Best places to fly to in Texas

Johnmgarr

Filing Flight Plan
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John
Bay City Municipal Airport (KBYY)
This is a great place to fly. FBO is very friendly, they literally roll out the red carpet for their patrons. Competitive fuel prices, courtesy car, refreshments, a clean restroom and pilot lounge.
There are many outfitters to choose from if you want to go fishing or hunting.
The town square offers a market day I think on the 3rd or 4 th Saturday each month. So in a nutshell there is a lot to do in Matagorda County and the FBO will do what they can to make arrangements fo those flying in to the airport.
The wife and I place this destination in the top 5 places to travel.
 
Cool -- thanks for the head's up! We're always looking for new places to fly within an hour or two of the island, and that's right in the sweet spot.
 
The wife and I went to Houston Southwest today to pick up a few things from the pilot shop and she was saying how much more she liked it than Pearland Regional. Clean restrooms, and bottled water. Overall a nice FBO.

I am more interested in a runway without a cross wind but I like the nice stuff to :wink2:.
 
I enjoyed a fuel stop and GREAT Texas omelette at LFK (Angelena County) in Lufkin.
 
Obviously Port Aransas on Mustang Island (KRAS) is THE coolest place to fly in Texas. However, since we LIVE here, that's out of the question for us. :lol:

For two years we have explored up and down the Texas gulf coast, and have hit most of the airports within 60 miles of the water. One place we had only briefly explored was Houston, so we knew we wanted to give that enormous city a few days this time around.

We flew into Ellington Field, and had a great getaway. The airport is very nice, with a mix of civilian and military traffic that isn't overly busy. Houston Center was, as usual, a cluster-f*ck, vectoring us almost to Galveston before turning us in toward the airport, but that's been the norm every time we've flown into Houston.

We rented a car and toured the Johnson Space Center one day. It's a terrific, if sorta melancholy place to visit. If you grew up with the space program as I did, it's an absolute must-see -- but without the shuttle it is now very much a facility without a mission.

The next day we toured the San Jacinto Battlefield, and the Battleship Texas. For the history buff, these two "monuments" are heaven, with enough meat to keep you busy all day. And, of course, the San Jacinto monument is absolutely stunning, taller than the Washington monument, but with a big Texas star at the very top.

We stayed in Kemah, which is a fun little tourist trap right on Galveston Bay. It's like a Coney Island, with a boardwalk, permanent rides (roller coaster, etc.), and lots of places to eat and drink. It's probably more suited to families with little kids, but we enjoyed ourselves nonetheless.

Then, we flew to New Braunfels, where we stayed at the historic Faust Hotel. Built in the '20s, this place is a lot of fun -- and (most importantly) is attached to the Faust Brewery. To be able to listen to live music while sampling their beers -- and then just toddle upstairs at the end of the evening -- was great!

And, of course, New Braunfels itself rocks. This old German settlement is chock-full of great restaurants, bars, and wineries. While we were there, we contracted with a local winery to make a special batch of "Amelia's Landing White Zinfandel", which should be ready for pickup in another 30 days or so. Best of all, since it's illegal for us to sell it, we'll just have to give the bottles away... :D

Texas is a "target rich environment" for GA traveling, that's for sure. Great weather, and great places to visit!
 
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Wow Jay, sounds like you really get around! I wish I could fly more...maybe this summer I'll fly more. Did you know that some of the rides at Kemah were Astro World attractions? I too am a child of the space program, hate to see NASA on hold. I am however excited about the recent private launch. Space GA?
Have you ever flown to Fredericksberg? They have an old army barracks converted into a WW 2 theme hotel. The town also has a brewery.
Enjoy the wine. JG.
 
