This year's hottest headlines

Top 10 Dallas travel stories of 2022 escape to a tiny house, grand castle, and surfers' paradise

Editor's note: As we look back at the most-read travel stories of 2022, we can see that readers were eager to overcome high gas prices and airport headaches and escape for some fun. Our most popular stories featured a surprising new hot spot northeast of Dallas; easy one-tank getaways; news for fans of surfing and spa-ing; a getaway to a tiny house in East Texas; and a peek behind fixed-up castle walls in Waco.

1. Surprising place northeast of Dallas could be ‘the next Austin,’ says Bloomberg. For years, cities around the country have competed for the banner of “the next Austin.” In hopes of replicating Austin’s astounding success as a much-admired economic hub, fans have touted their cities as the next incarnation of Austin. Bloomberg Opinion columnist Conor Sen made the case for the mountainous Northwest Arkansas region to be the Austin-in-waiting.

2. 7 spectacular surprises inside Chip and Joanna Gaines' new Fixer Upper castle in Waco. For the first time ever, Texas’ king and queen of renovation, Chip and Joanna Gaines, unlocked the doors and let the public into one of their famed fixer-uppers before it was featured on their Magnolia Network show. We went to Waco for a tour and discovered seven surprises behind the castle walls.

Photo courtesy of Choctaw Country

Those who love water are in luck at Broken Bow Lake in Beavers Bend State Park.

3. American Airlines introduces new way to breeze through security at DFW Airport. As airports experienced a crush of travel delays over the summer, American Airlines made it easier to get through security checkpoints at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport. American rolled out its new Mobile ID feature at DFW. Anyone with a mobile phone, TSA PreCheck membership, AAdvantage number, and either a driver’s license or U.S. passport could now verify their identity with facial recognition at DFW’s security checkpoints.

4. Rad new surfing lagoon paradise rides into Texas promising ocean-perfect waves and beachy fun. A new, world-class surf destination is coming to Houston. HTX Sur f will ride into Generation Park in fall of 2024, per an announcement by creators Beach Street Development, the company that pushes the barefoot life with its man-made surfing lagoons.

5. New Omni PGA Frisco Resort hotel aims to be biggest golf destination ever. The city of Frisco is due to get a new Omni with a big dose of golf on the side: Called Omni PGA Frisco Resort, it's slated to open in spring 2023, at 4341 PGA Pkwy., at the southeast corner of the Dallas North Tollway and University Drive. Described as the country's largest resort currently in development, it's aiming to be "the cutting-edge home of American golf" with a host of golf-related features

6. Fuss-free hop-on jet service JSX launches new nonstop flights from Dallas to Destin. With summer vacation on the horizon, Dallas-based JSX relaunched its popular seasonal hop-on jet service to a favorite Florida beach destination — Destin. Nonstop flights from Dallas Love Field to Destin Executive Airport ran May 12-October 31.

7. Texas legends Willie Nelson and ZZ Top team up for concert at iconic Hill Country venue. "Shotgun Willie" may sit around in his underwear, but next April, he'll be a "Sharp Dressed Man." Taking the iconic stage at Whitewater Amphitheater in New Braunfels, Willie Nelson and ZZ Top will perform together on April 14 and 15, 2023.

8. 5 fantastic summer escapes from Dallas-Fort Worth on one tank of gas. High gas prices, expensive airfare, airport headaches, and pricey car rental fees made travel planning a little more difficult last summer. But a postcard-worthy family vacation was just one gas tank away thanks to picturesque resorts and parks located within a short road trip from Dallas-Fort Worth.

9. 2 happy campers unplug to recharge at a tiny cabin Getaway in East Texas' Piney Woods. Getaway Outposts are “resorts” of about 40 trendy tiny homes that let city folk escape into nature in a slightly upscale way — to turn off digital devices, relax, and recharge internal batteries — “rustic without having to rough it,” they advertise. One city couple drove an hour-and-a-half east of Dallas into the Piney Woods to check it out.

