Texan pride extends to swimming venues, with at least three major facilities all constructed in the outline of the Lone Star State: the historic Texas Pool in Plano, the lazy river on the outdoor terrace at the new Marriott Marquis headquarters hotel in Houston and the outdoor pool at the Big Texan Steak Ranch in Amarillo. With waterparks, aquariums, river walks, recreational lakes, Gulf beaches and more in the mix, water offers a ready “solution” for group fun.
Pooled Resources
This July saw the unveiling of JadeWaters at Hilton Anatole, the landmark Dallas hotel’s much anticipated upscale resort-style waterpark.
“We were confident that the new complex would drive some additional group interest, but the positive response has exceeded our initial expectations,” said Kavin Schieferdecker, director of sales & marketing, referring to the approximately $20 million, three-acre project, which converted a portion of the hotel’s sculpture park and tennis court into several heated swimming pools, complete with a swim-up bar, lazy river and luxurious cabanas.
“We are now able to compete more directly with resorts in Scottsdale and Orlando, and our ability to host poolside receptions has already factored in booking two groups,” he continued. “With our new JadeOval Event Lawn perfect for groups of up to 200 people, no other hotel in Dallas can provide this versatility of event space without bussing attendees off-property.”
In nearby Irving, the Well & Being Spa at Four Seasons Resort and Club Dallas at Las Colinas offers guests complimentary use of the spa’s steam, sauna, whirlpool and relaxation areas. Three pools include the outdoor Agave Pool & Bar, serving Mexican taqueria-inspired cuisine and handcrafted specialty cocktails.
All of San Antonio’s major resorts offer multiple water features, including La Cantera Hill Country Resort, with fresh sparkle from a multimillion-dollar transformation, including the adult-only infinity pool deck, poolside bars and spa. The JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort & Spa’s $16 million expansion includes a six-acre water park with a lazy river, plus the 5,000-square-foot indoor River Bend Pavilion with a 4,200-square-foot covered deck and 18,000-square-foot event lawn.
Fresh off a $5 million renovation, the 10-acre Paradise Springs at Gaylord Texan Resort & Convention Center in Grapevine features a 600-foot-long winding river and a 6,000-square-foot family lagoon with a 27-foot-tall waterslide.
In May 2016, the MCM Elegante Hotel & Conference Center in Beaumont unveiled the half-million-dollar renovation of its pool, including new covered cabanas, private lounges and poolside movies.
Making a Splash
In June 2016, Kalahari Resorts and Conventions announced plans for its fourth national African-themed waterpark resort in Round Rock, “The Sports Capital of Texas,” located 15 miles north of Austin. The resort will include up to 1,000 guest rooms, indoor and outdoor waterparks, restaurants, a family entertainment center, a spa and a convention center.
Along with SeaWorld, Six Flags Fiesta Texas and Splashtown, San Antonio is home to Morgan’s Wonderland. Opened in 2010, the world’s first theme park designed with special-needs individuals in mind is readying for the 2017 addition of its Morgan’s Inspiration Island waterpark.
With other group-capable choices, including Arlington’s 3 million-gallon Six Flags Hurricane Harbor and Amarillo’s family-owned Wonderland Amusement Park, which turns 65 this year, it would also not be Texas without surprises like NLand Surf Park in Austin and Barefoot Ski Ranch’s BSR Cable Park in Waco.
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Scheduled to open this year, the former is North America’s first inland surfing destination, featuring a wave-riding facility 45 times larger than an Olympic-size swimming pool for beginners and experts alike.
Opened in 2012, the latter is a 450-acre waterpark for wakeboarding and barefoot skiing, with a lazy river and 100-foot “Royal Flush” waterslide among other attractions. Private lessons are available, along with the 250-person capacity Pavilion for events. North of Plano in Allen, Texas, Hydrous Wakeparks is another group-capable wakeboarding venue.
Rising above the right-field wall at Dr Pepper Ballpark in Frisco, home of the minor-league RoughRiders, the new Choctaw Lazy River offers tiered rental options that include private use of the entire 400-foot-long Lazy River and Cabana Bar & Patio area for groups of up to 200 people.
Marine life encounters beckon at the under-renovation Aquarium Pyramid at Galveston’s Moody Gardens and in Corpus Christi at the acclaimed Texas Aquarium, which offers hands-on programs with sharks and stingrays and is introducing new meeting space as part of a $50 million renovation scheduled for unveiling in summer 2017.
Water Ways
Lapped by Gulf waters, Galveston offers a variety of sea-going excursions for groups. At Moody Gardens, the Colonel is the replica of an 1800’s paddlewheel boat, available for hour-long day cruises or dinner and private cruises for groups of 65 or more. Built in 1877 in Aberdeen, Scotland, the sailing ship Elissa is a National Historic Landmark and pride of the Texas Seaport Museum. Moored at Galveston’s historic pier, the three-masted, iron-hulled vessel hosts receptions for 500 or seated dinners on the pier for 300.
In Central Texas Hill Country some 45 miles west of Austin, Horseshoe Bay Resort is a AAA Four Diamond gem of a meetings destination on 6,500-acre Lake LBJ. Featuring 385 guest rooms, suites and condominiums, the 7,000-acre oasis offers 36,000 square feet of meeting space, including a 12,012-square-foot ballroom and outdoor reception and dining venues.
Along with four championship golf courses, the property’s lakeside location means plentiful water-based action. With a full-service marina, options include private charters aboard the 90-foot Horseshoe Bay yacht; sunset pontoon cruises; guided fishing expeditions; and kayaking, stand-up paddleboarding and jet-skiing. Plus, four swimming pools, including the outdoor lagoon-style Yacht Club Pool, with adjacent 27-person hot tub.
Now extended to 15 miles, San Antonio’s famed River Walk invites excursions along sections such as the new eight-mile Museum Reach, which links downtown with group-capable venues such as the Tobin Center for the Performing Arts, San Antonio Museum of Art and culinary-driven Pearl Brewery complex, where the 146-room Hotel Emma is an alluring new group base. Smaller groups can rent bikes at Blue Star Bike Shop and visit the four Spanish Colonial missions along Mission Reach, which along with the Alamo were collectively designated a UNESCO World Heritage site last year.
For urban explorations by water, groups can kayak along Houston’s newly restored Buffalo Bayou; canoe the Trinity River in Fort Worth (where Panther Island Pavilion is a popular waterfront event venue); navigate Irving’s Mandalay Canals in neo-Venetian gondolas (and catch inspirational canal and Lake Carolyn views from premier event venue La Cima Club); and cruise the waterways in The Woodlands. Plus, they can kayak on Austin’s Lady Bird Lake and paddle on Lake Arlington in the Metroplex; sail and cruise on Lake Grapevine; kiteboard and windsurf on Corpus Christi’s deep-water bay; and partake of water recreations on Lake Conroe, north of Houston.
Beaumont groups can book fully customizable boat tours of the ecologically diverse Neches River, regarded as “The Last Wild River” in east Texas, while two hours from Odessa, group-capable Balmorhea State Park features the world’s largest spring-fed swimming pool.
