STYLE

Mother’s Day Gift Guide

Uniquely San Antonio experiences, indulgences and one-of-a-kind items to remind your mom she’s valued

BY KATHERINE STINSON

For the Mom Who Deserves a Staycation: Hotel Havana

Treat mom to a luxurious getaway without the added stress of airport travel. Whether you splurge for the Queen or Hemingway suite or book one of the historic boutique hotel’s studio space rooms with vaulted skylights, make sure she also enjoys Sunday brunch at Ocho. Send her back home with the kimono robe as a souvenir. havana sanantonio.com

KIMONO ROBE $175 For the Mom Who Loves to be Pampered: Organically Bath & Beauty’s Rose Quartz Line

Founder and CEO Kela Nabors and mom of six recommends anything from the shop’s Rose Quartz line, which debuted in December 2020, for a guaranteed hit on Mother’s Day. “Our Rose Quartz is a new favorite,” she says. “It’s a blend of rose geranium and lavender essential oil.” The “luxury line” is packaged in glass and refillable at the Northwest Military Highway shop. Choose from a body mousse, scrub, body wash, mist, candle or soap bar. organicallybathbeauty.com

ROSE QUARTZ BODY MOUSSE $35

For the Mom With One-Of-A-Kind Style: Em’s Clay and Craft Elise Earrings

Em’s Clay and Craft was born after creator Emily Butcher started working with polymer clay and macrame as hobbies after the birth of her daughter, Evelyn. Now she has transformed her talent into a handmade earring line. The Elise earrings pair a delicate shell design with pearl studs for a touch of style and elegance to any of mom’s looks. Looking for something completely unique? Butcher also does custom orders. @emsclayandcraft, etsy.com/ emsclayandcraft

ELISE EARRINGS $30

For the Mom Who Loves Caffeine: Coffeecionado Custom Blend

Patricia Butler’s all-female-run Coffeecionado sources its beans solely from women-owned farms and offers a fun experience for coffee lovers to handcraft their own roast. Mom can choose from an exclusive selection of single-origin, micro-lot coffees, while sampling four espresso, latte and handcrafted Cold Brew Nitro. She’ll take home a bag of her own signature roasted coffee to enjoy at home. coffeecionadosa.com

PRIVATE ROASTING EXPERIENCE $30

For the Mom Who Loves Sweets: Purdy Cakes SA

What’s a celebration without cake? At this 100 percent vegan bakery, it’s hard to tell that butter and eggs are missing from the decadent confections. In addition to traditional layer cakes, owner and baker Krystal Magaña Williams also offers cupcakes, bundt cakes, cookies and chocolate-dipped strawberries—all vegan! @purdycakessa

Summer Travel

The open road is calling. Start planning your summer adventures with this guide to nearby destinations.

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Kerrville

Find yourself in Kerrville, the official capital of the Texas Hill Country, where tranquil outdoor activities, boutique shopping, authentic Texas dining and more await, all in a natural wonderland setting. The stunning Guadalupe River runs right through the heart of downtown, scenic beauty abounds in every direction and nonstop fun is waiting to be discovered. Make plans to relax and enjoy endless good times on your getaway to Kerrville this summer.

Kerrville is home to an abundance of outdoor favorites that beckon visitors to take a stroll, relax and enjoy the Texas Hill Country landscape. Enjoy the Kerrville River Trail that connects Louise Hays and Kerrville-Schreiner Park by foot or by bike. And while you’re there, take advantage of hopping in a kayak or paddle board to explore the natural beauty of the renowned Guadalupe River.

Kerrville’s own Stonehenge II sits in its impressive glory near the Guadalupe River on the campus of the Hill Country Arts Foundation. The 24.5-acre “The Coming King” Sculpture Prayer Garden is a perfect place to find solitude amid beautiful scenery. Take a moment of reverence viewing “The Empty Cross,” the most symbolic cross sculpture inthe world, surrounded by stunning landscaping and more than 3,500 massive limestone blocks. The unexpected is waiting for you in Kerrville.

KerrvilleTexasCVB.com 830-792-3535 HIGHLIGHTS

Fun Photo Ops

• Lupe The Guadalupe Bass Sculpture in Louise Hays Park • Stonehenge II & Easter Island at the Hill Country Arts Foundation • Mother’s Love Sculpture in Downtown Kerrville

Insider Tip

Kerrville is home to James Avery Artisan Jewelry Headquarters

Drive Time

Less than an hour west of San Antonio

Salado

Stay at the inn that welcomed Texas legends, learn glass art, and enjoy the independent spirit and friendly small-town charm of the Village of Salado.

Nestled among the rolling green hills of Central Texas, Salado has always been one of a kind. Home to one of the first co-ed colleges in the United States and a stop on the historic Chisholm Trail, Salado has been inspiring people for generations. Today, it is a haven for world-class artists, full of historic bed and breakfasts, restaurants and endless things to discover.