KRAS mustang beach is our favorite destination from the Austin area
 
Destination wise, I'd go to the coast (beach season...). Airport/flying wise, I couldn't tell you...I've only flown to El Paso :)
 
I need to get down to KRAS, but 11R (Brenham) and T82 (Fredericksburg) are 2 of my favorite spots for lunch. KSOA (Sonora) also has a good place to eat within walking distance of the airport. KSEP (Stephenville) has great BBQ at the Hard-8 (within walking distance)
KAQO (Llano) has coopers BBQ, where you take the blue airport van to eat. Coopers is REAL Texas pit BBQ.


.....notice a common theme with my destinations? What can I say, I like to eat.
 
For me it's as much about the journey as the destination but for my beautiful bride it's definitely more about the destination. Near the very top of the list for us is T82. No question, stay at the Hangar Hotel. It is like stepping back to the WWII era but not like some "restored" version, it's all brand new, just like it would have been back in 1943. Quite amazing. The town is remarkable. It has some of my wife's favorite shopping and the restaurant choices are first class. It's right in the heart of the Texas Hill Country and a visit to the wineries is an absolute must. It is the home of Admiral Chester Nimitz so for you history buffs, don't miss the Nimitz museum.

Suggested plan: arrive on a Friday afternoon and taxi right up to the hotel. Arrange a rental car through the hotel. Enjoy the nightlife at one of the winery restaurants, a traditional German bier garden, or go over to Hondo's on Main for a dose of real Texas blues and dancing. Shop on Main on Saturday with a visit to some of the wineries thrown in during the day. Take your time and enjoy it slowly. Don't worry if you don't see it all because I guarantee that you'll be back.
 
For me it's as much about the journey as the destination but for my beautiful bride it's definitely more about the destination. Near the very top of the list for us is T82. No question, stay at the Hangar Hotel. It is like stepping back to the WWII era but not like some "restored" version, it's all brand new, just like it would have been back in 1943. Quite amazing. The town is remarkable. It has some of my wife's favorite shopping and the restaurant choices are first class. It's right in the heart of the Texas Hill Country and a visit to the wineries is an absolute must. It is the home of Admiral Chester Nimitz so for you history buffs, don't miss the Nimitz museum.

Suggested plan: arrive on a Friday afternoon and taxi right up to the hotel. Arrange a rental car through the hotel. Enjoy the nightlife at one of the winery restaurants, a traditional German bier garden, or go over to Hondo's on Main for a dose of real Texas blues and dancing. Shop on Main on Saturday with a visit to some of the wineries thrown in during the day. Take your time and enjoy it slowly. Don't worry if you don't see it all because I guarantee that you'll be back.

Colorado Pilots Assoc dd a flyin to Fredricksburg a couple weeks ago, everyone was wowed by the place, the museum, the hotel.

My favorite place to fly in Texas? New Mexico.

I spent 11 years there, 7 doing time in Houston (thank god I only spent 2 summers out of the 11 there) and family is in Dallas.
 
Colorado Pilots Assoc dd a flyin to Fredricksburg a couple weeks ago, everyone was wowed by the place, the museum, the hotel.

My favorite place to fly in Texas? New Mexico.

I spent 11 years there, 7 doing time in Houston (thank god I only spent 2 summers out of the 11 there) and family is in Dallas.

There seems to be a common theme among escapees here...:rofl:
 
I'm from Houston. Out of the airports I've flown to:
KBYY was nice but not much to do around there.

Galveston - KGLS has an air museum at the airport. They will be moving to Ellington - KEFD in the next couple of years.

Port Aransas - KRAS is as nice as everyone says. We go once per year.

McCampbell - KTFP is across the bay from Port Aransas. They'll loan you a crew car and you can be at the USS Lexington or Texas aquarium in 15 minutes.

Fredericksburg - T82 is also as nice as everyone says. My wife loved this place because there is endless shopping. Visit Wildseed Farms if you go.

Brenham - 11R has a 50's themed diner. Lots of classic cars were there last time I went.

Bryan - KCFD. There's a winery and resort just down the street. Of course you can't drink then fly but it's a nice place to tour or stay overnight.

Lake Charles - KCFW. For the gamblers. Not Texas but it's real close. Millionair is a nice FBO with nice crew cars.

