On The Road

Wellness flows and history runs deep in heath-focused Mineral Wells

You might be surprised to find a historic Texas city that's just as passionate about wellness as it is about heritage, but Mineral Wells' ambitious nature often defies the impossible.

The natural mineral waters, revered for their healing powers, made the city famous in the early 1900s with its bathhouses, drinking pavilions, and spas. Today you can still experience the water through tastings, mineral baths, and more as the historic mineral baths and spas are being restored and modernized.

Mineral Wells even became the official Wellness Capital of Texas in June 2023. The city is also a member of and working with the Wellness Tourism Association to ensure it meets the needs of today's wellness traveler.

There's plenty more to discover in Mineral Wells:

Step outside
The city is an outdoor lover's dream, with three state parks located within 30 minutes, four lakes, the Brazos River, and 30-plus miles of hiking/biking trails.

Camping, mountain biking, kayaking, canoeing, horseback riding, fossil-finding, and even simple forest-bathing are just a few of the activities you can experience.

Mineral Wells Fossil Park is free and open year-round, and yes, it does contain real fossils! You get to keep what you find as long as you promise not to sell it.

Step back in history
The most famous of the city's mineral wells is the Crazy Well, given its name for healing a "crazy" woman who drank there daily — most likely due to trace amounts of lithium in the water.

Today, the Crazy Water Hotel further connects visitors to Mineral Wells' 1920s glory days and pays homage to the original Crazy Hotel, built in 1912. The Crazy Water Hotel includes 67 beautiful suites in addition to apartments and event spaces, a coffee and water bar, and several upscale shopping and lifestyle amenities.

The Baker Hotel, adoringly known as the Grand Lady of Mineral Wells, opened in 1929 and reigned as one of the country's most glamorous resorts for more than 25 years. Today, the Grand Lady serves as an educational monument for the town's history and is undergoing restoration. It is scheduled to reopen in 2026.

Old Camp Wolters is prominent piece of the town's military history, having served multiple military functions from WWII to the Vietnam War (when it was renamed Fort Wolters). Today Fort Wolters is privately held, but a portion is still used for National Guard training purposes. The Congressional Medal of Honor Memorial is also found at Fort Wolters.

The National Vietnam War Museum catches your eye as you approach town, offering beautifully landscaped grounds for quiet reflection. One of the most well-known features is a real-life Vietnam-Era Huey mounted high above the Memorial Garden.

Pull up a seat
Stop into Crazy Coffee & Water Bar for Crazy Water and coffee, tea, soda, and syrups all made from the city's "crazy good Crazy Water."

Second Bar & Kitchen by renowned chef David Bull offers healthy cuisine from locally sourced produce, meats, and bakeries.

Two historic eateries are praised for their burgers: Dairy Mart and Woody's Bar. If you're still in a meat mood, Natty Flats and Mesquite Pit are the place.

Put it on your calendar

87th annual PPLCA-PRCA Rodeo, May 2-4: One of the longest-running outdoor rodeos in Texas, and longest running event in Palo Pinto County.
Crazy Wellness Day, June 8: Held in conjunction with Global Wellness Day.
Flying Pig Festival, June 15-16
World Wellness Weekend, September 20-21
44th annual Crazy Water Festival, October 10-12
Crazy Fossil Dig, October 19
Merry Wells Christmas Festival and Lighted Parade, November 30-December 24

Stay a while
Magpie Inn is a chef-owned, historic bed-and-breakfast just three blocks from downtown.

The Crazy Water Hotel has been impeccably restored, with spacious rooms that include a full kitchen and all the modern amenities.

Rest Yourself River Ranch is a unique stay on a historic ranch that overlooks the Brazos River. Also restored with great care, this unique accommodation can be rented as individual rooms, or rent the whole property for family reunions and gatherings.

With a newly renovated downtown area that's bustling with boutique hotels, spas, artisan shopping, and eateries, a new Mineral Wells is emerging that marries the nostalgia of the town's glory days with a fresh, modern vision. Head here to learn more and plan your visit now.

Photo courtesy of Visit Mineral Wells

The city is an outdoor lover's dream.

vacation video promoted

Hotel News

Edition boutique hotel and luxury condos to debut in Uptown Dallas

Courtesy rendering

New Chalk Hill mixed-use project will include residences and a hotel.

A new mixed-use project in Dallas with hotel and luxury condos is springing up on the former site of public media station KERA. Located at 3031 N. Harwood St., the Chalk Hill complex will include a 29-story building with hotel-plus-condominiums, and an adjacent 22-story office tower.

The hotel will be a branded Edition property, dubbed "the hottest hotel brand in the world" by Forbes magazine.

According to a release, it's expected to open in 2028.

The complex will occupy a 2.5-acre site where KERA previously resided for 60 years. In 2023, Dallas real estate developer Kaizen Development Partners acquired the property in 2023 with a deal to develop the project and relocate KERA to new smaller headquarters on the northern end of the site. An address for KERA's new HQ has not been identified, but ground was broken on March 3.

Hotel
Edition is part of Marriott International, who created the brand with Ian Schrager, founder of Studio 54 and known in the hotel industry for introducing the concept of the boutique hotel. The first Edition opened in Waikiki in 2010. There are now two dozen locations including New York, Miami, Tampa, and Los Angeles in the U.S., as well as international destinations such as London, Madrid, Tokyo, and Dubai.

The Dallas location will follow Edition's ethos with a hotel and residential designed for those who value "authenticity, architectural integrity, and service delivered with quiet precision."

The hotel will feature a restaurant and bar, ballroom and meeting spaces, pool deck, spa with hydrotherapy, holistic well-being center, and dedicated wellness concierge.

Interiors are conceived by Bonetti/Kozerski Architecture, the design firm behind several Edition properties worldwide.

Architecture is led by Boka Powell, whose previous projects include the Victory Commons office building in Victory Park, the renovation of Two Galleria Tower, and SMU Meadows School of the Arts.

Landscape architecture by SWA in collaboration with SCDA integrates biophilic design principles, drawing nature upward into terraces, gardens, and elevated outdoor spaces.

The condos
Called the Residences at The Dallas Edition, the condos are being framed as "luxury," with two-, three-, and four-bedroom units ranging from from 1,080 to 6,866 square feet, and prices starting at $1.5 million for one-bedroom units. Amenities include private elevator access, private individual terraces, 24-hour valet, resort-style pool, and gym.

The 29th-floor penthouse will span 6,866 square feet with more than 3,300 square feet of private outdoor space — crowning the tower as a glass pavilion in the sky.

"Chalk Hill reflects the remarkable evolution we’re seeing in Dallas residential development,” says Catherine Lee, president of Douglas Elliman Development Marketing, in charge of leasing the space.

The offices
The office building will offer its own amenity package with fitness center, nearly an acre of green roof space, conference areas, multiple lounge spaces, and multipurpose executive board/dining room.

“The work we are doing with Edition is a tribute to the city’s evolution and the legacy we are helping shape,” says Kaizen Development Partners Managing Partner and CEO Derrick Evers in a statement. "By bringing Edition to Texas for the first time, we are creating a destination where global sophistication meets Dallas soul.”

hotels uptown openings

On The Road

Wellness flows and history runs deep in heath-focused Mineral Wells

Beloved Dallas retailer Weir’s Furniture to close after 78 years

Dallas' love affair with pizza peaks with 2 pizza festivals on deck

New Park Bistro in Richardson is now open in a most unlikely location

Hotel News

Edition boutique hotel and luxury condos to debut in Uptown Dallas