It was my family's first time here and we will definitely be returning! It was both fun and…read moreeducational, seeing actual pieces of history make it even more interesting. Everyone was so nice, food and snacks are available and the course looked so clean. There was even a playground for toddler. Definitely something for everyone in the family.

My family and I decided to go play mini golf at the Memorial minigolf and museum. We went on a…read moreMonday at around 2:00 pm. Luckily the weather was in the 70s which was really nice for a January day. We drove up and parked easily. We then went to pay the rate for 4 adults, got our clubs, chose our golf balls, and we were off. There were a few people there with families on the course but we basically had the course to ourselves. It was a course with a practice spot and then 18 holes to play. It was very informative and fun. There were stands at each hole with a set of photos and historical information. Plus the actual course had slight slopes, and a few fun obstacles. After golfing we went inside the small museum. There were several artifacts and some historical information to look at and read about. On a side note they have two bathrooms with soap and running water which is a positive. Overall it was a fun afternoon on a nice day. The mini golf course is fun and informative. The museum is small and interesting. If you like history and mini golf this would be a good place to visit and play on a nice day.

So I'm not sure if this is the right location but on google maps and reviews, it says the location…read moreis next to the train tracks but it is also the train museum and city commerce. This is a little museum for anyone visiting Smithville to check out. The place is only room size but its good just to get a feel for the history of this small little texas town. It brings back all the good-nature qualities of a small American town, nice people, friendly folks, clean area and quiet setting. There is a playground right next to it for the children to play at. The location is at the T-square end of the town's mainstreet. You can literally visit the museum and chamber of commerce and then walk down main street and visit a few shops. There is also a skatepark down the street to the left of this place. Everything is very quiet, minus the trains moving along the tracks behind this place but other than that, you don't evey have to worry about traffic in this area. If your looking for a fun road trip with no problems, drive on over to Smithville and give them your business and tell them I said, "Hello!" :-)

This is such a fun fun place for kids and adults alike! The setting inside is completely dark with…read morevibrant neon lights and signs. There's an arcade, spook-tacular mini golf with a neon colored ball and laser tag. It's also a great spot for hosting kids birthday parties.

Love it good for the kiddos Good pricing…read more Love a local spot,.. If u have light sensitivity this isn't the place Had a few in our group get lightheaded and dizzy Because of the constant strobes They have everything here from games , golf Arcade and more If ur visiting or a local with wanting to do something during the week/weekend would be a fun activity Especially fun during the spooky season

This is Bastop's largest cemetery. Here you'll literally thousands of grave markers. This is still…read morean active graveyard with plenty of room for more decedents and you will find some interments from the 1800s. This place is so big that it has paved roads and road signs. Near the front of the property is a large pavilion with a Texas historical sign and more information on its walls within. The entire cemetery is very well laid out and orderly with countless well crafted granite markers. There's so much going on here that you could literally spend days walking through all this history. If you want to be buried here it's $1500 for Bastrop residents and $3500 for non-residents. The 10 pictures included do not capture the full scope of this place.

How did Smithville get so lucky as to get themselves such a great restaurant? Fat Cat is a…read morefriendly, family-run place with a casual atmosphere, live music on weekends, and a one-page menu with apps, salads, sandwiches, burgers and a few entrees like ahi tuna steaks, along with a beer and wine selection. All that's great. But what makes it so uncommon are the amazing things they add to this formula that simply knocked our socks off. The salads are farm to table. The pork and beef are ranch to table (which makes their pork belly bhan mi and blue cheese bacon burgers absolutely outstanding). The proprietor owns the farm and ranch. Their beer selection has something for everyone and you can even buy it by the bucket. And without a doubt, they offer the best wine selection, the most wine-by-the-glass options, and the best prices on wine-by-the-bottle in the county. It's likely even better than anything you'll find in Travis County. Seriously, if you know wines, look at that wine menu and tell me I'm wrong. You can't do it! The three of us enjoyed a really nice Napa Vally Cabernet Sauvignon in the restaurant, and we got a $39 bottle of 2018 Pinot Noir from Sonoma's Russian River Valley to go that they would have been just as happy to open for us in the restaurant. Who does that at those prices? I'm seriously canceling my wine club membership and I'll just come here more often. Plus, the owner really knows her wines. She judges wine competitions in Houston and is more knowledgeable than many California sommeliers I've known (and I lived in California for 15 years). But she also knows old world wines and Texas wines very well. I'll post pictures of the food later. I'm coming back to Fat Cat for a pre fixe dinner - ribeye stake and snow crab with wine pairings included. The way they wine, dine, entertain and treat you, I feel like I'm the Fat Cat! And I can barely hear the music over the purring :-)

Food was delicious, we met the owner and manager they were both absolutely wonderful. I love the…read morehome time feel. I got the Nelson's grill cheese with bacon added, Husband got the cartintas-stated they were AMAZING but requests a Texas size portion. Lasagna was VERY GOOD according to my mom and my dad had the Blue Chicken Sandwich and was good. They were SUPER sweet to my little, he was the star of dinner. Try the Vampire Merlot very peaceful and homey.

