On the Road

10 must-do activities in Cedar Park, a Texas Hill Country gem

Haute Spot turns up the volume on concerts in its cool, backyard-style setting.

Photo by David Brendan Hall

True to its name, Cedar Park has acres upon acres of gorgeous parks and recreation space that come fully equipped with hike and bike trails, splash pads, lake life, and more — all in the heart of the Texas Hill Country, about 25 minutes north of Austin.

But there’s more to love than just the park scene. Check out this list of the top 10 things to do when you’re in town.

1. Ride a vintage train
Hop aboard a vintage train and journey through the scenic Hill Country with The Austin Steam Train Association.

Punch your ticket any weekend of the year for a ride on the Bertram Flyer or Hill Country Flyer and enjoy seeing the view from a different vantage point.

They also have themed excursions like the Princess Flyer and Teddy Bear Trains for the kids, and various sunset and wine tasting trains for those who are adulting.

2. Zip across Lake Travis
Located just 20 minutes from Cedar Park, Lake Travis Zipline Adventures has five ziplines, three of which are the longest and fastest ziplines in Texas.

Your zipline ticket also includes access to a private beach where you can picnic, swim, play games, or simply relax in a hammock.

3. Get some turf and “surf” time
Scattered among the natural beauty of walking trails at the Cedar Park Sculpture Garden is a unique collection of sculptures from Texas-based artists. The pieces on display vary in medium and rotate annually, so there is always a different scene to appreciate.

Bring your running shoes and hit the Brushy Creek Trail, a 6.75-mile trail with extensive landscaping and scenic views.

The trail has six parks alongside it, which provide additional activities for walkers, runners, and bikers — think swimming areas, climbing rocks, canoeing and kayaking, disc golf, and multiple picnic and pavilion areas.

The Brushy Creek Lake Park is one of the parks along the trail, and you’ll love its beautiful 38-acre lake, sand volleyball courts, and fishing pier.

4. Sign up for lake life
Enjoy some outdoor fun and relaxation on Lake Travis, which is only 10 miles from Cedar Park and well worth the short drive.

This scenic lake spans just over 62 miles and has a relatively moderate climate year-round. It’s a fave destination for boating, fishing, swimming, and more outdoor fun.

5. Be the ultimate fan
For a concert experience that feels out of this world but is within an intimate backyard setting, Haute Spot is the place to be.

More music and entertainment can be found at H-E-B Center at Cedar Park, which has boasted some of the best acts since George Strait performed during its grand opening in 2009. It’s also home to Texas Stars hockey and Austin Spurs basketball.

6. Experience the cooler side of Texas
With two NHL regulation ice rinks, On Ice at The Crossover is literally the "coolest" way to have fun in Cedar Park. Come in for open skate or sign up to learn some hockey moves or how to curl.

When you’re done, head over to The Fieldhouse onsite for some great food, drinks, and arcade games.

7. Sip a craft brew
Start at The Grove Wine Bar and Kitchen for a vast wine selection and great food options. The Grove has built an affordable menu with something for every taste, and their accessible yet sophisticated wine program has all your favorites, along with cool finds you’ve never heard of.

For a caffeine kick, Red Horn Coffee House and Brewing Co. offers fresh house-roasted coffees and house-brewed craft beer. They’re also focused on supporting other artisans and offer locally sourced baked goods, charcuterie, cheeses, sodas, kombucha, wine and more.

And to round out those local libations, head over to Whitestone Brewery for hoppy suds, trivia, and live music.

8. Shop local
For retail therapy, Cedar Park has enough retail stores to meet anyone’s needs. But if you’re looking for something unique that you can’t find anywhere else, you’ll want to head to the boutique and specialty shops dotted throughout the city.

Honey & Hay has lovely home and gift items along with fun workshops for floral arranging and wreath-making. And check out Beau Kisses for upscale clothing, jewelry, seasonal items, and more.

9. Schedule some tee time
With numerous public golf courses and driving ranges nearby, a good tee time is easy to find.

Avery Ranch Golf Club is less than five miles away and Crystal Falls Golf Club is just seven miles from town, with other options like Blackhawk Golf Club and Lago Vista Golf Course within 20 miles.

10. Make a splash
The Splash Shack is your family's ticket to year-round fun — out of the sun. The indoor, micro-waterpark is the first of its kind and houses an 8,000-square-foot, 30-foot-tall interactive water play structure.

Plus with a temperature set to 82 degrees, it’s warm but not too warm, so you can soak up those summer vibes no matter the season outside.

