Holiday on the Lake

Enjoy a jolly holiday in paradise at Margaritaville Lake Resort near Houston

Even Santa Claus likes to kick back and relax on the lake.

Photo courtesy of Margaritaville Lake Resort Lake Conroe

A white Christmas is nice, but there's certainly something to be said for palm trees and margaritas instead of Christmas trees and eggnog.

Enjoy paradise this season at Margaritaville Lake Resort Lake Conroe, where festive specials await.

Take a break
It starts with the Paradise for the Holidays package, which reserves a tower suite room for only $149 a night and discounts your resort fee to only $25 nightly.

Enjoy all the resort's amazing amenities, including:

Spacious two-room suites with breathtaking views of beautiful Lake Conroe
Two heated pools
Excellent dining at LandShark Bar & Grill, License to Chill Bar & Cafe, and Joe Merchant's Coffee and Provisions
Arcade playroom
St. Somewhere Spa
The Golf Club at Margaritaville
Einstein's Boat Rentals
Mini-golf, tennis, pickleball, and racquetball
Free Wi-Fi and parking
Resort Fee discounted to $25 nightly

This room package is subject to availability and does not include applicable taxes and fees. It's valid for stays through December 29, 2023. Book here.

Breakfast with with the Big Man
Enjoy a magical holiday breakfast with Jolly Old St. Nick in the Del Lago Ballroom on Saturday, December 16, from 8:30 am-12:30 pm and Sunday, December 17, from 10 am-2 pm.

Adults can dine for $39.95, children (6-12 years) for $24.95, and kids 5 and under eat free. Members even receive 20 percent off.

Reservations are strongly recommended and can be made by calling 877-286-9590 or booking online here.

Ring in 2024
Margaritaville Lake Resort has planned a wide variety of ways to celebrate the New Year. Start with a complimentary glass of champagne when you arrive, and while on the Palm Court see the exciting Polynesian Fire Dancers.

There's a special four-course New Year's Eve dinner in License to Chill Bar and Cafè, and LandShark Bar & Grill will serve up New Year's-themed food and drink specials with a DJ and dancing.

Boathouse Bar & Lounge is the place to be for the ultimate NYE party, with live music and a balloon drop at midnight.

The resort's special New Year's Eve stay package includes 30 percent off a two-night stay, so come and relax during the day so you can celebrate all night.

The room package is for stays December 29, 2023-January 1, 2024 only — find out more and book here.

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only the best in HOU

Houston's IAH soars as 4th best airport for holiday travel in 2024

George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston

George Bush Intercontinental Airport/Facebook

Houstonians are in safe hands at George Bush Intercontinental Airport.

Houston's punctual and award-winning George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) has just been rated the fourth best airport in the country for the upcoming holiday travel season, so says a new report by travel experts Locals Insider.

The study examined the percentage of on-time departure flights at 50 of the biggest airports in America to discover the 10 best and worst airports for traveling during the holidays. Departure statistics and reasons for delays were analyzed from November 17, 2023 to January 3, 2024.

According to the report's findings, IAH had an on-time departure rate of 85.8 percent during the 2023 holiday period. That means out of the 13,921 total scheduled flights departing from the airport, only 1,976 flights were delayed. That's a pretty good track record.

IAH has been working hard to deliver the best travel experiences for its passengers, including opening its new Terminal D, investing in much-needed bathroom upgrades, showing off its award-winning art and entertainment program, and providing top notch dining experiences.

Though IAH appeared on Locals Insider's top 10 best list, Houston's William P. Hobby Airport (HOU) descended onto the travel guide's 10 worst U.S. airports for holiday travel this year.

Appearing at No. 8, HOU isn't the worst offender on the list, but its holiday season delay and cancellation rate in 2023 was 22 percent.

"Although Houston’s William P Hobby experiences fewer departing flights compared to other airports on our top 10 list, it’s still prone to disruptions," the report's author wrote. "Overall, more than one in five (22 percent) of departing flights are either delayed or canceled during the holidays."

The study's data found 1,178 holiday flights at HOU were cancelled in 2023, and only 19 were delayed.

Ranking as the No. 1 best airport for holiday travel is Washington Dulles International Airport in Washington, D.C., which had an 88.6 percent on-time departure rate.

For Houstonians that will be traveling this holiday season, Locals Insider recommended five best-practice tips for a smooth travel experience: Book an early morning flight as those are less prone to delays (additionally, book a direct flight), apply for TSA PreCheck to avoid long screening processes, and budget more time to arrive early to the airport.

The report also suggests packing light and shipping gifts to their intended destination ahead of time.

"Even the TSA recommends shipping your wrapped gifts rather than packing them in your luggage or carry-on," the report said.

The top 10 best U.S. airports for holiday travel in 2024 are:

No. 1 – Washington Dulles International
No. 2 – Minneapolis-St. Paul International
No. 3 – Salt Lake City International
No. 4 – George Bush Intercontinental
No. 5 – Ronald Reagan Washington National
No. 6 – Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International
No. 7 – Newark Liberty International
No. 8 – Detroit Metro Wayne County
No. 9 – Chicago O'Hare International
No. 10 – Charlotte Douglas International

The Bureau of Transportation Statistics defines the Thanksgiving travel period from November 17-28, and the winter holiday travel period from December 14 through January 3, 2024. The study included data from both holiday travel periods, sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Transportation Statistics, Transportation Security Administration (TSA), and Airline Service Quality Performance System (ASQP).