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    Cool Off

    Beat the Texas heat with a sizzling summer vacay to San Marcos

    CultureMap Create
    Jun 14, 2023 | 12:05 pm
    Summer in Texas means river time.
    Summer in Texas means river time.
    Photo courtesy of Visit San Marcos

    The summer vacay vibes right now are strong, but a great getaway doesn't have to be far-flung. Keep your cool in San Marcos this summer with these refreshing ideas:

    Run to the river
    Did summer in Texas even happen if you didn't float the river? Besides grabbing a tube, cooler, and your best buds for a relaxing day on the crystal-clear, spring-fed water, you can also snorkel, kayak, standup paddle board, or even just sunbathe.

    Head into the earth
    Escape the sun by venturing underground at Wonder World Park for a tour of the Balcones Fault Line Cave. Besides being an exquisite 72 degrees year-round, the earthquake-formed cave is dotted with prehistoric fossils and huge boulders suspended in midair.

    Afterward, check out the anti-gravity house, Texas Wildlife Petting Park, or the Texas Observatory Tower for awesome Hill Country views.

    Embrace the AC
    True Texans know to duck indoors when the summer heat gets too intense, and if you happen to start shopping while hypnotized by that sweet, sweet air conditioning, then so be it.

    Score plenty of deals at the largest outlet mall in the United States and find one-of-a-kind treasures at boutiques around town.

    Pick up some knowledge
    Museums also crank out the chilly air, so pay a visit to the LBJ Museum (to learn about President Johnson’s time as a student in San Marcos) and drop in on the Wittliff Collection at Texas State University (for an afternoon of art, culture, and history).

    Down a cold one
    Cool off with a pint at one — or all — of San Marcos' three craft breweries: Roughhouse Brewing, Middleton Brewing, and Sean Patrick's.

    Learn more and plan your perfect summer itinerary in San Marcos here.

    Head underground at Wonder World Park.

    Family looking at plane
      
    Photo courtesy of Visit San Marcos
    Expand your knowledge base this summer.
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    T+L in HOU

    Travel + Leisure includes Houston stay on 100 best new hotels list

    Holly Beretto
    Apr 17, 2025 | 12:45 pm
    Hotel Saint Augustine entrance
    Photo by Julie Soefer
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    Hot on the heels of being named one of Esquire magazine’s best new hotels in the world of 2025, Houston's Hotel Saint Augustine has picked up another accolade. The Montrose property landed on Travel + Leisure’s 100 Best New Hotels of the Year this week. It's the only Texas hotel to make the list.

    The magazine noted the property “feels true to the destination and is a perfect addition to Houston's growing hospitality scene,” noting details that pay tribute to Houston’s history, like the Night Heron cocktail named after the city’s official bird and that the hotel itself takes its own name from Augustus Chapman, one of Houston’s founders.

    When Austin-based Bunkhouse Hotels opened Saint Augustine back in December of 2024, it was a much-anticipated addition to the Bayou City’s hospitality scene. Adjacent to the world-renowned Menil Collection, the Hotel Saint Augustine blends seamlessly into its surroundings with a quiet elegance and luxury amenities.

    “For us, Hotel Saint Augustine offers a chance to become part of a neighborhood that deeply aligns with the Bunkhouse ethos,” Bunkhouse senior VP of design and development Tenaya Hills said when it first opened. “Montrose, and by extension, the Museum District and Houston at large, foster an incredible sense of community, of creativity, of old world and new. We wanted to create a place where everyone could come and feel as welcome and inspired. As the next iteration of our Saint hotels, we aim to provide the same unique feeling of seclusion, of permission to be indulgent, and, most of all, completely at ease.”

    With 71 rooms across five, two-story buildings, many with courtyard views, the Saint Augustine has quickly become known for being both upscale and approachable. Reviews thus far on sites like TripAdvisor and Yelp call the property “simply stunning,” with a “fun atmosphere,” and “a treasure…in the heart of Houston.”

    On the Travel + Leisure list, the hotel is ranked among properties such as the Hotel Hana in Paris, The Lotus Palace in India, and the Palm House in Palm Beach, Florida. Room rates start at $429 per night.

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