Bring Out Your Inner Astronaut July 25, 2009 2:00 PM Austin - Borders 3309 Esperanza Crossing Austin, TX 78758
To mark the 40th anniversary of the moon landing, Borders is hosting a Space Camp for kids of all ages.
Featuring a space-age schedule of cool astronaut and spacewalk games, solar system crafts and trivia, and other out-of-this-world activities, it's the most fun you'll have all summer!
If you're up to making some new friends , running into some old ones, dining, shopping, listening to live music, meeting friendly local street vendors for a total Austin non-mall shopping experience or just want a hip place to hang out almost anywhere in South Congress on the first Thursday of every month is the place to be. Covering over one mile of South Congress First Thursday is a total submergence into what is Austin people, food, music, culture, shopping, fun all rolled into one experience.
Food wise you have a lot of options, one of the most popular on First Thursday has to be Guero's Taco Bar . Packing up to three room's, a patio, outside staging area which live local bands play for the customers which has it's own tables and some of the best Mexican food around the south Austin area.
Mexican is not your only choice. Amy's Ice Cream is perfect for the kid in everyone , while local pizza shops like Home Slice Pizza and others serve up hot slices late into the night. If your more a cheeseburger and fries type then the local legend Fran's is always alive and well serving some of the best burgers in Austin Texas with live bands most First Thursdays.
Live music is on every corner of South Congress on First Thursday in Austin Texas. Local artist play in bars , local dinning areas , local vendor designated areas and on almost every street corner itself. Music is just as important to First Thursday as anything else brought to the mix. Even if your a local musician and want to jam other local musicians this is a great place to meet new people.
Stores litter every nook and cranny of SoCo ( South Congress ) with many local shops with unique gifts for all types of people.
Big Top Candy is a treat to all ages, their selection of typical and odd candies is the best in town. Along with candy there is many different type of local clothing stores for all types of styles. Gift wise there are tons of local oddities type shops with weird and bizarre gifts sure to surprise anyone.
Tubing is a right of passage in Austin, Texas. There are a lot of options but try the following - inner-tubing on the river in New Braunsfel, by Schlitterbahn OR Others tubing venue of preference is the Upper Guadalupe River, on the west side of the U.S. 281 bridge. in The Upper ‘Pe, as we fondly call it, isn’t quite as cold as the Lower ‘Pe, which runs through Gruene and sometimes feels like an ice company dumped its load in the river. The water near Gruene comes from below the Canyon Lake dam. That makes it colder than the Upper ‘Pe, which is also less crowded.
What I would like to try with tubing activity? The tube stand, in which people can attempt to stand up on an inner tube. It usually only lasts a moment or two before they plunge into the river. Which isn’t too bad either.
Both ends of the river are beautiful, lined with towering, lacy cypress trees and folks piling sausages onto their backyard smokers.! It is the most fun and relaxing thing to do in the world!
It's actually fun...sitting in a tube for a few hours, floating down the river with friends, with the Texas sun beating down on you as you sip an ice, cold rootbeer. Gather a group together and grab a couple coolers filled with rootbeer, soda, water or whatever you are into and you're good to go on the river for several hours! As you are floating down, you get to enjoy the beautiful and serene scenery. You almost feel like what Huck Finn might have felt when rafting down the river (it's a lot cleaner than the Mississippi, of course!). Plus, you get to see all these little turtles swimming next to you (they're impossible to catch though)!
A few options to go inner tubing - Guadalupe River Frio River San Marcos River Comal River Texas Paddling Trails Brazos River Neches River
Mildly exclusive to Fantasy or Science-Fiction, though. I’ve been known to venture into more realistic works, but I don’t like staying in worlds where there isn’t something awesome happening ;) Although show me books about Nature and things to do in Far Off places and I am there!
Here's only a few and I have to say A FEW book stores in Austin, Texas. Seriously..I think Texas is book country! Yey!
