The staff is incredibly friendly, and the check-in process couldn't be easier. The train cars are…read moreimpressively clean and well-kept, and we really enjoyed learning about the history behind the ride. It's a unique and nostalgic experience that takes you back in time. While I do wish the views along the route were a bit more scenic, the overall experience was still absolutely worth it and I would gladly do it again. If you're looking for something different to do around Austin, please support this train. It's a special kind of adventure you don't find every day.

Being a train enthusiast I was a bit excited to go on the "Noth Pole Flyer" out of Bertrum TX on…read moreDecember 13, 2025 with my two grandkids and thier parents, six people in total. So this is a grandparents perspective. Upon arrival to the depot area, there is no indication of event parking as the lighting was very poor at 6:15 at night. The web site mentioned free parking but had no maps of the area. What I saw coming from the east, was a long row of cars parked in a Hodge podge fashion along the tracks. We ended up parking by the library across the highway. (Short walk with a light to cross with). I'll mention this again later. I came across a small sign in the middle of a crowd that says "no alcohol, no weapons licensed or otherwise." Would be nice to know before this Texan shows up armed. So had to run back to the car to secure my weapon. Ehh, minor inconvenience. BTW, the rules are on the web site. We pick up our tickets at will call and wait. The train comes up and parks. The engine was a short haul/swicher unit, no steam, with very beautiful vintage passenger cars. My family's car just happened to stop right in front of us, #41. We boarded and it was like going back in time. We found our seats easy enough. However, keeping in mind, either people were a lot taller and thinnier back then, or they have tall tables and do like airlines and add extra tables. It was tight. Little wiggle room for an adult. If you are in the window seat, you get to look forward and to the side. You cannot turn around to see what is behind you. If you adjust your seat, you are bumping the person behind you. And trust me, every car is packed. Being a night trip, there is nothing to see outside. So bring stuff for the kiddos to do and snacks and drinks. The two hour trip is loud. Kids are loud, and you have adults talking over the kids. My train enthusiast self went on an exploring expedition through a lot of the other cars. Some like mine had 4 person tables, others 4 person commuter recling seats with no tables. Some had one bathroom available others had two. I stood between two cars and just watched the scenery go by. It was a refreshing change to the snot-monsters noise in my car. The endless coco was good. Very hot. Eventually a minstrel came out and started some interactive Christmas carols. Pretty good. Simultaneously, a balloon guy came out making hats and the sorts for the kids. Then out came the forgetable part, a story teller. Hard to hear, not well versed in the story and choppy in her reading. Alas, Mrs Clause with some very different tasting, highly addictive cookie for everyone, saved the day. The highlight of the adventure was Santa. The staff had his appearance very organized and orderly. Each table had a chance to take photos with the big guy. The most unimaginable gift was given. A wooden train whistle to about 15-20 kids, my own grandkids included. Imagine if you will, about 30 minutes left in the trip with the incessant "tweet-tweet-tweet" penetrating that one nerve that goes from your ears to your feet and makes your spine want jump out of the window. Now, after a engine switch from one end to the other delay, we headed into the depot. We didn't exit the way we got on. We got on the depot side (city side), and exited on the parking lot side. Well that's fine and great. But if you park on the city side, you are blocked by the train with only two ways to get to your vehicle. Oh yes, I said a bunch of nasty, nasty cuss words. You either wait for a full train to disembark and hope they let you walk through, or, you walk around the shortest part of the train and back to the crossing light I mentioned earlier. So that's the trip review. But now to the staff. Man those cats get 5-stars. Friendly, informative and in character. I can't imagin doing that trip 5-6 times a day. They made an otherwise blah trip much, much nicer. This is a one time experience with kids. Maybe, someday, my wife and I will try a romantic trip through hill country or something like that.

Longhorn Caverns is a great place to go to see some natural Texas beauty. Our tour guide Emily was…read moreabsolutely amazing. She is extremely knowledgeable, confident, and has great puns! We lucked out and got her on a walking tour but you can normally find her on the Wild Cave Tours. My wife has severe anxiety, Emily was extremely understanding, helped her stay calm throughout the walking tour, and gave our family an unforgettable experience. I couldn't thank her enough for everything she did. I highly recommend checking out these Caves, and if you have the gumption to get muddy, spring for the Wild Cave Tour. Either way you go, it's a great experience!

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.

They've completely renovated the playground and the splash pad at Brushy Creek Lake Park! The new…read moreequipment is of such high quality, with separate playgrounds for older and younger kids. The splash pad has a dedicated fenced in area for the water fun, and a nice grassy area with tables and seating. Perfect for a picnic! I love taking walks with my daughters along the lake, admiring the views and enjoying the wildlife. If you're adventurous you can rent a canoe or kayak from the boathouse and take it out onto the lake as well. This park is a beautiful place to spend time on a weekend!

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.

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 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.