wastin' away

Waste away at Jimmy Buffett's first Margaritaville resort in Texas, opening in 2020

Jimmy Buffett Margaritaville resort pool bar

Grab those flip-flops, Parrotheads.

UPDATE: Texas' first Margaritaville Lake Resort officially opened on June 26, 2020 at Lake Conroe, north of Houston. To ensure the safety, health, and wellbeing of all guests during the coronavirus pandemic, the resort is emphasizing heightened standards for hygiene and cleanliness for guestrooms, amenities, common spaces, and restaurants, as well as protocols for social distancing.

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Local Parrotheads, rejoice: Margaritaville is coming. The Valhalla of all things Jimmy Buffett and beach bums will take up residence in Lake Conroe — just an hour north of Houston.

Margaritaville Resort will boast 360 guest rooms, signature Margaritaville dining, a golf course, spa, and more, according to a release. Fans looking for their long-lost shaker of salt will have to wait until late next year for this 186-acre prime waterfront property to open.

The Buffett-themed getaway is taking over La Torretta Lake Resort & Spa. It will feature rooms in a main 20-story hotel tower, as well as waterfront villas on the lake. Two of the existing restaurants will be converted into signature, on-theme dining concepts: LandShark Bar & Grill and 5 o’Clock Somewhere Bar & Grill.

“We are thrilled to bring our first Margaritaville resort in Texas to the Houston area with an incredible location on Lake Conroe,” said Rick Cunningham, of Margaritaville Development, in a statement. “This resort will be a welcome escape for those in Texas’ major metropolitan areas and beyond, offering a lakeside paradise dedicated to relaxation, fun, adventure and the Margaritaville state of mind.”

The property will include an 18-hole golf course, tennis facilities, spa, more restaurants, pools, and 45,000 square feet of indoor/outdoor meeting space. It joins the nearly 30 current and upcoming Margaritaville resorts, vacation clubs, and casinos nationwide.

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hottest headlines of 2024

Hill Country escapes beckon in Austin's top 10 travel stories of 2024

Photo by Jeff Jones

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Editor's note: As 2024 comes to a close, we're looking back at the stories that defined Austin this year, and that includes travel — in and out of the Texas capital. Austinites were most interested in escaping to the Hill Country and exploring San Antonio. To fuel your wanderlust, here are the top 10 travel headlines of 2024.

1. Texas has 2 of the country's top 10 state parks, says new list. Palo Duro Canyon State Park came out as the No. 2 best state park in the country. Travelers who don't want to make a drive to the Texas Panhandle can head to the Hill Country to visit Garner State Park, which landed at No. 9.

2. San Antonio rodeo rounds up Jon Pardi and Pesado for 2025 lineup. Austinites have a few key reasons to travel to the San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo each year, such as seeing big music stars like Nelly, Keith Urban, LeAnn Rimes, Turnpike Troubadours, and more.

3. New downtown San Antonio hotel debuts with 4 bar and dining concepts. Overnight visitors to Alamo City may remember the Wyndham San Antonio River Walk, but things are looking very different now. After a transformation that has been in the works for at least three years, the InterContinental San Antonio Riverwalk Hotel opened for visitors in August.

A rooftop pool 21 stories up completes the new InterContinental San Antonio Riverwalk Hotel. Photo courtesy of InterContinental San Antonio Riverwalk Hotel

4. Texas predicted to be No. 1 destination tourists will hit for the eclipse. Great American Eclipse predicted Texas would see over a million tourists during April's solar spectacle — the highest number out of the 48 continental states.

5. Hill Country resort inflates its 10th annual hot air balloon festival. The annual Balloons Over Horseshoe Bay Resort includes more than balloons, with live music, tastings, and more.

6. Self-flying air taxis to take flight at airports in major Texas city. Keep an eye on the sky in 2025 — maybe you'll spot one of the new electric and autonomous air taxis expected to take flight in Houston.

7. New Hill Country treehouse resort tops Texas travel ideas for October. Our October monthly roundup of travel tips highlighted the recently opened Onera resort in Wimberley, which features 28 treehouses and "earth home-style units" with panoramic views of the Hill Country.

8. Stunning Hill Country resort lodge gets a chic update. TheAntlers Lodge at the Hyatt Regency Hill Country Resort and Spa in San Antonio got a major makeover that also included a new chef and updated menu.

9. 15 best eclipse watch parties and events across Central Texas on April 8. Central Texas and the Hill Country were the hottest destinations for eclipse-watchers, and we compiled the ultimate list of viewing parties and events for the occasion.

10. Buzzy Hill Country hotel featuring VIP Austin chef sets opening date. Located right on the main street of charming Fredericksburg, the Albert Hotel is officially accepting reservations as of January 3, 2025.