Hobby - KHOU is a GA friendly Class B airport. The 1940's terminal museum is there.
 
Colorado Pilots Assoc dd a flyin to Fredricksburg a couple weeks ago, everyone was wowed by the place, the museum, the hotel.

My favorite place to fly in Texas? New Mexico.

I spent 11 years there, 7 doing time in Houston (thank god I only spent 2 summers out of the 11 there) and family is in Dallas.
Don't ever call me a Texan ever again!:D
 
For me it's as much about the journey as the destination but for my beautiful bride it's definitely more about the destination. Near the very top of the list for us is T82. No question, stay at the Hangar Hotel. It is like stepping back to the WWII era but not like some "restored" version, it's all brand new, just like it would have been back in 1943. Quite amazing. The town is remarkable. It has some of my wife's favorite shopping and the restaurant choices are first class. It's right in the heart of the Texas Hill Country and a visit to the wineries is an absolute must. It is the home of Admiral Chester Nimitz so for you history buffs, don't miss the Nimitz museum.

Suggested plan: arrive on a Friday afternoon and taxi right up to the hotel. Arrange a rental car through the hotel. Enjoy the nightlife at one of the winery restaurants, a traditional German bier garden, or go over to Hondo's on Main for a dose of real Texas blues and dancing. Shop on Main on Saturday with a visit to some of the wineries thrown in during the day. Take your time and enjoy it slowly. Don't worry if you don't see it all because I guarantee that you'll be back.

I will "second" that recommendation, with two very important caveats:

1. Don't bring your family. They only have single-bed rooms.

2. Don't arrive during the week. The hotel's bar/restaurant is closed Sunday - Thursday.


We made the mistake of doing both, and had an extremely difficult time.
 
There seems to be a common theme among escapees here...:rofl:

Living in-land in Texas must be like living on the surface of Mercury in summer.

This is a "very good thing" for us, since they all flee to our island hotel to escape the heat... :D
 
Living in-land in Texas must be like living on the surface of Mercury in summer.

This is a "very good thing" for us, since they all flee to our island hotel to escape the heat... :D

and escape into the sweltering miasma that is the Gulf of Mexico in the summer? Puhleease...:rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl:

I spent far too many years working out of Pelican Island, Port Aransas, Corpus, Brownsville, and back the other direction to Baptiste Collette to buy into that sales call. When I come visit, it'll be February. ;)
 
Everybody wants to rag on Texas, but that's ok - if it does not work for you, do please stik to what you like.

As for me, couple of other suggestions:

Float the Frio at Leakey - fly into 49R (Real County);
Spend time at Cibolo Creek Ranch, south of Marfa ( www.CiboloCreekRanch.com ). The airstrip is outstanding, the food, magnificent, the surroundings, sublime. At $450.00 per night, it's a steal.

We love Fredericksburg so much, we bought property there. Jay is right, the Diner is closed during the week, so be sure to arrange a car with Beverly at the FBO (good service!). While there, for food, try Hilltop Cafe, or Crossroads for steaks.
 
and escape into the sweltering miasma that is the Gulf of Mexico in the summer? Puhleease...:rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl:

I spent far too many years working out of Pelican Island, Port Aransas, Corpus, Brownsville, and back the other direction to Baptiste Collette to buy into that sales call. When I come visit, it'll be February. ;)

Oh, absolutely! The best time of year here is October/November, or March/April. The weather is as close to heavenly perfect as anything I've ever seen, and you can walk five miles on the beach and see nary a soul.

And, actually, I like December/January. The air conditioners are actually turned off at night! :lol:

But if you want to party? The time is now through Labor Day. This place is truly a happening island for the next 100 days.

Edit: The "sweltering" gulf means that we are always 20 degrees cooler than the mainland. Compared to, oh, name ANYTHING more than ten miles from shore, this island is heaven!
 
