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    Woodlands Weekend Quiz

    Walk on the wooded side: Are you up for a Woodlands staycation?

    Tarra Gaines
    Sep 22, 2013 | 4:36 pm

    I must confess, growing up in suburban Houston left me with certain prejudices against foreign lands. Sure Sugar Land, Pearland, the Woodlands and all the other planned and not-so-planned 'burbs might be lovely places to live. But I don’t, now. So why visit?

    Still, I like to think of myself as an fair-minded person, so when I was invited on an explore-the-Woodlands tour and mini-staycation, I resolved to confront my biases and remain open to all that this close, but alien, land has to offer. After my eating, drinking and boating adventure, I realized while I still wouldn’t want to live there, there are some good reasons to visit.

    So if you, too, are pondering under what circumstance should you take a trip into the woods, I present a handy quiz, already completed with the most correct answer (i.e. excuse) for embarking on a Woodlands weekend.

    1. Is your favorite hipster band, '80s crooner, or country music superstar set to play Houston’s longest-named concert venue, The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion?

    Answer: OMG, yes! Fun. is coming! They really get me, and I know all their songs, not just 'Some Nights" like those other posers.

    A concert in the Woodlands is one of the best reasons to splurge for a full night out instead of braving the car crawl back to I-45.

    A concert in the Woodlands is one of the best reasons to splurge for a full night out instead of braving the car crawl back to I-45. There are several hotels within walking distance of the Pavilion, so end your evening of fun with a stroll back to your hotel room and have a leisurely drive the next morning.

    After being a guest of the Hyatt Market Street, I realized it might be close enough to the Pavilion that someone — not me, of course — might try to skip buying a ticket and just cock an ear in the general direction of the music of fun. or Lionel Richie while relaxing by the hotel’s second-floor outdoor pool.

    2. Are you looking for a girls or boys night out/restaurant and bar crawl in a safe environment, where, if need be, you can actually crawl from place to place?

    Answer: Been there, done that at Town Square and CityCentre and now I’m looking for another outdoor, mixed-use dining/shopping world to conquer.

    Market Street and Waterway Square have their share of low-to-high-end chain restaurants, but they also contain some surprises, like celebrity chef Ken Rathbun’s Jaspers and the cozy tapas bar, 1252. Try to stop by Schilleci’s New Orleans Kitchen when owner Wayne Schilleci is around. His New Orleans and Houston stories are the perfect seasoning to their tradition Cajun fare.

    Lengthy wine lists and signature cocktails abound on the Street and in the Square so crawl away.

    3. Have you always wanted a wedding at sea but need to take a Dramamine before jumping in a pool?

    Answer: Yes, I love open water but only if it’s waveless and tightly regulated by humans.

    The Woodlands Waterway connects the Woodlands Convention Center, the Woodlands Mall, and Waterway Square. One of the few ways to traverse this mighty way full of water is on a cruiser. Cruise goers can buy a $5 day pass and hop on and off as much as they want, but the cruisers may also be chartered and catered, for dinners, corporate meetings, bachelorette parties and yes even weddings. Got bickering divorced in-law problems? Put them into separate boats.

    The Woodlands is a popular spot for conferences, parties and wedding, with lots of leafy venues to choose from. Tori Enriquez, director of sales at the Woodlands Resort, told me the own record is five weddings in one day. The resort’s multi-million dollar renovation will include a lazy river pool, so maybe you could even get married floating along in an inner tube.

    4. Do you (I’m not judging) or your 4 year-old find great joy running about on splash pads and playing on spraygrounds?

    Answer: Hey, when it’s 102 degrees in Houston I, and my 4-year-old, which I definitely have and am not making up so it won’t look weird for me to play in fountains, take our watery relief wherever we can get it.

    For those without a child or the childless without a Zooey Deschanel sense of whimsy, spraygrounds are water-dousing playgrounds; splash pads are those padded decks that spray water from nozzles embedded in the ground. They’re everywhere in the Woodlands. While I have no definite proof, I wouldn’t be surprised if a secret township ordinance requires one public, interactive water apparatus for every five Woodland kids.

    With lots of pools and playgrounds and the Children’s Museum for the kids, there needs to be some way to combine excuse 2 and 4. Find a designated kid wrangler to herd them from one splash pad to the next while you restaurant and bar hop through the night just a few yards away.

    5. Do you like to golf?

    Answer: Yes.

    The Woodlands is not so creatively named for a reason, but I wonder if all those trees are mostly there to separate all the golf courses.

    Got even one answer right? You might be ready for that weekend walk on the wooded side.

    Take a river taxi to various Woodlands destinations.

     
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    Disappear Into Nature

    Secluded Hill Country park opens 2 luxurious glamping houses

    Natalie Grigson
    Jun 19, 2025 | 10:15 am
    Bloom House exterior
    Photo courtesy of LCRA Parks
    Glamping can still include s'mores with a private outdoor fire pit.

    Just in time for unbearable temperatures across Texas, the Lower Colorado River Authority (LCRA) has introduced a cooler glamping solution. Opened mid-May, the Ööd Mirror Houses are LCRA Parks' newest accommodations at Lake Bastrop South Shore Park, about 40 minutes outside of Austin.

    Hideaway House exteriorBoth glamping options have floor-to-ceiling windows that look like mirrors from the outside.Photo courtesy of LCRA Parks

    Operated by Cameron Ranch Glamping, these two luxury houses are tucked away in the park's Lost Pines region, surrounded by trees and miles of tranquility.

    Both these pet-friendly homes include floor-to-ceiling mirrored glass walls, so guests can look out into nature with complete privacy, from both passersby and mosquitos.

    Both The Hideaway and The Bloom are 221 square feet and are equipped with a queen memory foam bed, full bathroom with walk-in shower, dining area, Wi-Fi, kitchenette, record player, and perhaps most importantly for this time of year, air conditioning. In the winter, the structures will be heated.

    Hideaway House InteriorBoth mirror houses include memory foam queen-sized beds, WiFi, A/C, and more. Photo courtesy of LCRA Parks

    No matter how glam it gets, guests can still enjoy classic camping fun like roasting marshmallows in their personal outdoor fire pit, or firing up the grill for some burgers. Plus, Lake Bastrop offers paddle boarding, kayaking, canoeing, areas for fishing, trails for hiking and biking, mini-golf, playgrounds, sand volleyball courts, and a charming camp store.

    Interior kitchen areaKitchenettes come equipped with a microwave, refrigerator, and cooking equipment. Photo courtesy of LCRA Parks

    Guests can also leave the park and make the 10-minute drive to downtown Bastrop to grab a bite, a drink, some groceries, or catch some music or a movie. (Who can really say what the rules of glamping entail?)

    Bloom House The two mirror houses are within walking distance to the swimming areas along the lake. Photo courtesy of LCRA Parks

    The Ööd Mirror Houses are now available to book online. Rates vary by day, starting just above $200 per night before fees, and increasing to more than $300 before fees during certain times. Find the campground at 375 S. Shore Rd., Bastrop.

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