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Beachy Gulf Coast getaways, State Fair, and more Texas travel tidbits for September

A Gulf Coast getaway at Cinnamon Shores in Port Aransas is perfect for Labor Day.

Photo courtesy of Cinnamon Shores

School might be back in session for the kids, but there's still plenty of fun to be had all across Texas in September. Can't decide where to take a quick vacation, road trip, or staycation? Here are 11 events, exhibits, special celebrations, and hotel happenings around the state to help plan a getaway for Labor Day or any September weekend excursion.

Along the Gulf Coast

Labor Day weekend getaways are still possible even now, and with that in mind, we've rounded up at all of the seaside options along the Texas coast for Labor Day weekend, from Galveston to South Padre Island. Get our full list — with still rooms available — here.

Speaking of the Gulf Coast, a luxurious Port Aransas vacation community is providing a few special discounts just in time for Labor Day and beyond. For the long holiday weekend, Cinnamon Shore is offering reduced pricing for a three-night minimum stay, with four homes left for the weekend at various price points.

Don’t forget to check their Labor Day Weekend Fun schedule highlighting special family-friendly events like movies under the stars and community cookouts, or live music and yoga classes for the adults.

From September 5-October 4, guests can also enjoy 50 percent off their third night at one of the Cinnamon Shore rental properties after booking a minimum two-night stay using their code Fall2023. Rates for a one-bedroom home range from $940 to $1,600, and five to eight-bedroom homes range from $4,050 to $7,550.

In College Station/East Texas

Cavalry Court, a retro-inspired boutique hotel in College Station, has all of the amenities for a perfect weekend mini-vacation to bring in the fall season: a resort-style pool with private cabanas, live music, its signature Canteen Bar and Grill, and an outdoor pavilion. The hotel is also situated less than 10 miles from the famed Messina Hof Estate Winery for any further exploration of the city. Rates begin at $149 per night.

If East Texas’ Piney Woods region is calling your name, this resort community is the place to be: High Hill boasts luxurious experiences with rental properties sprawling over 200 acres of land. Take your pick among a bungalow suite, private bungalow, or a multi-bedroom vacation home. Also available are on-site vineyards, a relaxing spa, and Côte, a high quality farm-to-table restaurant. Starting rates are $295 for a double queen room and $275 for a king room.

In Austin

The Pecan Street Festival, a twice-yearly arts festival, is returning to downtown Austin on September 16-17. Over 300 local artisans and vendors will be selling their handmade art, crafts, clothing, and more in booths lined along 6th Street between Brazos Street and I-35 for the weekend. Live performances by local musicians are also scheduled throughout the weekend. The festival is free.

A fascinating new exhibition of beautifully aged books on display at The Harry Ransom Center at The University of Texas at Austin is a bibliophile’s dream. The Long Lives of Very Old Books shares the histories of 15th through 17th century books through their physical attributes and treatment within the hands of time. Both prominent titles and esoteric finds are put under the spotlight. The exhibition is on display until December 30. Admission is free.

In the Hill Country

San Antonio’s Hyatt Regency Hill Country Resort and Spa has a special Labor Day event lineup for families looking for a weekend escape. On Saturday, September 2, the resort will host a Texas-themed barbecue and country music. On Sunday, September 3, guests can enjoy a Fiesta-themed buffet with mariachi music. Besides excellent guest service and luxurious experiences, this newly renovated, award-winning resort has also prioritized its convenient location to several San Antonio attractions, such as SeaWorld and the downtown Riverwalk. Rates begin at $394 per night.

If bringing in the fall months with a glass of wine in hand is your preference, consider visiting Pedernales Cellars in Stonewall, a winery less than half an hour from Fredericksburg. Three special events will help patrons embrace the month of September: a six-winery tasting tour, dubbed The Heroic Hye Wine Hunt, on September 2; and the release of a 2020 GSM Mélange wine on September 8. Plus, visitors can celebrate International Port Wine Day with a tasting of the Texas Ruby port-style dessert wine on September 10. Tickets for the wine hunt are $30, and reservations for tastings can be made via Tock or by emailing tastingroom@pedernalescellars.com.

For six weekends beginning September 23 until October 29, the family-friendly Dripping Springs Pumpkin Festival is returning to its home grounds at the Dr. Pound Historical Farmstead for its third and final year before moving to a new location. Each weekend has its own festive theme and special events, and costume-wearing is encouraged. Of course, no pumpkin fest is complete without its signature pumpkin patch. Tickets are $15, and admission is free for children under 3 years old and for seniors aged 65 and up.

In North Texas

The State Fair of Texas begins its run in Dallas at the end of September, with 24 days of live music, carnival games, fried food creation competitions, and more. Luckily for CultureMap readers, here's a thorough guide to getting every possible discount at the fair this year. For example, visitors can get $10 admission on opening day for bringing two jars of peanut butter for the North Texas Food Bank. The State Fair runs September 29-October 22.

