Living in Dallas there are so many fun towns within driving distance to explore. Some are small, quaint towns with old dance halls and boutiques, others are large metropolises with the big city attractions. For New Years weekend, my boyfriend had a wedding that was scheduled both in the city of San Antonio, and the quiet Hill Country outside of town. We had the best of both worlds!
We walked around downtown, exploring some of the historic landmarks and festivities. Latin music was playing as crowds filled the street, shopping at vendors selling micheladas and gorditas. The micheladas were everywhere, but what are they? I learned it’s a blend of tomato juice, beer and spices – like a bloody mary with beer. Vitamin-enriched alcohol. 
The rehearsal dinner was at the Buckhorn Saloon in downtown San Antonio. Buckhorn dates back to the 1800’s and includes many relics and exhibits related to that time period. Back then, if people couldn’t pay for drinks, the owner would accept animal oddities in exchange for liquor, so the museum today features many of these original items. The most impressive is a 78 point buck mounted behind the bar! In true Texas fashion, the rehearsal dinner was western attire, cowgirl boots and all!
New Years Eve we celebrated with the couples wedding and had a huge dance party. The band was hopping, the drinks were pouring and the streamers were flying. The wedding and reception were in the Hill Country at Lost Mission.
We joined other wedding guests stayed at the beautiful JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort and Spa. We loved it! It’s located approximately 30 minutes outside of downtown San Antonio, and set on a golf course. They had wonderful amenities like pools, restaurants, and walking trails on site – plus festive decorations. And I can’t forget the Starbucks near the lobby that is perfect for enjoying a morning coffee in your slippers. The resort is great for both a family reunion or a romantic weekend getaway. 
On our way back to Dallas we stopped at Lockhart, a small town known as the “BBQ capital of Texas”. They have four main BBQ restaurants. We tried Black’s, a family owned BBQ restaurant for over 80 years. We sampled several different meats and determined their homemade sausage was the winner!
On the way back, we made several pitstops, with my favorite being the San Marcos Outlet Mall! This is not just any outlet mall, but includes some of the best stores that don’t normally have outlet shops. I was able to snag a Tory Burch purse for under $100 in the Tory Burch outlet! If you visit San Antonio or the Hill Country, add a little extra travel time to explore the surrounding area.
Other great destinations nearby:
- The Alamo – the historic landmark in downtown San Antonio from the Texas Revolution
- SeaWorld San Antonio – family fun with rides and animals
- The Riverwalk – stroll along the river, lined with shops and restaurants, in the heart of San Antonio
- Fredericksburg – sip away in the local wine country
- San Marcos Outlet Malls – a premium outlet mall featuring Pottery Barn, Williams-Sonoma, Tory Burch, etc…
- Salt Lick BBQ – knock your socks off with my all-time favorite BBQ joint, nestled in the Hill Country
- Magnolia – (en route to Dallas) a favorite shop made famous from HGTV’s Fixer Upper.
Live your life joyfully so,
Ashley