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Holiday ice skating + 10 more Texas travel ideas for December

Winter is here, Texas! That means only one thing: It's time to plan a festive holiday getaway, or finally book that must-needed staycation to unwind from the Thanksgiving break blues.

Houston travelers can head down to the coast for a weekend of holiday boat parades, get inspired at a Celtic holiday festival outside Austin, or keep things simple with an overnight stay at a local hotel.

Here are our top 11 picks for winter Texas travel events, hotel news, and more in December.

Throughout Texas

There's a new luxury van service connecting Austin, San Antonio, and Houston: Shutto, a new mobility shuttle startup, is now offering luxe road trips Monday through Saturday with departure times in the morning and evening. Riders can enjoy complimentary WiFi while they relax on plush leather seats during their stress-free ride in Mercedes Sprinter vans. Van routes also include a guaranteed pit stop at Texas' favorite travel center Buc-ee’s. One-way fares range from $47-$87.

Austin

Immersive experiences are a fun way to spend time with friends and family, and a new virtual reality (VR) experience is giving visitors a look at ancient Egypt: Horizon of Khufu will debut at VieVR (11000 Middle Fiskville Rd., Ste. A1) on December 5. During the 45-minute tour, guests will explore the Great Pyramid of Giza, "fly" over the plateau, look off the top of the pyramid in every direction, explore the corridors and burial chambers as an embalming ceremony happens, and much more. Tickets ($36 for adults and $32 for children) are available via Fever.

Downtown Austin hotel Hyatt Regency Austin has completed a big renovation project to make over its 448 guestrooms and suites, plus its meeting rooms, public spaces, and more. The hotel has also opened three new dining concepts: Texas-inspired restaurant Ripple & Roots, a breakfast eatery called Cypress Grove, and grab-and-go food market Juniper Breeze Market. Nightly rates at the newly renovated Hyatt Regency Austin begin at $213 in December.

There's a piece of Celtic holiday cheer hidden in the rolling woods of McDade, a small town 35 miles east of Austin. The Sherwood Celtic Yuletide Festival is returning from December 12-14, transforming the grounds of the beloved Sherwood Forest Faire into a winter weekend of music, merriment, and holiday magic. Guests can expect artisan shopping, archery, live music, Highland Games like Scottish hammer swinging and shot put, and more. Tickets (including day passes, weekend passes, and camping) are available online starting at $12.50.

Sherwood Forest Faire Yuletide Festival 2024 Participants at last year's inaugural Yuletide Festival. Photo courtesy of Sherwood Forest Faire

At home in Houston

The Thompson Houston hotel is kicking off the holiday season with its "12 Days of Thompson" series from December 4-25. A few of the special activities, created for both locals and visitors, include a hot cocoa station in the hotel library (December 8), a local maker's market (December 13), a pet-friendly photo hour (December 20), and many more mini celebrations. Rates at the Thompson Houston begin at $283 per night.

Along the Gulf Coast

Texas coastal city Corpus Christi is hosting multiple lighted holiday boat parades during December. The first extravaganza – the Port of Corpus Christi Illuminated Boat Parade – is scheduled on Saturday, December 6 starting at 7 pm. Local boaters will compete for the title of "most festive vessel of the season" and an after party will follow. La Posada Lighted Boat Parade will take place the following weekend (Dec. 12-13) with U.S. Marines on site for a children's toy drive at Doc's Seafood & Steaks to help Santa collect new, unwrapped toys.

San Antonio

The future site of San Antonio's Pearl mini golf course (1100 Springs Plaza) has been temporarily turned into an outdoor ice skating rink for the holiday season until January 4, 2026. The iconic Pearl district has made its own transformation into a winter wonderland shimmering with lights and holiday music. Tickets to the ice rink at Pearl range from $20-$28 and include skate rental. Skate sessions last about an hour, and the last skate at 9:15 pm is 45 minutes long.