In a historic U.S. debut, almost all of the known surviving artworks by the legendary Mexican artist Abraham Ángel will be put on display at the Dallas Museum of Art on September 10, honoring the young artist's brief life and three-year career. Ángel's work embodied the ever-changing culture of his country in the early 20th century. Between Wonder and Seduction will be on display until January 28, 2024. Admission to the museum is free, but special exhibition tickets are $15.

In West Texas

One of the best steakhouses in Texas is celebrating its 40th anniversary with a new historic art installation. The award-winning Perini Ranch Steakhouse in Buffalo Gap, a small town about half an hour southwest of Abilene, will celebrate this landmark anniversary with a new outdoor exhibit that showcase the history of the town and the restaurant through photography, while also serving as a "love letter" to the American West. The collection will include several photos of Buffalo Gap from Lisa and Tom Perini's private collection. The exhibit, on display September 28-October 28, will be open to the public, and restaurant reservations can be made on their website.

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Pack Your Patience

Houston's IAH declared 10th worst airport for delays and cancellations

United Airlines plane at George Bush Intercontinental Airport

Photo by David Syphers on Unsplash

As if flying wasn't stressful enough already, George Bush Intercontinental has landed among the top 10 worst airports for delays and cancellations.

Ahead of the busy holiday season, Houstonians should budget extra time into their travel plans before flying out of the metro's bustling George Bush Intercontinental Airport.

IAH was just declared the 10th worst airport in the nation for flight disruptions by consumer review platform ConsumerAffairs, which analyzed the rates of moderate and severe delays, diversions, and cancellations at the 29 biggest U.S. airports. IAH also appeared as the 10th worst airport where holiday travel causes the biggest disruptions.

Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in Arlington, Virginia led the nation as the No. 1 worst airport overall.

The report revealed IAH's biggest issue is its high volume of flight cancellations, rather than delays. IAH has the 7th highest rate of flight cancellations nationally, though the airport's cancellation rate is just 1.8 percent. A silver lining for some travelers is that less than a quarter (24.22 percent) of all cancellations were the last flight of the day to that destination. The average number of same-day flights to the same destination at IAH is 3.69, so there's a high chance travelers will get re-booked on a same-day flight after a cancellation.

Fortunately, the rate of delays at IAH is lower than most other airports, according to the study. IAH has the 10th lowest moderate delay rate out of all the airports examined with nearly 20 percent of flights delayed by 15 minutes and up to three hours. About two percent of all flights are delayed by more than three hours, making IAH the 12th worst airport for severe delays.

The top 10 worst large U.S. airports for delays and cancellations are:

No. 1 – Ronald Reagan Washington National
No. 2 – Dallas Fort Worth International
No. 3 – Newark Liberty International
No. 4 – Miami International
No. 5 – Philadelphia International
No. 6 – Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International
No. 7 – LaGuardia
No. 8 – Tampa International
No. 9 – Washington Dulles International
No. 10 – George Bush Intercontinental

Surprisingly, Los Angeles International Airport landed as the best major U.S. airport for avoiding travel disruptions. Phoenix Sky Harbor International (No. 2) and Seattle-Tacoma International (No. 3) round out the top three best airports for on-time travel.

In ConsumerAffairs' separate list of the worst medium-sized airports, William P. Hobby landed as the 18th worst out of 32 U.S. airports. About 19 percent of all flights at HOU experience moderate delays — the 5th highest rate in this category — and only one percent are severely delayed.

Pack your patience during the holidays
Flying from IAH may be more stressful during the holidays, as 22.5 percent of flights will suffer from disruptions during the Thanksgiving and winter holiday travel periods — starting the Tuesday before Thanksgiving through the Monday after, and again from December 18 to January 5.

IAH has the fourth lowest holiday disruption rate out of the biggest airports, and the 11th highest holiday severe delay rate. Put some padding on your itinerary, because two percent of all flights will be delayed more than three hours during the holidays

Additionally, 22.3 percent of all HOU flights will be disrupted during the holiday travel season, and 1.5 percent of flights will experience severe delays.

The report offers the following suggestions to help anxious travelers avoid flight disruptions: look into travel insurance to protect against delays or cancellations; look for nonstop flights; or book flights with earlier departure times on an airline with multiple departures to your destination.

For flights that do get delayed or cancelled, travelers need to "act fast" to rectify their situation, says Jennifer Rykaczewski, the CEO of nonprofit consumer advocacy organization Affordable Skies.

"In the first 10 minutes, open the airline app, see whether you have already been rebooked and search for acceptable alternatives," Rykaczewski said. "Throughout the process, save any documentation of the delay or cancellation, plus receipts for meals or hotels, in case you need it for an insurance claim later."

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