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.

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!

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.

I've been coming here for a couple of years, and it's honestly one of my favorite spots in the…read moreCedar Park area. The main trail is wide and paved, which is great for biking, running, or just walking the dog. The lake itself is super peaceful--I highly recommend renting a kayak or bringing a paddleboard out on a weekend morning. If you've got kids, the playground and splash pad are fantastic, especially when it's blazing hot outside. There are also plenty of shady spots and picnic tables by the water to just hang out and feed the ducks. Just a heads up, parking can be a nightmare on Saturdays when the weather is nice, so try to get here before 9 AM if you can. Otherwise, it's a super clean, well-maintained park that never really gets old. Definitely worth checking out.

Nice park, especially if you've got kids in a stroller and want to go for a short hike. The trail…read morethat runs over the dam is all paved (not sure how far it continues being paved since we turned around). Lots of pedestrians, bikers, dog walkers. You can also walk on the unpaved trail along the water (it's very smooth and stroller-friendly). There is a playground. It's split into two areas for different ages. It's great in theory but I found it a bit lacking. There's a rudimentary playground that's labeled as 2-5. And a crunk playground (3-tiered, with gnarly slides) labeled as 5-12. Don't get me wrong -- this big playground is awesome for older kids. But it's a bit too advanced/scary for a 3-year-old. Meanwhile, the little playground was too simple/easy for her. So there's a middle age that isn't really catered to. But, great for 2-year-olds and 5+. There are also multiple parks with playgrounds within a short driving distance (Champion, Olson Meadows) so you can easily park hop.

So glad we tried this park! On or off leash dog park with water pond for the fur babies to play…read more Shaded benches available on the farthest end of the park and loved the vibe. There are shower hoses for when you opt to wash them after the dip. So cool to have this place near us!

My name is Charlie Blu. I'm an Australian Shepherd and give 4 paws up plus a stub for a tail…read more That's 5 if you are counting in human years. My dad and mum take me here when we are in town and this is my favorite place to run around. Even though I'm just a pup, the grownup doggies teach me new things like how to play chase, sniff and aimlessly run around. I haven't totally braved the water park just yet, but watching the retrievers jump in and fetch has started to build my interest. I did get in the pool up to my chest and got dirty enough to need a bath, but not fully committed to jump in yet. I think if I play it wisely, I'll milk it for all it's worth and probably will get a few more trips in before I take the plunge. Luckily, the park has multiple wash stations on the way in/out, so my humans can clean me up nicely before our ride home. Not my favorite thing to do, but since it's a doggie dog world, I have to live by their rules. Now that I'm 7 months old and weigh 30 pounds, I can play in the large dog area which is much more fun for me. When I was under 30 pounds, I used the small dog area which is overall a bit smaller in size, and the grass is a bit "ruff", so not as much fun. Also too many yapping pups there for my taste. So if you have the zoomies and are in the area, come by and say hi, or come play with me as I'm looking for new friends all the time. I'll be the black /white pup with the one blue eye, the Australian accent and hanging out next to the pool.

This Homestead Park sits directly next-door to the Leander Public library. It has its own parking…read morelot consisting of about a dozen spaces. This property of antiquity seems very much out of place with the modern residential homes and apartments that surround it. The property consists of a windmill, old tin structures, rusty old farm equipment, and cedar fencing, along with an old home. The house on the property is sparsley furnished with period furnishings and is open to the public, but it was locked on my visit. It has a fireplace on either side of the house. This property serves as a learning tool to what it was like to Homestead in the 1800s. Being next-door to the public library is a plus. There are no livestock and no farming happening here.

3.5 I saw an ad on…read moreNextdoor about a Victorian Christmas event here and figured why not come down and check it out. It's a small property and won't take very long to look at but honestly, I like historical sites and thought it was nice seeing the place decorated up for Christmas. Parking is a bit scarce so you can also park next to the library next door.

This early 20th century cemetery was once in the countryside, but now it is surrounded on all sides…read moreby local businesses and literally sits next to the newly built H-E-B parking lot in Georgetown. At the entrance closest to H-E-B you'll find a very detailed layout of the cemetery which will provide you with lots of information. The entire cemetery seems to have a randomly laid out pattern of headstones and markers with some family plots, but mostly just individual markers. Many headstones found here are cast in concrete instead of granite. As the sign at the entrance points out, there are many unmarked graves as well which are primarily former slaves and other African-Americans. Most of the graves have long since been forgotten about, but there are still quite a number of newer graves that are well tended by family members. The grounds are mowed, but there are quite a number of headstones in a state of disrepair. There is no Texas historical sign on the property but for more information check out the photo of the map below.

This cemetery sits just a short walk away from the much larger Citizens Memorial Garden cemetery…read moredown the street (see separate review). The small family plot is located along Wolf Ranch Parkway just a block from West University avenue aka Hwy 29. It is odd to see such a sight so close to such a very busy intersection and right next to the busy road. There is an entry point next to the sidewalk in the primitive fence, but the entire plot is about the size of the average family garage. There are only two headstones here, but there could be more buried here in unmarked graves. It's nice to see that it has been taken care of in spite of its perilous location. I'm sure the occupants here could never have imagined their final resting place would one day be an obstacle to modern progress.

A very cool but also very overlooked historical marker, on Hwy 183 between an Appliance Repair shop…read moreand a Chiropractor's Practice. Back in 1982, archeologists uncovered the skeleton of a pre-historic human female by nearby Brushy Creek. Because of the proximity of the grave site to the town of Leander, the skeleton became known as the Leanderthal Lady. Carbon testing indicates the woman lived ~13,000 years ago, which is amazing - that's six times further back then when Christ was born in the Holy Land! One can't help but wonder what Yelp review she'd have given to the place back then. Something like: "Three stars. Leander nice place to live, plenty of buffalo to hunt. Wish they had a Whataburger outlet." Seriously, check this marker out, it's pretty cool.

Having fun isn't hard, when you've got a library card. !…read more The outside didn't look so big, but the inside is amazing. I didn't realize there was so much room in this library. I got my library card today and turned in my voter registration forms. The ladies at the front desk were both so amazing and friendly. The upstairs area has study spaces and plenty of books. The study rooms are spacious and clean. There are so many great resources to explore and the librarians were so happy to share. There are movie nights events, a silent book club, puzzle fun, and much more. Upstairs there is an area for plant propagation and a car you can complete if you have a plant question. Take a look, it's in a book ! Get you a library card!

The Georgetown library is a wonderful place to be. Getting a library card is easy. You just need to…read moreshow your identification and proof of residency. The card is free. You can check out books or music. There's a lot of places to sit in here and I see people sitting and enjoying each other's company. Some people are studying on their laptop. They have a wonderful sweet lemon kitchen area to get some food and drink drinks. The people who work here are very kind and helpful. You can check out the availability of your book online and reserve it, and they will put it in a special place for you. However, I love going through and just looking through the books and finding my book myself . There's something special about a book! When the book is due to be returned, they generously text you and ask if they can extend the rental, the avoiding charges for forgetting to return a book! There are events that are held at the library, such as concerts and other gatherings. They are posted in the front of the library. You should go look at them. This has become my new regular place. I am now reading a book series and it's so nice that I don't have to buy the book. I just read a book and I bring it back and I get the next one and in the meantime I'm certain to make a new friend! They have a children's section that just looks amazing. They even have a Jeep in there for the children to play! It is modified to be completely safe. There's no risk here. They have an elevator so you don't have to take the stairs to the second floor if you don't want to. When I was there, they were having a sculpture sale and it was just beautiful sculptures all over the library just wonderful. I highly recommend this library.