Ki Gray - Austin Real Estate

The holiday season is a wonderful time in central Texas, as leaves turn and the burning heat of summer gives way to cool, brisk mornings and cold, sunny afternoons. Cold weather clothing replaces shorts and flip flops and fire places come to life for a few special months it's a beautiful time to be in Texas.

One of the annual highlights of this special season is the widely popular Hill Country Holiday Wine Trail for three weekends in December, leading up to Christmas, no less than two dozen of the Texas Hill Country's top wineries open their doors to 400 couples, offering wine tastings, specially-crafter ornaments and general holiday cheer.

Growing every year, the Hill Country Holiday Wine Trail offers a unique opportunity for couples and groups to experience the best of Texas Hill Country wineries. The self-guided wine trail offers participants the opportunity to explore and experience as many of the two dozen participating wineries as they choose over the three-weekend event. Tickets are $60 per couple, and include entrance and tastings at each of the 24 participating wineries, as well as a grape-vine wreath and custom ornaments along the way. Couples can go to as many of the wineries as they choose, and may do so during any or all of the three weekends during which the event takes place the first three weekends of December.

As Texas's Hill Country becomes more and more renowned throughout the United States as a respected wine producer, more and more people are making the short trip from Austin or San Antonio, and the slightly longer trip from Texas' other major cities, to enjoy the beauty of the hill country and the delicious wines that are produced there. In fact, in recent years, the Texas Hill Country has begun to grow in popularity as a vacation destination, visited by tourists and wine aficionados from around the United States. Considered Texas' own Napa Valley, the hill country offers picturesque views, gorgeous weather, and top quality wines.

Beautiful bed and breakfasts and unique hide-aways have sprung up throughout the hill country, offering visitors a wealth of options when it comes to accommodations and designing their own unique Hill Country experience. From ranches and old German settlement houses to cozy nature preserves and modern spas, the Texas Hill Country truly offers something for everyone.

While the beauty of the Texas Hill Country can be enjoyed year-round, the cool, crisp weather of the holiday season make it a particularly magical experience. Whether participating in the annual Texas Hill Country Wine Trail (keep in mind that tickets are extremely limited, and always sell out several weeks in advance), or simply organizing your own wine trail outing, a trip to the hill country and its many wineries and other unique offerings is sure to be a memorable one. Regardless of whether you're based in central Texas or traveling from the other side of the country, the Texas Hill Country makes for a majestic, relaxing vacation spot one that is sure to steal your heart.

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Zilker Metropolitan Park is perhaps the brightest jewel in Austin's golden crown of parks and other outdoor venues. It is 351 acres of endless amusements for all ages and interests. There is something for every season of the year, from the Trail of Lights at Christmas to a dip in the cool waters of the spring-fed pool on a steamy summer day.

It can be hard to pick a spot to begin exploring, but Barton Springs Pool is probably the best known attraction in the park. The three-acre pool is an average sixty-eight degrees year around. The grassy hills sloping down to the pool's edge offer shady spots to put down a blanket for a day of swimming and picnicking with family and friends.

The underground spring that feeds the Barton Springs Pool is part of Barton Creek, which winds its way to join Lady Bird Lake. The gazebo at Lou Neff Point, where Barton Creek flows into Lady Bird Lake, is a great place to sit and feed the ducks while getting a view of the interesting architecture in downtown Austin. Enjoying the tranquil waters of the lake that flows across the northeast edge of Zilker Park, it is fun to watch people row by in the kayaks and canoes available for rent.

The Beverly Sheffield Education Center is a popular stop for school field trips. It offers the Splash exhibit, which demonstrates how the Edwards Aquifer, an important water source for the Austin area, was formed. The educators at the center also give students the nitty gritty details about bugs and plants. Any given weekday will find youngsters roaming Barton Creek looking for insects, small fish and minnows among the pools of algae and mud. With long nets in hand, they can furrow out creatures hiding in the hillsides around Zilker Park.

Another popular place in Zilker Park for field trips is the Austin Nature and Science Center. Located on the west side of the park, this attraction is dedicated to offering exhibits, educational programs and recreational fun exploring the natural world. There are a variety of live animals native to Texas on exhibit, like Martha the coyote and Gandolf the owl. Most of these cute creatures have found a home at the Nature Center after being rescued from well-meaning people who tried to make them into pets. Along with viewing the animals, children can dig for bones in the Dino Pit and use scientists' tools in the Naturalist Workshop.

For the plant lovers, there is the quiet beauty of the Zilker Botanical Gardens and the Zilker Nature Preserve. A place can be found for quiet meditation or a quick sketch among the Hartman Prehistoric Garden, the Taniguchi Oriental Gardens and the Mabel Davis Rose Garden. The preserve offers sanctuary for native plants and animals.

