See the San Antonio Riverwalk in 35 Minutes (Reo Road Trip - Part 5)

Wow Wednesdays:

The last leg of our three day Texas Hill Country journey brought us to San Antonio. We had seen a lot, enjoyed the water at Schlitterbahn New Braunfels hand wined-and-dined at the JW Marriott San Antonio. Now we had to make a trip to one of the most historical places in Hill Country, San Antonio. However, we only had a few hours to enjoy the sites and show little man some of the landmarks that might not make a huge impact now, but would give me a basis to continue his learning lessons in Texas history (yes, we are proud Texans!) 

Once we ventured into Downtown SA in the Toyota Highlander, we were lucky to find a parking spot next to the Riverwalk (thanks to the valet parking helper) and make our way down waterside rather easy. July is hot and humid in San Antonio, so we wanted to make a plan quickly before we melted and lunchtime created a huge rush along the riverside restaurants. So what to do on the Riverwalk when you have a five-year-old in the middle of the summer? 

One of the things I had never done as many times as I have been to San Antonio over the years was take a Riverwalk boat tour. For only $8.25 for adults and $2 for my son, we were able to cruise the river with Rio San Antonio Cruises. To be honest, I was pretty excited as well, so we jumped on and let our lovely guide give us the quick version of how the Riverwalk became the Riverwalk. 

Our guide was full of information and humor as we made our way down Paseo del Rio. While you don't go end-to-end, the 35-minute tour is just enough to get your lay of the land, especially if you've never done the Riverwalk. You also get a chance to take some great photos and stake out your dining spot (a must-do in my opinion for any San Antonio trip (the people watching is priceless plus it's just beautiful!) 


While the Alamo is not along the San Antonio River, it is very close and another requirement for any San Antonio trip. So we ran over a few blocks and snapped the obligatory photo. While a tour of the Alamo is also a must-do, I felt like a few more years would really make a bigger impact so we saved that one for our next family Hill Country trip. 

After looking at our 72-hour jaunt to Hill Country, I can't believe we were able to enjoy so much of so many things that Texas has to offer - and it was just one area of The Lone Star State. What I also learned is what we'll do for our next trip - and perhaps the next time we'd let daddy and the little girl come. Maybe. 

Six Things to Know for Your First Schlitterbahn Experience (#ReoRoadTrip – Part 4)

Travel Tuesdays:

After relaxing in the lazy river at J.W. Marriott San Antonio, we knew it was time to brave our next adventure on our Texas Hill Country experience: Schlitterbahn New Braunfels. I had actually never been before either, so like two little kids, my kiddo and I were ready to take it down. However, without my mom, a veteran go-er, there are a few things that I wish I had known just to give us a good lay of how things happen at Schlitterbahn. So I put a few helpful tips together for you just in case you're trying to get a trip in before the end of the summer (they actually are open throughout the month of September, so there's still time!)

1. Know Where You are Going.

You’re never gonna pass Schlitterbahn just driving down the road. It’s in a nice little neighborhood in New Braunfels, so unlike our local Hurricane Harbor in Arlington, you aren’t just going to stumble upon it. Thankfully for the GPS in the Toyota Highlander, I was able to find the address and “Nancy” led her right to it from the J.W. Marriott.

2. Map Your Route

Schlitterbahn is actually four different adventures within the park.  The Original Schlitterbahn: uses spring fed water from the Comal, so river water sources this section. There are three other areas you can also visit including Surfenburg, Blastenhoff, and Tubenbach (which includes several no-wait attractions).  There’s also a bus that shuttles you around as well.

While we only were able to visit the original, I’d definitely consider a second visit to check out Tubenbach. I didn’t map out anything for our day at the park and we missed several things that I wish we could have experience including the Christmas Shoppe. So make sure to take a look at the Day Planner online so you can get a lay of the land and figure out what rides you might really want to ride.