Try your hand at glassblowing, create your own pottery or strike up a conversation with world-renowned painters and sculptors. As you wander through Salado, browse specialty boutiques featuring the latest clothing and jewelry fashions, home décor and more. Stop and relax to enjoy local wineries, breweries and world-class dining options.

Planning the perfect day in Salado just got easier! Start online at VisitSaladoTexas. com or download the Visit Salado Texas! mobile app. Explore more of our local hot spots, view upcoming events and discover other points of interest.

Scan the QR code to download the Visit Salado Texas! app and start planning your trip today!

HIGHLIGHTS

• Just 150 miles north of San Antonio on I-35, Salado offers visitors a quiet respite in the heart of Texas.

• See public art throughout town, like the Salado Sculpture Garden and Sirena’s Garden on Salado Creek.

• Visit any of the 40 historical sites, including the Salado Museum and College Hill, numerous homes, plus several churches and cemeteries.

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EVEN IN NORMAL TIMES, WE ALL HAVE OUR REASONS FOR WANTING TO GET AWAY FROM THE FOUR WALLS AND ROUTINES THAT DEFINE DAILY LIFE. MORE THAN A YEAR INTO COVID-19, THERE ARE EVEN MORE REASONS TO BE ITCHING TO GET OUT OF TOWN. TRAVEL MAY NOT QUITE HAVE RETURNED TO NORMAL JUST YET, BUT THERE ARE PLENTY OF OPTIONS WITHIN DRIVING DISTANCE OF SAN ANTONIO IF YOU WANT A BREAK WITHOUT BOARDING A PLANE. WHETHER YOU’RE LOOKING FOR A QUICK WEEKEND GETAWAY OR YOU WANT TO PLOT OUT A ROAD TRIP TO REALLY ESCAPE, THESE 12 DESTINATIONS WILL REMIND YOU JUST HOW REJUVENATING IT IS TO TAKE A VACATION.

by

TOMMIE ETHINGTON AND CHRIS WARREN

CASTROVILLE

EMPHASIZING WHAT’S NEW IN a town that celebrated its 175th birthday a few years ago is no easy feat. Such is the case in Castroville, the nearby burg whose identity and appeal is firmly, and appropriately, rooted in its well-preserved history.

In fact, willfully ignoring the past in this idyllic town along the Medina River is to miss the charm of a visit. A mixture of old world Fachwerk cottages and Alsatian architecture in the town’s 60-plus historic buildings gives Castroville an appearance that emphasizes its French, German and Swiss influence far more than its physical location in South Texas.

Revel in Castroville’s European lineage with a trip to the Steinbach House, now an official visitor's center where you can take a self-guided tour and ask for information about other local sights and events.

Originally built in the 1600s in Wahlbach, France, the Steinbach House was lovingly relocated and restored between 1998 and 2002 by students and faculty from an agricultural college in Alsace, France. While the Steinbach House undoubtedly made a much longer journey than any other buildings in Castroville, be sure to take time to visit other historically significant structures, such as St. Louis Catholic Church, which sprang up just days after the town’s original settlement in 1844.

Don’t rely exclusively on your sense of sight to indulge in Castroville’s rich European roots. Haby’s Alsatian Bakery will reward your nose and your taste buds with its expansive menu of cakes, pastries and breads, including apple strudel and cinnamon rolls. When you need something a little more substantial, try an Alsatian sandwich piled with corned beef at the popular Castroville Café, or opt for one with schnitzel or more traditional deli fillings.

As much as Castroville has earned a reputation as a place to gorge out on rich pastries and heavy German food, the opening of the Hillside Boutique Hotel offers both some counterprogramming and a new way to think about this destination. Heavily renovated in 2018 by owners Joseph and Jana Winkler, the 38-room boutique hotel emphasizes wellness at its spa, its bistro restaurant with upscale comfort food, and in its regular and special events, including yoga on the hill.—CW

The Steinbach House

Miles from SA

30

Return Trip Tip

Whether you’re there for the day or a full weekend, stretch your legs before climbing back in your vehicle while birding in the 126 acres at Castroville Regional Park.

Jacob's Well

Miles from SA

64

Place to Stay

Collective Hill Country offers a glamping experience that includes beautifully outfitted, private tents on a ridge, farm-toranch cuisine and expansive spa treatments.

Cypress Creek

WIMBERLEY

IN THE SPRING OF 2019, news broke around Texas that a kangaroo had escaped from its home at the exotic animal ranch, Trails End Ranch, in Wimberley. For several days the marsupial named Harry hopped around Hays County before finally being captured by his owners.

The dayslong hop-about delighted social media. But could anybody really blame Harry for wanting a few days of quiet to explore Wimberley? After all, this spot along the Blanco River has long been a magnet for those who seek a watery respite from the summer heat, eclectic shopping options and dining choices that range from upscale to comfort food.

