Found myself in Bastrop, Texas after dropping my car off for service in South Austin…read more Asked the wife where'd she want to go for breakfast and she replied Bastrop. After breakfast at "Maxine's Cafe" (see review), we walked the downtown area and were in search for a restroom. We found the visitor center museum. The ultra nice people invited us to take the museum tour with a free veterans access. So I paid my $5 for my wife and we took the self guided tour. We read the plaques and history of the city of Bastrop. Then we ran into the guided tour guide. As it was just us, we got a private tour of the museum. There is a lot of history in the state of Texas. Seems like each city has its own unique story. I invite you all to get out and explore this great state. Especially the downtown areas. Don't just drive through, get out and walk. Grab an ice cream and explore this great state. Michael C. - Georgetown l, Tx.

On our first trip to Bastrop, I saw the painted brick wall with directions to the visitor center on…read moreMain. We had no clue what to look for, what to do, so I figured to hell with it, let's go to the visitor's center and see what they suggest. We parked right by the door and when we walked in, this teeny bopper pounced on us and welcomed us in. She was very friendly and asked us where we were from, what we were doing, etc. She suggested a couple of wine tasting events, a couple of restaurants and left us to browse through their pamphlets and brochures. I suddenly had to use the restroom which left the rest of the fam to hang out with said teeny bopper. When I came back, I saw her pop in a video and tell everyone to just go ahead and turn the tv off when the video was finished. I asked, "What's this?" to which I was told, "Shut up and enjoy the video." Wow. Ok. LOL! It was the history of Bastrop. Now, I've lived in and out of Texas pretty much my whole life and had no clue - none whatsoever - that Bastrop was ALMOST the state capital. It was an interesting, yet cheesy video but it fulfilled its purpose. There was a lot of information available (and not just for Bastrop - they had info for a lot of Texas destinations).

An amazing place to hang out while waiting for your double decker bus tour to begin. They have a…read moresmall cafe to get drinks, and snacks for the ride. There is a public restroom which is convenient before and after the tour. It's air conditioned and has comfortable seating along with brochures and magazines about Austin. I would recommend this place.

When friends and family come to visit, I send them here (or I sometimes accompany them)…read more You can get anything here, from gifts and souvenirs to maps and coffee (they have a cafe). Tours are booked in and out of the center as well. A good idea if you only have limited time in Austin and want to see as much as possible. It's truly a welcoming place and a great representation of our city. I also like that there is a large room with comfy seating to rest your weary feet after a day of sightseeing, or to prep for your day of exploration. I can't say enough nice things about this place. It's clean and modern. The staff are so incredibly knowledgeable about everything related to Austin. Super friendly too.

There are definitely reasons why this park is so popular and why the website recommends purchasing…read moreday passes in advance. McKinney Falls is gorgeous! We went for a hike there right after a big storm and the grounds were so green and vibrant. We mostly stuck to the Onion Creek Trail as it is paved; however, the storm brought in mud to a few places on the trail, so be prepared to maneuver or wear proper footwear if you go during rainy season. Many families line up to take pictures in front of the upper falls (outside the Smith visitor center), so go early if you'd like a picture free of other guests. We then went to the lower falls area where there is an expanse of limestone (I believe) to get to the falls. There's a very small beach and swimming hole area that many families were enjoying. It's important to note that dogs can't enter any of the water at this park. The park also had multiple designated fishing areas as well. We drove around the campgrounds and they have well-maintained water + electric sites at every site. We would highly recommend a visit if you're in the Austin area.

I've been here several times and have explored it fairly extensively. The family-friendly trails…read moreare varied enough to keep the day interesting and the time spent at McKinney Falls is never wasted. For those seeking a bit more of a challenge, crossing the river takes more thought to avoid getting your feet wet. I've usually found there are 2-3 paths at the river crossing, being careful not to slip on any rocks. The homestead beyond the crossing can be observed and appreciated, but it's off-limits to help preserve what's left. The backcountry trails total about 6 miles and it's usually just the right length for me to get a solid hike in. There is very little elevation change, though there can be a lot of mosquitos during the warmer months. I didn't find any benches to rest at and there is no water source to refill water bottles. Given that McKinney Falls is within Austin's city limits makes this state park a gem. There is also a large day-use area near the campgrounds with about 100 picnic tables and charcoal grills the last time I counted a few years ago. Parking is plenty and the rangers are friendly. Definitely either get there early or make online reservations to reserve a time slot to enter as the park can fill up fast over weekends or holidays. Their gift shop also has a variety of items for sale, and you can get a park passport stamp there too!

I came to Georgetown last week. Just wanted to spend the day there, sop, walk, and get some Texas…read morefresh air. I stopped at the visitors center to see if I could get more information on Georgetown, which I did. They had several pamphlets about Georgetown, other towns, just interesting things happening around. I did grab a pamphlet on the inner Space Caverns, which I remember someone tell me about that, but I haven't been. Well, I decided I would go when I was done with Georgetown and heading back home. Anyway. The visitors center was nice. It's small, but they had some Georgetown shirts, hats, mugs and post cards. I ended up getting 4 postcards. I believe the post cards were $1.00 each. After taking with the lady there she suggested Marble Falls in the spring as you can see the bluebonnets. And I love that suggestion.

