Texas

on location: west ❖

randy mink

Vintage Texas In the shadow of a mammoth airport, Grapevine offers small-town charm and visions of yesteryear

Serviced by an 1896 steam or 1953 diesel locomotive, the Grapevine Vintage Railroad travels between downtown Grapevine and the Fort Worth Stockyards.

M

ore than just another suburb

restuarants and free-flowing wine,

and just five or 10 minutes from DFW

in the sprawling Dallas-Fort

Grapevine offers tour groups a conven-

International Airport, says Barry Lewis,

Worth Metroplex, Grapevine

ient location. Located midway between

director of marketing for the Grapevine

has carved out a clearly defined identity

Dallas and Fort Worth, the town is only

CVB. (The world’s largest airport over-

in the travel world. Not only does it have

30 to 40 minutes to anywhere in the area

laps five cities, with Grapevine encom-

a distinct downtown, but a distinctive one

passing the passenger terminals.)

with an appealing Main Street rich in his-

Proximity to the airport brings to town a

torical character and brimming with

cosmopolitan clientele.

Calling Grapevine the “epicenter” of

Also woven into Grapevine’s cultural

the Metroplex, Lewis said it’s a natural

fabric are a thriving arts scene and wine

base for hub-and-spoke tours. Group-

industry. Named for the mustang grapes

friendly hotels include the Hilton DFW

that grew wild on the surrounding

Lakes, Hyatt Place, Springhill Suites,

prairie in the 19th century, the town of

Homewood Suites and Embassy Suites

50,000 boasts nine tasting rooms and a

Outdoor World—all within minutes of

vineyard. As headquarters of the Texas

the quaint downtown but located in a

Wine and Grape Growers Association, Grapevine strongly promotes its ties to the fruit of the vine.

Besides a winning personality, loads of shopping opportunities, some 200 30 February 2012

Grapevine CVB Photos

smart boutiques and upmarket eateries.

part of Grapevine that is light years away in style. Instead of old-fashioned streetscapes with mom-and-pop stores, A relaxed ambience makes Grapevine’s historic Main Street an inviting place to dine and shop.

you’ll find a monster resort hotel (the Gaylord Texan), the largest Great Wolf

The Oldest Town in Texas he East Texas town of Nacogdoches is the oldest town in the state, dating from 1687.

It was named after the earliest Indian inhabitants with proof of settlers possibly dating back to the 16th century. Today the city flourishes with historic sites and a thriving downtown filled with antique and gift shops, along with the only professional stained-glass studio in East Texas and a 100-year-old hardware store.

The Durst-Taylor Historic House and Gardens was the home of iconic Texans Joseph Durst, who founded the town of Angelina, and Isaac Burton, who fought in the battle of San Jacinto. The interior of the house now resembles its 1840-1860 appearance when it was occupied by the Blackburn family. Guided tours include the blacksmith shop and smokehouse.

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Groups can see works of art come to life at Vetro Glassblowing Studio in downtown Grapevine.

Lodge in the country, a huge Bass Pro

gua Chili Festival in Southwest Texas.

Shops and one of the Southwest’s

Run by his daughter Kathleen in a 1911

largest shopping malls—Grapevine Mills.

building since 2006, Tolbert’s offers re-

Along with these Texas-size tourist

gional favorites like chicken fried chicken

magnets outside of downtown, groups

or steak in white cream gravy, fried cat-

looking for traditional trappings of Texas

fish breaded in cornmeal and spicy chili

will find them along Main Street, which

Frito pie (no beans), plus fajitas, enchi-

has stayed true to its roots. Old-time

ladas and burritos. Donkey tails, a sig-

street lamps, plus burgundy street and in-

nature appetizer, are hot dogs stuffed

formational signs with the Grapevine

with cheddar cheese, wrapped in flour

vineyard logo, add to the ambience of

tortillas and lightly fried, served with

this carefully planned commercial district,

mustard sauce, Tolbert’s salsa and a

where an emphasis on historic preserva-

shot of chili on the side.

tion and quality shops rules out hodge-

Willhoite’s Restaurant occupies a

podge development. Many buildings

former filling station and tire shop that

have plaques detailing their former uses.