What they say about Book People - "Walk in and breathe deeply. You're within range of 300,000 titles, all arranged on three floors, along with a handy coffeehouse and complete music department. This is one of the bookstore-as-community places, where shoppers are encouraged to put their feet up and read, or to sit at a convenient desk and copy a recipe from the latest cookbook. Children gather for story time every week, and a community room is available for book club and other meetings. Of course, they have a huge selection in every conceivable category, from anthropology to zoology. Notable are the shelves of small-press and foreign-press titles, as well as spiritual and religious books.
Y'all know about Borders, Barnes and Half Price books. SO no need to elaborate.
A few Texas Zip Lines & Canopy Tours & Courses you might want to try:
It's hard to find anything more fun and exciting than zipping through the trees 20 to 100 feet off the ground or from the top of an incline into a cool refreshing pool of water - what a thrill. If you haven't experienced a zip line tour, you need to schedule a tour now. A zip-line is also known as a flying fox, zip wire, aerial runway, aerial ropeslide, death slide, canopy tour, or tyrolean crossing. A zip line typically consists of a pulley suspended on a stainless steel cable which is made mounted on an incline, typically from a tall tower or tree. They are designed to enable a user propelled by gravity to traverse from the top to the bottom of the incline by holding on to or being attached the freely moving pulley.
Zip lines have grown into a very popular vacation or weekend activity in Texas. You'll find a number of zip line tours in Texas, at Texas Resorts, adventure camps, and as a part of challenge courses. Below are some of the best zip line tours and challenge courses in Texas. Safety is always important in zip line construction and maintenance, so you might want to ask if the zip line company adheres to ACCT Safety Standards - Safety should be a major concern when you're flying through the trees 50' above ground. Look for a zip line company that adheres to the ACCT standards for construction and safety. ACCT is a trade organization, serving Challenge Course Professionals all over the world. The purpose of the association is to promote the use of Challenge Courses and to set minimum standards for Challenge Course installation, operation and inspection. Originally founded by vendors, ACCT members are now predominantly Challenge Course managers and facilitators, in addition to the installers and trainers who are our longtime members. ACCT has been setting challenge course standards since 1993, and is now accredited by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) as a standards developer.
You won't find any Texas zip lines longer and faster than the one in this video (Courtesy of Wired) - Check it out.
Georgetown Challenge Course: Deep in the San Gabriel River Park - there is for adventure lovers a course you might want to try. Nestled among the trees lining the North San Gabriel River, the Georgetown Challenge course consists of many low elements, 22 new and exciting high elements (including parallel zip-lines), and two climbing walls. The course is open year round.
Website Contact:Elliott Pervinich at (512) 931-2757 or email: epervinich@georgetowntx.org
The Heard Natural Science Museum Experience fourteen challenging elements! The Heard Natural Science Museum now offers a new High and Low Elements Ropes Course located within a beautiful deciduous forest tree canopy.
• Rock Climb: Our 110 foot high rock climb is no ordinary wall. It is nestled within a two hundred year old Bur Oak Tree; you won't find anything like this around!
• Team Power Pole: Choose a partner and tackle our 40 foot high team pole together, then finish with a leap towards the trapeze!
• Trust Fall: The ultimate low element. Stand on a 4 foot high platform and fall backwards into your teammates arms, trusting that they will catch you.
• Zip Line: The highlight of the day! After challenging yourself all day, enjoy a ride on our 500 foot zip line and soar through the tree canopy with the wind in your hair!
At Cypress Valley Canopy Tours® for a thrilling eco-adventure, where you fly through the canopy of old growth cypress trees, some up to 100 feet tall. A new world unfolds as you glide on steel zip lines from platform to platform high in the treetops. Join us and renew your experience of nature on our exhilarating Canopy Tourin Spicewood, Texas USA, the daring Canopy Challenge in Austin, Texas USA, or an overnight stay in the trees in our tree house, The Lofthaven.
Highlights: Three Sky Bridges, Six Zip Lines, Up to 350' long and 40' high, Canopy Challenge & Unique Lodging.
