where to travel right now

Luxe hotel rises in Texas' tallest tower + more September travel ideas

Summer is drawing to a close, but there's still time to squeeze in a September getaway before the season changes.

Many Texans are familiar with the buzzy State Fair of Texas making its grand return for its 2026 season, but this month offers so much more to explore. Houston travelers can book a stay at a new downtown Austin hotel housed in the state's tallest tower, travel to San Antonio for an nighttime adrenaline rush at a theme park, or enjoy a tropical escape at a luxe resort in The Woodlands.

This is everything you need to know to plan a spontaneous September vacation.

Houston

The Woodlands Resort is keeping the summer spirit alive with a one-night only tropical community event called Island Escape on September 25 from 5-7 pm. The evening will feature a traditional luau, performances from Polynesian hula maidens, male warriors, live music, and more. Attendees can also feast from a Hawaiian-inspired buffet at Harrison's, take hula hoop and limbo lessons, make their own leis, enjoy snow cones, and take photos with hula dancers. General admission is free, and the buffet is $75 per adult and $45 per child (purchasable on-site). VIP tables are $375.32 and can accommodate up to four guests. Tickets can be reserved via Eventbrite.

Austin might be Bat City, but it doesn't have anything on Houston's annual Bat Fest, a conservation and awareness-focused festival celebrating these misunderstood — and endangered — mammals. The Houston Arboretum & Nature Center will host the 2026 festivities on Saturday, September 26. The family-friendly event will have bat-themed activities and crafts for children from 10 am to 2 pm, and Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center will be on-site for a blood drive until 2:30 pm. Bat Fest is free to the public, and blood drive participants can register to donate via commitforlife.org.

Along the Texas Coast

The 2026 Texas Food Championship will overtake Water's Edge Park in Corpus Christi for three days of culinary showdowns from September 25-27. Over 150 chefs, pitmasters, and home cooks will compete for bragging rights and prize money across 10 different culinary contests — from barbecue to live fire cooking to junior chef competitions. Attendees are encouraged to come hungry to sample the dishes and watch the competitions unfold, with live music and craft beverages adding to the extravaganza. Weekend, single-day, and specialty passes range from $15-$495. Admission is free for kids aged 17 and under.

Austin

A new downtown Austin hotel is finally ready to make its debut in Texas' tallest tower. The 1 Hotel Austin is officially opening in the new Waterline building at 96 Red River St. on September 3, though reservations have been open since May. The 252-room hotel also boasts a highly regarded restaurant from Denver, called Alteño Austin, where Chef Johnny Curiel showcases Mexican cuisine from the Highlands of Jalisco. Room rates begin at $412 per night.

The biannual Pecan Street Festival, Austin's longstanding artisan vendor market, will host its 51st event at the Hill Country Galleria in Bee Cave from September 12-13. The free festival has too many vendors to list, but its full musical schedule will include Austin rap duo Blackillac and jazz ensemble Jon Deas and DaHomies as headliners. Visitors will find anything from fine art, giftable home goods, and clothing to fried fair foods and more. The full music lineup is available on the festival's website.

San Antonio

After a successful trial period of extending its operating hours during the summer, San Antonio's fun-filled children's museum The DoSeum is keeping its expanded hours into the fall. This will bring additional programs and activities during the morning hours so kids can learn and play all day long. Museum members also get the perk of a members-only hour as part of their experience from 11 am to noon on Sundays. Admission is $18 per person, and free for children under one year old.

Fright Fest at Six Flags Fiesta Texas is returning bigger and scarier than ever with new fear-inducing adventures and experiences on select nights from September 11 through November 1. Scream-worthy nightmares added to this year's lineup include a reimagined The Conjuring Universe maze and two scare zones: a sinister clown carnival-themed "Cirkus Bezerkus: Big Top Terror" and a zombiefied "Alley of the Dead." Park admission varies, and Haunted Attractions passes are an additional $30 per person.

Loma de Vida Spa Pool The Hill Country surrounds the Loma de Vida Spa. Photo by Mark Knight

Signia by Hilton La Cantera Resort & Spa is celebrating 10 years since the debut of its signature Loma de Vida Spa with 10 days of deals from September 21-29. Guests can receive a 10 percent discount on select services and treatments, such as osmosis facials, custom massages, manicures and pedicures, hair services, body treatments, and more. The deals will culminate with the spa's special anniversary event, "Glow: Radiance After Dark," on September 30 starting 7 pm. Services can be booked online, and tickets for the anniversary event are $125 per person.

At home in Dallas-Fort Worth

The State Fair of Texas is right around the corner, and this year. brings cheaper ticket prices for attendees of all ages. This year's festivities will run from September 25 through October 18 at Fair Park in Dallas. CultureMap has readers covered with all the latest additions and updates — from free concerts to food awards — in our special editorial series. And, in addition to reduced admission and parking prices, the fair is also lowering the price of games and rides at the Midway to ensure better affordability for all.

