Boat Wait

All aboard — at last: Port of Houston finally lures some cruise ships tocontroversial terminal

Long vacant, the Bayport Terminate finally will get some passengers in late 2013with the arrival of two cruise lines.
Photo courtesy of The Port of Houston
Since it was completely amost 4 years ago, the terminal has only seen actiononly once during Hurricane Ike.
Photo by © Chris Kuhlman
The Caribbean Princess will set sail in Nov. 2013 — tickets are already on sail.
Port of Houston/Facebook
Party time! The festive-looking Norwegian Jewel returns to the Port Houston inearly 2014 for a three-year stint.
Cruise Guide

After years of sitting vacant, the controversial Bayport Terminal in Pasadena will be launching ships thanks to a new partnership between the Port of Houston Authority and the popular Princess and Norwegian cruise lines.

Princess' inaugural cruise on the Caribbeann Princess — a 3,080-passenger liner which will raise funds for United States veterans — is expected to sail starting in Nov. 2013 with an estimated 27 departures planned throughout the season.

Norwegian and its 2,374-passenger Norwegian Jewel, which last sailed from Houston in 2007, will begin a three-year stint at Bayport in early 2014 with upwards of 75 calls.

Built at a cost of more than $108 million, the Bayport Terminal has been an embarrassment for state and local officials.

"We are ecstatic that these two premier cruise lines have chosen to sail from our state-of-the-art cruise facility," Jim Edmonds, chairperson of the Port of Houston Authority, said in a statement. "Securing this cruise business helps fulfill our commitment by building the cruise terminal to spur job creation and economic development for the entire greater Houston and Pasadena region."

Built between 2007 and 2008 at a cost of more than $108 million, the Bayport Terminal has been an embarrassment for state and local officials, who have had little luck in securing the cruise lines it promised to bring to the region nearly half a decade ago. The only action the terminal has seen was in late 2008, when Hurricane Ike forced the Port of Galveston to reroute ships to Bayport for two months.

The Port Authority projects this new cruise activity will create roughly 100 new jobs throughout the greater Houston and generate a positive economic impact of approximately $200 million through the next four years. Nearly $100,000 in annual state and local taxes are anticipated.

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say hi to smitty

Jolly Texas town makes list of best Christmas road trip destinations

Smithville Area Chamber of Commerce - Facebook

Smithville's annual Festival of Lights transforms downtown into a winter wonderland.

The December holiday season brings many opportunities for creating memories, such as visiting all of the spectacular light displays in the Houston area. But one twinkly town in Central Texas outshines the rest of the state.

The small, merry town of Smithville – located about 120 miles west of Houston – and its beloved Gingerbread Lane was just named one of the jolliest holiday road trips in the nation, according to a recent report by online classifieds site RVTrader.

Downtown Smithville completely transforms during the winter season in preparation for its annual Festival of Lights, which took place on Saturday, December 7. This year's festivities included an indoor arts and crafts show featuring local artisans, an array of outdoor vendors, complimentary rides on the Ann Powell Express train, a parade, and many more activities.

No winter extravaganza is complete without snow, and 40,000 pounds of real snow was blown during the morning of the festival to allow for snow tubing, snowball fights, and more. Santa even made an appearance to snap photos with children.

At the heart of the festival is the iconic Smitty gingerbread man, which broke the Guinness World Record for the World's Biggest Gingerbread Man in 2006, which was officially recognized two years later, according to Explore Bastrop County.

"In honor of being officially named the World’s Biggest Gingerbread Man, the Smithville Area Chamber of Commerce and the City of Smithville retired the cookie sheet that was used to bake the giant gingerbread man and converted it into a monument to commemorate the record," the website says.

Smitty the gingerbread man in Smithville, Texas Smitty is a sizeable famous figure in Smithville.Smithville Area Chamber of Commerce - Facebook

If you missed the festivities this year, stay tuned for the 34th annual festival in 2025. But visitors can still check out all of the dazzling lights and meet Smitty throughout the winter season.

For visitors who want to turn a day trip into a weekend stay, RVTrader suggests camping at Buescher State Park, which is only two miles away from Smithville. The park offers a variety of RV campsites, screened shelters, and cabins. But for those who would prefer a hotel, there's always the historic Katy House Bed & Breakfast.

Smithville was the only Texas city to make it on RVTrader's list of top holiday road trip destinations. Several other holly jolly cities were chosen across every region in the country.

"The holiday season is the perfect time to hit the road and discover the magic of Christmas across the country," the report's author wrote. "Whether you’re visiting Gingerbread Lane in Texas, marveling at the lights of McAdenville, or exploring the Bavarian charm of Leavenworth, these holly, jolly holiday road trips promise unforgettable moments."

Other prominent holiday road trip destinations include:

Plant City, Florida
McAdenville, North Carolina
Bethlehem, Pennsylvania
Frankenmuth, Michigan
Branson, Missouri
Durango, Colorado
Fresno, California
Leavenworth, Washington
North Pole, Alaska

travel central texas holidays christmas road trip