Category: Resort news

RV resort Camp Landa now open in New Braunfels

Created by Schlitterbahn’s founding family, the new boutique RV resort brings a high-end and personalized approach to camping. Photo: CoPilot Creative, used with permission.  

With Memorial Day marking the unofficial start to summer, if you’re looking for vacation ideas, here’s a new RV resort that just opened in New Braunfels.

The family who founded the iconic Schlitterbahn waterpark recently announced that Camp Landa, a new boutique RV resort in the heart of New Braunfels, has opened to the public. With a prime location in historic downtown New Braunfels – and conveniently situated by the edge of the Comal River – travelers can now experience high-end camping in the Texas Hill Country in its entirety. RV sites and cabins are now available for reservations online. Follow Camp Landa on Instagram for special announcements, such as summer programming.(Camp Landa, 2024)

Camp Landa was previously the site for manufacturing water attractions for Schlitterbahn dating back to the early 1980s. The land has since been reconstructed to ensure an authentic yet upscale camping getaway for the entire family, with amenities like a heated pool, Wi-Fi, a camp store, on-site laundry, a fire pit with s’mores available for purchase, pickleball courts, basketball, and cornhole boards. Food and beverage options at the swim-up bar include cocktails like Camp Landa Agua Fresca and Blackberry Jalapeño Margarita and a café that features a menu with selections such as Rueben Egg Rolls and The Hurta Loaded Bavarian Pretzel which is topped with sauerkraut and Rust Meat Market old world bratwurst. Grilling ingredients can be ordered through Camp Landa’s personal text app, as well, for campers who want to barbecue at their leisure.

There is also a rotating programming schedule and organized activities for kids, along with a jump pad, a crafting station, and a playground. Families can choose between multiple level sites with a total of 110 to choose from – plus unique offerings, such as picnic tables and grills – all of which provide fast and easy hook-up for their RV. For travelers without an RV, there are five cozy cabins that sleep eight guests and come with a fully stocked kitchen, an outdoor dining area and a personal grill. Located less than a mile from Landa Falls – the longest float on the Comal – there’s a dedicated shuttle to and from the resort to the river. A text concierge is also available to provide insider tips for exploring New Braunfels.

“Our family is ecstatic to welcome the community and roadtrippers to our destination RV resort in picturesque New Braunfels. I promise you, Camp Landa is luxury camping made simple. We’ve thought of it all so that guests and families can just show up and enjoy an elevated camping experience curated by our team of experts.” – founder Stuart Blythin

Husband and wife duo Stuart and Tasha Blythin created Camp Landa after time spent traveling across the country with their four kids during the pandemic via their own RV, where they developed a shared enthusiasm for exploration. They connected with the fellowship found at campgrounds and RV parks across the American West.

The locals – and their children, who also work at the resort – intend for Camp Landa to become a must-visit destination RV resort for travelers from around the country. The Blythins are guided by a genuine love for hospitality, and the family has more than 50 years of experience in hosting and entertaining generations of Texas families.

Inspired by Tasha Blythin’s family history as a sixth-generation Texan and her ties to Schlitterbahn – where she and Stuart met in 2004 before her family sold the waterpark in 2019 – the essence of Camp Landa draws upon the original Camp Landa which Tasha’s grandparents purchased in 1966 and eventually developed into Schlitterbahn, along with its New Braunfels’ German heritage. It evokes “Fernweh,” the longing feeling in our hearts to pack a bag and discover a place, known or unknown. Original aspects of Schlitterbahn have been saved and are reflected at Camp Landa, including a smoke stack from one of the main buildings, which was sourced from the original slide manufacturing plant for the waterpark.

Camp Landa is located at 723 N. Walnut Ave., New Braunfels, TX 78130. Hours of operation for the café and other staffed amenities are 8a.m. to 6p.m. daily and 8a.m. to p.m. during the summer months.

Escape to the Texas Hill Country for an exciting experience this summer

Indoor Glamping is just one of the many options available at JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort & Spa. Courtesy photo, used with permission.