The 'G-town' Georgetown Visitor Center is well-designed, stocked with lots of brochures, flyers of…read moreupcoming events, postcards & other items for sale, plus public bathrooms. Adare & Kendall are informative, friendly & engaging, making this VC a memorable 'stop off' when visiting Georgetown, during your first few visits, bc there's so much to see. Even the Georgetown Public Library, two blocks off 'The Square', has fun arts & crafts exhibits, plus a great little cafe that serves yummy bakery items &/or coffee bevs to fuel your walking or biking adventures. There's no local bus service, but street parking & parking lots nearby, help make 'The Square' easily accessible and walkable! Arrive before 10a & you'll be 'window shopping' because it seems many of G-town's businesses open 10a... that gives you time to enjoy breakfast at one of the many good restaurants.

We have lived in the area for a while now and we just love everything about McKinney Roughs!…read more First and foremost their hiking trails: they have a variety of trails for different levels and the views are spectacular. It's never super crowded, sometimes you may run into for horses if you're on horse-friendly trails and you can hike down to the Colorado River as well. The trails are pretty well maintained and marked. Summer camps: my son (7) has been attending their day summer camps for three years now and absolutely loves them! They are from 9-4 so very friendly for those parents working. There is also a bus that brings kids in from Austin as well. The price can't be beat as well. Each day he comes home telling me about what he learned and got to experience (most times I am jealous- like you got to go kayaking? Make and drink yaupon tea? What- how cool!) The camp counselors are extremely friendly and knowledgeable and treat the kids with kindness and respect. They also have a beautiful facility, overall. The grounds are clean and well-kept. McKinney Roughs is simply the best!

Love this place. I've been here for some events but also just to hike. I love that their trails can…read morehelp you practice some different skills. For instance, I was told by one of their staff that there is significant grading to help with elevation hikes. They are very helpful with any questions you have. Inside the main building where the small gift store is, there's a small nature area with some fish, snakes, fossils, and more. My kiddo loves looking at this section. Their Halloween event, Tricks, Treats, and Trails is also always a big hit with my family. They have a rock wall, paintball, archery, and other things to do. This was our second year and it was great!

We decided that the best way to kick off our walking tour of downtown Brenham was to hit the…read moreVisitor Center... ...we were not disappointed! We caught the gentleman in the midst of opening up for the day. He was very kind and so sincere in his interest to help us maximize our enjoyment while here. He was a pleasure to visit with, and through that conversation he learned what our interests were, what we liked to do, and why we were there. Based on this, he connected us with all of the information we needed to find the shopping points of interest, great BBQ choices for lunch, as well as the bluebonnet driving tour! None of his recommendations disappointed! Great job, sir! We will be back on our next visit to town.

Friendly service and very knowledgable Did the geocaching…read moretrail and enjoyed it!.... A must to do for any Geocacher

I recommend the Toyota tour. They are friendly, efficient, and give a lot of great information…read more There is an area in the visitor center with information and displays that you can browse before and after your tour. This is not a walkijg tour, but some walking is involved to get on the tram and to ride to/from the factory site. We did this tour as a homeschool field trip and our kids also enjoyed it.

This is a fascinating tour. The check in process was easy. There is a place to look around, take…read morephotos, and read about Toyota, prior to the tour. An introduction is given, then you load into a little bus and head over to the plant. Each area was described, stopping multiple times to view the work put in to making the Tundra and Sequoia vehicles. There were automated, driverless delivery vehicles, taking parts to different areas. It was truly amazing to see the large robotic equipment and people working together. One improvement, and a huge missed opportunity, was the lack of a company store. We would have loved to buy a sticker, or shirt, or something, to take home.

I wish I had planned my day better. You could spend the whole day here. We would have packed a…read morepicnic lunch. There is so much to see. Plan on your walking shoes too! It was amazing to explore the townsite and explore the building where the declaration of independence from Mexico was signed. Just walking on the grounds where these visionaries walked was melancholy. The visitor center has a bunch of information. This historical site houses the Star of the Republic Museum, a park, and the Barrington living history farm. We didn't get to see the farm or visit the park. We ran out of time

Got about 8.5k steps in from walking during the visit to this park. Not only that, I got to see and…read morelearn something. Allergies were under control thanks to starting Allegra. It allowed me to enjoy the walk while understanding more about Washington on the Brazos River. Got to see the famous Brazos River and imagine how life was or could have been. Washington, Texas could have been a bustling city like Austin. It was fun seeing the old life acted out in the exact place it happened. It was fun hearing from those playing the various roles all over the park. It's a nice and sacred part of Texas history. One can explore neighboring areas like Navasota or Chappell Hill for dinner. Was hoping to have dinner at Bevers in Chappell Hill but it was closed. It was an easy drive home. Found a new way to get 10k steps in.

Going to see my son on base and had to stop in for a visitors pass. There was social distancing…read morewith seating mask were mandatory. The staff inside where fast professionalism very helpful.

Personnel was polite and professional. Facility was clean. Easy process. Be ready to provide your…read moreID and car registration to obtain a visitor pass.

If you're the type who loves stumbling across weird, hilarious, and totally unnecessary little…read moretreasures, this novelty shop is a goldmine. The place is packed wall-to-wall with quirky gag gifts, retro knickknacks, and offbeat finds you didn't even know you needed--think everything from sarcastic coffee mugs to oddball toys and prank gifts that'll have you cracking up on the spot. The vibe is playful and light, and the staff totally leans into the fun. They're happy to help you pick out something ridiculous for your friend's birthday, or just let you wander and laugh at the shelves for a while. It's one of those spots you stop into "just to look" and somehow walk out with three things you had no intention of buying--but no regrets.

3.5 We decided to…read morestop inside because we were walking by. There are tons of funny books and gifts here. There are also local artists work on the walls for purchase. The staff was nice and greeted us definitely worth a good look at for fun quirky gifts.