Any visit to Wimberley has to include a splash around the swimming hole at Blue Hole Regional Park, where the thrill of launching off the rope swing above Cypress Creek is as enticing as ever on a hot day.

A logistical reality about another Wimberley attraction, Jacob’s Well Natural Area, says all you need to know about how worthwhile a visit is: Reservations are required to swim here for 2-hour slots between May 1 and Sept. 30. As of press time in late March, swimming in the artesian spring—and its yearround 68-degree water supplied by the Trinity aquifer—was suspended, but the natural area also has hiking trails to explore, which are open.

This being the Hill Country, any visit to Wimberley should also include a hike up the 218 stone steps to the top of Old Baldy Park, which rewards those who make the effort with views into town and all across the Wimberley Valley. Old Baldy has understandably been a popular destination for a long time, so when the land came up for sale in 2014 the town and its citizens banded together to purchase it and keep it open to the public.

All of this splashing and hiking is bound to get you in the mood for less taxing leisure. Relax at a patio table at The Leaning Pear, which takes the best of local ingredients, puts them in imaginative dishes and pizzas and serves them in a bucolic setting. Once satiated, browse shops like Wimberley Glassworks, where you can watch hand blown vases and sculptures get made, or Rancho Deluxe, which is filled with ranch accessories and folk art for those who are rural at heart. On the first Saturday of each month between March and November, the Lions Club and other civic organizations host Wimberley Market Days, which features nearly 500 booths with vendors offering all types of handmade crafts and art, antiques, clothing, jewelry and food. If you can, make it on a market day.—CW

MARBLE FALLS

THERE IS A TEMPTATION to narrowly define getaways. There’s the romantic weekend for couples, a guys- or girls-only trip, or a gourmand’s getaway, to name just a few. There’s nothing wrong with staying focused on a passion or person during precious time away from life’s responsibilities, but it usually means limiting your menu of potential destinations.

That is, unless you choose to head just 90 minutes north to Marble Falls, where the diversity of attractions is enough to lure folks with decidedly different definitions of fun and relaxation.

It’s hard not to devote at least some of your time to the many water-filled splendors of Lake Marble Falls or the nearby Highland Lakes of the Colorado River. Those inclined to commune at close quarters with all things aquatic can rent single or double kayaks or stand up paddle boards from Just Yakin rentals, which has boats available on Marble Falls Lake and will even deliver to nearby Inks Lake, Lake LBJ and much of Lake Buchanan. Those who prefer to be near the water but not actually in it can lounge in the sand at Lakeside Park and Beach, a favorite spot to watch the annual LakeFest Drag Boat Race each August.

Landlubbers can choose from a wide range of both placid and adrenaline-pumping pursuits. One option: Zoom across the 200 miles of ATV, motorcycle and Jeep trails that crisscross the 2,500 acres of Hidden Falls Adventure Park. If you’d prefer to explore nature using your own two legs, consider the 13-acre Westside Park, which connects to the Backbone Creek Hike and Bike Trail that will deliver you to Falls Creek Park, Lakeside Park and Andrea’s Pass Waterfall—all worthy stops.

Even the most restless respite-seekers will eventually want to slow down. When that happens, head to historic Main Street, which is home to dozens of independent shops and galleries. The town and the surrounding area have also become a hub of brewing and winemaking, including Bear King Brewing Co. and its outdoor beer garden and Save the World Brewing Co., which donates all of its profits to charity. More of an oenophile? Stop in at Fiesta Winery’s downtown tasting room to try its selection of Texas wines. And while we aren’t the first to recommend it, no trip is complete without a slice of pie from Blue Bonnet Café, an institution since 1929. —CW

Miles from SA

85

Pit Stop

You may have hardly settled into the car by the time you hit Spring Branch, but that’s no reason not to fuel up on caffeine at The Loft Coffee House.

Place to Stay

History and a prime downtown location converge at the recently renovated McKenzie Guest House, which was originally built in 1907 as a hotel for stagecoach travelers.

Kayaking at Inks Lake

Bear King Brewing Co.

4 More Quick Texas Getaways

The great thing about calling San Antonio home is that there is an abundance of alluring getaway destinations nearby.

Lockhart

Yes, we love the barbecue in San Antonio. But barbecue is closer to religion in Lockhart, where a stop at Kreuz Market lives up to the hype and proves how delicious passion can be. While in town, check out the Caldwell County Museum and linger in the town center.

Stonewall

When former President Lyndon Johnson needed a break from Washington, he made his way to his Hill Country retreat in Stonewall. See why it was so enticing at LBJ National Historic Park. When you’re done, make time to visit some of the best wineries in Texas nearby, like Becker Vineyards and Pedernales Cellars.

