band Los Desechos, R&B musician Phillip-Michael Scales, soul band Dwight James & The Royals, and many more. The concerts are free to the public, and will run from 5-8:30 pm.
There's a new music and barbecue festival taking over the town of Temple on September 12-13: The inaugural Tanglefoot Festival will feature more than 20 country music acts – including headliners Parker McCollum and Cody Jinks – and a barbecue showcase with 16 highly acclaimed pitmasters. Single-day tickets start at $108.51 including fees, and two-day tickets start at $209.35. All are available at eventhub.net.
San Antonio
Six Flags Fiesta Texas in San Antonio is bringing back its immersive Fright Fest nights starting September 6 and running until November 2. These fearful experiences, inspired by horror films and imaginative nightmares, will include four new haunted mazes, several "pulse pounding" live shows, and multiple scare zones. Haunted Attraction-only passes begin at $40 per person, and ticket bundles that include park admission begin at $75.
Houston
Houston's popular Solar Flare Music Festival is taking over Axelrad Beer Garden to share live music from 44 talented Texas bands on September 5-6. According to festival organizers, the 2025 festival is twice as big as it was last year. Besides the live music, attendees can expect to find immersive experiences and artisan vendors spread throughout the beer garden. Tickets range from $20-$35.
Fans watching Houston's best local bands at the 2024 Solar Flare Music Festival. Photo courtesy of Houston Music Classified
Dallas-Fort Worth
Dallas-Fort Worth locals looking for a fall "cowboy core" staycation can saddle up at the Worthington Renaissance Fort Worth Hotel with its "Cowboys in Cowtown Ultimate Experience Package." It includes tours of the Fort Worth Stockyards, museum visits, shopping opportunities, and a $50 dining credit at celebrity chef Richard Sandoval's restaurant Toro Toro. Guests who book weekend stays can also customize their own cowboy hats at the hotel lobby's pop-up with Texas hatmaker A.B. Lino. Rates for the package using the promo code "YX1" begin at $264 per night.
Grapevine’s Historic Main Street is transforming into a wine paradise during the 39th annual GrapeFest, which will uncork four days of flavor and fun from September 11-14. This year's theme is “The Grape Gatsby," which commemorates the 100th anniversary of F. Scott Fitzgerald's iconic novel and the glitz and glamor of the "Roaring Twenties" (without the prohibition). Admission is $10 per person.
It's almost time to don your best cowboy hat and boots for the State Fair of Texas, which will begin September 26 and run through October 19. Over 100 musical acts are scheduled to perform during the fair's 24-day stint, and visitors can expect award-winning festival food, arts and crafts contests, several new entertainment attractions, and much more. To help you plan ahead, CultureMap has rounded up all the various ways to get discounted tickets for the 2025 Fair.
Alteño currently only has one location — the original — in Denver, Colorado, and one more on the way in Charleston, South Carolina.Rending courtesy of 1 Hotels
This rooftop restaurant will serve a Japanese-inspired menu.Rending courtesy of 1 Hotels
This guest bath is spa-like with a dramatic view.Photo by Chase Daniel
The dramatic entrance exemplifies the transitional design from inside the building to nature outside.Rending courtesy of 1 Hotels