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and escape into the sweltering miasma that is the Gulf of Mexico in the summer? Puhleease...:rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl:

I spent far too many years working out of Pelican Island, Port Aransas, Corpus, Brownsville, and back the other direction to Baptiste Collette to buy into that sales call. When I come visit, it'll be February. ;)

Those were garden spots (well, maybe not Brownsville). Freeport, Fourchon, Venice, Morgan City, and god f'n forbid Port Arthur. Now there are places with no excuse for existence.

About December to late Feb are the only normally acceptable times to visit most parts of Texas. Having spent a summer (long ago) in Odessalation, I'm am somewhat tolerant of the conditions...
 
and escape into the sweltering miasma that is the Gulf of Mexico in the summer? Puhleease...:rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl:

Yeah, was at Corpus for a tour....I remember being dripping wet by the time I walked out to the helo, and the condensate whirls off the blades when you pulled pitch to take off....beautiful country, but the humidity is deadly.
 
Port arthur exists to refine your gasoline. All those refineries sprung up after Spindletop. A very significant fraction of US gasoline and petrochemicals passes through there.

And it's a freakin armpit.
 
One things was made very apparent to me, the first time I flew here: Texas is bigger than most countries. Over half of our flight back to Iowa is over Texas!

If you find the Southern parts too hot in summer, you can go North. Or to the Hill Country. Or to the mountains. Or to the ocean.

You simply cannot characterize Texas. It is everything for everyone, one way or another. Texas -- and our island, in particular -- is a little piece of heaven, and I am SO glad to live here!
 
A couple of people have mentioned Fredericksburg (T82); it often gets mentioned for its on-field hotel and restaurant. Jay complained about his experience at the hotel...for anyone concerned about that, remember that _most_ people who visit Fredericksburg do so for reasons other than aviation and never go near the airport. A short cab ride into town gives you access to all the amenities the town has to offer, including plenty of other lodging choices. The original Nimitz museum has grown to become the National Museum of the Pacific War, and it is an amazing place to visit. Much of the rest of the town is "touristy", but there's still plenty of good German food (and beer!). If you rent a car, touring the nearby Hill Country can also be fun. Enchanted Rock is only a half-hour away, for instance. F-burg's a nice place to take your SO for a weekend getaway.

Boerne (5C1) is another nice place to visit for a weekend, but there's not as much to do in town, so keep it in mind if you're just looking to get away and relax. San Antonio is within easy driving distance of Boerne...but if you want to visit SA, just fly into Stinson (KSSF) and rent a car. The airport is right on the mission trail, so you can start your sightseeing immediately!

If you're in the eastern part of the state, consider Woodville (09R), especially if you have younger kids. Heritage Village and The Pickett House Restaurant is open 360 days a year, and if you call 'em they'll send someone to the airport to pick you up.

In the SE part of the state, Angleton/Lake Jackson ("Texas Gulf Coast Regional") airport (KLBX) has a great on-field restaurant, The Crosswind Cafe. Fresh ingredients and fair prices (for an on-field place) and great homemade pies (baked fresh daily, they'll be long gone if you show up for a late supper!) make this a frequent evening weekday flight for me, though I haven't been in a couple of months. Call ahead, though, as their hours are somewhat odd.

Galveston was mentioned before for the Lone Star Flight Museum. This is one of the best aviation museums in the southern part of the country...many of their planes are kept in (or are being restored to) flyable condition, including a B-17. Also nearby is Moody Gardens, which has attractions for all ages, but can get kinda pricey if you try to hit several of them, especially as a family. There are a couple of restaurant options at MG even if you don't buy admission to the attractions. Schlitterbahn also has a location in Galveston adjacent to the field. All 3 places are within walking distance, but the FBO also will chauffeur you around in their golf carts, or you can call a cab or rent a car to get into town.

Near Dallas, Stephenville has the Hard 8 BBQ. It's not on-field, but they keep golf carts near the FBO that you can drive a short distance to the restaurant. This is a very popular destination for Dallas pilots, though, so don't count on the carts; it's not a bad walk if you have to do that, though there's little shade so it might get unpleasant at lunchtime in the summer.
 