Summer is right around the corner, and if you are looking for vacation ideas, check out what is new at the JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort & Spa in the beautiful Texas Hill Country.

Everything is bigger in Texas, including the list of summer activities at JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort & Spa. The resort, superbly situated on 600 pristine acres of rolling hills and tree-lined vistas, offers grand views of the wide open Texas Hill Country. This iconic Lone Star retreat offers endless options of summer entertainment for guests of all ages making it a vacation standout. (JW Marriott San Antonio Country Resort & Spa, 2023)

The luxurious JW Marriott San Antonio features 1,002 newly refreshed guest rooms, a world class spa, 36-hole PGA TOUR golf facility, seven restaurant and lounge options, hiking and biking trails, sports court, Topgolf Swing Suite with a variety of virtual games for all ages, daily summer recreational activities, and more than 265,000 square feet of meeting and event space, making it one of the largest JW Marriott resorts in the world. 

The summer temperatures may be bigger in Texas, but JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort & Spa’s 9-acre River Bluff Water Experience offers an even bigger cool down –  float along the 1,100-foot lazy river, ascend the 35-foot tall Water Tower to experience the two 275-foot-long tube slides, or try the 60-foot tall body slides that soar above the Hill Country at speeds up to 20 miles-per-hour. There are plenty of pools, including a sand beach-entry pool, an activity swimming pool, a kid’s pool and an adult pool. Private cabanas at the Water Experience are available to reserve. 

Daily programmed summer recreational activities offer big fun for kids and families. Revel in the Zoomagination Wild Animal Experience, photos with a real-life longhorn, Build-A-Bear Workshop, nightly S’mores by the outdoor fire pit, outdoor movies at the pool, water balloon toss, finger painting party, face painting, balloon artist, family bingo, cookie decorating, and more. 

Did you know the Texas longhorn was designated by the state legislature as the state’s “Large Mammal” in 1995? The resort’s Longhorn Scavenger Hunt is available for children to participate in to find the eight stuffed longhorns hidden around the resort. Children are given clues to find the hiding spots, and once found, will take a picture with each longhorn and show the front desk for a tasty prize. 

JW Marriott Hill Country Resort offers guests a “Glamp in the Great Indoors” package experience which includes accommodations in a luxury suite designed to emulate an outdoor camp under the big starry night sky of Texas. This suite is a comfortable upgrade to the great outdoors with air conditioning, lots of surrounding comforts and entertainment, and mosquitos are NOT included! An indoor tent sleeps two to three people, and is outfitted with a cozy blanket, longhorn stuffed animal and sleeping bags for young glampers to take home. The Glamping Suite includes a connecting king or double queen room and features over 1,400 square feet of space, a dining table for eight people, and a small kitchenette. Guests can experience nature and make endless family memories, all while enjoying the comfort of the great indoors, room service, and perhaps a relaxing massage. The package is available for stays at the resort now through July 31, 2023, and can be booked online using the promotional code ARN. 

Adults have just as much fun as their children at JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort & Spa. Golf enthusiasts can master the sport with the 36-hole PGA TOUR golf facility, TPC San Antonio, located within the resort and featuring two golf courses exclusive to resort guests and members. Both courses have played host to PGA TOUR events with The Oaks course serving as the host venue of the PGA TOUR’s Valero Texas Open since 2010. Super Twilight golf will be available for resort guests after 4p.m. during the summer months and is $125 plus tax per player. 

Everyone deserves to be pampered during vacation. Drawing upon the vibrant spirit and traditions that have defined the Texas Hill Country for centuries, the award-winning Lantana Spa offers personalized treatments with natural elements offering a holistic approach to revive the mind, body, and spirit. 

Located less than 20 minutes from the San Antonio International Airport and 30 minutes from downtown, JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort & Spa offers authentic experiences with influences from the heritage of the Texas Hill Country and the rich culture of the dynamic city of San Antonio, to provide something for everyone for a truly Texas experience.