operated from 1919 to 1975. Decorated

Great American West Gallery, in a

with gasoline signs, oil cans and other

restored 1897 storefront that once

memorabilia from the golden days of

housed a bank and the Grapevine Sun

auto travel, Willhoite’s offers a lunch and

newspaper, deals in paintings of epic

dinner buffet laid out below a 1927 Motel

scenes from the Old West. Across the

T Ford mounted on a lift. Expect fried

street at Coyote Cowboy, you can outfit

chicken and catfish, meatloaf, beef stew

yourself with boots, jeans, pearl-button

and other hearty fare, plus desserts like

shirts and Stetson hats. Grapevine Opry

banana pudding and apple cobbler.

concerts on Saturday nights bring country

Those with a sweet tooth will want to

music fans to the 435-seat Palace The-

drift into Patty Cakes, where the gour-

atre, built in 1940 and renovated in 2001.

met cupcakes are dense, moist and

For classic Texas food on Main

packed with flavor. Made from scratch

Street, try Tolbert’s, a restaurant origi-

by Patty Wilson, they come in flavors

nated in downtown Dallas by the late

like red velvet, Italian creme and PB&J.

Frank X. Tolbert, who wrote a book

Also indulge at Main Street Bistro &

about the history of chili (A Bowl of Red)

Bakery, which specializes in artisan

and co-founded the world-famous Terlin-

breads and pastries. Have a heavenly

LeisureGroupTravel.com

The Sterne-Hoya House, dating from 1830, was built before the Texas Revolution.

Millard’s Crossing Historic Village, a recreated 19th century village, contains log and framed houses, a school, chapel and country store. The Nacogdoches Fire Museum displays the town’s first fire engine, plus various artifacts and photos of local fires.

The Old Nacogdoches University Building is now a house museum run by the Nacogdoches Federation of Women’s Clubs, displaying artifacts and furniture from the 19th century. The Sterne-Hoya House Museum/Library, built in 1830, is the oldest Nacogdoches structure still standing on its original site and has a fine collection of antiques. The Stone Fort Museum, located on the campus of Stephen F. Austin State University, is a reproduction of a Spanish colonial stone house built in 1788, with artifacts from the Spanish and Mexican era to the Texas Revolution.

For more information, contact the Nacogdoches Convention & Visitors Bureau, 888-6533788, visitnacogoches.org.

—Nana Aduba-Amoah February 2012 31

Grapevine Hosts ABA he City of Grapevine, Texas welcomed more than 3,000 delegates to the American Bus Association’s (ABA) Marketplace from Jan. 6-10. The event was held at the Gaylord Texan Resort & Convention Center.

Attendees included motorcoach operators, tour operators, suppliers, hotel companies and other professionals in the group travel industry.

“Grapevine is thrilled to again be the host for ABA’s Marketplace,” said Paul W. McCallum, executive director, Grapevine Convention & Visitors Bureau. “This is a tremendous opportunity to showcase Grapevine to group travel professionals who directly impact the economic viability of Grapevine’s tourism and hospitality industry. By having these

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Texas Tourism put on a big halftime show for ABA delegates at Cowboys Stadium.

professionals in our city during Marketplace, they become familiar with our destination, and Grapevine becomes top of mind when they are planning group travel programs within the next several months for the coming year.”

Attendees also got a taste of the entire Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex on a series of fam tours and private events at the Fort Worth Stockyards, Cowboys Stadium and House of Blues.

Watch Leisure Group Travel’s exclusive interview with Peter Pantuso, president of the American Bus Association, shot live from the show floor. Log on to http://ptmgroups.com/ptm-tv/.

32 February 2012

ONLINE EXCLUSIVE: See Randy Mink’s article on holiday festivities in Grapevine, the “Christmas Capital of Texas.” Log on to http://leisuregrouptravel.com/?p=26239.

chocolate almond croissant or make a

More heritage exhibits are found in a

lunch of tomato basil soup with a brie

museum complex in the new Grapevine

panini. The back dining room can be

CVB building, which celebrates its grand

curtained off for groups.

opening on March 2. (Who knew that

Other Main Street food shops include

Grapevine was once the “Cantaloupe

Grapevine Olive Oil Company, which

Capital of the World”?) The building

offers free samples of its olive and truffle

sports six historical facades and a clock

oils, plus balsamic vinegars in flavors

tower with a glockenspiel-like display of

like strawberry and blood orange. Treats

frontier train robbers who emerge twice a

at Chocolate Grape include jalapeno

day to settle a dispute.

peanut brittle, boysenberry bark and

Nearby is the Grapevine Vintage

chocolate-covered grapes infused with

Railroad, an excursion train with 1920s

shiraz wine. Holy Grounds is a Christian

and ’30s cars that travel between

book and gift store offering more than 100

Grapevine and Fort Worth’s Stockyards

varieties of coffee beans, from apricot

National Historic District. Facing the

crème to blueberry cinnamon crumble.