Taylor

Home to one of the creators of Bugs Bunny and the state’s youngest governors, Taylor is using its rich history and an influx of new residents to create a small town with big city amenities. Stroll the historic downtown and visit the old Taylor High School, which has been converted into a mixeduse destination for live music and drinks at the Loose Screw Craft Beer House and Garden.

Padre Island

Nothing rejuvenates and refreshes like a cool ocean breeze. That alone is enough to justify the trek to Padre Island. Want another reason? Between mid-June and August, you can watch sea turtle hatchlings be released on Malaquite Beach at the Padre Island National Seashore visitor center in Corpus Christi.

Carlsbad Caverns

Miles from SA

450

Pit Stop

Big Bend gets all the love, but Texas’ second national park, Guadalupe Mountains National Park (just one hour from Carlsbad) has a lot going for it, too, including the highest point in the state. The 8,751-foot Guadalupe Peak takes almost a full day to climb, but there are also plenty of shorter hikes if you only have time to stop and stretch your legs.

CARLSBAD, NEW MEXICO

THE ALLURE OF CARLSBAD, New Mexico, isn’t surface level. In fact, its biggest draw lies more than a mile below ground. Carlsbad Caverns National Park consists of 120 limestone caves with some of the largest known formations in the world, from delicate “soda straw” stalactites to multi-story stalagmites. Descend into darkness via paved, albeit sometimes slippery, switchbacks to take in glistening pools and calcite clusters with names like “Rock of Ages” and “Witch’s Fingers.” Normally, you can channel your inner Indiana Jones to climb through tunnels, descend ladders and traverse less accessible parts of the park by lantern light on one of the ranger-led tours, but as of early spring, those were suspended.

Beginning Memorial Day weekend, you can also get to know some of the cave’s summer residents through the free nightly bat program. Every evening around sunset, watch from an open-air amphitheater as 400,000 Brazilian free-tailed bats burst from the entrance and go in search of food. Visitors in August or September could spot the colony’s newest additions learning to fly.

While it would be easy to spend days exploring all that the park has to offer—including 50-plus miles of above-ground backcountry trails—don’t sleep on the town of Carlsbad. The Trinity Hotel, with nine tastefully decorated rooms in a restored turn-of-the-century bank, is the perfect home base. The in-house restaurant’s slate of comfort foods, like huevos rancheros slathered in green chile sauce, provide ample fuel for more outdoor activities. Living Desert Zoo & Gardens State Park is particularly beloved by kids and bird watchers, with more than 40 species of animals and hundreds of plants native to the Chihuahuan Desert. When temperatures spike, Sitting Bull Falls offers a picturesque escape, complete with covered picnic tables and natural pools. And, if you exhaust all of Earth’s wonders, there’s The International UFO Museum and Research Center an hour north in Roswell.—TE

PALO DURO CANYON

SECOND IN SIZE ONLY to the Grand Canyon, the “Grand Canyon of Texas” is a sight to behold—and, at more than 120 miles long, there’s plenty to see. You’ll cover the most ground by car, but horseback riding feels more apropos given that this is cowboy country. Book with Old West Stables, which has been leading guided trail rides of the area for more than two decades.

Of course, you can also explore Palo Duro Canyon State Park on foot or via mountain bike thanks to nearly 30-miles of single-track fun. Arguably, the most iconic hike leads to Lighthouse Rock, a 312-foot red and orange monolith that pops even more against a sunrise. Once you’ve explored, enjoy the West Texas air while taking it easy during a showing of the TEXAS Outdoor Musical. Held in an outdoor amphitheater and preceded by a chuckwagon dinner, the “official play of Texas” runs from Memorial Day through early August and is a tradition that should be added to any Lone Star State bucket list.

No road trip to these parts would be complete without a stop at the famous roadside attraction, Cadillac Ranch, off what was once Route 66 and is now I-40. Bring a can of spray paint so you can leave your mark on one of the upended cars, and on your way out of town, stop for a cheeseburger and root beer float at The GoldenLight Cafe and Cantina.—TE

Lighthouse Rock at Palo Duro Canyon

Miles from SA

495

Place to Stay

To make an early start at Palo Duro Canyon easier, take advantage of the park’s camping (and glamping!) accommodations or book a room at the charming Hudspeth House Bed & Breakfast in nearby Canyon, Texas.

Check on Your Car

Gassing up, checking your tire pressure and making sure all systems are in order is a good tip before any road trip. But it's especially important now to avoid sitting in some crowded service station waiting room or relying on the help of strangers on the side of the road. Taking one of the longer road trips? Consider renting a car.

Make a Plan

Take advantage of AAA’s online TripTik tool to map out your route and find out which (if any) rest stops are closed or limited due to COVID-19. The tool also lets you explore places to stay and eat and figure out which hotels have upped their cleaning protocols in the last 15 months (spoiler alert: most have). If you can’t stomach the idea of a gas station bathroom until everyone has been vaccinated, consider a portable camping toilet.