A new "eatertainment" venue is taking McKinney by storm: The Cipher Lounge, which opened in mid-August, is an escape room, restaurant, and bar mixed into one cohesive space. While the escape room holds the most intrigue for puzzle solvers, visitors can also stop by for just a bite and a drink in the lounge. There are two one-hour escape experiences to enter, one set inside a haunted historic hotel ("Ghosted") and the other in a futuristic space station ("Airlock"). Escape experiences are $52 per person and can be booked online.

Photo by Chase Daniel

Rooms at 1 Hotel Austin settle in simple and natural design.

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Music and Mixology

Austin artists headline grand opening of Texas distillery's new music venue

Photos by Collin Findlay, courtesy of Still Austin Whiskey Co.

The Music Room lets the spotlight shift from the cocktails.

An Austin distillery has opened a big entertainment, cocktail, and food destination, but the real debut is yet to happen. The Still Austin Quarter, by Still Austin Whiskey Co., will host a grand opening with top Austin artists Shakey Graves and Adrian Quesada on Thursday, November 5.

The Still Austin Quarter is located at 4211 Willow Springs Road, a warehouse-like building in the industrial St. Elmo area, a growing hub for bars, spirits, and creative businesses. The Quarter, announced in July, contains four spaces, each of which has its own purpose: The Atrium, a bar and welcoming space; the Vinyl Lounge, an album library and poster collection; the Music Room, a concert space; and an unnamed private event space that honors women in Austin music.

On opening day, the public can stop by to purchase food and drinks, party with Adrian Quesada for a DJ set in the Vinyl Lounge at 7 pm, and hear Shakey Graves at 7:30 pm in the Music Room. The space can accommodate approximately 500 guests, so it should be a lively evening.

“I could not be more excited to open The Still Austin Quarter,” said Still Austin co-founder and CEO Chris Seals in a press release. “It stands as a celebration of the artists who have made our city so special.”

The space was designed by architect of record OPA Design Studio and interior design firm Weiss Architecture. While exploring, guests should keep an eye out for a red spiral staircase preserved from Seals' home, portraits of important Austin artists, the Stratocaster Bar with a sunburst face and a fretboard back bar, vintage lampshades, a collection of Still Austin releases, and more.

Still Austin Quarter Wherever you are on the property, there's a bar nearby.Photos by Collin Findlay, courtesy of Still Austin Whiskey Co.

A defining piece of decorative architecture is a red tanager — a bird, and a motif painted by Marc Burckhardt and used in all of Still Austin's flagship labels — etched into the concrete that connects the three public rooms.

Accomplished acoustician Steven Durr took care of the sound in the Music Room, with side walls inspired by Austin's first live music venue, Buaas Garden, which opened in 1860. Danny and Leslie Crooks, former owners of Steamboat 1874 — the venue that replaced Buaas Garden — donated the concert posters that are on the walls now.

Shaky Graves and Adrian Quesada aren't the only Austin musicians celebrating the opening. From a press release, here's what's on the schedule in the coming weeks so far:

Friday, October 16: Grocery Bag in the Music Room, with Mage Buse in the Vinyl Lounge
Saturday, October 17: The Point. in the Music Room, with Joshy Soul in the Vinyl Lounge
Friday, October 23: Garrett T. Capps in the Music Room
Saturday, October 24: Open group lessons from Native Texan Two Step followed by Danny Golden in the Music Room, with the Rhinestone Record Club in the Vinyl Lounge
Friday, October 30: Courtney Santana in the Music Room, with Feelin’ Groovy in the Vinyl LoungeSaturday, Oct. 31: Leslie Nava in the Vinyl Lounge
Thursday, November 5 (Grand Opening Celebration): Shakey Graves in the Music Room, Adrian Quesada in the Vinyl Lounge
Friday, November 6: Caroline Hale in the Music Room
Friday, November 13: Elijah Ford in the Music Room
Saturday, November 14: Gran Moreno in the Music Room, with opener Flavor Saver
Saturday, November 21: Louisiana Surf Department in the Music Room

Still Austin Quarter This room will host DJ sets and put Austinites on to lots of album discoveries.Photos by Collin Findlay, courtesy of Still Austin Whiskey Co.

Outside of music, the food and beverage program will also be a big draw to the Still Austin Quarter. On the cocktail menu, guests can expect a peach tea made with Still Austin's very popular bourbon, "The Musician," plus cocktails with candied cherry, fresh basil, lemon-honey shrub, pea flower, and other ingredients that go as well in tea as they do with whiskey, gin, and other spirits. Some mixes also features housemade aperitifs, amaros, and herbal liqueurs, and beer and wine will also be available for purchase.

On the food menu, created by the hospitality team at Still Austin, guests will find dishes like steak frites and other cuts of beef, jalapeño popper deviled eggs, smoked pork belly bites, a yellowfin tuna bowl with vegetables, a Philly chicken sandwich, and a wedge salad.

Still Austin is open from noon to 10 pm Wednesdays and Thursdays, 11 am to midnight Fridays and Saturdays, and 11 am to 9 pm on Sundays. Food service is available from opening each day to an hour before closing. Guests can also access dedicated parking. The opening night event is free and open to the public. No RSVP is required.

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