3. Bring your water shoes and cheap sunglasses.  

While I saw plenty of bare feet around the place, summers in Texas are hot and therefore, so is the pavement. Standing in line or running from one ride to another makes it hard to just stand when its 100 degree plus in the Texas summer, especially on little people’s feet. And make thing easy on yourself and wear water shoes and not just flip flops.  I’ve done the flip flops and it’s doable, but water shoes are designed to stay on when you’re in the water. (I found ours at Walmart.)

While you are at Wally world, make a $5 investment on shades just in case you lose them on one of the rides then you aren’t so upset that you lost your favorite pair. Sunglasses are a must with several hours in the sun, so protect your eyes just like you do your skin.

I won’t even talk sunscreen. Sunscreen here is a no-brainer and reapply often.  

4. Spend the money on a locker and a money bracelet.

You can take your own snacks, but make sure to get a locker and a bracelet. The locker allows you to put your essentials away while you’re hanging out in the water. Best of all, you don’t have to keep returning to your locker for snack and drink money when you opt to load up funds on a bracelet. Just flash it for your purchases throughout the day and if you have anything left over, you can have it refunded back to you before you leave. Convenience is right at your wrist!

5. If you have a kid 0-3, make sure to pick up your baby a tube at the Tube Hut.  

There are rafts all over the park to pick up and take on a ride. However, if you have a little one, 0-3 years old, they actually have tubes with a net underneath so you don’t have to worry if your little one is going to fall out. While I’m not saying you should put your newborn in a tune, understand that you can’t ride any of the rides together in one tube. So don’t make the mistake like I did to not read the sign, sit in line for 30 minutes, get to the front of the line and then not get to ride. While the tubes can be found within the park, you can get the special kids’ tube at the front of the park, so make sure to get it first before getting too far into the park.

And don’t fret, they have life jackets for everyone in the case you have a weak swimmer.

6. Be Flexible.

What I actually should say is, be ready to flex those buns if the water is low at least at the original section. Basically if the river is low, the water is lower at the park too, so there were some times if I hadn’t picked up my buns, they would be dragging on the slide and standing still. That’s no fun for anyone so just be ready to help things along without getting out of your tube.  But flexibility also means just be ready to go with the “flow” and not to try to stretch out the day too long or get to everything. Otherwise, you won’t have fun and enjoy what the day offers without a packed agenda.

And of course, there’s always tomorrow. Or you could make a weekend of it and stay at the Resorts of Schlitterbahn. 

Spaß haben!

And if you want to get caught up on our road trip adventure in the Toyota Highlander,check out our first adventure in West, How to See Austin in Two Hours with a 5-year old and Experience Hill Country Hospitality at the JW Marriott.

Experience Hill Country Hospitality at the JW Marriott San Antonio (#ReoRoadTrip - Part 3)

Wow Mom Wednesdays:

Disclaimer: I was provided a hotel night's stay at the JW Marriott San Antonio for purposes of this review. However, all the comments and photos are my own. 

Last week we took on the challenge if it possible to see Austin in two hours with a five-year-old. This week, I'm excited to share part three of our Texas Hill Country adventure: our stay at the JW Marriott San Antonio.

After more than an hour on the road after our Austin Duck Tour, we were ready to get a little R&R at our hotel, the JW Marriott San Antonio. While I had stayed in San Antonio many times, it was nice to see another part of the area, especially one that was as devoted to the Texas Hill Country as this hotel works to be. Additionally, as it also emphasized family, I was really excited to let my little man go crazy at their water park area at the resort. Perhaps I was also really excited to get in the Lazy River with a drink in my hand as well. After all we had done a lot of work that day, so it was time to enjoy ourselves. 

The suspense of driving through the hills was about to kill me when we finally reached Oz...I mean the JW Marriott San Antonio. Nestled in the heart of Texas Hill Country in the Cibola Canyons, the JW Marriott welcomes you from the moment you lay your eyes on it. And soon as you open your car door, there's a staff member ready to welcome you, assist you with your luggage, open the doors and lead you straight to the check-in desk. 