Since moving to Austin in late 2020, my favorite activity has been going to the theatre. I have…read moreseen almost every show that Austin Shakespeare has put on since that date, and I am in love with this theatre company. They bring to life not only Shakespeare's works but also a variety of other great literary dramatic works. It's a great time with friends and the community here in Austin.

Austin Shakespeare is the Bard and more! I have enjoyed their performances at the Parker Jazz Club…read morewhere they highlight both vocal and instrumental performers usually focusing on one or two musical icons. in addition , their Shakespeare summer performances in Zilker Park and The Curtain Theatre. an historical replica of Elizabethan theaters, featuring youth is delightful. And, what about Tom Stoppard and other playwrites at the new KMFA studio or The Rollins at The Long Center? Such an eclectic company with superb multiracial actors, creative directing and adaptations! What's not to love?

I was so lucky we found this place. Just when you think you know a lot, you come across a cotton…read moregin and your mind explodes. I never know what went into cotton ginning....heck, I didn't know what it was. the museum admission is free, but there is small fee for guided gin tours. Stormee is very knowledgeable and helpful. She showed us a short film depicting the history of the gin and the wonderful folks that ran it There is a little store where you can purchase items - we bought some homemade cinnamon honey. There is a small cotton patch and a path that leads to the gin. You can peak in the see the "Lady B" engine. If you can make it for the 3rd Saturday in April, that's when they have the annual Burton Cotton Gin festival. I bet that is awesome.

A total hidden gem that's absolutely worth a stop--whether you're in the area or not…read more Stormee, our tour guide, was incredibly kind and brought the history to life with stories and insight that made the experience unforgettable. It's a rare chance to see the oldest operating cotton gin in America, and the whole visit feels like stepping back in time.

We camped here spontaneously one weekend in February. The good: the trails are lovely! There are…read moremany miles and different terrains to explore. I love the pine trees and views from some of the trails. The campground is lovely as well. Very clean. Spaces are large. People are respectful. But... A big con is the traffic noise at night! We stayed in the Copperas Creek Camping Area, which is quite close to the road, so we expected some noise. But it was intense both noise. A loud, long crash woke me up in the middle of the night, with a second crash crashing into the debris from the first one. That whole incident kept me up for 2 hours. I don't know if the other campgrounds in the park are any better. The park is nestled in a populated area so I doubt it. But the trails and area are beautiful!! So I would definitely recommend for hiking!! Not so much tent camping... (maybe it's better in an RV?).

We stopped by Bastrop State Park on a whim while driving to Austin, and it ended up being a great…read moredecision. It's less than a 2-hour drive from Houston and under an hour from Austin, which makes it an easy add to a road trip. I especially appreciated that the entrance is right off Highway 71, so you're not wasting a bunch of time driving deep into back roads just to get to the park. We visited on a beautiful Saturday in January -- sunny and in the 50s, basically perfect hiking weather. While there are plenty of trees throughout the park, many of the trails are fairly exposed, so you get a lot of sun. Definitely bring sunscreen, even in cooler weather. The trails are wide and well-maintained, with sand and rocks laid down in many areas, making them easy to walk. The terrain is nicely hilly but nothing too difficult (we did about 4 miles total). One thing to note: trail signage is a bit limited, and it would be easy to get turned around and know where to turn. Thankfully, I had decent cell reception (T-Mobile) and was able to use Google Maps to track where we were. Parking was easy, the staff were friendly, and the landscape was beautiful. We used our Texas State Parks annual pass, which saved us the $15 entrance fee, and the entry process was quick and simple. The line of cars trying to get in was only 2. I'd love to come back in the spring when everything is blooming. Overall, a great stop if you want scenic views, manageable trails, and a convenient location. Highly recommend if you're on your way to Houston or Austin. There's also a Buccees just a few miles away!