Wimberley Zipline Adventure Prepare for highflying fun as you harness up and glide through the air on this thrilling, action packed zipline adventure. Experience a rush as you soar over canyons and creeks with breathtaking 15-mile views of the Wimberley Valley. Your adventure will begin with trained guides leading you on an educational walking tour. You’ll learn about the local ecosystem of plants and wildlife, local history, and other interesting Wimberley area facts. Your adventure continues as you experience Texas Hill Country beauty as never before while soaring through a series of eight zip line crossings. Website: Contact: Wimberley Zipline Adventures Phone Number: 512-847-9990 Email: contact@wimberleyzipline.com
Wired: Home of the Tallest towers and the LONGEST Ziplines in Texas! Enjoy some pure adrenaline fueled fun on a state of the art zip line challenge course. Feel the rush of the wind as you fly down some of the longest and fastest zip lines in Texas. WIRED’s staff of trained and certified guides will see to it that your group has a safe and memorable adventure. If you’ve been wanting to cross zip lining off that bucket list call and make a reservation to GET WIRED today! WIRED welcomes families, groups, corporate teams, and spectators. Group discounts and daily course rates are available.
About Wired: The WIRED course itself consists of four zip lines, ranging in length from 650 feet, to the ultra-long 1000+ foot ride, the longest zip line in Texas. The launch platforms and towers are made of industrial-grade steel and are connected to one another by sturdy rope sky bridges. The zip wire on which you’ll ride is 1/2” ultra-strong aircraft cable. All of these are inspected for safety daily by WIRED Zipmasters.
The platforms, bridges and cable systems have been custom engineered to be sturdy and stable. As a result, the WIRED challenge course meets or exceeds international standards set forth by the Association of Challenge Course Technology. Learn more about the quality of our zip line systems from Adventures Experiences, Inc.
Before you ascend the main launch tower, you’ll attend WIRED ground school where you’ll earn your WIRED Wings! We will teach you everything you need to know to comfortably enjoy a thrilling experience on the WIRED course. All participants are taught simple skills such as most comfortable riding posture, proper forms of controlling speed and braking, and self-rescue techniques.
Every group is accompanied by a professional WIRED Zipmaster guide. These guides are trained and certified on the specifics of the entire WIRED course. It is their job to ensure you’re not only safe, but also that you get the most out of your thrilling new adventure.
WIRED is open on weekends. Drop-ins are welcome, but reservations are always recommended. To reserve a time for yourself, your group, or your corporate team. We warmly welcome families, couples, and individuals Website Contact:903-567-2681
The fourth of July in Austin is a very festive time in the city. There is always a major fireworks event downtown, which is open to the public. Additionally, there are always fireworks and events in the Lake Travis area. Read on to learn about the various events to celebrate Independence Day in Austin in 2009! H-E-B Austin Symphony July 4th Concert & Fireworks:
The "official" and largest 4th of July event in Austin will be held at Auditorium Shores at The Long Center. More than 100,000 Austinites will gather to see the Austin Symphony perform patriotic music, including the 1812 Overture, with the shooting of cannons by the Texas National Guard Salute Battery. Fireworks will be shot over Lady Bird Lake from 9:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. The orchestra will begin playing at 8:30 p.m. The event is free and open to the public. Alcohol and glass containers are not permitted, but concessions will be sold. Volente Beach 4th of July Fireworks:
Volente Beach Waterpark, which is on Lake Travis, offers another wonderful way to celebrate July 4th in Austin. There will be live music and a firework show that starts at dusk. The event is free to guests who purchased park admission prior to 8 p.m., and costs $5 for guests entering the park after 8. July 4th Celebration in Lakeway:
The city of Lakeway, which lies on the outskirts of Austin, has its own Independence Day celebration. At 8:30 a.m., there will be a 4th of July parade down Lakeway Drive. The Pageant at the Lakeway Activity Center for the Grand Marshal Speech begins at 10:30 am.. Starting at 6 p.m., attendees will enjoy food, live entertainment, and fireworks. The events will end at 10:00 p.m. Carlos 'N Charlies Fireworks Extravaganza:
The infamous restaurant and bar on Lake Travis hosts its firework extravaganza the night of July 3rd. On July 4th, they are not having fireworks but instead a night of live music with Lance Keltner and guests. Gates open at 6 p.m. and entry at the gates costs $15.
