Petal Pushers

Beautiful new tourist attraction blooming soon near Austin

The farm should open in mid-February, depending on weather.

Texas Tulips/Instagram

What do '80s TV show Dallas and the Netherlands have in common? They are both responsible for inspiring Texas Tulips, a new cut-your-own flower field blooming soon in Central Texas.

Texas Tulips' newest field is currently underway at 15122 FM 775 in La Vernia, about 75 miles southwest of Austin. The operation allows patrons to stroll through massive rows of tulips and cut their own flowers from a field of thousands of blooms.

According to owner Pieter Koeman, Texas Tulips should open in mid-February 2020 and close in late March/early April, depending on the weather.

Texas Tulips, which has a similar operation in Pilot Point, near Dallas, is the latest endeavor from a family with a long floral history. Koeman grew up in the Netherlands, where his mother and father operated an 80-acre tulip farm for more than 40 years.

After his father's death in 2011, Koeman, finding inspiration from an unusual source, decided to move to Texas.

"The idea to open a tulip farm in Texas originally came from when I was young and was watching Dallas, the TV show, with my family. We always loved that show, and we were fascinated by Texas," Koeman says. "When my dad passed away, we saw an opportunity to go to Texas and start a u-pick tulip farm there."

In 2015, Koeman and his wife, Petra, opened the first Texas Tulips on a six-acre field in Pilot Point. The farm was a hit in North Texas and inspired the family to head south for its second outpost.

Like its North Texas farm, Texas Tulips' La Vernia location will offer pick-your-own flowers from a field of thousands. For a $5 entrance fee, visitors can select tulips from a variety of colors, all priced $2.50 per stem. Discounts for veterans, seniors, and students are also available. And, because this is the age of social media, and it doesn't get more Instagrammable than a massive field of blooming tulips, the company also offers a day-long, $25 photographer package.

"We love spreading the joy of tulips to people, as it's one of those simple pleasures of life," Koeman says. "The tulip is such a happy flower and one of the first signs of spring."

That's How I Got to Memphis

Delta adds 5 nonstop routes from Austin including San Francisco, Memphis

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The new flights will operate once each, every day.

It's never too early to start planning spring break, so news is welcome that Austinites will have five new nonstop options to get out of town starting in spring 2025, thanks to a new Delta Airlines service extension at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS).

One route, going to Memphis, Tennessee, is a return to a previous service. There are four new ones going to Panama City and Tampa, Florida; San Francisco, California; and Indianapolis, Indiana. All five routes will operate once each day, every day.

The expansion "positions the airline to have the second-largest market share at the Central Texas airport based on daily departing flights," according to a news release published by the airport. In June 2024, in terms of overall people transported, the Bureau of Transportation Statistics shows Delta in third place with a 13.78 percent share, American Airlines with 17.82 percent, and Southwest Airlines with a large 41.87 percent.

“Delta’s decision to expand its service in Austin is a testament to our city's thriving economy and vibrant community,” said Austin city manager T.C. Broadnax in the release. “These five new flights will not only enhance connectivity for our residents and businesses but also contribute to Austin’s reputation as a premiere destination for travel and commerce. We are thrilled to welcome Delta's continued investment in Austin.”

Passengers to Panama City, Indianapolis, and Memphis will ride on an Embraer 175s operated by SkyWest; those traveling to San Francisco and Tampa will take an Airbus 220-300 with free wifi provided by Delta onboard.

“Delta is continuing to build its presence in Austin with new routes to more business and leisure destinations across the U.S.” said Delta senior vice president of network planning Joe Esposito. “With 55 peak-day departures planned for Summer 2025, Delta is reaffirming its commitment to Austin, giving our customers even more opportunities to connect to our global network.”

The following additions will be made to Delta's schedule:

Panama City, Florida (ECP): Service starts March 9, 2025. Flights depart Austin at 2:30 pm and arrive in Panama City at 4:28 pm. Flights departs Panama City at 5:10 pm and arrive in Austin at 7:19 pm.
Indianapolis (IND): Service starts May 7, 2025. Flights depart Austin at 9:50 am and arrive in Indianapolis at 1:30 pm. Flights depart Indianapolis at 2:10 pm and arrive in Austin at 3:55 pm.
Memphis (MEM): Service starts May 7, 2025. Flights depart Austin at 7:59 pm and arrive in Memphis at 9:59 pm. Flights depart Memphis at 7:05 am and arrive in Austin at 9:05 am.
San Francisco (SFO): Service starts June 8, 2025. Flights depart Austin at 9:40 am and arrive in San Francisco at 11:10 am. Flights depart San Francisco at 1:15 pm and arrive in Austin at 5:30 pm.
Tampa (TPA): Service starts June 8, 2025. Flights depart Austin at 7:25 pm and arrive in Tampa at 10:59 pm. Flights depart Tampa at 7 am and arrive in Austin at 8:45 am.

Tickets are available now at delta.com.