JW Marriott San Antonio and Desert Door Texas Sotol’s partnership for Texas bees

The two organizations partnered to serve a signature cocktail exclusive to the resort using Desert Door Texas Sotol’s Pollinator spirit, the third Texas Sotol variation in Desert Door’s Conservation Series. Courtesy photo, used with permission.

JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort & Spa and Desert Door Texas Sotol have pollinated a partnership to serve a signature cocktail exclusive to the resort using Desert Door Texas Sotol’s Pollinator spirit. The cocktail, Paloma Preserve, will be available on the menu across all of the resort’s restaurant and bar outlets: 18 Oaks, Cibolo Moon, Crooked Branch, High Velocity, Rivertop, and Replenish. (JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort & Spa, 2023) 

Desert Door Texas Sotol’s Pollinator is a sotol spirit made from the West Texas-grown evergreen sotol plant and is similar in profile to agave-based spirits, tequila, and mezcal. Pollinator was created with mesquite, persimmon and honeysuckle, which are native plants that are pollinated by Texas bee species. 

The Paloma Preserve cocktail will feature the Pollinator Sotol, grapefruit juice, lime juice, simple syrup, topped with soda and garnished with a lime wedge, and will be served in signature blue porcelain tumblers. 

The partnership between JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort & Spa and Desert Door Texas Sotol was established from the organizations’ common mission of the preservation of Texas bees.

According to Texas Master Gardeners within Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Services, development and pesticides have ravaged Texas bees putting not only honey prices at stake, but the pollination of native Texas plants, since bees play a key role in pollinating, and the pollination of around $587 million worth of crops every year in Texas. 

Desert Door’s nonprofit foundation Wild Spirit Wild Places (WSWP) is dedicated to the restoration and preservation of wild lands across Texas and the U.S. through research, education and conservation practices, and spearheaded the planting of pollinator gardens across Central Texas as part of the release of Pollinator. Desert Door regularly releases limited editions of its Texas Sotol with a portion of its proceeds directly funding the foundation’s future land conservation projects. Pollinator is the third spirit variation in the Conservation Series and highlights one of the overlooked heroes of the earth’s ecosystem, bees. 

According to WSWP, bees are experiencing a steep decline which poses a serious threat to global food production. In Texas, 40% of the honeybee population is being lost every year. Reasons for the decline vary from pesticides, drought, habitat destruction and disease.

“Desert Door’s nonprofit foundation and third Conservation Series spirit directly aligns with the resort’s missions to protect bees in Texas and to establish local community partnerships. We are proud to have them as a partner and are confident our guests will enjoy the exclusive Paloma Preserve cocktail using Desert Door Texas Sotol’s new Pollinator spirit.” – Adam Tyler, director of food & beverage at JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort & Spa

The JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort & Spa’s food and beverage team and Culinary Gardener are responsible for providing regional bees with the home they need to thrive by maintaining beehives on the resort’s property and harvesting honey from them. Recently, honey harvested at the resort was used in the brewing process of a new beer, Hill Country Honey Blonde, in partnership with Freetail Brewing Company, a company that actively builds awareness for wildlife conservation through the development of their products. 

Both the Paloma Preserve and Hill Country Honey Blonde beer are part of the JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort & Spa’s Conservation Series aimed at creating a positive impact in the local community.

The JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort & Spa is an award-winning luxury resort encompassing 600 acres of rolling hills, meandering creeks and Live Oak trees in the Hill Country. The resort is a sophisticated but relaxed destination with 1,002 guest rooms; seven restaurant and lounge options; 9-acre water park experience; TPC San Antonio, a 36-hole PGA TOUR golf facility; full-service Lantana Spa; and more than 265,00 square feet of customizable meeting and event space. 

