On the Road

Lake fans and outdoor enthusiasts alike will lose all worries in Conroe

The shores of Lake Conroe are calling you.

Photo courtesy of Visit Conroe

If you’re searching for a summer hot spot that’s also chill, a lake is going to be right on cue — and so is Conroe, Texas.

Located just north of Houston, this destination doesn’t just have great dining, shopping, and attractions, it’s also home to the beautiful, 22,000-acre Lake Conroe, with some of the best fishing, hiking, and outdoor adventuring around and an equally impressive lakeside resort.

Escape to Margaritaville
The tropical, Jimmy Buffett-inspired Margaritaville Lake Resort is situated on the shores of Lake Conroe and boasts luxe suites and waterfront cottages along with a whole host of amenities.

Start your vacay at one of the five pools onsite, where you can float down the lazy river or swim up to the pool bar and order a marg. Kids will also love splashing around at the Jolly Mon Water Park.

Beyond the pool scene, there is also a challenging 18-hole golf course on the property, where you can tee off before settling in for a relaxing treatment at the St. Somewhere Spa.

For sustenance, there's no need to leave Margaritaville. After that golf game, pull up a chair at the Playin’ A Round Cafe for salads, wraps, and entrees. Or stay poolside and kick back at the tropical, tiki-style Lone Palm Pool Bar — no shirt or shoes required!

The License to Chill Cafe is another laid-back option where the views are as good as the food, with floor-to-ceiling windows and an outdoor terrace overlooking the lake and the resort's lush lagoon water park.

Dress up for world-class cuisine at LandShark Bar & Grill that’s inspired by the traditional beach bars of the Atlantic Coast.

Explore Lake Conroe
After some R&R in Margaritaville, get in on the resort’s watercraft rentals and head to another Houston-area playground: Lake Conroe.

Whether you’re an experienced boater, a water sports enthusiast, or just into floating or paddling around, it’s all ready and waiting for you. You may even want to consider a guided fishing trip because the lake’s man-made “attractor” reefs draw in all kinds of fish, from largemouth bass to black and white crappie.

Tours and charters provide everything you need from the boat to the gear — all you have to do is cast your line.

When you’re ready to dock and dine, head to one of Conroe’s fave lakeside haunts like Fajita Jacks Tex-Mex Grill & Cantina or Monty’s Lighthouse Cajun Bar & Grill.

If you’re looking for a meal on the water, Southern Empress Cruises has lunch, cocktail, and dinner cruises on its three-story, 131-foot paddle wheelers.

For more ways to find a slice of paradise and chill out in Conroe, head over to Visit Conroe.

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Willie forever

Willie Nelson receives prestigious honor and inaugural endowment at UT Austin

Photo by Pamela Springsteen

Willie Nelson will receive the LBJ Liberty & Justice for All Award at a gala this spring.

Willie Nelson has earned countless awards for his seven-decade music career, but the legend is also well known for his activism — particularly in the areas of farming and food security. In recognition of his longtime advocacy work, the LBJ Foundation will present its most prestigious honor, the LBJ Liberty & Justice for All Award to Nelson this spring.

The award will be presented at a special gala tribute dinner on Friday, May 12, 2023, which in turn will benefit the newly established Willie Nelson Endowment for Uplifting Rural Communities at the LBJ School of Public Affairs, a part of The University of Texas at Austin.

According to a release, the endowment will fund research and student fellowships focused on sustainable agriculture, eliminating hunger, resilient energy, sustainable water, and natural disaster recovery to benefit rural and farm communities.

Along with Neil Young and John Mellencamp, Nelson organized the first Farm Aid concert in 1985 to raise funds for struggling farmers, which has since raised over $70 million for those who own and operate family farms throughout the United States. He has also helped raise millions around disaster relief, for families of the victims of the 9/11 attacks and for veterans, as well as working toward environmental and animal advocacy, and voting rights. His Luck Family Foundation provides financial grant assistance and other resources to artists, organizations, and programs in need, donating proceeds from Luck Reunion events to Farm Aid and other longtime charity partners like the Texas Food & Wine Alliance.

“Willie Nelson is a national treasure who gained fame through his sheer musical talent and won hearts as someone who truly cares about the lives of his fellow Americans," says Larry Temple, Chairman of the LBJ Foundation Board of Trustees, via release. "A product of rural Texas, Willie has never forgotten where he comes from. His longtime efforts to raise money and awareness for family farmers through Farm Aid and numerous other endeavors to help those in need throughout his career make him a true inspiration.”

The dinner will honor Nelson's lifelong support for rural communities, embodying President Lyndon Baines Johnson's commitment to public service, particularly in the areas of farming and food security. With their similar backgrounds as rural Texans, both President Johnson and Nelson shared a keen awareness of the struggles of those who work in the agricultural industry.

“The bounty of the earth is the foundation of our economy," President Johnson shared in a 1965 Special Message to Congress on Agriculture. "Programs in every aspect of our nation’s life depend on the abundant harvests of our farms.”