Everybody wants to rag on Texas, but that's ok - if it does not work for you, do please stik to what you like.

As for me, couple of other suggestions:

Float the Frio at Leakey - fly into 49R (Real County);
Spend time at Cibolo Creek Ranch, south of Marfa ( www.CiboloCreekRanch.com ). The airstrip is outstanding, the food, magnificent, the surroundings, sublime. At $450.00 per night, it's a steal.

Is that quote correct? Were you on a hunting trip or is this their room rate? Went to the link but didn't see pricing.
 
Don't forget Terlingua Ranch (1E2).

http://terlinguaranch.com/

Rustic cabins & dirt runway.
WE STRONGLY RECOMMEND LANDING 20 AND TAKEOFF 02 AS THE STRIP HAS A MARKED UP-SLOPE TO THE SOUTHWEST AND RISING TERRAIN. AIRSTRIP IS 180 DEGREES FROM FT. STOCKTON VOR 100 N.M.; 140 DEGREES FROM MARFA VOR 68 N.M..

No fuel on the field - nearst fuel stop is in Alpine.
 
A couple of people have mentioned Fredericksburg (T82); it often gets mentioned for its on-field hotel and restaurant. Jay complained about his experience at the hotel...for anyone concerned about that, remember that _most_ people who visit Fredericksburg do so for reasons other than aviation and never go near the airport.

Just to clarify, our problems with the Hangar Hotel had nothing to do with aviation, it's theme, or location. It's a really, really cool property, but you must work around the fact that they are essentially shut down Sunday - Thursday, and that they only have rooms with single beds in them, making traveling with a family difficult.

Go there as a couple, on the weekend, and it's fabulous, I'm sure!
 
Is that quote correct? Were you on a hunting trip or is this their room rate? Went to the link but didn't see pricing.

For $450/night, I would expect more than just a room. I hope that price included a day of hunting, and a few meals!
 
Is that quote correct? Were you on a hunting trip or is this their room rate? Went to the link but didn't see pricing.

That rate is correct, but the rate includes 3 good meals per day for two. First Time we went, they did not charge extra for our son, either. It is not just a place to sleep.
 
Colorado Pilots Assoc dd a flyin to Fredricksburg a couple weeks ago, everyone was wowed by the place, the museum, the hotel.

My favorite place to fly in Texas? New Mexico.

I spent 11 years there, 7 doing time in Houston (thank god I only spent 2 summers out of the 11 there) and family is in Dallas.

I have to agree that in the summer the best place to fly in Texas is New Mexico! You can't get out of the heat in Texas. I moved to the Austin area from Hell Paso where we were a short flight from REAL MOUNTAINS. Reklaw for one weekend a year would get my vote for Texas.




Pete Christensen
Leander, TX
 
That rate is correct, but the rate includes 3 good meals per day for two. First Time we went, they did not charge extra for our son, either. It is not just a place to sleep.

I'm glad you mentioned that because I was thinking what Jay said. ;)
 
Just to clarify, our problems with the Hangar Hotel had nothing to do with aviation, it's theme, or location. It's a really, really cool property, but you must work around the fact that they are essentially shut down Sunday - Thursday, and that they only have rooms with single beds in them, making traveling with a family difficult.

Go there as a couple, on the weekend, and it's fabulous, I'm sure!
My point was that Fredericksburg gets mentioned on sites like this one often because there's a hotel and restaurant on the field. I was just pointing out that the town itself is a popular tourist destination and that most folks who visit have no idea there's an airport with a hotel and restaurant on the field...so if you fly into the town and completely ignore the hotel and restaurant on the field, there's still plenty of stuff to do there.
 
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I can't believe none of the Dallas pilots posted 3T0.

http://www.airnav.com/airport/3T0

Grass (for all those on the grass thread who never landed on it). Right on the water at Texoma. One way strip. Walk to the Marina restuarant for lunch.

Really a fun place to go just for a quick flight.
 
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