bbq – Page 2 – The Daytripper

Spicewood, TX

Spicewood is a Texas town nestled along Lake Travis and the home of Country Music Legend Willie Nelson. Need I say more

You will undoubtedly want to kickstart your day with a cup of coffee from Cuvee Coffee, one of the most respected specialty roasters in America that is hidden behind a metal gate marked inconspicuously with a C. If you find it, then you can join them for a cupping and get a tour from the guys roasting the beans. If you like wine more than coffee, then head to Spicewood Vineyards for a tour and tasting. Unfortunately Willies Luck, Texas ranch isnt open to the public, just you can still crank up the tunes as you cruise around town.

To indulge in the adventurous side of Spicewood, cruise through the air on a Zipline tour at Cypress Valley Canopy Tours or hit the trails at Muleshoe Bend Recreation Area on the banks of Lake Travis. If the weather is right, take a dip in Krause Springs, a hidden-oasis swimming hole complete with rope swing, sunbathing rocks, waterfalls, and a hidden grotto.

After a day like this, you will be starving. So indulge in the spicy BBQ (or any BBQ) from Opies Barbecue. The sweet and spicy ribs are killer, as is the brisket, sausage, chicken, banana pudding, spicy creamed cornyou get the picture.everything. To cap off your day with some live music, or to eat one of the best burgers in Texas, head to Poodies Hilltop Roadhouse. Poodie was Willie Nelsons longtime stage manager and, before passing, was the proprietor behind one of the best burgers in Texas. Enjoy a burger, a cold one, and an incredible view at Poodies.

Llano, TX

Llano is the little hill country town that rocksliterally. Check it out!

This charming little Texas town sits on the Llano River. Its the the county seat of Llano County. And sits atop the Llano Uplift. See a theme here?

The Llano Uplift is a peculiar rock formation created when granite pushed its way to the surface exposing rocks all around Llano. The most impressive example is Enchanted Rock in South Llano County. The uplift also kicked up tons of rare earth minerals that are scattered all over the county. There is even a type of granite called Llanite that can only be found in Llano County. To learn more about Llanos rock culture and be pointed in the right direction for your own rock hunt, check out Enchanted Rocks and Jewelry on Llanos square.

For the historic side of Llano, drive across Roy Inks Bridge and take a tour of the old Red Top Jail, built in 1895 with its original hanging gallows still inside. Also check out the Dabs Hotel (a stop for Bonnie & Clyde), the Llano Courthouse, the Historic Railyard District, and the LanTex Theater, a classic theater still showing current movies. For something creepy, you can always head to Baby Head Cemetery up Highway 16 from Llano.

All this touring will surely stir up an appetite. For what many consider the best BB-Q in Texas, head to Coopers Old Time Pit Bar-B-Que and choose your meat straight from the outdoor pit. Dont miss the house pecan cobbler. Another great BBQ spot is Inmans Kitchen serving its famous and one-of-a-kind turkey sausage. For lighter fare and a cup of joe, head to Fuel Coffee House, a nonprofit coffeehouse that also serves up free burgers on Sunday evenings.

If you are around town in the winter, you might also get a chance to see wild Bald Eagles that migrate to Llano in the winter to build nests and have babies. For the past couple years, the nest has been just off Highway 29 between Burnet and Llano. Look for the TXDOT pull-off.

You can read my column about Llano from Texas Highways HERE.

For information about Lake Buchanan visit our Burnet, TX page CLICK HERE.

Burnet, TX

Burnet is a town that sits within spitting distance to two perfect hill country lakes. Need we say more

Thats right, Inks Lake and Lake Buchanan are two great reasons to make a trip to Burnet. But they arent the only reasons. While in Burnet, check out Fort Croghan for some frontier history and the Highland Lakes Squadron of the Commemorative Air Force for some aviation history and to hop aboard their beautifully restored antique planes. If you are looking for a bite to eat, I highly recommend picking up some homemade Tex-Mex and a backrub from The Maxican or BB-Q at Burnet Feed Store BBQ located inside an old feed store. (Unfortunately, Bertram BB-Q featured in the episode closed its doors.)

Now for the lakes! To explore Inks Lake, head to Inks Lake State Park with miles of hiking trails and plenty of ways to get in the water. If you are feeling risky, I recommend cliff jumping in at the Devils Waterhole. But if you are more vampire than swimmer, then go underground at Longhorn Cavern State Park to caves that have been everything from a tribal council room to a 1920’s speakeasy.

To see Lake Buchanan, hop aboard a Vanishing Texas River Cruise taking visitors upstream to experience the wild side of Texas. In the winter you might even get the chance to spot bald eagles that spend the winter around the lake. But whether you see eagles or not, you can see the beautiful 25 foot Fall Creek waterfalls, a stunning and unexpected surprise in the Texas Hill Country. To ride through the falls or just around the lake, rent a kayak or canoe from Buchanan Adventure Tours based out of the LCRAs beautiful Canyon of the Eagles nature park. Which is an excellent place to stop and have dinner over the lake or spend the weekend.

Killeen, TX

Many see Killeen as a military stop, but few see it for the Central Texas hotbed of history and food that it is.

After soldiers explore the world, many come back with appetites for the foods of the world and so Killeen has an amazing collection of foreign restaurants. My favorites are C&H Hawaiian Grill, Partin’s Jamaican Bakery, Korean Kitchen, and the Chinese Dragon.