Dallas-Fort Worth

The first-ever CultureMap City Rink, presented by Verizon, has made its grand debut at the Main Street Garden in downtown Dallas, and will run until January 5, 2026. Visitors can expect themed pop-ups and a full slate of programming designed for every kind of holiday reveler. From romantic Date Skate Wednesdays to Family Movie Nights and Shop + Skate Saturday Markets, there’s something new happening each week. Tickets are $18 for all ages, and include skate rentals and 75 minutes of ice time. Advance tickets, group reservations, and private rink rentals are available at cityrink.culturemap.com.

CultureMap City Rink tree lighting 2025 The CultureMap City Rink will be open through January 5, 2026. Photo by Ashley Gongora

The HALL Arts Hotel in Dallas' Arts District is offering guests a special "Holiday at the HALL" package for stays booked from December 13-31. The package includes a single-night stay with a welcome amenity, complimentary valet, a $50 dining credit for hotel restaurant Ellie's Restaurant & Lounge, and late checkout. Nightly rates with the "Holiday at the Hall" package begin at $389 in December.

Congratulations are in order for Fort Worth and Frisco, which were the only two Texas destinations included among Good Housekeeping's "23 Unexpected City Vacations to Add to Your Travel Bucket List" in its 2026 Travel Awards. The lifestyle publication had more than 125 travel testers — including staff members, travel industry experts, and trained consumer evaluators — discover unexpected destinations with the best attractions, accessibility, lodging variety, safety, service, and overall appeal.

The luxurious Bowie House hotel in Fort Worth will teach North Texans all the tricks for making the best tamales during a tamale-making class on Saturday, December 20 from 2-3:30 pm. Attendees will learn how to make fresh masa, master the technique for wrapping tamales, and take home their own to impress their loved ones. Tickets are $85 per person and can be purchased online via Tock.

Pearl is debuting its first ice-skating rink as part of this year's holiday festivities.

$Pearl is debuting its first ice-skating rink as part of this year's holiday\nfestivities.$

Photo courtesy of Pearl

Pearl in San Antonio is debuting its first ice-skating rink as part of this year's holiday festivities.

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Texas getaways

New restaurants and bars give Texas coastal town a grown-up glow-up

Texas Clear Water Oyster Gardens/Facebook

Sip-and-shuck oyster farm tours are new in Port Aransas

Port Aransas, the beloved Texas coastal destination about three-and-a-half hours from Houston, has long been a favorite family beach getaway, where visitors can slip into "island time" with 18 miles of shoreline waves, sandcastle-worthy beaches, and plenty to keep kids entertained.

But lately, the island has been giving grownups more reasons to get excited about the trip — or make one entirely on their own. A wave of new openings over the past few months has brought fresh bars, restaurants, boutiques, and other attractions that make Port A an even better getaway for couples, friends, and adults looking for more than a day at the beach.

Here are eight new things to see and do in Port A this summer — or any time of year.

Bars & Restaurants

The Boat Bar
Opened in March, this floating bar – originally a charter fishing boat known as The Island Queen – is anchored at the Port Aransas marina, providing a taste of the island life with its gentle motion on the water and some of the best views of the bay. The double-decker vessel offers beer, wine, frozen cocktails, and a food menu from neighboring businesses that can be delivered. (Don’t miss the black drum nachos from Jeremiah’s Dock Grill.) With seating for around 60, there’s plenty of room to stretch your sea legs. The Boat Bar is pet-friendly and family-friendly, with children welcome before dark. Open 12-10 pm daily. 154 W. Cotter Ave.

Sip Yard
This three-story open-air bar debuted in 2024, providing a first-of-its-kind new option for island imbibing. The ground level is family-friendly with yard games, a full bar, a stage for live music, large screens for game-watching, and multiple food vendors offering items like build-your-own pizza, tacos, Asian bowls, and Cajun cuisine. The second floor is 21-and-up and offers a livelier scene within earshot of any live music and activity below. The uncovered top floor provides picnic table seating and a breezy, bird’s eye view of the Gulf. Note that there is an occasional cover charge depending on live music acts. Open 11 am-10 pm Sunday-Thursday and 11 am-midnight Friday-Saturday. 123 W. Cotter Ave.

