<p>As a Texan, I’d recommend the following:
Austin - Spend 2 or 3 days there - don’t miss Barton Springs, the Capitol, the Texas History Museum, the Alamo Drafthouse movie theatre, and music - go hear some local music at a place in South Austin like the Saxon Pub and/or the Continental Club, and avoid the rock clubs on 6th St that are tourist traps. Go for a kayak or canoe ride on Town Lake, hike the greenbelt, check out the Wildflower Center, eat at the terrific food trailers on South Congress.
Then I’d head out to the hill country and eat lunch at the Salt Lick in Driftwood. You might then like to take a ride further west to Blanco, where there is an adorable little dinner spot called Redbud Cafe. Then I’d hit up Fredericksburg or Bandera (cool dude ranches there and fun cowboy music bars).
I’d then consider taking a long ride out to Big Bend country - the towns of Marathon, Alpine and Marfa are very neat and have a lot to offer. There is a neat inn on the grounds of the national park in Big Bend. Also worth staying at is the Gage Hotel in Marathon (great steak restaurant there too) and the Hotel Paisano in Marfa (they filmed Giant there, and they serve wonderful drinks and dinner too).
Balmorhea near that area has amazing springs that you can actually scuba dive in!
I’d hit up San Antonio on the way out for the River Walk and the Alamo. And if you want some good music around that way, check out Floores Country Store in Helotes or Gruene Hall in Gruene, which is near New Braunfels. Greune also has some terrific B&Bs and nice restaurants. Other fun things to do in that area are tubing on the Guadalupe and going to Schlitterbahn water park in New Braunfels.
Have fun! I moved here 3 years ago and love it. Just be warned, it gets super hot in Texas during the summer!</p>
<p>I’ve been to South Padre, Houston, Dallas, and San Antonio a few times each and Austin quite a bit since my D chose UT Austin. You can easily spend a week enjoying Austin and San Antonio. They’re an easy drive apart. That is what I would recommend. I second Moonmaid’s suggestion of a movie at an Alamo Drafthouse in Austin. Try to see one or two of the historic missions in San Antonio.</p>
<p>The outlet mall in San Marcos (about half way between Austin and San Antonio) is really pretty amazing if you like to shop. There are outlets for stores like Bare Escentuals, Victoria’s Secret, White House/Black Market, Kipling - Some chains have only a handful of outlet stores in the U.S. and one of them is in San Marcos. I visited this mall (there are sort of two outlet malls adjacent to each other, like you find in Olrando) for a few hours two weekends ago and I was impressed. Then again, I like to shop.</p>
<p>Well, Just to add to my original post (#2) Ha-ha!</p>
<ol>
<li>For Texas Experiences, BBQ is a must. I prefer Rudy’s for the baby back rib and sausage. In addition, a post outside of the building reads, “Come in hungry and leave fed-up!” It cracks me up every time…</li>
<li>I am not much of a beer drinker. But, if you are, there are plenty of drive-through barns sell beer!</li>
<li>While at it, please try tequila with worms at the bottom of the bottle. I bet you can’t find any of them anywhere but TX. It is a great gift to folks back East.</li>
<li>For authentic TexMex food, San Antonio and East Austin have plenty of good ones. Back in the good old days, I met our Governor W at one of these TexMex joints in the East Austin locations. That was some experience…</li>
</ol>
<p>Well, again, “Texas is another country”. Enjoy and tell us how it goes when you get back!</p>
<p>A note on the heat in Houston. They have the same kind of stickily moist, oppressive heat we have here in the Northeast on the very most uncomfortable days of summer…only more so!</p>
<p>When it’s hot in other areas of Texas, at least it’s dryer.</p>
<p>New Braunfels? Czech? 
