Absolutely incredible weekend at Blue Hills Ranch. We were fortunate to stay in the stunning…read moreGiraffe Villa... a hefty price, but worth it if you can afford it. The Giraffe barn is attached to one side of the house, and their pasture is on the other side. It is the most fabulous "Barndominium" with incredible finishes and clearly thoughtfully designed. That experience alone was mind-blowing.... however we also had the Gold Packages and were able to experience everything the ranch had to offer! Zebras, Capybaras, Kangaroos, Otters, Deer, Homer the Dromedary!!! Everywhere you turned there were more animals and more experiences offered. My children and I were in absolute animal heaven and will be thrilled to return. I will say, our vacation was expensive and it did not disappoint. However, I do believe you can absolutely visit this ranch on a budget.... Probably one of the best experiences was their ranch safari and that is a nominal price and totally worth it! You can see the entire property and all of the animals on the safari trip. Additionally they have fantastic cabins that are themed, and if you have children under the age of 10, the pirate themed cabins are beyond your wildest imagination.... as far as I am aware all of the sleeping accommodations include kitchens so you can absolutely cook for your family instead of paying for the delicious ranch food. That said... Chef Alan is phenomenal and out of this world excellent chef. Each meal was made with love and artistry. The staff at Blue Hills Ranch all go above and beyond to create lasting memories for you. I absolutely recommend this experience as a NOT TO BE MISSED event! We are already planning a return in October/November depending on availability . Cannot wait. Looking forward to being among these amazing staff members (shout-out to Jen, Anne, Shelby, Emily, Chesney, Alan...) the guard dogs, and all of the incredible exotic animals. Thank you, Matt!

All I can say is WOW! This ranch was an unbelievable experience from the moment we booked our stay…read moreuntil the moment we left. The entire staff was absolutely amazing--so accommodating, personable, welcoming, and attentive to every detail. The chef was incredible! Not only was the food delicious, but he was also so personable. He would come out and sit with us, talk with us, and make sure we were happy with everything. That personal touch made the experience even more special. The staff truly went above and beyond to make sure my husband and I had one of the most memorable weekends of our lives. We felt genuinely cared for throughout our entire stay. I cannot recommend this ranch enough. If you're looking for a special getaway with wonderful people, amazing food, and exceptional hospitality, this is the place. We had such an incredible experience and will definitely be back!

This cave system is breathtaking. To hear the details of how long each formation took to form, to…read moreseeing fossils of creatures that once existed there.... Really puts things into perspective! I've been to this cave 3 times in my life and I learn something new every time! P.s. if they ever do the Ice Age Tour with (the fantastic!!) Dr John Moretti, don't think.. just purchase your tickets and be prepared to learn from a very passionate human. 11/10!

Took some friends who haven't been here and they enjoyed it…read more We still enjoyed the cavern even though I have been here quite a few times. Nature formations are always fascinating to see.

Alec was great. He was very informative, while waiting for the bats to make their appearance. I…read moreloved the breeze rounds. Thx

Three years later we are back and brought family visiting from out of town. The captain was great…read moreand very informative without it being boring. We were a group of 11 ranging from age 11 through 94 and everyone liked it. You can either park on the street for free or at the Hyatt. If you park at the Hyatt, Capital Cruises will give you a coupon so the What a fun experience!

This is your tour company! Dianna and Lou helped make a special surprise birthday celebration even…read moremore special. They had EVERYTHING covered for us- comfortable and safe transportation, a wonderful agenda and experience, no worry handling of our many purchases, tips for future options, etc. Thanks for new great memories!

I highly recommend Amber & Amethyst Tours for your next event. I contacted them as I was looking…read morefor a wine tour option for my mom's surprise party. They were so accommodating from the very beginning. They made great recommendations on where to go and what would work for our group, and were so flexible with the timing of our event. Other places I had called were strict on a time limit: four hours, three wineries...Amber & Amethyst Tours said they would work with us and our schedule...we never felt rushed to move on to the next spot and had time to sit together and enjoy our wine at each spot! Every place we went, they were ready to open the door for us, help my 92 year old grandma get her walker and get to the entrance, and they even labeled and packed all our snacks and wine bottles purchased along the way. Dianna and Lou were so kind and so much fun! I'll be contacting them again!

