Texas Highways Magazine May 2016

WHERE WE’LL BE NEXT MONTH: Explore the shore with us in June as we spotlight top beach lodgings, Galveston by bicycle, and the new Independence Plaza at Space Center Houston. We’ll kayak to Matagorda Island, cruise South Texas on US 77, and set sail to several Texas regattas, then venture inland for East Texas peaches and a day at Balmorhea’s sparkling pool. It’s no secret that travel makes us smarter, whether the enrichment seeps in as we’re exploring new cultures, or while we’re navigating a nature trail or the backstreets of an unfamiliar city. And oft entimes, the best souvenir we can bring home from a trip is a brand-new skill. With that in mind, we present our “Summer School” roundup of horizon-broadening activities to consider while planning your summer excursions. (Melissa Gaskill’s…

COURTNEY PERCY, San Antonio; via Twitter @CourtneyGPercy OUR FAVORITE SOCIAL MEDIA OF THE MONTH... Just chilling at @TheHotelEmma library drinking my free margarita and ended up in a photo shoot for @TexasHighways. @shaunapiranha, San Diego, California The beauty of my home state never gets old or ceases to amaze me. No place like Texas. No place I'd rather be. @CVN70Texan, Matt Drake, Midlothian Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram Doodlebug The cover of the April issue is the most beautiful magazine cover I have ever seen. I could not stop looking at it. What a breathtaking piece of artwork! HARVETTE GREEN, Rockport Swinging Songs Western Swing, the official state music of Texas, is the only musical style that was born right here in Texas, in the 1930s, and is still popular today. The Western Swing Hall of Fame…

30º 31’ 38.44” N 97º 37’ 49.87” W Hill Country Dell Diamond, off US 79 in Round Rock, is home to the Round Rock Express minor league baseball team. Opened in 2000, the stadium has 8,361 seats and an outfield lawn where fans can spread blankets to watch the game. There are plenty of chances to attend a home game during the season, which runs through September. Buy a ticket, pick up a gourmet hot dog, and settle in for a few hours of entertainment. For information about taking in a game or touring the stadium, seewww.roundrockexpress.com.…

IN THESE MODERN TIMES, THE WORDS “music festival” make me think of Jumbotrons and multiple stages, $225 wristbands and the Foo Fighters. There’s none of that at the Tejano Conjunto Festival, a celebration of Tex-Mex accordion music that started in San Antonio in 1982 and maintains an old school feel as it enters its 35th year this May. The festival, taking place May 11-15, is held in a no-frills pavilion in Rosedale Park on the West Side, with beer, food, and souvenir booths. So even though Tejano Conjunto fest was the first festival to feature conjunto music and presents the top names of the genre every year, it’s more of a baile than a blowout. This year’s Tejano Conjunto Festival includes the San Antonio premiere of Nicolás Valdez’s Conjunto Blues (7 p.m.…

ALONG THE TEXAS GULF COAST, a series of decommissioned ships navigate the nation’s maritime history. In Galveston, the 1877 tall ship Elissa recalls the waning days of international sailing ship commerce while the submarine USS Cavalla chronicles the deep-sea battlegrounds of World War II and the Cold War. In La Porte and Corpus Christi, respectively, the imposing Battleship Texas and aircraft carrier USS Lexington reflect the American Naval might of the 20th-Century world wars. Knife maker Percy Richardson has created a series of knives using metal and wood discarded from these vessels during renovations to raise funds for their support. As floating museums, these ships offer a rare educational experience, but they also face difficult maintenance problems— metal corrosion and wood rot are common; upkeep is constant and expensive. Recognizing an innovative…

ANYONE WHO TRAVELS TO A big city for vacation knows that apart from lodging, food, and shopping splurges, the other big expense—especially if you have a family—is admission to attractions. Those costs can be shaved by at least 40 percent in Dallas and Houston, thanks to a program called CityPASS. CityPASS launched its program in San Francisco and Seattle about 20 years ago. The idea behind it was simple: Pick the top attractions in each city, bundle them together in a booklet that could be used over a period of nine days, and offer the pass as a discounted package deal at a savings of close to 50 percent off individual ticket prices. These days, CityPASS is offered in 12 U.S. cities and regions, and travelers purchase more than a million booklets…