5 Great Places to Visit this Holiday Season to Create Family Memories
Here’s a question I want to ask you as you head into this holiday season, what are your children and family going to remember most? Will it be the toys, or how the house is decorated, or your family Christmas photo, or will it be something else? Sure, all those things matter and help to make Christmas special, but I can tell you as a father of four adult grown children, the things they will remember most are the MOMENTS you spent together. It truly is about the moments and the quality time.
Recently, I was talking with my oldest son Bret who is 29 now. I asked him the question, “when you look back on our lives together and everything we have done, what do you remember most?” His answer was our time together each summer on vacation with our families in North Carolina, our times celebrating Christmas at the grandparents houses, and doing things like the Trail of Lights in Austin. It’s the times we went from RUSHED to RICH and REWARDING is what he remembered. People remember moments and the crazy thing is, there are incredible places right here in Central Texas that will allow you to slow down and create incredible memories with your family. Here are 5 places you can visit, all within a couple of hours, to create incredible memories with your loved ones and family:
1. Fredericksburg. There are many amazing things to do in Fredericksburg at Christmas. From taking a stroll through downtown to admire the holiday decor and Christmas lights, to visiting the beautiful wooden German Christmas pyramid, to attending the famous Light the Night Christmas parade on Main Street. Overall Fredericksburg is the perfect place to spend a festive holiday visit with your loved ones.
2. New Braunfels/Gruene. Only about 75 minutes from Austin, they do an incredible job of creating moments at Christmas. I suggest visiting the Weihnachtsmarkt market, the Gruene Dance Hall twinkle, and the Pony Express Rides. The most popular event though is a photo with Cowboy Kringle, a Texan Santa Claus wearing a hat and boots! Your kids will love this and it adds significantly to the holiday cheer.
3. Johnson City. It might be the best place to spend Christmas in the Texas Hill Country because of its rich history. Here you will find traditional Christmas celebrations including a large Christmas tree, nativity scenes, carriage rides, and hayrides, Christmas parades, holiday lights, and Grinchmas! The Pedernales Electric Cooperative Headquarters also offers a fascinating light display, making Johnson City one of the best Texas Christmas towns to visit.
4. Marble Falls. Less than an hour from Austin, Marble Falls is renowned for its scenic beauty, especially around the Christmas season. The town comes alive with lights and decorations, and the air is filled with the smell of fresh pine. The highlight is the Walkway of Lights in Lakeside Park on the shores of Lake Marble Falls.
5. Downtown Austin. Let’s not overlook all the incredible things we can do right in our backyard. Austin actually has several incredible places you can visit to create memories with your family. The most famous Austin Christmas tradition is the Holiday Trail of Lights at Zilker Park which runs from December 8-23. Our family goes every year and then eats downtown at a local restaurant. I would suggest getting the Zip Passes for early entry and premium parking! Trust me on this one as you don’t want your memories to be of a parking fiasco and hour walk. I’d also suggest visiting the Peppermint Parkway at The Circuit of the Americas. Visiting the Christmas tree in front of the Texas State Capitol is also a memorable experience.
This holiday season, Renovate Church wants to help you build rich and rewarding family traditions that will allow you to experience your very best Christmas. For more information about Renovate Church visit our website at renovatechurch.com, download our app at RenovateATX, or visit us or watch a Sunday morning service.
Thrill of Hope Christmas Eve service.
We’d also love to have you attend our Thrill of Hope Christmas Eve service at 5:00 p.m. located at 1615 Scottsdale Drive, Suite 200D, Cedar Park, Texas, 78641. Doors will open at 4:30 p.m. for food and fellowship with the service following.