uhhh. No. </p>
<p>If he wants to experience Texas, get him the hell outta the cities. </p>
<p>At least part of the time. Gruene Hall on a good hootin’ and hollerin’ Texas music night. A Port Aransas bay fishing day or fish behind a shrimp boat or by a rig if you can handle 3-5 foot seas. Then find a restaurant that will cook your catch them that night. Head out to any SPJST Hall on a Friday or Saturday night for some dancing (that’s Czech) and a bucket of longnecks if you’re in Central Texas. Spend some time West of SA in Real County for some Texas scenery [Drive the 3 Sisters (or at least one of them).] Go to Concan or Leakey or Vanderpool. Get on the Frio or a clear fork of the Nueces. ] </p>
<p>Rudy’s ain’t barbeque and The Hyatt Hill Country is a nice hotel (one of my favorites in fact), but if you want Texas…that ain’t really Texas. Try Rough Creek Lodge south of Glen Rose on 11,000 acres. Then play in the Paluxy and walk on dinosaur foot prints. Eat at Loco Coyote. I’ll be eating lunch there today. San Antonio has the Menger and Austin has the Driskill. Smaller rooms, not as fancy as a new place, complaints of noise, but…maybe it’s what he wants. You could check them out. Mi Tierra and El Mercado in SA…that’s a big “si!!” from me. </p>
<p>Google some of what I’ve posted and if any of those seem appealing…I can get really off-the-beaten-path for ya. ;)</p>
<p>Port A, SA, The Hill Country, Austin, maybe Rough Creek. That would be doable. Give me some dates, and I can probably find you some small town festivals and street dances. But if you do all that, he’ll be wearing boots when he goes home. Guaranteed.</p>
<p>Curmudgeon has it right! I second his notion that real Texas is outta the cities and, for a special kind of Texas atmosphere, you should definitely check out the Menger and the Driskill–both old, classy, unique downtown hotels. </p>
<p>One last thought----If you happen to be driving around San Antonio (or any other large Texas city) at lunch time on a Sunday…that cop up the way probably isn’t stopping traffic due to an accident or other ‘police activity’…he’s probably just allowing the Baptists to exit the parking lot and make their way to their favorite lunchtime destination!</p>
<p>Golfing and boating at the Horshoe Bay resort or speed boat racing at Marble Falls lake are also recommended. They are both in Burnet County, about 60 miles from Austin in the Hill Countries.</p>
<p>Gee. This is embarassing. Would the “neighborly” poster from Johnson County, Texas please send me another pm? I read your post, had to make some room in my inbox (full) and deleted your post, composed my reply, and then couldn’t respond. What a maroon. Sorry.</p>
<p>Ether’s Follies - a vaudeville type act on 6th street in Austin used to be fun - is that still a recommend?</p>
<p>BTW, this year marks the 175th anniversary of Texas independence, and there are a number of special events and exhibits to commemorate that anniversary. You might check out the current issue of Texas Monthly magazine, which is full of information. (I believe you can view the current issue on-line without a subscription.) For instance, the Houston Museum of Natural Science has an exhibit called Texas! which includes things from all over the state. The "come and take it’ cannon (usually in the museum in Gonzales), for example, is in this exhibit. There are also related imax and planetarium special features. That museum has a permanent exhibit about the science and history of the petroleum industry that is fascinating for the science or environmentally-inclined.</p>
<p>On the Riverwalk in SA, I love Boudros and often go there for special occasions.</p>
<p>Curmudgeon is SO right…I completely forgot about Rough Creek lodge outside of Glen Rose – a truly, authentic Texas gem. While there, play around in Fossil Rim/Dinosaur State Park and grab a slice of pie (6-7" of meringue, I kid you not) at the Koffee Kup in Hico. Yeehaw! I have the summer off and reading this thread makes me realize I really don’t need to plan a far away vacation; I have one right in my own backyard! :D</p>
<p>If your son isn’t afraid to make a nerd of himself in public - Last time we visited Austin we did a Segway tour - lasted about 3 hours zipping from the lake up around the capitol building and then at the Congress Ave bridge to watch the bats depart and then back through the growing darkness… it was absolutely exhilerating.</p>
<p>I am so grateful for all your suggestions! I am going to make a chart organized by cities and areas and put the ideas in. Then we can start to focus on our priorities. All of it sounds wonderful, it will be hard to narrow it down.</p>
<p>Be sure to let us know what you decide to do and how everything goes, Mattmoosemom! </p>
<p>I haven’t been in Texas since the 1970s. Reading all this makes me want to see it again.</p>