The recipe for the Paloma Preserve cocktail is:

  • 1 ½ oz grapefruit juice
  • ½ oz lime juice¼ oz agave simple syrup
  • 1 ¼ oz Sotol
  • Build in glass rimmed from 12-6 with salt, fill with ice and top with soda
  • Garnish with lime at 10 o’clock

The JL Bar Ranch, Resort & Spa’s Annual Lonestar Lover’s Weekend

The JL Bar Ranch, Resort & Spa’s Annual Lonestar Lover’s Weekend will take place on February 10 – 12. Photo: The JL Bar Ranch, Resort & Spa, used with permission.

Join The JL Bar Ranch, Resort & Spa for their Annual Lonestar Lover’s Weekend on February 10 -12. On Saturday, February 11, The LCR Culinary Team will be offering an exquisite 5-course romantic dinner for two in celebration of Valentine’s Day. Extend the celebration with your sweetheart by booking for the weekend in one of the luxury cabins or spacious guest room accommodations. To further enhance your stay for you and your special someone, take advantage of the wide assortment of activities and spa services available. Our guest service team will be happy to assist you in planning the ultimate Lonestar Lover’s Weekend experience. (The JL Bar Ranch, Resort & Spa, 2023)

That special day is quickly approaching, so make sure and plan ahead. Make your reservations now to ensure you are ready to celebrate your love in luxury with The JL Bar team. To make reservations for the Lonestar Lover’s Dinner for Two or schedule activities for your weekend, email guest services or call (855) 414-3337. Seating options: 6p.m. and 8p.m. – $150 per couple. Dining menu available online.

Photo: The JL Bar Ranch, Resort & Spa

Concert featuring Michael Ray at The JL Bar Ranch, Resort & Spa

Tickets are now available for the Michael Ray concert at The JL Bar Ranch, Resort & Spa. Photo: The JL Bar Ranch, Resort & Spa

On Saturday, April 22, The JL Bar Ranch, Resort, & Spa is excited to welcome Michael Ray as part of the JL Bar Concert Series lineup for 2023. The concert will take place at the FBO Private Airport Hanger and tickets are available now. Michael Ray is a singer, songwriter currently signed to Warner Music Nashville and has released two albums: Michael Ray and Boats and Hoes. (The JL Bar Ranch, Resort & Spa, 2023)

Guests can turn this Saturday night event into a well-deserved weekend getaway by reserving a room in the luxury guest accommodations and booking other activities known to enhance The JL Bar experience. Additional event details are available online.

Event details:
Venue doors and bar open at 6:30p.m. (times subject to change)
Opening and featured performance: details coming soon

Concert reservations:
General Admission tickets: $55
VIP private table: $999 (includes 8 event tickets and 2 drink tickets per person – 16 tickets per table)

Partnered hotel availability: (mention The JL Bar Event when making reservations)
Quality Inn, Sonora location: $100/night (single); $120/night (double)
Holiday Inn Express, Junction location: $100/night

Shuttle services:
Sonora location: $20/person
Junction location: $30/person

JL Bar Ranch, Resort & Spa offers family friendly Thanksgiving activities

JL Bar Ranch, Resort & Spa offers Thanksgiving events for a family friendly holiday, West Texas Style. Photo: JL Bar Ranch, Resort & Spa, used with permission.

The scenic JL Bar Ranch, Resort & Spa has some Thanksgiving getaway programs coming up. The family owned and operated, 13,000-acre Texas Hill Country retreat invites families and loved ones to give thanks with outdoor experiences, world-class Texas BBQ, and the chance to make long-lasting memories. (JL Bar Ranch, Resort & Spa, 2022)

Their programming and offers are as follows:

  • A Hill Country Thanksgiving Feast: On Thanksgiving (November 24), the JL Bar Ranch will host a family-style dinner featuring traditional Texas ranch favorites with sophisticated flair. Resort guests and locals alike can select from three separate seatings at 11a.m., 1p.m. and 4:30p.m. for their Thanksgiving feast, featuring a Chef-attended carving station with smoked turkey, sage butter basted roast turkey, and rosemary and garlic sirloin;  crowd-pleasing and decadent buffet featuring over a dozen sides like bourbon orange glazed ham, sweet potato casserole with pecan crumble, roasted butternut squash and brussels sprouts with applewood smoked bacon; an assortment of festive holiday desserts; and more. Price: $59.95 (guest rate); $79.95 (non-resort guest); half-off for kids 12 and under.
  • Outdoor Adventure: Embrace the crisp November weather with the resort’s robust outdoor activities, from hiking and horseback riding to 3D archery. 
  • Laid-Back R&R: Book a seasonal spa treatment at The Spa at JL Bar for the ultimate relaxation during the holiday. Fall spa specials include an Appe Body Scrub, Autumn Massage, Harvest Facial, and Fall Foliage Mani-Pedi.  
  • A Multi-Gen Villa Escape: The stunning Archer’s Nest Villa is an ultra-private retreat within the Ranch: this beautiful ranch home has 7 bedrooms & 6 bathrooms, a gourmet kitchen, a swimming pool with a slide, an outdoor kitchen & BBQ pavilion, home theater and more (private chef and butler options are available). 
  • Take Care of Holiday Shopping Early: Stop by JL Bar Ranch’s General Store to tackle holiday shopping before the seasonal rush, with JL Bar coolers, apparel, hunting gear, and more.

Holiday spa specials from Hiatus Spa + Retreat

Hiatus Spa + Retreat has holiday spa specials and deals for Black Friday and Cyber Monday. Photo: Molly Culver, used with permission.

Award-winning Texas spa Hiatus Spa + Retreat is excited to announce their holiday deals and specials. From holiday packages for gift giving this holiday season to Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals, there is sure to be something for everyone on your list. (Hiatus Spa + Retreat, 2022)

HOLIDAY PACKAGES
Available November 1 – December 31

The Merry + Bright
Two is better than one. Pick any two Essential Services– The Tailor-Made Facial, The One & Only Mani-Pedi, The Signature Massage, or The Body Wrap–and make a day of your getaway.
2+ hours, $179 (up to $220 value)

The Peace, Love, + Joy
Our three most in-demand services —The Signature Massage, The Tailor-Made Facial and The One & Only Mani-Pedi — are bundled up and tied with a bow, for your sugar plum.
3.5 hours, $259 ($320 value)

Let it Glow, Let it Glow
The Body Glow (40 minutes), The Sparkler Facial (60 minutes) will combine their magical powers to warm you up and give you a rosy glow to fight off even the chilliest winter days.
2+ hours $189 ($240 value)

BLACK FRIDAY AND CYBER MONDAY DEALS

Black Friday: Available on November 25 only
Get holiday ready with 30% off all filler & botox/dysport packages
*Offer available in spa and online

Cyber Monday: Available November 27-28
22% off products on eCommerce only + Free Shipping with Online Promo Code: CYBER22

Offers good at all eight Hiatus Spa + Retreat locations in Texas: Austin, Plano, San Antonio, Houston, Fort Worth, Frisco and two in Dallas. For all locations please visit Hiatus Spa + Retreat online. 

With eight locations across Texas, eight years on Inc. 5000’s fastest-growing companies, and an innovative spa subscription model, Hiatus Spa + Retreat is a fresh kind of full-service spa that has changed the wellness industry. Powered by products with real green ingredients and a high-touch experience, Hiatus’ personalized approach to wellness is driven by the view that regular relaxation should be an empowering part of a healthy, happy lifestyle.

Big Cedar Lodge’s Cedar Fest celebrates the fall season

Big Cedar Lodge’s Cedar Fest is a family friendly celebration that celebrates flannel and pumpkin spice season. Photo: Big Cedar Lodge, used with permission.

The award-winning wilderness resort Big Cedar Lodge is kicking off its annual Cedar Fest celebration featuring pumpkin patches, hayrides, spooky corn mazes, and so much more. As the leaves turn and you reach for that extra sweater for a cozy fall season, there is no better place to celebrate the season in the Midwest than at Big Cedar Lodge. (Big Cedar Lodge, 2022)

Below are some of the festive activities available for both guests and locals between September 18 through October 31.

