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Stop-off between Houston & Austin - Sunday night

Dinton, United...
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30 posts
17 reviews
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Stop-off between Houston & Austin - Sunday night
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We will be travelling from IAH to Austin for SXSW 2011 and need a stop-off on a Sunday night. Ideally a small town with a couple of good bars & restaurants. We've been through Brenham during daytime before, but it looks like Sunday night there is VERY quiet.

Thanks!

Houston, Texas
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1. Re: Stop-off between Houston & Austin - Sunday night
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A slight detour, but how about Bryan / College Station?

San Antonio, TX
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for San Antonio
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2. Re: Stop-off between Houston & Austin - Sunday night
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It's only a three hour drive - I'd go straight through.

Austin, Texas
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3. Re: Stop-off between Houston & Austin - Sunday night
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I'm with Octoboy. I wouldn't stop. I've driven from Houston to Austin late at night in less than 3 hours. You are not really going to find much going on in any small towns on a Sunday night. If you are arriving from the UK late and don't want to make the drive after a long flight, just stay in Houston.

Czech Republic
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for San Antonio, Lubbock, Prague
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4. Re: Stop-off between Houston & Austin - Sunday night
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do stop by the pastry shop Weikel's in :La Grange, TX...next to McDonald's... part of the petrol station

http://www.weikels.com

yum, yum..homemade pastries, bread

Austin
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5. Re: Stop-off between Houston & Austin - Sunday night
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Have to agree: Weikel's the the only happening thing between Houston and Austin on a Sunday night.

Dinton, United...
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30 posts
17 reviews
30 helpful votes
6. Re: Stop-off between Houston & Austin - Sunday night
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Thanks for all your responses. Bryan/College Town is a bit more of a detour than we want to take. Realise that we could probably make Austin in one go, but as we are there for a week, we wanted to find a bit of a small town contrast for a couple of nights.

What about Bastrop as an option??.

Houston, Texas
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for Arenal Volcano National Park, La Fortuna de San Carlos
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7. Re: Stop-off between Houston & Austin - Sunday night
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I've always thought the Lost Pines Resort looks nice, but we haven't had a chance to stay there. That may be fancier than you want to go. There's really not much between Houston and Austin.

Austin
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12 reviews
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8. Re: Stop-off between Houston & Austin - Sunday night
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If you are willing to accept that your Sunday night will be quiet and are willing to spend another night, then these two towns may fit the bill:

http://www.fayettevilletx.com/

http://www.smithvilletx.org/

I've used La Grange for stopovers on the way to Houston when my kiddo was smaller and it did not entice me to want to linger, although others may disagree and I may have hit it on off days. There is, however, something about Texas towns, especially county seats with the courthouse in the middle of a grand square like La Grange and Bastrop. Bastrop though seems to be on its way to becoming a suburb of Austin.

If you stay somewhere near Smithville or La Grange, you can visit the painted churches of Texas. Lots of driving in the middle of nowhere and I remember not finding any decent food but worth it for the art and the history:

http://www.klru.org/paintedchurches/

Czech Republic
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for San Antonio, Lubbock, Prague
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9. Re: Stop-off between Houston & Austin - Sunday night
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look at a map and the relation between Houston, San Antonio and Austin.

...

you could head towards San Antonio on I-10 and then head back towards Austin via I-35..(at Sequin TX I-10..freeways are only about 15/20 miles apart...I-35 is New Braunfels)

New Braunfels-San Marcos area would be an option

...

near San Marcos outlet mall at York Exit is Rileys Tavern

http://www.rileystavern.com/

...

or simply stay the night in San Antonio

enjoy!

at Gruene Texas (New Braunfels) is the famous Gruene Dance Hall..there should be some music going on on Sunday.....Tavern on the Gruene has music. http://www.gruenehall.com

http://www.taverninthegruene.com

San Marcos has Cheatham Street Warehouse.

http://www.cheathamstreet.com

-----------

as most have said, not a lot of action in between Austin and Houston...

you could do the alternate route via San Antonio as mentioned or go ahead and take Hwy 71 into Austin as planned and then hit I-35 south...the crossroad is already on the far south/southweat part of Austin...(the edges of Austin and San Antonio are just over an hour apart )

Edited: 13 years ago
Czech Republic
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for San Antonio, Lubbock, Prague
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10. Re: Stop-off between Houston & Austin - Sunday night
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fyi, San Antonio benefits from the overlow of SXSW interest.....SA will host a handful of SXSW participants before and after their official festival performances in Austin.

You can check the SA entertaiment guide closer to the weekend you will be in the States.

http://www.sacurrent.com

.

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