Pack like a Pro

Hand sanitizer goes without saying, but it’s also wise to pack some extra masks (disposable are great for the road) and to stock up on plenty of water and snacks to minimize the number of pit stops (and public interaction) you’ll need on the way. Two locally made snack ideas: Bird Bakery’s Homemade Granola ($13.50 per bag) for munching and Merit Coffee Co. Instant Coffee ($17 per box) for a caffeine boost.

NEW ORLEANS

YOU KNOW BOURBON STREET and the French Quarter. Perhaps you’ve been so lucky as to witness the explosion of color and culture that is Mardi Gras. But have you been introduced to NOLA’s outdoorsy side? As it turns out, there’s plenty of open-air, pandemic-friendly fun to be had in the Big Easy.

Let the good times roll as you pedal through the cobblestone streets on a pastel beach cruiser with Flambeaux Tours. Their Creole Odyssey bicycle tour highlights the area’s early settlers and includes stops at an aboveground cemetery and the expansive City Park. If you prefer paddling to pedaling, Bayou Paddlesports can outfit you to explore Bayou St. John. As you go, be sure to scan the banks for the Pitot House. Now a museum that overlooks the water, it was home to the first American mayor of New Orleans and is one of the last remaining examples of Creole colonial architecture.

If you’re up for going a little farther afield, Canoe & Trail Adventures’ kayak tours of the swamp can’t be beat. Certified Louisiana master naturalists will guide you around towering cypress trees dripping with Spanish moss and share some of the ecological challenges the wetlands currently face, while pointing out eagles, alligators, and other wildlife.

After you’ve worked up an appetite, mosey on over to the Bywater District for murals (including some by Banksy), art galleries and top-notch libations. Parleaux Beer Lab, the neighborhood’s only microbrewery, has an ever-changing tap list, games and culinary pop-ups. It sits catty-corner to Bacchanal Fine Wine & Spirits, a laid-back, self-described “backyard party” with live music six nights a week, delicious cheese plates and a wine program that has been recognized by the James Beard Foundation three years running. Should you wish to keep the party going, you can visit its sister establishment, The Elysian Bar, tucked inside what was once a church rectory and is now the well-appointed Hotel Peter and Paul.—TE

A Banksy mural in the Bywater District A New Orleans swamp

Miles from SA

540

Pit Stop

Nearly halfway between SA and the Big Easy, San Jacinto Battleground State Historic Site is a worthy detour to pay your respects in the spot where Texas independence was won. Learn about the legendary battle at the on-site museum before taking an elevator ride to the top of the San Jacinto Monument to look out over the land so many fought and died for.

Return Trip Tip

Before heading home, pick up some authentic road trip snacks, including a few flavors of Zapp’s Kettle Potato Chips, sweet confections from Loretta’s Authentic Pralines and boudin balls—a blend of pork sausage, rice and aromatic spices— cooked to perfection at Jacques-Imo’s.

John Hope Franklin Reconciliation Park

The Boston Building in Tulsa Chapman Adventure Playground

Miles from SA

540

Pit Stop

Even if you’ve been to the Fixer Upper mecca that is Magnolia Market at the Silos, Waco is worth another visit to see the newest addition: six cottages known as the Shops at the Silos, which opened in October. Plus, Jo’s cupcakes are the perfect road trip treat and they’ve added a coffee shop in town, Magnolia Press Coffee Co., so you’ll have fuel for the remainder of your drive.

Place to Eat

Oklahoma’s first food hall, Mother Road Market, honors the city’s ties to Route 66 with its retro vibes while offering 20 restaurants and retail stops plus Route 66–themed mini-golf.

TULSA, OKLAHOMA

THE SOONER STATE’S SECOND largest city is truly a hidden gem. For starters, it boasts one of the world’s most extensive collections of art deco architecture—masterpieces commissioned by oil barons in the early 20th century. The Tulsa Foundation for Architecture offers several walking tours that educate visitors (and locals) about the various styles, from Zigzag to streamline modern. Get a closer look by booking a stay at the grand Mayo Hotel—which first opened in 1925 and has hosted, among others, President John F. Kennedy, Babe Ruth and Lucille Ball—or the Tulsa Club Hotel, occupying a nearly 100-year-old beautifully adorned building designed by Bruce Goff.

Kids and kids-at-heart should hightail it to The Gathering Place, a sprawling riverfront park with nature trails, a boat dock and the 5-acre Chapman Adventure Playground, which features a slide that looks like a giant blue heron and castle-like fortresses perfect for acting out fantastical scenes.

