In-demand destination

Alluring Texas Hill Country one of fastest-growing vacation spots in U.S.

Texas Hill Country is one of the top tourist destinations in the country.

Photo courtesy of Vista Brewing

For years, the Texas Hill Country has been a go-to getaway destination for residents of the Austin, San Antonio, Dallas-Fort Worth, and Houston areas. Now, it appears travelers outside of Texas have learned about the Hill Country’s allure.

Austin-based vacation rental marketplace HomeAway has named the Texas Hill Country one of the 25 fastest-growing vacation rental markets in the U.S.

HomeAway based the list on bookings made on its vacation rental network from 2016 to 2017. The Hill Country is the only Texas destination on the list.

Fredericksburg sits at the epicenter of the Hill Country, thanks in large part to the more than 40 wineries and vineyards in and around the quaint German-cultured town. Lodging in Fredericksburg and the rest of the Hill Country is dominated by B&Bs, guesthouses, and inns.

“The scenic beauty and the big, starry skies of the Texas Hill Country have been a favorite of Texan travelers for decades,” Ernie Loeffler, president and CEO of the Fredericksburg Convention and Visitor Bureau, said in 2016. “Now, the culinary hot spots, the museums and heritage sites, the nationally recognized art galleries, the upscale shopping, the burgeoning Texas wine industry, and the live music scene of Fredericksburg are being discovered by visitors from across the U.S. and the world.”

Texans make up about 70 percent of the overnight stays in the Hill Country, with non-Texans accounting for the remaining 30 percent, according to a report prepared for the Texas Economic Development and Tourism Division.

Within Texas, the Houston area sends the most visitors to the Hill Country, followed by Dallas-Fort Worth, San Antonio, and Austin, the report says. The places sending the most out-of-state travelers to the Hill Country are San Francisco, Los Angeles, and New York.

In 2016, the Hill Country attracted nearly 32 million visitors, according to the report. That’s up from 30.1 million in 2015 and 28.4 million in 2014.

hill-country wine

Turkey Day News

Austin plates up top-30 rank on list of best cities for Thanksgiving

Photo courtesy of RedFarm

Enjoy a whole Peking Turkey at RedFarm in Austin for Thanksgiving.

Austin is sitting at the head of the table as one of the best places in the country to celebrate Thanksgiving this year, a new study has revealed.

Austin ranked No. 30 out of 100 of the largest U.S. cities in WalletHub's annual "Best Places to Go for Thanksgiving" report, published November 12.

The study analyzed each city based on 18 metrics to determine the best places for Thanksgiving, such as the number of pumpkin patches per capita, the average cost of a Thanksgiving dinner, the number of volunteer opportunities, the average weather forecast, and more. The metrics were then organized into five overall categories to determine the rankings.

The category that Austin ranked the highest in was the average weather forecast during the holiday period (No. 4), while the lowest-ranked category was for safety and accessibility (No. 69). Other categories that determined Austin's overall ranking were the number of celebrations and traditions (No. 39), the city's relative affordability (No. 39), and a "giving thanks" rank (No. 59).

Austin restaurants are getting prepared for their big Turkey Day meals, and CultureMap has rounded up a thorough list of all of the local restaurants hosting holiday feasts, from to-go meals, dine-in experiences, and desserts abound.

"The best cities for celebrating Thanksgiving all have an abundance of high-quality restaurants and places to buy festive decorations, and their residents get very excited for the holiday based on their Google search history," said WalletHub analyst Chip Lupo.

By Thanksgiving on November 28, Austin will be fully decked out for the December holidays. Austinites who will have extended family in town during Thanksgiving weekend can take in of all the marvelous Christmas lights brightening the city. The Texas Capital certainly goes all out for the most wonderful time of year.

Elsewhere in Texas, Dallas (No. 5) and San Antonio (No. 7) were the among the top 10 best cities to celebrate Thanksgiving, while Houston ranked No. 15.

San Diego, California (No. 1) topped the overall list of best places to go for Thanksgiving this year, followed by its Golden State neighbors San Francisco (No. 3) and San Jose (No. 4). Atlanta, Georgia (No. 2) rounds out the top five.

thanksgiving wallethub rankings holidays lists austin