Pictures don't do this place justice!…read more On this beautiful Saturday, I was seeking adventure! This tour is such an amazing deal. My tour guide Eryn was amazing and so funny. Caves are so interesting and there is so much to learn about them . Longhorn Cavern offer 3 different tour options. The cavern walking tour is just like a casual walking tour. The black light tour is where you wear hard hats and walk with a light. The Wild Cave tour is for the extreme explorers who are okay with tight spaces . I chose the cavern walking tour. I highly recommend shoes that have a tight grip. The gift shop has really good options for keepsakes. Also, if you get thirst drinks are available to purchase. I saw a section for pizza, but it was sold out. I had amazing time during my visit. The cave is beautiful and there is so much to see.

This isn't the best caverns I've visited within a Texas State Park, but it is pretty darn cool. The…read morebest caverns tour is at Kickapoo Caverns. I did a wild cave tour without the extra charges that Longhorn collects. At Longhorn, our guide, Johnson did an amazing job with our small group of six people for the 10:45 AM tour. My brother and I initially registered for the 11:00 AM tour and am glad that we were suggested another time. We passed by the 11:00 AM tour and they had 40+ people in their group. Johnson showed us cool geological formations. We saw dolomite, calcium bicarbonate, chert, limestone, geodes, stalagmites, stalactites, and quartz crystals. Johnson is somewhat funny; he had a bit of quirky and dry humor. I enjoyed the history of the caverns, but some of it I thought was interesting. It was really delightful to learn that in the 1800's, before the CCC got involved, the locals would dance and play music turning the cave into an auditorium of entertainment. Johnson said that if certain geological formations glows, it is growing. Very catchy phase for memory. I got to see a few bats hanging out. They were tricolor bats which are smallest bats. The cave is cool, but thankfully not slippery. I was wearing no grip support shoes, but I didn't fall or have the urge to fall. There are mats on the floor of the cave to prevent falls. Johnson gave us more time to look around and admire the geology. My brother and I weren't required to bring our own flashlights. Johnson had a flashlight, but forgot to grab the blacklights. What I find is strange is that this is a state park that you cannot renew your state park pass at. This park headquarters is very different than the rest considering that there's a third party company handing the cave tours, they sell ice-cees, popcorn, and the gift shop is very big and vast. The others don't have this. It is questionable to me. I was told that I needed to go to Inks Lake to renew my pass. The cave tours are very pricey. Kickapoo Caverns tour was very affordable at $10. You can use the park pass. You can't get your state park passport stamped at Longhorn Caverns either. It seems like Longhorn Caverns is more for profit and the history about the cavern could be overly exaggerated to attract customers. My opinion. It was hard to believe half of the things what Johnson was telling us. There's one portion of geological formation in the cave that is "dead" because in year 1919, the locals went exploring by touching the formation it "killed" it. I preferred Kickapoo Caverns and the Caverns of Sonora a lot more. Even Inner Space Caverns and Natural Bridge were very exciting to see. Longhorn is cool, but didn't give me that WOW-factor, but I still had a ton of fun on a Sunday morning.

We had incredible, unforgettable time at the Caiman, Pantanal. Jorge at Amazon Adventures set up…read moreeverything perfectly for us, was always helpful and responsive and ensured that the whole experience was magical. Everything went smoothly, from the welcome at the airport and the transfer to the hotel, to the hospitality, accommodation, delicious food options, friendly staff, the location and facilities. Of course, the highlight was the day with Onçafari. Our guide and driver were superb, and thanks to their expertise and dedication, we got the chance to see - but not disturb - two of the collared adult females, one with her cubs, and one uncollared adult male. It was an awe-inspiring experience, and so important to be able to support this vital initiative. Thank you to Amazon Adventures for setting it all up.

After seeing the movie "The Embrace of the Serpent", we wanted to see the place where it was…read morefilmed: the Mavecure Hills in Colombia. Amazon Adventures was able to arrange a 5-day tour for us, it went really well - even when we missed our flight out of the jungle (no cell coverage and they moved the flight earlier!!) we had a hotel arranged and a flight the next day. Spectacular trip. Would definitely use this company again!