Another important part of Tulsa’s story can be found in the Greenwood District, a historic and entrepreneurial African American community once dubbed “Black Wall Street.” There, the John Hope Franklin Reconciliation Park memorializes the June 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre, in which an alleged assault triggered unprecedented civil unrest. In the span of 24 hours, a white mob descended on the neighborhood, killing hundreds of Black citizens and burning Black-owned businesses to the ground. The 100th anniversary of the event will be marked this year by the June 2 dedication of Greenwood Rising. The museum’s state-of-the-art exhibitions are designed by the same firm that worked on the National September 11 Memorial Museum in New York City and will honor the many contributions of Tulsa’s Black residents, as well as spark conversation around important topics like reconciliation and urban renewal. Additional events include a nationally televised event on May 31 and a film festival.—TE

+2 International Trips to Plan For

One way to fill that wanderlust for farflung adventure? Start planning now for a 2022 (or ’23) trip to one of San Antonio’s sister cities.

Darmstadt, Germany

One of the most recent additions to our sister cities portfolio, Darmstadt is known as a tech center. It’s just a 30-minute train ride from Frankfurt, has a pedestrian-friendly city center with restaurants and coffee shops galore plus museums (Hessisches Landesmuseum), a castle and a lake for sailing.

Las Palmas, Canary Islands, Spain

A sister city for more than 40 years, Las Palmas is known as the largest (read most cosmopolitan) city in the Canaries. It boasts a beach with views of deep blue water (Playa de las Canteras) plus access to some of the region’s top shopping and restaurants.

Coler Mountain Bike Preserve

The Momentary

Walton's 5&10 and The Walmart Museum

Miles from SA

630

Pit Stop

Get an early start and break for an indoor or outdoor homestyle meal at Marilyn’s Restaurant in McAlester, Oklahoma, three hours from Bentonville. The daily special won’t disappoint.

Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art

BENTONVILLE, ARKANSAS

TUCKED AWAY IN THE northwest corner of Arkansas, this town of 50,000 is a study in contrasts as it manages to be both quaint and cosmopolitan, up-and-coming and a window into the past.

At its center sits a charming square flanked by the county courthouse and Walton’s 5&10, a general store opened in the 1950s by Sam Walton, the future founder of Walmart. Next door is The Walmart Museum and a soda fountain serving up pure Americana in the form of banana splits and 99-cent cones of butter pecan ice cream (Sam’s favorite).

A short drive away, you’ll find the legacy of Sam’s daughter, Alice, an art lover and philanthropist who, as a kid, dreamed of having a worldclass museum in her own backyard. Celebrating its 10th anniversary this year, Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art showcases national treasures, from the colonial to the contemporary, while also highlighting the artistry of the natural world. The museum sits on 120 acres of native Ozark forest, with more than 4 miles of trails introducing visitors to local flora and fauna as well as large-scale works, like a painted Robert Indiana “Love” sculpture (it will look familiar if you’re a McNay Art Museum regular) and vibrant glass installations by the renowned Dale Chihuly. Inside, don’t miss Norman Rockwell’s “Rosie the Riveter.”

Hungry for more? Across town, The Momentary puts the visual and performing arts on display amid an industrial backdrop (it’s housed in an old cheese factory) and also happens to be an ideal place for a creative culinary affair. The rooftop Tower Bar, loosely inspired by a 1960s airport lounge, offers some of the best views—and cocktails—around, while the Onyx Coffee Lab is an Instagrammer’s dream, complete with pops of millennial pink, terrazzo-tiled walls, avocado toast and oat-milk lattes.

For dinner, there’s no shortage of options. The Hive, inside the 21c Museum Hotel Bentonville, has made a name for itself with its “refined country cuisine.” Bar Cleeta packs a punch with memorable small plates, while The Preacher’s Son allows guests to dine on farm-to-table fare inside a restored Gothic Revival church. All three offer al fresco dining to boot.

Lest you think Bentonville is all art and good eating, hear this: It’s also a bona fide mountain biking (and cycling) paradise. With miles and miles of single-track and paved pathways, the hardest part is choosing where to start. A safe bet, however, is the twisty ups and downs of Slaughter Pen. The folks at Phat Tire Bike Shop are also happy to offer personalized recommendations.

If you still have time and energy after all that, consider a quick trip to the nearby Ozark National Forest and Buffalo National River. If not, well, you already have a good excuse to return.—TE

38

BY KATHLEEN PETTY

PHOTOGRAPHY BY MARTY MORRIS

LT. COL. MEGAN PASIERB BY AN AIR FORCE TRAINING AIRCRAFT FEMALE PILOTS ARE STILL A RARITY IN THE AIR FORCE, BUT THESE FIVE WOMEN DIDN’T THINK TWICE ABOUT THEIR GENDER WHILE PURSUING A CAREER IN FLIGHT. NOW AT JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO–LACKLAND, THEY’RE HELPING TRAIN THE NEXT GENERATION OF SERVICEMEMBERS TO PILOT AIRCRAFTS, BOTH IN THE AIR AND REMOTELY FROM THE GROUND.

