By James Wong

Published August 16, 2021

We all have that ‘about town’ friend who seems to discover all the cool new digs before anyone else. You know, the one who’s social media is basically your Austin bucket list. The one who you secretly want to be when you grow up… wait, newsflash, you’re already grown up. Yikes.

But sweat you shall not (inside, at least), there’s still time to claim that coveted ‘about town’ crown. To throw you a bone, we’ve rounded up 10 of Austin’s most exciting fall openings, each so shiny and new that we don’t even know the menu details yet—but we do know that local foodies are already salivating over them, so the high hopes are flying. You have until the end of the summer to cash out those Olive Garden and Cheesecake Factory gift cards, champ, because come fall, you’re bound to be a bonafide culinary trendsetter.

By Wayne Alan Brenner

Published August 11, 2021

Dripping Springs Distillery (out in guess where) is having a party to inaugurate their new (gorgeous) Distillers Hall and Visitor Center venues. That’s on Saturday, Aug. 21 – and there’s no ticket required to attend, and the day’s Hill Country beauty will be enhanced with a bevy of burros carrying free boozy popsicles(!), old-style high-fashion portraits from Vogue Vignette, and more cool photo opps than you can shake an Instagram at …

By Olivia Aldridge

Published July 31, 2021

Dripping Springs Distilling will expand this summer with the opening of the Visitor Center and Distillers Hall, both located on the distillery’s 10-acre property. The bar and restaurant will serve craft cocktails and “elevated comfort food.” Distillers Hall will host weddings and events of up to 200 guests. 5330 Bell Springs Road, Dripping Springs. 512-858-1199. www.drippingspringsdistilling.com

VISIT DRIPPING SPRINGS, TEXAS – A PREMIER DESTINATION FOR CRAFT DISTILLING.

Are you looking to get a little spirited in the Dripping Springs area? Perhaps you’d like to sip on a fresh, hand crafted, locally made cocktail? Visit Dripping Springs and Driftwood to discover the finest artisanal whiskeys, vodkas, gins, liqueurs, and rums made from fresh ingredients and Hill Country water.

The Hill Country is known for craft beer and Texas wines, but the dripping Springs area is home to 9 distilleries that embody the creative ingenuity of the region made with hand-selected ingredients producing high quality spirits. If you love sampling the finer vodkas, whiskeys, and more, you need to make these distilleries a part of your next Dripping Springs adventure.

With more than 268,000 square miles, Texas offers lots of room to roam. Seven different regions mean diverse topography abound, including rolling hills, grasslands, and natural springs in beloved Hill Country; vast canyons and desert mountains in the Big Bend area; hundreds of miles of coastline, as well as estuaries and barrier islands on the Gulf Coast; and towering pine forests that mingle with swamps in the Piney Woods.

Throughout the state, small-town life still largely exists between buzzing metropolises. And though compact, these picture-perfect small towns pack in big-time appeal, with festivals, great hiking, wineries, art installations, historic edifices, and stunning beauty everywhere you turn. Here are eight of the best small towns in Texas.