Only a few minutes later, we were sitting in our room, putting on our swim suits for an evening swim, but not without doing a real once-over on the room. Considering I had done event planning in my last life, I had been to some really nice hotels. And the JW Marriott was certainly is one of them. The room kept within the Texas Hill Country theme with many hints of the environment; however, done with a sophisticated and modern twist. I really loved the artwork in the room as well, as it was unique rather than having that "I bought 5000 of these at a time." If there was a way to bring home the wooden piece over the bathtub or the cowhide ottoman, I would have stuffed it in my suitcase (or at least purchased one at the amazing gift mall downstairs that had everything.) 

Our hotel room was just the beginning of the beauty, historical reflection and distinction of the hotel. As you can see I have a love of lighting fixture and this place has truly awe-inspiring lamps and chandeliers. Walking into the conference "side" of the hotel, I noticed these colorful glass "sculptures" over the escalators. They were breath-taking and reminded me of the lobby of the Bellagio Hotel in Las Vegas. Later when I walked into the gift store, I noticed more of the same hand-blown glass art pieces from a rather famous San Antonian artisan named Gini Garcia. (More about her later when I would visit San Antonio.) 

Just taking a walk around the property, there was something fun to find and admire, especially the large number of conversation areas. All over the resort you could find all kinds of nooks and crannies designed to make you take a load off, get comfortable and either enjoy your alone time or strike up a conversation with someone around a beautiful outdoor fireplace or overlooking the picturesque landscape. 

One of the coolest features I would be remiss to mention was the River Experience. Appropriately named from the nearby Riverwalk in San Antonio and the nearby rivers that attract floaters, the River Experience is enough reason to keep you at the resort and not have to venture out at all. While we really enjoyed the lazy river, the water slides proved to be a great time for both of us. And I really loved the outdoor bar area which felt a lot more like a Mexican vacation than a four-hour jaunt from home. However, the nightly smores offered to guests to roast over an open flame were the highlight of each evening. And believe me, even if you didn't bring your kids, adults were lined up to get their little taste of graham-cracker-marshmallow-chocolatey deliciousness! 

And it would be an experience from me if it didn't mention the FOOD! While there so many options from casual to white tablecloth on property, we chose to dine at Cibola Moon, the hotel's main dining establishment for Texas cuisine. Finding the perfect view al fresco, we were able to enjoy dinner together and then when little man was ready to get up, only a few steps away, he could play in the grass while I enjoyed my drink. It was like an open green space for families to enjoy the outdoors together. I definitely recommend the bacon-wrapped scallops and the homemade papardelle pasta with spit roasted chicken, mushrooms and bacon (and yes, I added a little spinach to mine too! And let's not talk about the tequila flight; let's just say I slept well!

I

Somehow in our schedule, I was able to sneak off for an early massage at the largest spa in Texas, the Lantana Spa at the JW. Since it was early in the morning (7 AM), I was able to enter the spa and snap a few photos to share of the beautiful "sanctuary." Continuing with its committment to hospitality, I was provided a robe, a cup of tea and a few options to begin my relaxing moment away before the massage. One of the most interesting things I had the pleasure of experiencing was the Seven Knots Ritual, where spa guests are given a red ribbon and asked to tie seven knots (with the last one completing a circle) to release your worries and stress. While I hadn't started my day to be that stressed yet, I was ready to get rid of whatever I had brought with me and leave it there. Then my name was called to enjoy an hour-long Swedish massage. (Heaven.) 

While we were pretty happy just hanging out at the JW and didn't even get to check out the kids' club (the onsite hourly "camp" that allows mom and dad to enjoy the spa, golf or a quiet dinner at the property), it was time to get along to continue our Hill Country journey - Hello, Schlitterbahn!

And if you want to get caught up on our road trip adventure in the Toyota Highlander,check out our first adventure in West and How to See Austin in Two Hours with a 5-year old!

See #Austin in 2 Hours with a 5 yr. old - #ReoRoadTrip Continues

Wow Mom Wednesdays:

Disclaimer: I was provided the opportunity to drive a 2013 Toyota Highlander for the purposes of a review on this roadtrip. All the comments and photos are my own. 