Stout’s at the Shore
Opened last summer by South Texas native and restaurateur Jason Stout, this elevated take on coastal cuisine is located in the heart of one of Port Aransas’ most popular vacation rental communities, Cinnamon Shore. This is Stout’s first culinary venture on the Gulf Coast, but his restaurant resume includes San Antonio-based Stout’s Pizza Company and Stout’s Signature, a fine dining restaurant that also has a location in Fredericksburg. Stout’s at the Shore is a dinner-only destination with unique cocktails like lavender smoked old fashioneds and a menu that ranges from steamed mussels and Rockefeller oysters to blackened snapper, beef tenderloin bolognese, and filet with compound herb butter and chimichurri. While the restaurant is geared toward adult dining, there is a kids menu, along with options for outdoor seating. 201 Social Cir.

Tiki Jay’s
Jason Stout also just opened Tiki Jay’s, a tiki bar with rum cocktails served in playful barware and mugs; and food offerings such as poke bowls, fish tacos, pulled pork sliders, and pineapple upside down cake. Opened in late May, the casual bar and restaurant is located just steps from Stout’s at the Shore. Open 4-10 pm daily. 125 Market St.

Shopping

The Boutiques at Cinnamon Shore
Opened in 2025, The Boutiques at Cinnamon Shore encompass three distinct shops (Paloma, Low Tides, and The CS Collection) featuring clothing and resort wear for men, women, and children. Customers will find logo items, gifts, and high-quality T-shirts along with trendy boutique apparel and accessories including hats, sunglasses, and jewelry. There are great sale racks, too. 125 Market St.

Saltwater Gypsies
This fine food and gift market reopened in downtown Port Aransas in 2023 after a long hiatus due to Hurricane Harvey, which caused major destruction on the island in 2017. But there’s now a brand-new satellite location of Saltwater Gypsies, opened in April at Cinnamon Shore. The gourmet market sells everything from pantry staples and fresh eggs to tableware, sunscreen, pet treats, and cookbooks. Customers can stop by either location to stock their coolers while grabbing souvenirs and unique gifts in a pinch. 403 N. Alister St., 5009 Hwy 361.

Texas Clear Water Oyster Gardens/Facebook

Sip-and-shuck oyster farm tours are new in Port Aransas

Attractions

Salt Island Trail at the Nature Preserve at Charlie’s Pasture
One of Port Aransas’ most noteworthy attractions is the 1,217 acres of upland, tidal flat, marsh, and estuarine habitats that encompass the Nature Preserve at Charlie’s Pasture. It’s here that migrating and resident birds find peace amid a rare chunk of undeveloped coastal plain. There are trails where visitors can observe the habitats, but Hurricane Harvey destroyed them all in 2017. The Salt Island Trail, a $2.3 million project that was completed in early in 2025, was the last of the trails to be reconstructed. The trail is 2.2 miles round trip and features boardwalks through tidal saltmarsh that lead to the two-story Salt Island Tower. Also visit the Pavilion at the Nature Preserve for complimentary yoga every Tuesday at 12:30 pm. Registration is required. North access is at Port St. and south entrance is 2650 St. Hwy 361.

Texas Clear Water Oyster Gardens
This premium oyster farm is the first to operate out of Port Aransas, established by Bill and Amelia Strieber who met on the beach there in high school. Located on a two-acre site in the southern part of Aransas Bay, Clear Water Oyster Gardens offers unshucked oysters for purchase along with brand new sip-and-shuck oyster farm tours. Taking place on select Sundays, the tours ($94) include a two-hour boat ride with a welcome glass of bubbly, a bit of education by Bill Strieber, and freshly shucked oysters served onboard with curated wine pairings and sunset views. The tours are the first of their kind in Texas. 440 W. Cotter Ave., Slip B.

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