40

CAPT. ILMA VALLEE

IT WASN’T UNTIL ILMA VALLEE WAS NEARING THE

end of basic military training at Joint Base San Antonio–Lackland that she began to feel like a true American.

A Lithuanian immigrant who came to the U.S. as an 11-year-old, along with her mother, Vallee remembers her early childhood on her grandparents’ farm, where they had to draw water from a well and warm it up on the stovetop before taking baths. It was the early 1990s and food and basic supplies like toilet paper were difficult to come by in Lithuania, which had been a part of the Soviet Union until the late 1980s. “We used newspaper instead of toilet paper,” she says.

She and her mom landed in L.A. in 2000 in search of better opportunities, but Vallee says she struggled to find her place. By her senior year in high school, she knew her family couldn’t afford to send her to college and her grades weren’t going to earn her a scholarship, she says. Her stepfather suggested the military, which would provide her with money for a college education, so Vallee enlisted in the U.S. Air Force in 2007 as a cook. “That’s when I started to feel like a true American,” she says. “Wearing the uniform and hearing the National Anthem, I would tear up.”

A commander took notice of her during that first year and encouraged her to apply to the Air Force Academy. Shortly after, she was invited to spend a year at the Air Force Academy Preparatory School (designed to prepare students who need additional help to qualify for the Academy) and paused her active-duty service for education, graduating from the Air Force Academy in 2013.

Vallee says the rigor of academics, extracurriculars and military life was the toughest thing she’d endured—until she was accepted into pilot training. “That was the most difficult time of my life,” she says. “I was the only female in my class, an immigrant and prior enlisted. I looked different, talked different, acted different and struggled with confidence. It’s a lot of pressure.”

She didn’t grow up yearning to become a pilot or playing video games like many of her male counterparts. Her first plane ride was when she immigrated to the U.S. Eventually, though, her confidence began to build as she passed exams and learned to maneuver simulators and aircraft. “I don’t have an alpha personality, but I learned that I don’t have to change who I am to succeed,” she says.

She was stationed in Del Rio and Tampa, Florida, before coming to San Antonio, where she teaches aviation fundamentals to pilots who will be manning remotely piloted aircrafts, or drones. “It’s full circle for me because I get to see from an instructor point of view how students deal with stress, and I can mentor them and tell them my story,” she says.

MAJOR VANESSA BEAUDREAULT

AFTER GRADUATING FROM AN ALL-GIRLS

high school and watching her older sister enroll at the Air Force Academy ahead of her, Vanessa Beaudreault never considered her gender a factor when she set goals. So, she was taken aback when, at a welcome meeting for Air Force pilot training, a higher-ranking male asked her if she was attending in support of a husband or boyfriend. Only after she replied ‘no’ did he consider that she might be there on her own behalf—the only woman in her training class.

While the Texas native says she’s encountered a few gender-based comments like that during her nearly 11 years of active-duty service, she’s also learned not to let others set expectations for her. “If someone ever tries to tell you, ‘Hey, you’ll have to prove yourself,’ it’s them they want you to prove yourself to, not everyone,” she says. “It took me a little while to understand that. Don’t ever let someone tell you ‘no’ and don’t ever close a door on yourself.”

The only active-duty female T-38 instructor at Joint Base San Antonio, Beaudreault now exudes confidence in her role as a pilot, even if she didn’t imagine this career path until after she started at the academy.

In high school, she’d hoped to become an architect and had decided to study civil engineering at the Academy. Then she was assigned to spend three weeks one summer at Ellsworth Air Force Base in South Dakota. There, she found herself taxiing a B-1 Lance and watching planes take off from the runway. “Right then, I knew that’s what I wanted,” she says.

After completing pilot training, Beaudreault was stationed in Florida, where she flew a single-engine prop plane U-28A and was deployed several times to locations she can't disclose.

Before landing in San Antonio along with her husband, a fellow Air Force pilot, Beaudreault trained future pilots at Laughlin Air Force Base in Del Rio, often working with students who had spent little time in the air prior to their arrival. In San Antonio, she trains future pilot instructors.

“Obviously there are a lot more males than females in this career, but the glass ceiling was shattered a long time ago by some really awesome females,” says Beaudreault, a mom who is expecting her second child next month. “Seize the opportunity if you want it.”

MAJOR CAITLIN MILLER

LIKE IN ANY TWO-CAREER HOUSEHOLD, CAITLIN MILLER AND HER husband have a packed schedule that balances parenting two young children with working—in this case, flying—full-time.

Miller leaves the house early so she can be home at 3 p.m. to relieve their nanny while her husband, also a pilot, takes the later shift at Joint Base San Antonio, getting the kids ready for the day and returning home at 7 p.m. “It’s challenging but anything that’s hard in life is going to be very rewarding,” she says.

