Plus, Barbs B Q named a top new restaurant in America.
 
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Today’s Forecast

69º | Rainy | 87% chance of rain | Sunrise 7:28 a.m. | Sunset 5:42 p.m.
 

🥾 Take a hike

Exploring winding trails at Buescher State Park
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The drive through Buescher State Park is dotted with overlooks featuring vistas of Central Texas. | Photo by ATXtoday
Although it’s similar in landscape, smaller, and receives less than half of the yearly visitors than its sibling Bastrop State Park, Buescher State Park is much more than just a little brother.

The Bastrop County park is frequented by cyclists and hikers alike for its peaceful, winding trails and unique nature. We recently spent a morning at Buescher as part of our mission to commemorate Texas State Parks’ 100 year anniversary — here’s what we learned.

History

318. That’s how many acres of land Emil and Elizabeth Buescher donated to the state in the early 1900s. Then, after Emil died, his heirs donated 318 more.

After swapping land a bit with the City of Smithville and the University of Texas, which operates a cancer research center near the park, Buescher State Park now encompasses ~1,016 acres.

The park was built by the Civilian Conservation Corps, which also worked on Bastrop State Park just down the road. The two parks are connected through a scenic road, making them perfect for back-to-back visits — read our guide to Bastrop State Park here.

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City Editor London took her dog on a pleasant, four-mile hike through Buescher State Park.

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Photo by ATXtoday

What to see

Buescher State Park is part of the Lost Pines forest, the westernmost stand of loblolly pines in the US. Get lost on the park’s hiking trails and long, winding roads, and you’ll feel like you’re far from Texas.

The entrance to the park also leads into an expansive lake surrounded by campgrounds and picnic tables.

What to do

Our No. 1 suggestion: take a hike.

Reader Gary P. also suggests hitting the beautiful trails, seeing the fish pond, and renting a cabin.

Visitors can also:
  • Bike — all trails are open for mountain biking, and scenic, 12-mile Park Road 1C is common route for cycling groups
  • Fish
  • Swim
  • Camp, starting at $15 per night
  • Picnic
Make a reservation to visit Buescher State Park.
6 other state parks
Events
Wednesday, Nov. 8
Thursday, Nov. 9
Friday, Nov. 10
  • Electrify Expo | Friday, Nov. 10-Sunday, Nov. 12 | Times vary | Circuit of the Americas, 9201 Circuit of the Americas Blvd., Austin | $15-$350 | Explore all things electric vehicles at this event featuring demos, talks, and showcases — Friday is Industry Day, but Saturday + Sunday will be open for public access.
  • LOVELOUD | Friday, Nov. 10 | 6 p.m. | The Long Center, 701 W. Riverside Dr., Austin | $25-$50 | This concert series founded by Imagine Dragons’ Dan Reynolds centers on sharing the experiences of the LGBTQ+ community.
  • Distant Worlds: music from “Final Fantasy” | Friday, Nov. 10 | 8 p.m. | Bass Concert Hall, 2350 Robert Dedman Dr., Austin | $50-$130 | Nobuo Uematsu’s music for the video game will come to life through a live orchestra.
Saturday, Nov. 11
  • Austin Rugged Maniac Race | Saturday, Nov. 11 | 9 a.m.-12:30 p.m. | Circuit of the Americas, 9201 Circuit of the Americas Blvd., Austin | $94 | This adventure race includes more than 25 obstacles, included the “World’s Largest Mud Pit.”
Events calendar here
Click here to have your event featured.
 
Travel

✨ 10+ activities for a holiday weekend in Boerne

10+ activities for a holiday weekend in Boerne
Presented by an ATXtoday Partner
a little girl in a red shirt excitedly raises her hand in the air at a christmas event
All smiles at the Old West Christmas Light Fest. | Photo by Mewborn Photography
There’s no place like Boerne — especially during the holiday season. Jingle all the way to the historic city, nestled in Texas’s Hill Country for the festivities they’re planning.

See our activity picks for every type of traveler:

For the whole family

  • Dickens on Main | Friday, Nov. 24-Saturday, Nov. 25
  • Weihnacht’s Weekend | Friday, Dec. 1-Saturday, Dec. 2
  • A Toast to Olde Town | Friday, Dec. 8-Sunday, Dec. 10
  • Kinder Fest | Friday, Dec. 15- Sunday, Dec. 17
  • Old West Christmas Light Fest | Friday, Nov. 24- Saturday, Dec. 23 (exact dates vary)
Pro tip: This year, Boerne will have its very first outdoor ice rink with real ice — it’s the No. 1 must-do activity, in our opinion.