Located in the heart of the park are the large wooden playscape and the Zilker Zephyr miniature train. Young and old will get a kick out of the drums and giant xylophone that are part of the playscape. The 25 minute train ride is a great way to see the park and wave at the walkers and runners along the trail as the Zilker Zephyr travels the water's edge. There is also a snack bar and large picnic pavilion.

The list of park attractions goes on and on, including the Zilker Hillside Theater and the Umlauf Sculpture Garden and Museum. Whether it's flying a kite, playing a game of soccer on one of the 12 sport fields, or a friendly game of disc golf, there is an almost endless array of things for Austinites of any age to enjoy at Zilker Park.
Escapeso realty is a small company in Austin Texas. They provide advice and assitance to people looking to invest in Austin real estate. Their website provides a search of the Austin MLS along with information on mortgage interest rates.

Austin's booming economy has always been a draw for restaurateurs and bar owners, offering tantalizing new opportunities and a constant desire for something new and different. The latest craze to hit the hip Texas capitol is wine bars "both older, established places that have been around for years, and newer, funkier alternatives are drawing in crowds like never before. This trend is particularly noticeable in Austin's popular downtown warehouse district, where several new wine bars and restaurants have cropped up in the past year, and have found success and popularity among Austin's young professionals and older patrons alike.

But downtown isn't the only place you'll find excellent wine and gourmet food. Neighborhoods like Hyde Park and North Austin's Domain are home to their own wine-enthusiast hot spots, and south Austin is now home to a bright new star on the scene: The Grove Wine Bar & Kitchen.

Situated on Bee Caves Road (also known as Highway 2244), The Grove sits, unassumingly, in a small shopping center along the winding highway heading West of downtown. The interior of the bar/restaurant has a lovely ambiance, but the outside seating area and raised deck offer their own appeal. Overtaken by a massive tree, winding and bending its many large branches over, under, and throughout the outside deck and patio, The Grove's outdoor seating area is its own unique attraction. Water features subtly block the sound from the roadway, and a massive industrial fan bolted to one of the high, thick branches offers relief from the blazing sun which can be a problem for outdoor dining so many months of the year.

Tucked away under the branches of the massive tree, diners enjoy a delicious menu and wonderful wines at relatively inexpensive prices. With ten flights to choose from, and dozens more wines by the glass or bottle, The Grove offers a wide range of palette-pleasing options. But don't stop there pair your favorite wine with one of the many gourmet menu items, like an order of the chef's incredible bruschetta, which includes three different samplings from their nine delicious options like fresh mozzarella with tomato, garlic and basil; or grilled asparagus with crescenza cheese and prosciutto. And each portion is cut in half for easy sharing (although they're so tasty, you may not want to).

Another favorite appetizer is the traditional cheese plate dubbed "Wine's B.F.F." on the menu or the delectable Sampler Platter, featuring several cheeses, cured meats, roasted peppers and fruit.

The tempting food options aren't confined to the appetizer menu; The Grove Wine Bar & Kitchen also offers a variety of entrees that are sure to please. Their pizzas are exquisite, with fresh, exotic ingredients and wonderfully unique combinations. They also offer large, lush salads with fresh greens and homemade dressings, as well as mouthwatering pastas and paninis.

The Grove's charm lies in its lack of pretension with so many delicious menu options and excellent wines at such reasonable prices, it's no wonder this little wine bar and kitchen has quickly become Austin's newest wine bar hot spot, drawing patrons from across the city and throughout the surrounding areas. All it takes is one visit to understand the appeal of this cozy, unique little wine bar and why people keep coming back.

Escapeso Realty operates in central Austin. They provide visitors a search of the Austin MLS along with statistics on Austin real estate and Cedar Park Texas real estate.

San Marcos, Texas, which is 29 miles south of Austin and 47 miles northwest of San Antonio, is a beautiful, small city with a rich history. The San Marcos area is considered to be the oldest continuously inhabited site in the Northern Hemisphere, although the descendants of today's residents settled the area in the 1800s.

In 1689, the San Marcos River was named for St. Mark after Alonso de Leon's men discovered the river on the celebration of St. Mark's Day, and named the river in his honor. Later, in April of 1808, a group of Mexican families settled in the area, and an agricultural community was established shortly thereafter.

In 1812, after numerous floods and raids by local Indians, the settlement was disbanded, but in November of 1848 a group of Anglo settlers tried to establish a community on the site again, and in 1851, the town center was laid out. The county of Hays was established in 1848 by the Texas Legislature, and the city of San Marcos was named county seat a short time later.

The small city was primarily a gin milling and agricultural community until the early 1880s, when the railroad arrived and the cattle and cotton industries flourished, which caused the city to become a commercial center with easy access to transportation for businessmen and travelers.

