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 Claudia Fenner is a writer, photographer and travel enthusiast who is a stay home mom of three in Dix Hills. She loves to plan her family’s vacations and helping her friends and relatives with their vacation ideas. |
| There are many words that come to mind when one thinks of Texas.. Lone Star, Cowboys, Oil and Big are just a few. Now add AMAZING and AWESOME to the top of that list! We were looking for a short getaway in the spring and Texas fit the bill. There are numerous nonstops a day from JFK to Austin (AUS) and the flight time is only 3.5 hours. We spent two days in the capital of Austin, one in San Antonio, and adored every moment. The Official State motto of Texas is “Friendship” and the name Texas actually originates from a Native American word “Teyshas,” which means friend or ally. I chose the Hilton in downtown Austin as our home base, and I must say it was one of the friendliest hotels we have ever stayed at. Austin has a truly thriving food scene. From down home BBQ restaurants, chic brunch bistros, to every type of food truck cuisine imaginable; Austin has it all. Our first meal there was a classic BBQ feast at Coopers near our hotel in downtown. They open up the smoker and you chose from an assortment of perfectly smoked meats and chicken. You then chose your sides along with complimentary beans and bread. Grab a table outside, sit back relax and enjoy. Dessert around the corner at Voodoo Doughnut capped off a flawless meal. San Antonio is only 80 miles south of Austin and makes a marvelous day trip. There is ample parking in downtown San Antonio and all the sights are right there. Entrance to The Alamo, which was the site of General Santa Ana’s cruel victory over the Texans, is free. The famous River Walk and Market Square round out the top attractions in San Antonio. Be sure to eat a Mexican meal while you are visiting… our outdoor lunch at La Margarita was delicious. Traveling with a shopper? There is an enormous outlet center in San Marcos just off the highway halfway back to Austin. Austin is a terrific walking city so be sure to bring comfortable shoes. We walked a great loop down 1st Street to the famous “Greetings from Austin” mural and then back up South Congress Avenue, which is lined with hip shops and restaurants. A lovely upscale shopping and dining venue just north of the city called “The Domain” is worth a visit. Lady Bird Lake (named for former First Lady Claudia Alta Johnson) in the center of downtown, offers a beautiful green belt to enjoy walking, hiking, biking and kayaking. In 3 days we barely scratched the surface of all there was to see and do (and eat) in Austin but too deep in the heart of Texas we shall return.. soon! |
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20 lucky winners will win $500 each in prizes totaling $10,000. 