It's cool that the town has a ghost tour. It's a short walk and wheelchair accessible. It is the…read moremost boring ghost tour I've ever been on. A history tour might be better since the stories of haunts are so bland. It's kid and pet friendly. The meeting place is in a cool gift shop with restrooms. There's also history to read about while you wait.

We rode the Hill Country Flyer on September 19, 2026, from Cedar Park to Burnet and back. We rode…read morein the Silver Pine car, which dates back to 1948. The seats were extremely comfortable and the car was air conditioned. Our volunteer guide, Steve, was friendly, knowledgeable, and full of entertaining stories about train travel. On this particular day, there was, unfortunately, a mechanical issue with our engine, resulting in a nearly four hour stop directly on the newly built wooden trestle over the San Saba River. The situation was unavoidable, and while inconvenient, I commend the staff aboard the train for their exemplary handling of the situation. Their number one priority was safety. It would have been potentially dangerous to exit the train into the wilderness of the Texas Hill Country. We would have had to walk along the train tracks, down an embankment, and then cross a natural low water crossing. A plan was put into place on how best to accomplish this, which would have included help from the fire department, sheriff, a Utility Task Vehicle for anyone who could not make such a trek, and four Cap Metro buses that were brought in to provide transportation back to the depot, if necessary, but only as a last resort. We waited, stopped, for nearly four hours, but we were given updates approximately every 20-30 minutes by staff members that visited each car, with the opportunity to ask questions and share whatever concerns we may have had. Sheltering in place was the safest option for all involved. The A/C continued to run, we had a working bathroom, and extra water was brought in for us. Snacks were also available. Staff made sure that we were informed, comfortable, entertained throughout the wait. There was a passenger in another car who had some sort of medical issue. Fire department paramedics and a sheriff boarded the train to assist that passenger. ASTA's head mechanic actually interrupted his vacation in Houston to pick up a part, meet the train, and make the repair on site. He was already in route, even as the personnel on board were diagnosing the problem. Once the mechanical problem was fixed, we were able to return to the station, later than planned, but we were always comfortable, informed, and never in danger. Even after the trip, ASTA went above and beyond to make the situation right. They emailed all passengers, offering one of 3 choices for compensation: * A full refund for your tickets * Exchange your tickets for a future Hill Country Flyer ride this year * A voucher for the full value of your tickets, to use at your convenience While we appreciate these options greatly, I don't feel that any compensation is actually necessary. ASTA is a not-for-profit entity with the primary purpose of helping to restore old trains and bring the joy of riding the rails to others, including families who otherwise could not afford excursions such as this. All in all, we had a wonderful day and could not have been more impressed with their handling of a difficult situation. We will definitely ride with them again!