<p>I will post the itinerary once I assemble all the ideas. And I will definitely let you all know where we went and how we liked it. I’ve lived in NJ all my life so it will be a treat to see another part of our country. I would like to see all 50 states. I am up to 21 so I need to step it up! I’m going to be celebrating my 60th birthday while we are on the trip.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Yep, yep, Curmudgeon, but isn’t the Driskill any less of a tourist trap (when they run out of dirtbags and politicos on expense accounts) than spending time at the Galleria in Dallas or Houston? Isn’t El Mercado and the much overrated la Villita anything else than Texas having borrowed a few pages from the worst Walt Disney books? OK, I’ll endorse Mi Tierra, so I can say something positive about San Antonio! It will work for people who have not eaten many breakfasts in Mexico. </p>
<p>What so special about STAYING at the Menger? Have a drink, do the “required” stroll down the river, but then point your wheels in the direction of that Hill Country Hyatt … that gets much higher mark in my book! I rather wake up watching that lazy river in the middle of nowhere than that river in SA. </p>
<p>Otoh, I could not agree more about the Rough Creek Lodge. Especially since this forces one to travel in a northernly direction as opposed to the Gulf, and may help to discover the history of cattle business in Texas and the railroad connections, which brings one back to Fort Worth and the Stockyards. :)</p>
<p>Oh my gosh, we have got Xiggi and Curm putting forth the best of Texas!</p>
<p>My entry: The Inn on the RIver in Glen Rose. Since we have decided you ought to head out there, this is a good place to stay.</p>
<p>Well if you’re coming to Glen Rose, you can take in a professional rodeo in Stephenville June 3-5 or Cleburne June 16-19. Glen Rose is about half way between the two (about 25 miles from each).</p>
<p>Another great stop in North Texas (just south of Amarillo) is Palo Duro State park. The park sometimes called the Grand Canyon of Texas and the second largest canyon in the US is breathtakingly beautiful and has a lot of history. There is a very well done open air musical called Texas that will give you a feelling for life in the area in the 1800’s. You can also arrange to go to a chuckwagon style dinner that is also enjoyable and gives a little taste of the 1800’s living. The parks website is:
[Palo</a> Duro Canyon State Park](<a href=“Palo Duro Canyon State Park |”>Palo Duro Canyon State Park |)
It will provide a link to information about the play. I didn’t see a link to the dinner but a phone number to set that up is on the bottom of the page about the play.</p>
<p>Mattmoosemom - Waving from Austin!! So much to do in Austin - come on down! </p>
<p>Make sure you spend some time on SoCo (South Congress) at all the fun shops and eat at a couple of the trailer "restaurants.’ Someone mentioned the Continental Club - it’s on S. Congress as well.
[SoCo</a> Guide - The Austin Chronicle](<a href=“Austin News, Events, Restaurants, Music - The Austin Chronicle”>Austin News, Events, Restaurants, Music - The Austin Chronicle)</p>
<p>There are tons of live music venues - as your trip gets closer feel free to PM if your S has a specific type of music he likes. My 5 nephews (ages 20 to 29) live here and are up-to-date on all the best live music!
[Austin</a> Live Music - Austin, Texas](<a href=“http://www.austinlivemusic.com/]Austin”>http://www.austinlivemusic.com/)</p>
<p>My D would kill me if I didn’t tell you to make sure you have a snow cone at Sno Beach on Riverside. It’s right across the street from the Long Center, which is a beautiful performing arts venue. If you are into theatre, Austin is the place to be. From great regional theatre (ZACH) to way out there experimental (The Vortex) and everything in between:
[Theatre</a>, Music, Dance, Art and Festivals in Austin TX | Nowplayingaustin.com](<a href=“http://www.nowplayingaustin.com/]Theatre”>http://www.nowplayingaustin.com/)</p>
<p>I love the Bob Bullock but also check out the other great museums in the areas:
[Austin</a> Museum Partnership : Home](<a href=“http://www.austinmuseums.org/]Austin”>http://www.austinmuseums.org/)</p>
<p>Take a sunset cruise on Lady Bird Lake and watch the bats under the S. Congress bridge:
[Capital</a> Cruises - Sunset Bat Watching, Dinner Cruises, Boat Rentals](<a href=“http://www.capitalcruises.com/]Capital”>http://www.capitalcruises.com/)</p>
<p>I LOVE the Hill Country and you already have great suggestions for places to stay. But check out one of the B&Bs in the downtown/south Austin area:
<a href=“http://www.innpearl.com/[/url]”>http://www.innpearl.com/</a></p>
<p>Go to a Round Rock Express baseball game! The Dell Diamond is a great facility:
[Team</a> Schedule | Round Rock Express Schedule](<a href=“The Official Site of Minor League Baseball | MiLB.com Homepage”>The Official Site of Minor League Baseball | MiLB.com Homepage)</p>
<p>Hmmm, that’s probably enough for now LOL! But hope you and your family have a GREAT time here in Texas.</p>