  • Fall Festivals: Enjoy some good old fashioned fun with a guided tram ride to Big Cedar’s pumpkin patch, where participants can decorate pumpkins, paint pottery, enjoy tie dye and face painting, ride a mechanical bull by day; and roast marshmallows for s’mores and enjoy a movie on the lawn by night.
  • Ozark’s Lost Soul Maze: Get lost in Big Cedar’s iconic, 3,700-square-foot maze that has haunted ghosts and spooky spirits of the Ozarks’ past. Keep an eye out for spiders, skeletons, spooks, and more.
  • Fall Chuckwagon Tour: Back in the beauty of the Ozarks with a relaxing evening tram ride and history tour, a piping hot bowl of soup or chili, and a glass of wine or beer for the adults.
  • Show your Fall Flair: Celebrate your artistic side with instructor-led Fall Wreath Making ($65 per wreath, families and groups welcome) and Fall Centerpiece Building ($65 per centerpiece). Guests can take home their masterpiece to display for the season.
  • Fall Golf Getaway: Big Cedar Lodge boasts one of the leading resort golf portfolios in the country, and there is no better time to tee off than Fall. Enjoy the watercolor foliage on Payne’s Valley, the first Tiger Woods-designed public course, or the award-winning Ozarks National.

For even more Fall Fun, the nearby Dogwood Canyon Nature Park is inviting locals and visitors alike to explore the park’s 10,000 acres covered in magnificent fall foliage; and America’s #1 aquarium, Wonders of Wildlife, is hosting spooky and festive activities including the Out to Sea Shark Feeding, Yarn Pumpkin Crafting, a Halloween Bash Teen Night including a scavenger hunt and mini Fall Festival, and a Bat Bonanza event.

Celebrate Labor Day at Commodore Perry Estate

Commodore Perry Estate, Auberge Resorts Collection is having several events this long Labor Day weekend. Courtesy photo, used with permission.

Commodore Perry Estate, Auberge Resorts Collection is celebrating the beginning of the end of hot summer days with a weekend full of music, Longhorn football and lots of delicious sips and bites. (Commodore Perry Estate, Auberge Resorts Collection, 2022)

Holiday weekend highlights:

  • KUTX Presents Walker Lukens (Friday, September 2): Guests can kick off the holiday weekend with a performance at the Estate’s historic Chapel with Walker Lukens, in partnership with Austin public radio station 98.9 FM KUTX, home to the Austin Music Experience. This is the first in a five-part series, each performance will help raise funds in support of HAAM Day.
  • Gameday Brunch at the Estate (Saturday, September 3): Wake up and gather with friends and family on game day for the resort’s delicious Saturday brunch at the Mansion, complete with lawn games and pre-game drink specials, such as mimosa bars, shaken carajillos, local beer buckets, and more.
  • Prometheus Pizza Pop-Up (Sunday, September 4): Fredericksburg pizza phenoms, Prometheus Pizza, is coming to the Estate for an all-day pizza party this Labor Day Weekend. Relax and indulge in a variety of their delicious pies – with classic pizza parlor creations from Chef Bradley and Chef Susana, such as garlic knots, the perfect Caesar salad and tasty cannoli. Members also have the option to do takeaway (pizza and wine only).

Thompson San Antonio Spa launches new yoga membership

Your wellness retreat awaits at Thompson San Antonio – Riverwalk with their new yoga membership. Photo: Thompson San Antonio – Riverwalk, used with permission.

Indulge in the wellness sanctuary at Thompson San Antonio – Riverwalk and explore the luxury, full-service spa including treatments intended to relax the mind, rejuvenate the body, and discover inner peace. With the new Yoga Membership, members can experience eight power yoga classes a month at the exclusive pool deck. The membership also grants access to all spa amenities at the relaxation areas, eucalyptus steam room, sauna, and private locker room to enhance the ultimate spa day. (Thompson San Antonio – Riverwalk, 2022)

Throughout the month of August, classes will take place every Thursday at 7p.m. and Saturday at 9p.m. Classes are also available to the public for $15 a class.