Last week I shared the beginning of our mini adventure as I introduced my little man to the Texas Hill Country. After our initial stop for the obligatory kolache at the Czech Stop in West in our 2013 Toyota Highlander we were graciously given for our road trip, we moved on down I-35 for a couple of hours in one of my most favorite cities in the world (yes, world) - Austin.

It's about an hour and half (or two sometimes) from West to Austin, so it's mandatory road trip music time. Once I had gone through our Road Trip Playlist (hey, it was only 10 songs) it was time to get something playing to keep the fun of this drive moving. Oh, Toyota - I was in for a surprise! I discovered this thing had apps! Actual apps to play in the car just like I do with my iPhone. There sat my Pandora waiting for me to stream it through and play for hours.

Once you've downloaded the Entune App to your smartphone and connect your bluetooth (in one step), you have all kinds of cool stuff at your finger tips for your car. I not only could play Pandora, but I could easily locate gas stations with lower fuel costs, book reservations for restaurants along the way, check out traffic, and even look at things to do, all from my Highlander. (What did we do before smart phones and these "smart" cars?) So we created a "Joe Cocker" station and we headed down the road. 

Now that we had our groove, we were on to the home of the "Live Music Capital of the World," Austin.

There's no where I've ever been to like Austin. And I love it so much when I can't go visit, I drive 15 miles up the road to the Bishop Arts District in Dallas just to get me a feel of what that special vibe in Austin has (if you've never been, I'll be happy to show you!) Unfortunately, it's so great that many very educated people from the local University of Texas at Austin choose to stay there and get paid far under their worth in any job to be in the same place that actor/dream boat Matthew McConaughey likes to sit naked and play his bongos (but that's a whole other story...) Anyhow, it's hard to move there, so I just try to take as many visits there as I can and I enjoy everyone of them.

This time though I was experiencing Austin through the eyes of a five-year old. And while history is all around us in our state capital, it's hard to explain history to someone who doesn't have much of a concept of history except last week we ate macaroni and cheese for dinner and last month was his Mickey Mouse Birthday party. But I was going to try to at least show him some cool stuff and maybe grab a bite to eat. After all, we only have about 5-6 hours to spend in Austin for this trip, so we were going to make the best of it.

Jumping off I-35, I made a quick exit to one of the bestest places in Austin to eat - Moonshine Patio Bar & Grill. While I'm not sure if it's one of the best, I often have eaten there when I have had work events at the Austin Convention Center over the years. It's easy to get to right off Caesar Chavez and Red River, there's seasoned popcorn on the table waiting for me, has amazing shrimp corndogs with blueberry honey mustard and warm brie cheese with cranberry-apple chutney with toast points and you have to wash it down with a hard lemonade. It's just good food and good service and they don't have a dress code. We only gobbled down our apps and drink so we could make our reservation for our next adventure - the Duck Tour! (It took us about three minutes to find it, book it and GPS with the help of our Toyota bluetooth and GPS features!) 

I didn't even know they did "Duck Tours" in Austin, but had seen them in other cities, but the idea seemed to be perfect to educate and entertain my son, so off we went for the next one that started in a just 15 minutes. If you've never seen a Duck Tour - well it's a great way to do both land and water with an amphibious tour of downtown Austin and beautiful Lake Austin inside a US coast guard inspected, Hydra Terra vehicle. During the 75-minute tour of sightseeing you see Historic Sixth Street, the State Capitol Building, Bob Bullock State History Museum, the Governor’s Mansion, and Lake Austin. For a little man with a short attention span, it was perfect and we could fit in one of my favorite parts - the lakes - all at one time!

To start off our tour we boarded our land/water vessel on 6th Street at the Austin Visitor Center by the beautiful Driskill Hotel. We found our seats, were given our quackers (not exactly Duck Dynasty worthy, but a call we could use on signal to say "hello" to passerbys as we continued throughout our tour. The tour guide whisked us around some of the highlights of Austin's landmark buildings like the Capital and the Tower at UT Austin, sharing a little history and humor along the way. Thankfully, Jackson wasn't bored by the history and together we also pointed at cool things we saw along the way.  