Saturday my daughter visited the Cedar Park Depot to ride on the Hill Country Flyer train, 66-mile…read moreround trip aboard the beautifully restored vintage train. The train crossed the scenic trestle bridge over the South San Gabriel River and through Short Creek Canyon -- all from the comfort of a restored historic railcar pulled by a diesel locomotive. There were beverages, snacks, train memobilla, toys, books and puzzles for the children, train t-shirts for adults and children were also available for purchase. (Restrooms were also available on the train) Midway through the trip, the passengers enjoyed a two-hour layover in the town of Burnet, to explore the historic square, browse local shops, and enjoy lunch on their own at one of the local restaurants. It is a three block walk from the Burnet Train depot to the town of Burnet. My daughter and I and some other passengers could not walk those three blocks, so my daughter and I shopped at HEB next to the train depot, sat in one of the HEB scooters in the shade and had our lunch. Some of the other passengers sat on the benches at the train depot building, you are welcome to pack a picnic lunch! Passengers are allowed to bring their own food and beverages. Non-alcoholic drinks are NOT welcomed on board the train. If bottled alcohol is purchased in the Town of Burnet or at HEB, you can bring it on the train, but you CANNOT open the alcohol on the train. Total Duration: 6.5 hours round trip (includes 2-hour layover in Burnet, TX) Unfortunately, Saturday, the train departed at 1:15pm and BAM!!! A train break down, leaving the train stopping on the railroad track bridge over South San Gabriel River for five hours until the mechanic arrived from Houston, TX with the part. But the Conductor called ahead to let the train depot know the train has had a mechanical failure and help is needed. The First Responders and Sheriff came aboard the train to keep the passengers informed telling us that they have arrived along with five busses on stand-by if the train cannot be fixed and we have to evacuate the train. Fortunately, after five hours, the mechanic and train part arrived, the mechanic repaired the mechanical breakdown, the train started, the busses were not needed and the train returned back to Cedar Park Depot after five hours. Our conductor, Steve and his assistants was very helpful. We were given bottled water and kept calm listening to train history by Steve. Steve saved the day! Saturday evening, all passengers who purchased tickets were sent an apologic email and information regarding a refund. That was a very nice jesture from the Austin Steam Train Association. RECOMMEDATION: I would take another Hill Country Flyer train ride, hoping no other mechanical failures happen. I would also wish that some organization in Burnet begin offering golf cart or some type of transportation from the train depot to the town of Burnet due to some of the passengers cannot walk the three blocks from the Burnet train Depot to the town of Burnet to shop. The vehicles would only be used to pickup the passengers from the train depot taking them to town and return them to the train depot filling the alloted time of their visit. I think the passengers would be happy and the community of Burnet would be very pleased to see more passengers coming to town via some type of transportation.

When Steve and I were planning our trip to Austin, Texas we realized fairly quickly that we didn't…read moreknow the city very well at all. In previous vacations we took bus tours to get a little bit more familiar with the city and that is what we did with Austin. Only this time we rode a Double Decker bus! I have seen this kind of bus tour here and there and have seen it when I am in Seattle. Officially I think after this particular bus tour it was my first time riding a Double Decker bus. The weather was typical spring weather on our entire visit but the day we chose to take this tour it was nice and warm and a perfect time to go ride this bus followed by rain for a few days (This took place in April). The ride was so much fun and the tour guide was great! Austin is definitely a different cut than the rest of Texas and that was reflected in many of the people we met. Open mindedness being one and we really felt that with the tour guide. He was so knowledgeable of the city and the neighborhoods and all that made this bus tour all the more amazing. But of course they would probably have staff with personalities that would be compatible in this way. Riding on the top of the bus was so much fun. A few times we had to duck from tree branches and I lowered my head a few times from the traffic lights but that was just me getting nervous with being that high to a light. You see all the sights, famous buildings, museums, local culture, restaurant recommendations and so much more while on this tour. So this was a great experience! I was in Austin proper once a very long time ago and saw just how much it's grown. So it was cool getting acquainted with the city one more time thanks to this bus tour!

I was so looking forward to finally taking a tour of the city. I've been coming here visiting my…read moreson for the last dozen or so years and I've never done it. At first, I sat on the upper level. It was wonderful to be out in the fresh air. However, the sun was a little too much for me so I had to move down to the inside area. I was the only one down there which was fine, but it was really quite filthy. There was thick gray dust on the top rail of all the seats and the fabric on the seats themselves was all thick with black grease. The tour guide was really wonderful. Entertaining and knowledgeable with one exception that was actually kind of disturbing to me personally. When we got to South Congress he talked about the "I love you so much" wall. His story of a husband painting it for his wife could not have been more wrong. It was in fact done by an artist named Amy for her then girlfriend Liz an infamous Austin hotelier and restauranteur. It is an incredibly iconic part of Austin history and if it's told it should be not fiction. I hope for sure this can be corrected for future tours.

We visited over the weekend for the grand reopening of Joanne Land Playground and it is truly…read moreamazing. It has so many wonderful obstacles and slides for the children to enjoy. I don't want to upload pics due to children are present but please go check it out because you won't be disappointed. The main stage is nice and there is a pavilion for you to just sit and enjoy the atmosphere while reading a book or just taking a moment to chill. I always enjoy coming here to cycle or walk but really appreciate the playground upgrade for the children.

My preschooler loves the kids playground at old settlers. Its well kept and keeps kids entertained…read more The location by the pond makes it so scenic. Also, this park has so many events going on.