For the history of Fort Hood, check in at the gate, then proceed to explore the many artillery fields with tanks, guns, and helicopters, then head indoors to explore the 1st and 3rd Cavalry museums, honoring two of the decorated divisions stationed at Fort Hood.

To explore the outdoors, head to BLORA or Chalk Ridge Falls below Stillhouse Lake.
And if the military base and museums make you hungry for warfare, head to Mandatory Fun Paintball Field.

Waco, TX

To most, Waco is a highway. Nothing more. A pass-through, not a destination. But to those who are willing to look a little deeper, Waco is much, much more.

FOOD

Kick your day off with a caffeine jolt to the mouth at Common Grounds, a locally-owned coffee shop. Common Grounds has all forms of caffeine to fuel your day trip from classics like cold brewed coffee and espresso to specialties like iced coffees with peanut butter and chocolate.

At Health Camp, they’ve got the three main food groups: Burger, Cheeseburger and Bacon Cheese Burger. If it’s soy burgers and salads you want…you won’t find them here at this 60-year old, ironically-named burger joint on the circle. Just delicious burgers and fries. And for a definitely-not-healthy dessert, try their frozen custard that comes in amazing flavors like Chocolate Chip Cheesecake, Toasted Marshmallow, Peach and more!

Hit up Tony DeMarias Bar-B-Que for some fantastic BBQ…well, if you arrive before they sell out. If you want pizza and secret hideouts, look no further than Poppa Rollos. You can try one of their specialty pizzas or create your own…and behind a secret door near the phone booth you might just find a bar.

One of my favorite things to do in Waco is grab a cold one and relax at George’s Restaurant. It’s been serving up chicken fried steaks and homecooking since 1930.

OUTDOORS

Other stops in Waco include Cameron Park, which has some of Texas best mountain biking and beautiful views of the Brazos and Bosque Rivers. And while you’re at the park, check out the Cameron Park Zoo to say “hello” to the bears, giraffes and elephants. They even have Komodo Dragons!

Right off I-35 is Texas’s Oldest University, Baylor University. Take a stroll around Baylors campus to check out Baylors Bear Habitat where they keep the mascots and also stop by the famous Pat Neff Hall.

CULTURE

If a university tour has you in the mood to learn, Waco has museums for every kind of curious tripper. History buffs should check out the Texas Ranger Museum. Science junkies should head to the Mayborn Science Museum on the Baylor University Campus.

Sports Fanatics can head to the Texas Sports Hall of Fame. But everybody should go to the Dr Pepper Museum to learn how the oldest major soft drink on the market was invented in Waco. And dont miss the old-fashioned soda fountain at the end where you can enjoy a frosty glass of Dr Pepper or an ice cream float.

Beaumont, TX

Beaumont is Texas city of lost gold Black Gold that is. Its also the melting pot between Texas and Louisiana, meaning you dont have to jump the Sabine to visit Cajun Country. Its right here in Beaumont.

Beaumonts history began to boom in 1901 when the Lucas Gusher blew at Spindletop marking the first major oil discovery in the state of Texas. Stop by the Spindletop Gladys City Boomtown to take a stroll through a recreated boomtown. If you love museums, you should also check out the McFaddin-Ward House sitting inside a historic mansion and the Fire Museum of Texas, which boasts the largest working fire hydrant in the world.

If you need to get outside, head to Village Creek State Park just north of Beaumont to bask on its sandy shores. And if you are really feeling up for an adventure, grab a canoe and take a trip down the Village Creek Paddling Trail. The Piney Woods Outfitters would be happy to set you up.

To have a first-hand experience with some of Beaumonts wildlife, head to Gator Country, a wildlife park dedicated to the alligator. You can see Big-Al (the largest captive gator in Texas) and hold the smaller, baby version.

After all this, youll be hungry I GUAR-UN-TEE. So head to the original Jasons Deli in the Gateway Shopping Center to see the humble roots of Texass best sandwich chain. For Bar-B-Q, check out the buffet at Willie Rays BBQ which is ranked as one of the Top 50 in Texas. And finally, to sample the best cajun cookin in Texas, head to Larrys French Market down the highway in Groves.

Austin, TX – South Side

thatIf there’s a part of Austin that epitomizes the “Keep Austin Weird” slogan, then it’s South Austin. And the funkiest part of this funky town is the South Congress District. It has everything from shopping to costume shops to antiques and candy shops. I recommend stopping by Lucy in Disguise to marvel at the aisles of costumes, Uncommon Objects to marvel at the unique antiques, and Big Top Candy Shop to marvel at imported candies from around the globe and CHOCOLATE-COVERED BACON. Yes, you heard that right. If the bacon isn’t enough to hold you over, head to Hopdoddy Burger Bar for an absolutely killer burger or Homeslice for some killer pizza.
Off of South Congress, I recommend dining at one of the hundreds of trailer parks filling up every empty lot. You can eat everything from Asian to Cajun. For you sweet tooth, don’t miss grabbing a chocolate-covered banana from Bananarchy, maybe a dough-nut from Gordough’s, or some classic frozen custard from Sandy’s. Oh yeah, and you could do a lot worse than a Sno Cone from Sno Beach.
To enjoy the outdoors of South Austin, head to Zilker Park which is Austin’s big grassy playground. And for a dip, jump into Barton Springs. The 68 degree water is refreshing on any day. I also recommend a hike along the Greenbelt.
As the sunsets, live music fills the air. For honky-tonk, look no further than the Broken Spoke. Get your boots ready.

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