1888 Cotton Belt Train Depot is Vetro

At D’Vine Wine, a Main Street

Glassblowing Studio & Gallery, where

winery, groups can choose a wine (min-

groups can enjoy a demonstration in

imum 30 bottles) and have it custom-la-

front of the 2,000-degree kilns and even

beled, with each tour member bottling

make their own piece of glass art.

and corking his own. Unusual wines in-

Every Grapevine itinerary should

clude Sunrise, a shiraz infused with tart

include a stop at the 9/11 Flight Crew

cranberry, and Midnight Onyx, a merlot

Memorial, located at the edge of a

with blackberry. All wines are made on

small commercial complex outside of

the premises from California grapes.

downtown, on the way to Grapevine

(Grapevine Wine Tours offers four-

Mills. The bronze sculpture of two flight

hour lunch and dinner packages that visit

attendants, a captain and first officer in

three wineries.)

American and United Airlines uniforms

Farina’s Winery & Cafe started as

is dedicated to the 33 flight crew

an antiques shop in 1997 and adjoins

members who perished in the Sept. 11,

Antique Revival, which can be set up

2001 terrorist attacks. Three signs ex-

as a dining area for groups and special

plain what happened that day, list the

occasions. Favorites on its Italian menu

passengers and crew onboard and

include spaghetti pizza and basil pesto

tell what the figures symbolize. The

pasta with meat balls.

Grapevine CVB can provide a step-on

In all, there are some 80 shops, gal-

guide to interpret the nation’s only

leries, restaurants and wineries clustered

memorial specifically honoring the 9/11

on and near Main Street, but exploring,

flight crews, a project started by a flight

especially for the history-minded traveler,

attendant from American Airlines,

can be fun without ever setting foot in a

which is based in Dallas-Fort Worth.

store. At one end of Main Street, visitors

For shoppers and sightseers, the

can peek into an 1840s log cabin moved

beauty of Grapevine is that so much is

from a location four miles away. Toward

concentrated in such a compact area,

the other end, the stately Foust Funeral

with the historic downtown a short drive

Home displays a 1900 horse-drawn

from Grapevine Mills, a destination in

hearse, infant and child caskets, and

itself with more than 180 stores, includ-

embalming equipment in a glassed-in

ing JC Penney Outlet, Marshalls, Neiman

exhibit building.

Marcus Last Call and Saks Fifth Avenue LeisureGroupTravel.com

Off 5th. Souvenir hunters flock to Texas Treasures, where merchandise ranges from Lone Star flags and cans of “armadillo meat” to Dallas Cowboys logo wear and “Don’t Mess with Texas” mugs and T-shirts. SEA LIFE Grapevine aquarium and LEGOLAND Discovery Center also draw crowds to the enclosed mall. Across the highway is a mega Bass Pro Shops Outdoor World with an attached Uncle Buck’s Brewery & Steakhouse and Embassy Suites.

With all its shopping, dining and sightseeing possibilities—not to mention central location—Grapevine seems to be a custom-made hub for group tours in the Metroplex.

For more information, contact the Grapevine CVB, 817-410-3185, grapevinetexasusa.com. LGT Obtain Texas visitor guides and itineraries and contact group-friendly suppliers directly at leisuregrouptravel.com/instant-info

LeisureGroupTravel.com

Scan QR Code to learn more.

A year-round destination with something for everyone. Let our awardwinning Group Tour Team help you plan an exciting, custom itinerary! ”...Thank you for arranging the driving tour, the tours of the houses and the Old Stone Fort, as well as the Old University Building. You folks have ‘got it all together.’” - Heritage Association of Frisco, Texas

1 1-888-OLDEST-TOWN -888- OLDEST-TOWN ((888-653-3788) 888- 653-3788) www.VisitNacogdoches.org w w w.VisitNacogdoches.org

February 2012 33