Once we approached Hula Hut (another great restaurant that sits on Lake Austin), we quickly rolled into the water and became a boat. Yes, really. It was actually pretty cool and we began our small tour of the lake and scenic home tour complete with some "Island tunes" courtesy of Bob Marley. We even say the lake home that Dennis Quaid was building and his elaborate deck. However it was really the home that had an attached "home" for his boat that I was impressed with. Then we were off back to home base, but not before the kids got another few opportunities to use their calls by making quacking noise to people we passed along the way. 

While the price is a little steep for a large family ($25+tax for adults and $16 for kids over 3), the company does run discount deals like Groupon from time to time. So if you know you are going to head to Austin, it might be a good to sign up for Groupon a few weeks in advance in hopes to score one if you are trying to save money. I'm always a fan of any tour when you have a short time in a city and want to get a good look at the highlights, so this was worth the cost for me. However, the next time I take my kiddo, I'll pick out some of my favorites and we can do our own tour of the Mount Bonnell and the bats under the bridge since he's gotten the historical look for now.

Now back on the road with the Toyota Highlander 2013 and Willie to our next stop - the JW Marriott San Antonio.

And if you want to get caught up on our road trip adventure in the Toyota Highlander, check out our first adventure in West! 

Last-Minute Road Trip to Texas Hill Country with #Toyota - First Stop:West, Texas

Travel Tuesdays:

Disclaimer: I was provided the use of of Toyota Highlander for the purposes of this review and adventure. No other compensation was provided and all comments here are my own. 

This sign we started to take down in my son's room last week inspired me to take my son on his first road trip after he made a sweet statement about Texas. I felt it was important he not only go on an adventure with me, but he needed to understand what Texas is and Texas was. 

So being that he now was five-years old and I was in need a little mini-vacation, it was time to venture out on the highway and show Jackson what Texas had to offer him. Hence our first road trip - just mama, the boy and my mama. Three generations ready to take on the open road. (Buckle up!)

Since we only had three days, we made a plan to venture south to some of my favorite parts of Texas - Hill Country.

Our route included: 

• a stop at the other Texas stop sign, Czech Stop in West
• Lunch and quick look at Austin (one of my favorite cities, ever)
• two-night stay in San Antonio at the fabulous JW Mariott San Antonio, so we could explore a new adventure together, Schlitterbahn (nope, I have never been) and the historic Riverwalk
• we'd also do some of those unplanned stops along the Texas loop (I-35 to San Antonio and back up 281 to DFW) like the Hard Eight BBQ.

But before we could get going, it was time to get acquainted with the 2013 Toyota Highlander! I can tell you checking out all the fun features of this seven-passenger vehicle was an adventure in itself and over the next few posts in our #ReoRoadTrip (the official hashtag of our escapade), we will share our favorites.

First of all, it was definitely the space the Toyota Highlander provided. Like any mama, I'm always preparing for the things that are going to happen, so I need lots of space for STUFF like a first-aid kit, napkins, games, shoes, bags, wipes, snacks...well, you get the picture. We want space. I loved that there was tons of room and many adjustable cup holders (that can be changed to fit the size of the cup.) An added bonus is that my son's feet aren't able to kick the back of my seat while I'm driving (total plus for me.) You can tell accomodating a family was a #1 priority in the design of this SUV.

Once we were loaded up the car, we were ready to get on the road - the perfect opportunity to see what "Nancy the Navigator" could do (our family name for the Highlander's GPS and technology control center.) We pushed button on the steering wheel for the first time and by just answering "Nancy's" questions, we were able to map out our first stop, the Czech Stop, in a matter of seconds. The directions didn't just include voice instructions, but graphics like the exit sign and an overivew of our route. This is a must-have for me since I'm totally directionally challenged. (Really.)

And we could even turn it down when we had a great song we wanted to hear along our road trip fun. 

