Classic Car Collection

Texas tourism Fun Belt welcomes a new attraction! Stunning vehicles from the early 20th century will be on display in San Marcos beginning this weekend. Dick's Classic Garage opens Saturday, and more than 60 cars will be on display.

According to the City of San Marcos Web site, the collection includes a 1948 Tucker, one of just 51 cars built by Preston Tucker. In addition, the collection features a 1929 Duesenberg made for the president of Coca-Cola. This blogger wants to drive the 1938 Oldsmobile with hydramatic drive.

Dick's Classic Garage is located at 120 Stagecoach Trail.

Bats And Purple Martins

Texas tourism fun and nature tip -- Austin is THE FunBelt town for bird watchers, two huge flocks. Most famous are the one million bats living under the Congress Avenue Bridge. Both bats and purple martins help us keep mosquitoes under control.

A Texas Nude Ranch

Texas tourism tip for naturalists: Riverside Ranch is a clothing optional resort located in our Texas Tourism District fifteen miles south of San Antonio. Their 22 acres of beautiful grounds is situated on the San Antonio River and offers primitive or luxury campsites to the road weary nudist traveler. Accommodations rang from motel rooms to RV trailer rentals to mobile home lots for long term residency. Riverside Ranch is a clothing optional RV/mobile home park.

Nude Recreation Week

Some of the Alamo City's own will put on their best birthday suits in an effort to help the American Association for Nude Recreation set a record for most simultaneous skinny-dippers.

Nude Recreation Week runs July 5-11 and the Guinness World Records organization has created a new category for the largest number of people simultaneously skinny-dipping. "Skinny-Dip across North America" will take place at more than 100 participating clubs and legally sanctioned nude beaches across the U.S. at 2 p.m. on July 11.

Among them will be San Antonio's own Bexar Recreation Society. For you non-Texans, Bexar County is where San Antonio is located --and 'Bexar' is pronounced 'bear".

Canyon Of Eagles Resort

A Hidden Jewel of the Texas Tourism District - Canyon of the Eagles Lodge and Nature Park. Acres of serenity deep in the heart of Central Texas just outside of Burnet Texas. This Hill Country resort contains everything for your outdoor Texas vacation.

Located at north end of Texas FunBelt includes camping and RV parking areas, 14 miles of nature trails, five mile recreation area open to canoeing and kayaking. If you prefer less strenuous activities they have an observatory where you can watch the skies, or access to the famed Vanishing Texas River Cruises to look for the eagles.

Latino Music Exhibit

Texas FunBelt Touring museum exhibit developed by the Experience Music Project/Science Fiction Museum and Hall of Fame and the University of Washington and celebrating the contributions of Latinos to American popular music. In San Antonio at Museo Alameda.

"American Sabor" focuses on the distinctive sounds of five cities — New York, Los Angeles, Miami, San Francisco and San Antonio. Interactive listening booths, oral histories and display cases, as well as an extensive film, video and photograph collection offer a taste of the distinct regional musical flavors.

Sky Dive San Marcos

Texas tourism hot weather fun tip: parachuting at the No. 1 skydiving center in the Texas Tourism District for the past 25 years. The closest drop zone to Austin and San Antonio and the ONLY skydiving facility for 100 miles that operates a fast turbine powered TWIN engine aircraft. So why waste your time and money going to another drop zone for your tandem skydive experience, when the folks are just 10 minutes drive from junction 205 on the I-35 at San Marcos?

Whether your goal is to skydive once in your life or to become an experienced jumper - Skydive San Marcos is the place to start. This blogger highly (sic.) recommends SSM as a great way to cool down, follow up by tubing on the San Marcos River.

Tubers Enjoy Flow

Texas tourism fun tip: The flow of the Guadalupe River more than doubled from about 60 cubic feet per second to 133 cfs as of Friday evening after the city of Victoria requested more water be released from Canyon Lake on Tuesday. Like many cities downstream, Victoria relies on the Guadalupe as its primary water source, and can request additional water in times of extreme drought.

Tourists streamed in to enjoy the river’s faster flow Friday.

Tea Party Fireworks

Across the USA there will be Independence Weekend taxpayer protest rallies. The Texas Fun Belt has two 4th of July tax protests: San Antonio and Austin.

Joe the Plumber spoke today in Austin to kick off their Tea Party event.

4th In Austin

Texas fun holiday --This blogger chooses Austin as the place to be in the Texas Fun Belt on Independence day. The fireworks display behind the Austin symphony is an event to behold. All sponsored by the best grocery stores in Texas, HEB. In addition, the again is the list of Austin area 4th of July community events, best in Texas.

4th In San Antonio

Texas fun holiday in the Alamo City, high on the list of Independence Day celebrations in the Lone Star State is a day at Woodlawn Lake Park with an outstanding fireworks display.

NB Skateboard Park

Texas tourism fun at the newest FunBelt attraction. Above you can see the layout for the New Braunfels Skateboard Park.