For additional information on this list and more reasons to love this destination, click over to Visit Cedar Park Texas.

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a star is born

Brad Paisley steals hearts — and a fan's phone — in his Star Trail of Fame RodeoHouston show

Photo by Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo

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Just a few hours before hitting the stage for his 15th show at RodeoHouston on Saturday, March 18, Brad Paisley was inducted into the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo’s Star Trail of Fame.

The guitar picker joined the likes of Brooks & Dunn, Reba, Charley Pride, Elvis Presley, Gene Autry (the first performer ever), Roy Rogers, Alan Jackson, George Strait, and Selena.

Unless you are a certified rodeo rat like myself and have spent years stalking the halls of the NRG Center assignments, you’ve likely never seen this wall of gold plaques, located on the second floor of NRG Center outside HLSR’s offices.

Paisley’s star is the tenth on the wall, hanging next to Selena. On Saturday, he spoke briefly at an unveiling ceremony hosted by HLSR organizers.

“There’s nothing like this in the world,” Paisley told the assembled Houston press and rodeo brass on Saturday afternoon. “You guys realize that.”

It’s an honor reserved for the performers who’ve made a pronounced mark on the event. For some, like Reba and Strait, it’s about longevity and universal draw. While Selena (1993, 1994, 1995) and Elvis Presley (1970, 1974) only appeared at the rodeo a handful of times, their appearances have grown into sacred cultural milestones for two distinct demographics.

In Houston, you can age a native by who they first saw at the rodeo, like cowboy cosplay carbon dating. It doesn’t take long into a casual conversation about the rodeo without someone bragging about who they first saw.

Not unlike vegans, it won’t take long for someone to edify you with tales of seeing Elvis’ name on the Dome’s exploding scoreboard, or seeing Selena’s famous outfits in living color on Diamond Vision from the cheap seats. For me, it was being four years old and Strait showing off some of his ocean front property in 1987.

Paisley’s rodeo stops have always been breathers, nights to stretch and enjoy the scenery, like an industry night for the rodeo season. He’s performed at every RodeoHouston held since 2014, and without COVID changing the world’s plans, Saturday night’s matinee would have been his 17th show.

I’ve never heard anyone say an unkind word about a Paisley variety show stop. The rodeo’s starred stage, in whatever iteration, feels like home to him. The Grand Ole Opry and Guitar Hall of Fame member could be the house performer at an all-year rodeo theme park and no one would bat an eye.

He’s grown into an ambassador for a gentler, comical side of modern country music that’s always needed. Running counter to the stuffy modern hat acts, the sterner indie-toned traditionalists, and the rap-liters. Paisley’s the dude playing the hits, showing off his picking fingers, and having a beer with everyone in the room. No one else on this year’s rodeo lineup besides Paisley has recorded a song with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, either.

On Saturday night, Paisley brought the warmth from his plaque unveiling onto the stage in front of a sold out matinee crowd. “River Bank” kicked things off with Paisley’s slashing riverbilly guitar out front.

It only took three songs for Paisley to make his first tour onto the dirt for “Perfect Storm”, which morphed into a cover of “The Love Boat” TV theme song as Paisley took a victory lap on the west side of the stadium. Of course, “Water” was the next song.

Music videos have always been Paisley’s multimedia creative jam and he made sure to sprinkle some gems from his videography into the set and screens. “Waitin’ On a Woman” came with the requisite posthumous cameo from Andy Griffith from the music video. For “Celebrity,” Paisley’s own mascot from the industry-skewering viral video made a minor cameo in the chute seats.

For a foggy mountain jam, Paisley and his band members with instruments that can go mobile joined him on the dirt for a road trip.

“You’re such a beautiful mix of Budweiser, cow shit, and Brut Cologne,” Paisley told the crowd as “I’m Still A Guy” worked its way into the set list.

Paisley stole a fan’s phone for a spell and began to play on Aurora Fernandez Sordelli’s Instagram account, perusing her socials and critiquing her profile. It completely made sense for United States Congressman Dan Crenshaw to sit in on “American Saturday Night,” playing tambourine more than slightly off beat.

Photo by Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo

“The Brad Paisley Variety Hour has been a certified hit for 15 rodeo seasons running and hopefully, we’re only at the beginning of its run.

Setlist

River Bank

Wrapped Around

Perfect Storm

The Literal Love Boat Theme

Water

Waitin’ On a Woman

Then

Celebrity

Last Time For Everything

Old Alabama

I’m Still A Guy

This is Country Music

American Saturday Night (with Dan Crenshaw on tambourine)

Ticks

She’s Everything