From pet-friendly hotels to fall festivals and new museum exhibits, there's plenty to do and see on a fun-filled November holiday weekend or staycation. Texans looking for ideas on where to travel can find them here, in our big monthly roundup of the best tips across the state.
Throughout North Texas
Pet owners looking for a pet-friendly hotel for a vacation stay can look to Kimpton Pittman Hotel In city center Dallaswhich allows pets of all kinds and offers many comfortable amenities. The hotel offers pet beds, feeding mats, leashes and courtesy bags for walking guests' four-legged friends. The hotel does not charge a cleaning fee or deposit for pets, has no size or weight limits, or limits the number of pets guests can bring. Rates at the Kimpton Pittman Hotel start at $277 per night.
THE Fort Worth Stockyards annualTexas Country Music Weekend returns for three days of lively performances from 30 talented artists, November 8-10. Scheduled artists include Sunny Sauceda Band, Tanner Sparks, Curtis Grimes and many more. The weekend will end with Texas Country Music Awards held to Billy Bob's Texas November 10 at 6 p.m. Tickets for the awards ceremony start at $30 and can be purchased through axs.com.
In Houston
THE Museum of Fine Arts, Houston is the one and only venue in the United States for a blockbuster exhibition featuring the works of French Post-Impressionist artist Paul Gauguin, currently on display through February 16, 2025. Gauguin in the worldthe retrospective, organized by Henri Loyrette, former director of the Louvre and the Musée d'Orsay, includes more than 150 paintings, sculptures, engravings and writings by the artist. The special exhibit is included with regular museum admission, which ranges from $20 to $24 and is free for children ages 12 and younger.
Gauguin in the World is on display at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston until February 16, 2025.
Photo courtesy of the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston
Texans looking to explore the beauty of Houston in the fall still have time to book a weekend getaway with the Blossom Hotel Houston “Autumn Escape Package”, which runs until November 30. pack offers a 15 percent discount on two-night stays and a 20 percent discount on three-night stays. The hotel will also offer a $40 breakfast credit, vouchers for two free seasonal drinks and late check-out. Nightly rates with the “Autumn Escape” package start at $281.
In the land of hills
October is Texas Wine Month, but November is just as wonderful for visiting Hill Country wineries. Wine lovers will want to make sure to visit award-winning wines William Chris VineyardsIn Hye, Texaswhich was recently ranked among the List of the best wineries in the world for the third consecutive year. There are more than 100 wineries in the Hill Country, and William Chris was the only one to make the 51-100 list. It was one of two American wineries to be selected, the other being Brooks Wine in Oregon. The winery offers a variety of experiences starting at $20 per person and can be booked on its website.
William Chris Vineyards has done it again.
Photo courtesy of William Chris Vineyards
In Austin
If you've ever wanted to attend a Texas-wide book festival, now's your chance: the 29th annual festival Texas Book Festival takes over downtown Austin from November 16 to 17. THE Programming 2024 features more than 250 authors, including New York Times bestselling authors Matthew McConaughey, Malcolm Gladwell, Rumaan Alam and Jay Ellis. The two-day event will also feature book signings, youth and bilingual programs, a Saturday night whirlwind tour, cooking demonstrations, food trucks and more. The Texas Book Festival is free and open to the public.
One of the most renowned fall art events in Austin, the Waterloo Greenway Creek Showwill light up Waller Creek the evenings of November 8 to 16. The annual exhibit encourages attendees to take an interest in the natural elements of downtown Austin, and the pieces usually have something to do with nature or the creek itself. Tickets start at $6 and are exclusively available for purchase via waterloogreenway.org.
At home in San Antonio
THE Briscoe Museum of Western Art celebrates San Antonio's Native American history with the Yanaguana Indian Arts Festival Saturday, November 9, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The free festival features attractions for all ages: live performances by traditional Native American dancers and musicians, an artisan market, workshops, Native storytelling, presentations and more. Entrance to the museum will also be free for the day. RSVP via biscoemuseum.salsalabs.org.
Winter holidays are coming early this year The Westin Riverwalk, San Antonio. The hotel will welcome its Ford River Holiday Parade Experience from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Friday November 29. The evening will begin with a reception-style dinner and cocktails in the hotel lobby, followed by the parade at 6:45 p.m. General admission starts at $95, and the hotel will also offer a “North Pole VIP Room Experience” that includes single room accommodations for two, a VIP reception-style dinner for two, four drink tickets and two reserved seats in the outdoor VIP. viewing area for $650. Tickets can be purchased via Eventbrite.