If you've never been to the Czech Stop in West, Texas, you are in for a real treat (literally.) Starting by my husband's family, this required stop before reaching Waco is must-do for any trip that gets you anywhere close to I-35. You normally can't miss the cute bakery/convenient store, but I will share that construction made this stop almost impossible. After traveling about six more miles south, we were able to make a U-turn to get back. In most cases, I would have said it was no big deal, we would hit it up on the way home, but like any good road trip, we wouldn't be returning this way, so we had to stop NOW. 

While it sounds like a lot of trouble for a bakery, once you open the door, you understand immediately why this place is a must-do! And apparently now, even if you are gluten-free they have you covered, so everyone could enjoy the love of these baked goods, candy and more. 

Unfortunately, the little town was known for its amazing Czech culture and heritage until earlier this Spring when a large fertilizer plant exploded. It was a horrible accident with mass destruction, many people killed and several hundreds more hurt. Since the explosion, the town has been rebuilding itself for months now and thankfully through many donations (including ours that day), the town will continue to rebuild and carry on the traditions they have kept alive for so many years.

We weren't exactly starving, so we just picked up a few tasty treats including a mandatory strawberry-cream cheese kolache, sausage kolache, honey bear and for this trip, a Texas-shaped sugar cookie, complete with red, white and blue sprinkles. I was able to snag the photo before my son gobbled it up. But that's about how long Czech Stop will last for you too unless you get the frozen ones for you to take home so you can enjoy them anytime you want. (Be careful, kolaches aren't low-fat or low-calorie, but high in flavor!) 

Now in the words of Willie Nelson, it was time to get "On the Road Again."

Follow us on the rest of our #ReoRoadTrip adventure in the Toyota Highlander 2013 over the next few weeks! 

We're on a Road Trip!

Here's a little of what we're up to!

I'll give you the full scoop starting Monday!

Top 10 Songs for a Road Trip with the #Toyota Highlander

Wow Mom Wednesdays:

Disclaimer: I was provided the use of a #Toyota Highlander for the purposes of a review, however, there was no other compensation. All comments and reviews are all my own. 

I'm so excited that in about minus 8 hours, I embark on a three-day span of firsts: my first road trip with my mom, the first opportunity to show my son a little bit of Texas Hill Country and my first experience driving a Toyota.

As part of our journey, I get to test out a Toyota Highlander and all its amazing features. I'm just now learning everything, but I've already figured out the radio system and bluetooth for my phone is A-mazing. I can't wait to try it out, so of course, like any good road trip should have - I've created a song list to kick things off appropriately. 

And when we've blown through those only a few hours down I-35, we've got Pandora in the car to stream all my favorite channels with the use of the Entune technology in the Highlander. 

I'll be sharing my trip over the next few days on Instagram and Twitter, so make sure to follow me for all the #ReoRoadTrip fun!

I Love My Texas: Planning Our First Hill-Country Bound Road Trip

Me Monday:

Mama needs a vacation. Bad. 

Thankfully in Texas it's not too hard to visit some pretty amazing places by just driving a few hours in the car. It's part of the reason I love Texas. And there's about 1000 more reasons where that came from. #truetexan

Found this during my trip planning on TexasHillCountry.com

And now I have the pleasure of passing it on to my son. It seems like some kind of rite of passage; instilling that Texas pride and helping him understand why people from Texas feel compelled to decorate their whole house with Texas stars...(I know we aren't the only ones.) 

Actually the Texas flag is exactly how I got the idea for our first road trip. 

When I was upgrading his room for Thomas the Tank to Lego the other day, I began to take down some of those nursery remnants on the wall, a wooden Texas flag painted on some old fence posts. 

As I removed it from the wall, my son quickly stopped me. 

"Mama, I love my Texas. Leave it on the wall." 

With a prideful smile, I happily placed it back on its post.

I loved hearing him say I love Texas, but I felt I needed to show him a little more than what North Texas had to offer. 

So I drafted up a plan of places to take him before school began, work took over and it was next summer that I was trying to take this trip. 

My Hill Country route includes a couple of places I've always wanted to go as well as places that I feel are a must-stop in Texas. 

I don't want to give away all the fun, but I'd love to hear what places between Dallas and San Antonio you think are a must-see, must-do and must-eat!