Austin and the surrounding area is blessed with a large number of hike and bike trails. You have not fully explored Austin until you have taken some time and spent it with nature along beautiful routes.
Here's a few trails for you to get started hiking ;)
Guadalupe State Park: Getting there: From New Braunfels, head west on State Highway 46. Continue past the intersection with US Highway 281 for 8 miles to the park entrance.
The Hike: The main hiking trail at Guadalupe River State Park begins near the park entrance, at the end of a short dirt road on the right immediately after the pay station. There's ample parking here, at least in part because the majority of park visitors are there for the camping and picnicing opportunities along the Guadalupe River. That just means more peace and quiet for hikers.
The trail begins at the waypoint marked "Trailhead". The trails make up a mangled figure 8 with a couple of smaller loops attached. This provides ample opportunity for a loop hike of several differing lengths with minimal trail duplication.
The trail starts next to the large sign. The trail surface is packed dirt, with some rock thrown in. In general the trail surface is well maintained and easy to navigate. Despite being on the edge of the Hillcountry the trail itself is relatively flat. Nevertheless there will be a great vista on the northern tip of the hike. The main trail consists of a Juniper-Oak mix of vegetation like much of the Hillcountry. The smaller trails next to the river itself yields a wider variety of trees and plants including Cypress, Sycamore, Elm, Hackberry and Pecan.
Much of the trail is along old jeep tracks and generally easy to navigate. The best place to stop for a rest is at the waypoint marked "Overlook". Here the trail skirts a steep ridge overlooking the Guadalupe River. It's just about the only look at the river you'll find on the main trail itself. Unlike a few other spots along the ridge, this one opens up enough to provide a view of the river bank below and the fields on the opposite bank. The land to the north of the overlook is part of the park, but closed "pending development". Hopefully one day that will provide a few more miles of trail.
The main trail has patches of vegetation coverage, such as this one. But there is lots of open skies too, so bring your sunscreen. The waypoint "Turnaround" marks the alternate trailhead in the Cedar Sage Camping area. By walking through the camping area it's possible to get to the smaller secondary trails nearer the river. But I opted instead of complete the crazy 8 trail and head back to the trailhead. In about 3 hours of hiking I saw perhaps 5 other people on the main trail. The secondary trails are an entirely different story.
The best view along the main trail. It overlooks the undeveloped northern park of the park on the opposite side of the river. The small .4 mile "Interpretive Trail" starts at the "Alt-TH" waypoint (view on the topo map for the larger view which shows this) and makes a pseuo-balloon loop towards the southwest. The name refers to the trail's use for interpretive guided tours by park employees. I could find no place to pick up an interpretive pamphlet for a self guided hike. This small trail is actually quite pleasant and under-utilized. I saw three other people on the trail and a good bit of it is well covered. There's even a small but steep hill thrown in for good measure. The trail along the river itself is not really a trail at all. It's a walkway through a crowded picnic area. Still, it's worthwhile for the getting close to the river and getting a view of the steep cliffs that line the shore on the far side. Farther downstream there are fewer people and several huge Bald Cypress trees with their twisted, gnarled roots clinging to the shore. It's even possible to find a relatively quiet spot where the trail petters out to the south.
Guadalupe River State Park is adjacent to the Honey Creek State Natural Area. Access to Honey Creek is limited to guided tours, which are given on Saturdays at 9:00 AM.
Georgetown - A few in the San Gabriel River area:
Summary: This trail is a perfect place to get away over lunch. The trail is outlined with stones and paved with mulch. Except for the creek crossings (which are very solid and well placed stepping stones) the trail could be called wheelchair accessible. You won't break a sweat, even in the Texas summer.
As well as a great trail, there is steel staircase descending into a spring fed grotto. There are ferns around the small waterfall year round and a huge rock overhang to give shade. Some of the rock formations in the grotto are live, so please do not touch them. It has been reported that arrowheads have been found in the grotto.
All along the trail are sheer rock cliffs. The rock formations remind me of being inside a cave because they look like stalactites and stalagmites.
At the end of the trail is a staircase leading up to a great overview of the North San Gabriel River. You can exit back to the road here, or retrace your steps for a new view of the trail.
Posts