In 1899, a college for school teachers opened, and was called the Southwest Texas State Normal School, which is known today as Texas State University. In 1907, another school was established in the area, the San Marcos Baptist Academy, which was a private institution, and which is still open today. In the following years, Texas State University, which was known as Southwest Texas State at the time, became an important regional school, and after other educational facilities opened over the years, including the Gary Job Corps Training Center in the 1960s, education became the largest industry in San Marcos.

Today, San Marcos has a population of just over 50,000 inhabitants, and there are many other exciting establishments and facilities in the city, including Aquarena Springs and Wonder World, both of which were established in the 1960s. The spring-fed San Marcos River meanders through the University campus and the city itself, and San Marcos is proud of the beautiful and historic town square, which was recently renovated. Both Wonder World and Aquarena Springs are popular tourist attractions, and visitors to Aquarena Springs can charter glass bottom boats for rides through the city on the San Marcos River.

The tourist trade has become an important industry in San Marcos as well as education, and downtown visitors can stroll through the Belvin Street Historic District and view 18th century homes, or walk along the San Marcos River Walkway, which unites three city parks along the river, and is graced with scenic and lush landscaping. Wonder World, which is an earthquake-formed cavern and wildlife park with an observation tower and petting zoo, is open daily for visitors, with longer hours in the summer.

Another well known attraction in San Marcos is the San Marcos Outlet Mall, which is on Interstate 35, and includes hotels, restaurants, spas, movie theaters, and clubs along with discount stores and factory outlet stores, such as Tanger Outlet Store and Prime Outlet, along with many well known specialty stores.

San Marcos is a very scenic town, and the San Marcos River is bordered by green belts and hiking trails, as well as parks and stately homes. With so many amenities, including the University, San Marcos is a great place to visit, earn a living, or settle down and raise a family, or even retire, so head south on Interstate 35 and come to San Marcos!

Ki works as a realtor in the Austin Texas real estate market. His site provides info on San Marcos real estate market along with a map search of the Austin MLS.

With gas prices and a failing economy, families are not able to travel across the country to vacation as much as they used to. Instead of driving to Walt Disney World, why not try vacationing in our own backyard, Austin style.

Austin and the surrounding area has many wonderful, family oriented vacations spots. Zilker Park is one of them. The park is located at 2100 Barton Springs Road and is in the heart of Austin. The park has many things to enjoy. The Botanical Gardens in Barton Hills is a great place to start. The garden has many varieties of flowers and ponds. They have also recreated a dinosaur habitat. The park also offers plenty of slides, swings and even its very own miniature train, The Zilker Zephyr. It winds through the park taking its riders through the 30 acre park. The park also offers a natural spring to swim in. Barton Springs is a wonderful place to cool off on a hot summer's day.

Another place to visit in the Austin area is Lady Bird Johnson Wildlife Center. The center is located at 4801 La Crosse Ave. in Austin.

The center has 16 unique gardens to visit. Anyone who loves the outdoors and wild flowers will find something they love at Lady Bird Wild flower Center. Each garden is themed and show case native flowers.

The center also has several trails you can hike on. Take a tour and see all the wonderful and beautiful flowers. The center also has seeds and plants for sale. The center also has events scheduled all year round. You're sure to find something that will entertain the whole family.

If you have smaller children, then The Austin Children's Museum is the place to visit. With over 12,500 square feet of gallery space there is plenty of room to explore. The museum is a hands on learning place, where even the young at heart can still learn.

The Children's Museum is located at 201 Colorado Street in down town Austin. Kids and adults can learn things like where milk comes from, or be a rock star on stage in the music gallery. With so many things to do and see, this will keep the family busy for hours!

Want something a little more luxurious and relaxing? Why not take the short drive out to Bastrop to the Hyatt Regency Lost Pines Resort and Spa?

This luscious resort is settled in the lost pines of Bastrop. There are so many things for every member of the family to enjoy. If golfing is your game, then the Lost Pines Resort is the place to be. The resort has its own 18 hole golf course.

If you are adventurous, then take part in a white water rafting trip down the Colorado River. The resort will make all the arrangements. It's sure to be exciting.

If you're not into white water rafting, how about visiting the resorts very own water park, which include a two story water slide, a pool, and a lazy river if you just want to float on a inner tube and relax.

After a long day of rafting, why not relax in the resorts world class spa. Lay back and enjoy all the amenities a spa has to offer.

Don't forget to enjoy many of the restaurants the resort has to offer. When the day is done, head back into your Lost Pines Resort rooms. They are luxurious and relaxing.

Vacationing has never been easier or closer. Instead of driving across country, just try your own back yard, Austin, Texas!

Escapeso Real Estate is a company that focuses on the Austin real estate. Their site has a graphical search of the Austin MLS along with a free mortgage calculator.