For the music lover

  • Music in the Cave: A Nordic Christmas | Saturday, Dec. 9
  • Music in the Cave: Winter Solstice | Saturday, Dec. 16

For the shopping enthusiast

  • Shopping at the Hill Country Mile (which is decked out for the season) | Daily
  • Fall Boerne Handmade Market | Friday, November 17-Saturday, November 18
  • Christmas Market Days | Saturday, Dec. 9-Sunday, Dec. 10
Not sure where to stay or what restaurants you can’t miss? Visit Boerne can help you map out the rest of an unforgettable weekend getaway.
Start planning your escape
News Notes
Civic
  • Did you vote? Election day was yesterday, and the votes are in. From local bonds for park funding to 14 statewide propositions, see the full results of the 2023 municipal elections.
List
  • Barbs B Q, a new barbecue restaurant in Lockhart, earned a spot on Eater’s list of 12 Best New Restaurants in the US. The women-owned spot was lauded as “the most exciting new barbecue experience in Central Texas.”
Weather
  • Enjoy the warmth while it’s here, Austin. Starting this Thursday, rain is expected to bring cooler temperatures this weekend, with highs predicted to stay in the 60s through Tuesday, Nov. 14. (KVUE)
Biz
  • WeWork — a New York-based coworking company with 558,000 sqft of office space in Austin — declared bankruptcy on Monday. Restructuring efforts are in the works, but preliminary plans indicate that the business’ six Austin locations will be unaffected. (Austin Business Journal)
Plan Ahead
  • Get bookish after hours this weekend at the Lit Crawl, a Texas Book Festival event taking place this Saturday, Nov. 11 from 7-10 p.m. Programming takes place at four locations in East Austin and includes showcases, a “Literary Death Match,” and a banned book bash.
Trending
  • She accepted the rose. Former “Bachelor” host Chris Harrison married former “Entertainment Tonight” correspondent Lauren Zima at an Austin ranch this past weekend. The new Austin residents celebrated with barbecue, tequila, and cookies from Tiff’s Treats. (CultureMap Austin)
Biz
  • Small Business Saturday is just around the corner — Nov. 25, to be exact. What local businesses will you be supporting + which local deals should we check out? Let us know and we may feature your recommendation in an upcoming newsletter.
 
Ranked

🏆 One of the best

Austin is the No. 43 best city in the world — according to this ranking, at least
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Austin’s university scene was cited as one of the reasons the city was ranked No. 43 in the world. | Photo by @swablogguy
World’s best city — at least, one of them.

Austin ranked No. 43 in this year’s list of World’s Best Cities, a ranking of 400 international metropolises based on several factors, including average wage of workers, quality of K-12 schools, and number of fun attractions.

ATX was the ninth most-highly ranked city in the US on the list, falling just behind Seattle and San Jose. The Capital City ranked highly for its university scene and its number of Google search results.

Some of the local allure included:
  • Headquartering Oracle, Tesla, and BAE Systems
  • Samsung’s $40 billion manufacturing presence
  • Skyline expansions, including the under-construction Waterline tower
  • UT Austin and its research arm
  • The local music scene
Dallas was the only other Texas city to make the top 100, ranking at No. 73.

What do you think about Austin’s ranking? Would you rank Bat City higher or lower?
The Buy

The Buy 11.08.23 (Affiliate + Six & Main)
One of these gifts. All under $25, all adorable.
Answered

📰 Y’all are in the know
A graphic of a newspaper reading "ATXtoday news quiz"
Shout out to reader Y.S., who earned the highest score on our October News Quiz. Honorable mentions to Amy D. and Brandi L., our second-highest scorers.

This month’s hardest question was:
Q: Several new restaurants and food trucks opened their doors in October. Which of these local spots did not open last month?
A: Cosmic Saltillo (which opened in September)
Take the quiz
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The Wrap
 
London Gibson

Today’s edition by:
London
From the editor
I’m getting married next year, which means I’m currently exploring dozens of Austin wedding venues, and there are so many beautiful places to choose from.

If you were married in Austin, I’d love to know about your experience.
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