10. Texas' dreamiest destination spa unwraps exclusive $1,000 Swiss facial for 25th anniversary. When the Lake Austin Spa Resort went shopping for a 25th-anniversary gift for guests, it aimed higher than traditional silver and picked treatments that incorporated gold, diamonds, and caviar. As a result, the dreamy destination introduced some of the most opulent, exclusive, and — at upwards of $1,000 — most expensive facials in the world.

vacation transportation texas celebrities luxury hotels hot-headlines

Hotel News

Grand Hyatt hotel at DFW Airport to deploy million-dollar renovation

Courtesy photo

Grand Hyatt DFW hotel at DFW Airport

DFW Airport is undergoing updates and now the remodeling bug has bitten the on-site hotel: Grand Hyatt DFW Airport, located inside Terminal D, is deploying a renovation of the property beginning in July.

It'll be a multi-phased renovation that includes updates to guestrooms and suites, improvements to event spaces, enhancements to the restaurants and bars, plus re-envisioned lobby, guest lounges, and corridors throughout — anticipated to be completed by the end of 2025.

In a statement, Grand Hyatt DFW Airport general manager Jeff Babcock notes that the hotel is celebrating a key anniversary.

“We are thrilled to announce Grand Hyatt DFW will undergo a transformation to provide international and domestic travelers and local residents with new, more refined accommodations, enhanced culinary experiences, and modernized conference and event spaces for meetings and groups,” Babcock says. “In honor of our 20th year, the renovation will reinforce the hotel’s legacy as the premier hotel and event center supporting the international airport and connecting travelers to the Dallas Fort Worth culture and community.”

The renovation at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport marks its biggest investment since it first opened in 1974. The plan, called DFW Forward, will invest $9 billion in capital improvements to transform terminals, increase the number of gates, enhance the airfield, and improve roadways. Highlights include the addition of a new Terminal F south of Terminal D, with room for up to 24 gates; rebuilding Terminal C; more gates for Terminal A and C; and a rebuilding of Terminal C's parking garage.

“The remodeled Grand Hyatt – already known as one of the premier airport hotel experiences – will complement the ongoing enhancements and expansions across the airport as we create a smooth and enjoyable experience for our guests,” says DFW CEO Sean Donohue in a statement.

Rooms
Updates include:

An increase in the number of guestrooms and suites from 298 to 315
A new aeronautical design complemented by the style of a Texas landscape featuring local woods like Red River Pecan and Yellow Pine, with by a color palette that includes subdued greens and shades of natural blues
Stitched leather headboards and integrated lighting on the beds
Large HD flat screen televisions and new charging ports
Eco-friendly occupancy thermostats, enhanced lighting controls, and automatic blackout sheers and shades
Expansive closets and modern bathrooms with enlarged vanities, showers, and tubs

Restaurants and lounges
Food: A reimagined Grand Met restaurant and lounge will showcase a new style in dining at the airport, and its refreshed seasonal menus will offer new culinary experiences celebrating artisanal traditions combined with modern upscale dining. Keeping with the elegance of a jet-set lifestyle, the updated menu will serve international and modern cuisine with fresh ingredients sourced locally.

Atmosphere: Seating capacity at the restaurant and the lounge bar will be increased with modernized tables and chair. Newly designed private and semiprivate dining rooms will be available for large and small parties. An acoustically-designed ceiling will keep conversations private.

Meetings and events
With more than 20,000 square feet of meeting and event space, including a 6,600 square foot ballroom, the final phase will unveil a new a top-floor executive boardroom, and a one-of a-kind indoor/outdoor rooftop event space overlooking the airport runways.

The renovation will include state-of-the-art technical facilities for corporate meetings and gatherings, plus in-house audiovisual support for all types of events, with a redesign that incorporates the style of Texas and the beauty of the West.

Lobby, corridors, and pool
Steps away from the Transportation Security Administration (TSA)’s checkpoint in Terminal D, the newly envisioned hotel lobby will include marble tile flooring, specially-designed ceiling finishes, enhanced accent lighting, wood paneling, and artwork created by local.

New corridors will connect the hotel to the airport. The hallways will feature a plush carpet with a pattern inspired by the airport’s design and airline flight movements, accented with blues and browns.

A newly transformed fitness center with Pelotons bicycles will be located on the first floor, while an outdoor rooftop pool will overlook the runways.

Each Grand Hyatt hotel is uniquely designed to be a captivating destination within a destination, boasting restaurants, spas, fitness centers, and business and meeting facilities.

transportation airport hotels