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Burnet, TX

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

That’s right, Inks Lake and Lake Buchanan are two great reasons to make a trip to Burnet.  But they aren’t 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 Devil’s 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 LCRA’s 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 DeMaria’s 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 Baylor’s campus to check out Baylor’s 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 don’t miss the old-fashioned soda fountain at the end where you can enjoy a frosty glass of Dr Pepper or an ice cream float.

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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