Frontier Days Celebration

Texas tourism fun holiday: how about parade, jalapeno pepper contest, children’s games, washers tournament, Sam Bass Shootout and FREE fireworks are all part of the City of Round Rock’s July 4 Frontier Days Celebration.

4th - FunBelt Roundup

Texas tourism fun holiday list of twenty Independence Day celebrations --most are FREE-- being staged on the Austin side of the Texas FunBelt.

4th In San Marcos

Texas tourism fun holiday: Freedom - Patriotism Independence!!! The City of San Marcos is hosting its 29th annual SummerFest. This FREE event will feature live entertainment, food booths, children’s activities, childrens parade, a patriotic program and a fireworks exhibition begins at 9:30 p.m. Musical entertainment will continue until 11:00 p.m.

SummerFest is an alcohol free event. Coolers are subject to inspection.

"Liberty Bell" In FunBelt

Texas tourism fun holiday: David and Phyllis Hall of Keller, Texas are proud owners of the only traveling Liberty Bell replica in the nation. On July 4th, the bell will make its way through downtown New Braunfels during the city's annual Independence Day celebration before making a stop at the Alamo.

Unlike the original Liberty Bell, the Halls’ replica can be touched and rang by all who would like to get a closer look at a piece of U.S. history.

US Cities Cancel 4th

Texas tourism Fun Belt news: the economy has rained down on several annual fireworks displays across the USA --but not in our Texas Tourism District. Just check out this super list of Independence Weekend celebrations happening in the Texas Hill Country.

Splashtown San Antonio

Texas tourism fun stop -- twenty acres of water park waiting for your family. Over 50 Rides & Attractions, FREE Life Jackets, Covered Public Picnic Area, Restaurant & Concessions, Dive-In Movies....

4th In Cedar Park

Texas Tourism Holiday event: Come celebrate with Cedar Park --north end of FunBelt-- and enjoy a dance with live music, food concessions, air castles, face painting, sack races, a washer tournament, art projects, and enjoy free watermelon and fireworks display.

4th Of July Pet Parade

Texas tourism fun holiday starting at 10:00 a.m. at Bandera City Park with their annual Pet Parade. All pets from horses to turtles to dogs, birds, cats, etc. are welcome. No fee. Registration begins at 9:00 AM; judging at 9:30 AM. Pet treats provided. Human refreshments available for sale.

Also in Bandera on July 4th: Parade & BBQ festival, Market Day, Cowboys on Main, Farmer's Market, Live Music: Zach Edwards, Flea Market, Old Fashioned Church Social, Rodeo at BR Lightning Ranch...

Bandera, Texas is the Cowboy Capitol of the World ... famous for hospitable dude ranches.

FunBelt Drought Report

Texas tourism update: the ongoing drought has become a very serious affair. This isn’t one of those annoying dry spells we expect every few years. According to Texas A&M Professor Steve Quiring, during 2008 the drought across the Texas Tourism District was the worst since 1917-18.

4th In Seguin

Texas tourism fun tip: the Biggest Small-town 4th of July Parade in Texas.

Crowds of flag-waving people, estimated at over 10,000, line the streets of historic downtown Seguin every year for the annual 4th of July celebration. No one knows for sure how long this event has been held…perhaps since 1838 when Seguin was founded on the banks of Walnut Creek!

Theme Park Injuries

Texas tourism warning: If you’re visiting one of San Antonio’s theme parks this year, you’d probably want to know why 14-year-old Hailey Kuhn fell off a rollercoaster platform and was paralyzed at Six Flags Fiesta Texas. Or how Chelsea McKay, 11, broke her ankles going down a water slide at Splashtown. Or that Sarah Perry, 34, claimed the brakes went out in her go-kart at Malibu Grand Prix, causing her to ram a metal pole.

But these cases of broken bones and trauma went unreported to state officials — despite a Texas law requiring ride owners to disclose serious injuries that are associated in any way with a ride.

The San Antonio Express-News discovered the unreported injuries during a three-month investigation. The newspaper examined the safety record of theme parks and carnivals in Texas that annually draw millions of FunBelt visitors.

4th In Georgetown

Texas tourism fun event at the far north end of the Texas FunBelt. The 25th Annual 4th of July celebration in San Gabriel Park --on the beautiful San Gabriel River-- runs from 11:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m., sponsored by the Georgetown Sertoma Club. Entertainment will be provided for the entire family throughout the day and finish with a “Spectacular Fireworks Finale” at dark.

This festival has grown into one of the largest family events in the Texas Tourism District and attracts over 50,000 visitors. Admission is FREE.

Street Fair & Market

Texas tourism shopping in San Antonio: a FREE one-day event that offers families a place to come together and have fun. The event takes place on the last Saturday of each month, from Noon to 6 pm.

Houston Street Fair & Market provides an outlet for San Antonian’s to promote their products and businesses, as well as give residents and visitors alike a reason to come downtown monthly.