Holiday getaways

Two Texas resorts turn holiday traditions into festive winter getaways

A holiday getaway doesn’t have to mean boarding a plane. Across Texas, two Omni resorts are transforming into festive winter destinations where families and couples can trade the usual holiday routine for twinkling lights, seasonal traditions, indulgent dining, and a little Texas magic.

Omni PGA Frisco Resort & Spa in North Texas and Omni Barton Creek Resort & Spa in the Texas Hill Country offer distinctly different settings, but both embrace the season with immersive holiday programming designed to make a winter escape feel like a true destination.

At both resorts, guests can also step into Blitzen’s, Omni’s over-the-top holiday pop-up bar, for festive cocktails and spirited seasonal décor. And when it’s time to take a break from the holiday festivities, championship golf, spa experiences, elevated dining, and luxurious accommodations offer plenty of ways to fill out the getaway.

Have a little holiday fun at Omni’s over-the-top holiday pop-up bar.Photo courtesy of Omni Hotels

Holiday magic in North Texas
At Omni PGA Frisco Resort & Spa, the holidays take over the resort and surrounding PGA District with Home on the Range for the Holidays, transforming the destination with dazzling lights, seasonal entertainment, and family-friendly activities.

Families can make the experience even more memorable with a stay in the resort’s Santa Suite, an immersive overnight experience designed to bring the magic of Christmas right into the guest room.

The seasonal schedule is filled with classic holiday traditions, including cookie decorating, s’mores, holiday crafts, character breakfasts, and visits from Cowboy Santa. When temperatures dip, rooftop holiday hideaway cabanas and firepits provide cozy spots to settle in for a winter evening.

With championship golf, dining, spa experiences, and resort accommodations all part of the destination, a holiday stay at Omni PGA Frisco can be as active or relaxing as desired.

Discover the magic of Christmas right in your hotel guest room. Photo courtesy of Omni Hotels

A Hill Country holiday
About 20 miles west of downtown Austin, Omni Barton Creek Resort & Spa offers a different kind of holiday escape, surrounded by 4,000 acres of Texas Hill Country.

The resort’s Holiday in the Hills programming combines familiar holiday traditions with the natural beauty of the Hill Country, creating a festive retreat that feels worlds away from the everyday.

One of the season’s most whimsical experiences is Snow Shows on Lady Bird Lawn, where the Texas sky fills with snow for a touch of winter magic. Families can also enjoy Breakfast with Santa, complete with opportunities to visit and take photos with the holiday icon, or settle in for Storytime with Mrs. Claus.

Photo courtesy of Omni Hotels

Pack of the family and get away this holiday.

For an especially immersive overnight experience, Santa’s Landing Rooms bring the North Pole indoors with cozy holiday décor, twinkling lights, and festive touches designed to make children feel as though Santa himself has landed at the resort.

Blitzen’s returns here, too, taking over Jim Bob’s Lobby Lounge with festive cocktails and holiday décor. Seasonal dining throughout the resort provides even more opportunities to gather around the table and celebrate.

And while the holidays take center stage, there’s plenty to do beyond the festivities. Guests can play a round on any of the resort’s four championship golf courses or unwind at Mokara Spa. With downtown Austin nearby, it’s also easy to combine holiday outings in the city with a peaceful resort retreat.

Experience Snow Shows on Lady Bird Lawn. Photo courtesy of Omni Hotels

A Texas-sized holiday tradition
Whether the destination is the energy of North Texas or the rolling landscapes of the Hill Country, both Omni resorts offer a way to turn familiar holiday traditions into a getaway.

From Santa experiences and festive cocktails to snow in the Hill Country, firepits under the winter sky, championship golf, spa days, and seasonal dining, the resorts offer plenty of reasons to make this holiday season a little more memorable — without leaving Texas.

For families looking to create new traditions or couples seeking a festive winter escape, Omni PGA Frisco Resort & Spa and Omni Barton Creek Resort & Spa make it possible to celebrate the season with a change of scenery while staying close to home.

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a family friendly destination

New Driftwood distillery uses Texas rainwater in its whiskey

Photo by Hayden Walker

Briggs Distilling Co. will open its doors on October 17.

A new family-owned distillery is joining the vast landscape of breweries, wineries, and other spirit-makers in the Texas Hill Country. Briggs Distilling Co. will start serving cocktails, mocktails, and more at its spacious facility at 121 Brownson Ln. in Driftwood on Saturday, October 17.

The 9,000-square-foot distillery is owned and operated by the Briggs family. It was founded by R.S. Briggs with longtime family friend Davis Tucker serving as its president. Master distiller Colton Weinstein is in charge of production and distilling operations.

The distillery has developed three expressions for whiskey drinkers to try neat or in a cocktail. Each is made with Texas rainwater and bottled on-site. From a press release, look out for the following flavor profiles:

Straight Rye Whiskey: spice and bright herbs with lingering sherry notes to finish
Heritage Reserve Bourbon: caramel, candy, and leather notes with hints of spice and cherry and a medium finish
Wheated Bourbon: described as "sweet and fruity, with tobacco notes that coat the mouth and a medium-short finish"

Briggs Distilling Co. whiskey and bourbon products Patrons can buy a bottle of Briggs whiskey or bourbon on-site to take home. Photo by Hayden Walker

The spirits will be available to try in individual tastings ($10 each) and flights ($15), as well as draft, frozen, and house cocktails priced from $10-$14 each.

Briggs Distilling will also serve mocktails, a frozen Texas Two-Step (lime, orange, and house cane syrup with a choice of strawberry, mango, coconut, or passion fruit), and other non-alcoholic options like soda, ginger beer, and coffee from neighboring Driftwood café Sonder Coffee Lounge.

Beyond the whiskey-making operations and the tasting room, the property will feature a treehouse-inspired children's area, family- and dog-friendly amenities, and an on-site food truck. Live music from local musicians will also be a regular occurrence on Fridays and Saturdays.

Above all, the Hill Country distillery is envisioned as a "community gathering place" that aims to make all visitors feel at home.

"For generations, this part of Texas has brought people together around good food and conversation under wide-open skies," R.S. Briggs said in the release. "We wanted Briggs Distilling to carry that spirit forward while adding one crucial component: good whiskey."

Briggs Distilling Co. interior The distillery was designed by Texas-based M. Elliott Studio with contemporary furniture that visitors can rearrange as they see fit for their gatherings.Photo by Hayden Walker

Briggs Distilling will host community events throughout the year, engage in sustainability initiatives such as recycling bottles through local businesses, and pursue additional giveback opportunities to demonstrate a commitment to the Hill Country area.

Bailey Briggs, R.S.'s daughter and vice president of marketing, said the land the distillery stands on has been in their family for generations, and their "family-first philosophy" is the heart of their business.

"Briggs Distilling was born from family and built for families," Bailey said in a release. "For more than twenty years, our family has called the Texas Hill Country home, spending holidays, birthdays, and long summer days on the river together. Those memories shaped our lives and inspired us to create a place where other families could make their own."

Following the grand opening on October 17, Briggs Distilling Co. will be open from 4-10 pm Wednesdays through Thursdays, 11 am to 10 pm Fridays and Saturdays, and 11 am to 7 pm Sundays. Happy hour will run from 3-6 pm Wednesdays through Fridays. Kid-friendly specials will also be offered on Sundays.

Photo by Hayden Walker

Briggs Distilling Co. will open its doors on October 17.

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