Where in the Heart of Texas is Kristen: I Never Thought I’d be Boating in November!

Unless I was on a tropical vacation somewhere I honestly never thought I’d need my bathing suit in November, until this past weekend when we went out on the boat with our friends Kim & Terrence. It was a beautiful, blue-skied, 75-degree day and Lake Travis was calm, quiet and very inviting. The sun was shining and comforting, but not scorching and though the water was a little chilly at first, it was not unbearable. So with plenty of beers, towels, a tube and a wakeboard, we piled on board and headed out in to the welcoming waters.

I was too chicken to wake board but had a great time sitting back with Kim & Terrence’s son’s Brennan and Shea while Terrence, Kim and Jeff all had a go at it. Kim’s face plant was by far the most impressive (sorry Kim, I couldn’t resist), but I also think she beat out both the guys with the longest run. Everyone looked great out there and was a lot of fun to watch though. After they each had their time to show off we threw in the anchor and just chilled out in the nice warm sun. There’s just no way that you can complain about relaxing on the open water with friends and a cold beer in your hand. There was the one catastrophe with the dirty wine and sunscreen all over everything, but other then that, it really was a perfect day.

Located in northwest Austin, Lake Travis is one of the prettiest spots I’ve seen in Austin so far. The winding roads that approach it and the massive, beautiful homes add a lot of character to the area and make it feel like you’ve entered a resort town. There are many marinas and restaurants in the area and in the warmer months the area is jam packed with boaters, swimmers, fishers and partiers. And with the Blu Parrot bar and Volente Beach water Park side by side, there is entertainment for all ages. If you’re not up for a boat ride and just want to check out the scene, The Oasis and Carlos’n Charlie’s have great views and a nice atmosphere. I prefer Carlos’n Charlie’s for the food, but the Oasis is great for sipping a margarita while overlooking the lake. And with multiple levels of tiered outdoor patios you’re guaranteed a great view from pretty much anywhere that you sit. There are a few other restaurants in the area, but I have not visited them yet. The area is also developing very quickly and will have even more hot spots in the future.

I know I will be up there many more times and hope to spend time at Pace Bend Park as well (we attempted to go once and was detoured by not just a bike race, but a major collision), so please stay tuned for more stories. The one spot I know I can say I won’t mind avoiding is Hippie Hollow where clothing is optional – need I say more…

Please enjoy some pictures from the day: