by Monika Kowalczyk - 65 Reviews - 40 List
So David Geffen's not calling you back and your private jet is?well, it just doesn't exist. Fret not, getaway-seekers: You can still put a leisurely weekend to good use right here on our home turf. Romantic oasis? Check. Family fun? Yup. Pack up the ol? jalopy and check out any of these weekend getaways an easy driving distance from Austin.
Updated: June 16, 2010
If you don't believe that Dr. Pepper is the most important carbonated beverage ever invented, then you're obviously not from around these parts. This mecca for Dr. Pepper enthusiasts boasts a multi-level exhibit detailing the history and cultural significance of the little red can. While you're there, be sure to check out the old manufacturing plant, built by Architect Milton Scott in 1906. (Yes, we clearly took the tour. Yes, it was that awesome.)
It's the largest such pink granite monadnock in the United States, people! One of our Tweeters, @TaraRHall, tipped us off on this excursion with an emphasis on SPF. Well, we didn't fully listen and lost sleep due to agonizing sunburn. The sweeping sunset views and fun recollection of the site's legends and mysticism is all worth it, though.
Grab a cold one and bust a move at what was once the set of John Travolta's hit flick, ?Michael?. If movies about alcoholic archangels doesn't necessarily warrant a trip out to New Braunsfels, no worries'there's other selling points. The ?Oldest Dancehall in Texas? has not only jumpstarted the musical careers of Lyle Lovett, Nanci Griffith and Ryan Bingham, but is also a stone's throw from summer staples like tubing on the Guad and Gristmill dining.
A quick couples retreat to San Antonio is always a solid idea, but if touristy Alamo excursions aren't your cup of tea, consider cozying up at The Oge House. This gorgeously restored Victorian Bed and Breakfast in the King William Historic District offers the luxury (and proximity to a quieter section of the Riverwalk) that enables some serious QT with your honeybun.
Fredericksburg has that quaint, German town feeling that makes us want to call up Oma and eat schnitzel day and night. Lucky for us, the area also throws a palatable amount of wine our way with its cluster of vineyards overlooking the Texas Hill Country. Pick one or make your way through all (maybe call off work on Monday?), and enjoy that European distinction we all crave once in awhile.
