More to Texas than meets the eye

While there was no shortage of warm weather, cactus and southwestern dishes on my recent journey to Texas, there’s a lot more to the Lone Star State for travellers to take in.

I took note of this during the first of several visits to San Antonio’s River Walk. Built along several miles of the San Antonio River spanning the heart of the city, walking the paths and bridges made it feel like we were in Venice at times, particularly in the downtown area where shops, restaurants and hotels line the banks, accessible by the network of paths or by taking one of the local water taxis that traverse the waterways.

While I had previously seen photos of this particular feature of San Antonio, it’s not until you visit the River Walk in person that you can fully appreciate the juxtaposition of European aesthetic in the heart of the U.S. southwest.

The surprises continued as we travelled north to Fredericksburg, a small town of 12,000 at the heart of the state’s wine industry. Don’t get me wrong, I love a good steak as much as Tex-Mex dining, but it was a nice surprise to be sampling an array of reds and whites paired with gourmet cheeses, in addition to more traditional fare.

And at the end of each day, it was a treat to unwind in the luxury of both San Antonio’s Hyatt Hills Resort & Spa (a property just outside of the city, but feeling worlds away) and the Wine Country Estates of Fredericksburg, where an individual luxury cabin just off the main road awaited this weary writer after a day of exploring – and constant surprises.

Click the following linkes to catch up on PAX's week-long journey:

On location in San Antonio - Click here 

On location in San Antonio - Day 2 - Click here

Travelling through time in Texas - Click here

Wining & dining in the Lone Star State - Click here