Defying the Punchlines, Texas Fruitcakes Attract Loyal Fans and New Customers
Texans didn’t invent the fruitcake, but in our state’s tradition of braggadocio, we made it better (and bigger, in some cases). A holiday delicacy with a sometimes stodgy reputation—thanks in part to Johnny Carson’s long-running gags in the 1970s and ’80s—fruitcakes were imported to Texas in the 1800s by German immigrants who packed their original family recipes and brought them to their new home. Though the recipes stayed basically the same, the fruitcake benefited from one crucial Lone Star ingredient: fresh pecans. Read More »
A Weekend Getaway in Goliad
Remember Goliad? It’s one of the oldest towns in Texas, originating in 1749 as a Spanish colonial mission and presidio where the San Antonio River flows through gently rolling coastal plains a little more than 45 miles inland from San Antonio Bay. Read More »
Chocolate and Barbecue Live in Sweet-Savory Harmony in Tomball
Modern barbecue origin stories typically fall into two categories: that of the apprentice who struck out on his or her own, as in the case of Franklin Barbecue in Austin; or that of the backyard enthusiast who gained a cult following before opening a brick-and-mortar, as in the case of Gatlin’s BBQ in Houston. They usually don’t start with small-batch, artisanal chocolate sold at the local farmers market. But at Tejas Chocolate + Barbecue in Tomball, where a handmade chocolate shop is fused with a celebrated, hoppin’ barbecue restaurant, it’s a lot like what Forrest Gump’s mama used to say: “Life is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you’re going to get.” Read More »
Delia’s Tamales Define Christmas in the RGV
Delia Lubin, the namesake of this holiday season staple, started her tamale empire—which includes six restaurants, a food truck, and a mail-order business—with just 5 pounds of masa and the need to provide for her young family. Read More »
Welcome to the New Texashighways.com
On our all-new website, you’ll get all the useful and interesting content you’ve come to know and love, with better searching capabilities, immersive photos, and useful travel-planning features, including: Destinations: Our new Destination pages provide curated recommendations for lodging, activities, sites, and delicious bites in your favorite Texas towns. Things to Do: Whether you’re an avid hiker or art aficionado, you can easily find articles to fit your passion grouped together by activity. Events: You can now search the state’s most comprehensive events listings by location or type of event. Latest: For news on new and updated attractions, activities, and destinations, check back daily. Read More »
Planning a Family Get-Together? Rent a Historic Home for the Holidays
When grandma wakes up on a deflated air mattress and half the cousins are banished to the kids’ table, Christmas might be too crowded. Enter the home rental, where extended family can gather under one roof, everyone has a bed, and the dining table is big enough for all. For something even more special, look for houses that pack history in locations featuring plenty of festivities and activities, helping to create lasting memories—the perfect gift for the entire family. Read More »
Where to Find Your White Christmas, Lone Star-Style
Some called it a miracle: For a couple of hours across a wide swath of Texas last December, people could legitimately sing along to “Let It Snow! Let it Snow! Let it Snow!” Read More »
Boat and Fish the Friendliest Lake on the Texas-Mexico Border
The Texas badlands east of the Pecos River and along the state’s border with Mexico bristle in thorn-covered plateaus and jagged limestone canyons. But after spring rains, the country often reveals a softer side, blushing with Texas sage blooms. The sage grows on both sides of the Rio Grande, clinging to crevices, thriving among the flats, and populating the rocky shores of Amistad Reservoir, home to Amistad National Recreation Area and ground zero for the most important shared resource in badlands territory—water. Read More »
Austin Hotelier Liz Lambert Talks Texas—from Midland to Marfa to South Congress
Penny the Chihuahua greets visitors with an inspection sniff outside the elevator leading to Bunkhouse, the ... Read More »
Downtown Christmas Lights in the Capital City in 1947
Austin had a population of about 115,000 when photographer Neal Douglass took this picture of Congress Avenue looking north to the Texas State Capitol on New Year’s Day 1947. The streetscape has changed over the past 71 years, and Austin has grown 10-fold to about 1 million people. But the electric Paramount Theatre sign, which was replaced in 2015, and the State Capitol building, which was completed in 1888, still anchor the storied strip. Read More »
Things Lose Their Luster Fairly Quickly, While Memories of Experiences Brighten With Time
On my son’s third birthday last year, he received a gift we’ll probably never top: snow in Austin. The 4-inch snowfall provided enough white powder for all the winter fun he’d only seen in cartoons or picture books until then. For two magical hours, he ran around our yard making snowballs and snow angels and catching snowflakes on his tongue. Nearly a year later, he still brings it up on a regular basis—the night so cemented in his mind, I’m betting it’ll be one of his first recallable memories. The toys and clothes he got for gifts that year, not so much. Read More »
Why Every Woman Should Take a Solo Road Trip
One sunny morning in July, on an otherwise unremarkable Wednesday, I slide into the driver’s seat of my car and ... Read More »
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