Raised in Ohio, Miller didn’t grow up in a military family. Rather, she stumbled across the Air Force Academy while researching where to apply for college. The idea of an education that would be paid for and hold the promise of a job with the Air Force after graduation appealed to Miller, so she applied and earned a degree in aeronautical engineering with the hopes of becoming a pilot.

Her degree prepared her in knowing how and why airplanes work, but she says the experience of actually piloting one proved to be quite different. “It was challenging,” she says. “It’s always challenging, so it keeps you on your toes and you’re never really bored.”

She began her career as a pilot at Little Rock Air Force Base where she flew C-130Js and completed missions around the world, in Southeast Asia, Africa, South America and Greenland. “For that time in my life, it was great,” she says. “I got to see a lot of places you would never pay to see and complete important missions.”

Training new pilots, as she did at Laughlin Air Force Base in Del Rio, and pilot instructors, which she does now, comes with its own thrills and challenges, she says. But it also provides a much more stable schedule that’s more suitable to life with two toddlers.

In San Antonio, Miller flies at least once daily while training instructors and says the only time she ever noticed her gender impacting her career was when she was pregnant and not able to fly for safety because the seat in her plane doubles as an ejection seat. Regardless of whether young women strive to become pilots and mothers or to dedicate their life to an Air Force career, Miller says to go for it. “People usually regret the things they don’t do and it’s a great opportunity,” she says.

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CAPT. CORINNE EASTER MAJOR HEATHER BURNS

AIR FORCE PILOT CAPT. CORINNE EASTER HAS A SURPRISING CONFESSION:

“I really hate flying. I get air sick really easily.”

As a fourth-generation service member—her father flew F-4 and F-15s in the Air Force—Easter knew from an early age, she wanted to enlist, telling her parents in just the fifth grade that she hoped to attend the Air Force Academy. When she was accepted, Easter set her sights on the space program. She had no intention of following in her father’s career path.

The space program she’d been interested in got canceled, but once at the academy, she learned that not all pilots spend their days in the sky. As a remotely piloted aircraft (RPA) operator, she could use her love of robotics to pilot planes while in a control room at her assigned base.

“I don’t get to physically touch the planes, but I’m on the leading edge of technology,” Easter says.

Still, becoming any type of pilot in the Air Force requires rigorous training, so Easter did have to spend six weeks physically flying planes to qualify. Once that was complete, though, the rest of her training hours took place in simulators, which is what she uses to teach her students at Joint Base San Antonio.

Though not new, RPAs, which are similar to drones, are being called upon more and more frequently in recent years to carry out missions, she says.

Easter, who graduated from the Academy in 2016 and has been stationed in San Antonio for just over six months, has spent much of her career thus far piloting MQ-9s. They are equipped with weapons and built for precision so they can perform everything from reconnaissance to air strikes to combat search and rescue.

Now an instructor, Easter says she’s able to combine her passion for flying and robotics with teaching, which she always imagined as an alternative career path. “It’s hard to beat this job,” she says. “I get to be an RPA pilot, but I also get to teach pilots.”

Easter says she tells her students that both RPA pilots and in-air pilots face the same level of challenge, just in different forms. In the air, pilots are under mental and physical stress. On the ground, RPAs are asked to manage even more psychologically demanding tasks, making it equally tough despite the fact that they’re in an office chair at the base. “It’s more task saturated,” she says.

The demand for in-air pilots will always exist, but Easter says she expects to see the use of RPAs continue to grow, both in the military and in the civilian world where they can be used for things like package deliveries.

THE DAUGHTER OF CHRISTIAN MISSIONARIES, MAJOR

Heather Burns grew up in a remote area of South America that was accessible only via a Cessna plane ride.

“Because of weight and balance, I always had to sit in the back, but I always wanted to sit up front with the pilot,” she says.

Burns returned to the States for college, knowing she wanted to help people as her parents had but that she also wanted to fly, perhaps as a medevac pilot. She enrolled at University of Central Florida, where she participated in ROTC, and was selected for Air Force pilot training when she was commissioned as an officer at graduation.

“Going from basically no experience flying, there’s a steep learning curve,” she says.

Burns found just one female instructor in pilot training—a reservist who wasn’t always on base—but she says she never viewed her place as one of the few women in her field as much of a factor when she began about a decade ago. “It never occurred to me to hesitate to try to become a pilot,” she says.

Some of her early flying was completed on T-6 turboprop planes, which allow the pilot to flip and turn while performing acrobatics in the air. “It was definitely different than the flying I saw in the back of the Cessna,” she says. “I wasn’t great at it at first, but it is a lot of fun.”

From Little Rock Air Force Base, she piloted C-130s for medevac flights and deliveries of cargo and people in missions from South America to Greenland and Afghanistan.

She was transferred to Vance Air Force Base in Oklahoma, where she spent a few years instructing new pilots before moving to Joint Base San Antonio. There, she teaches pilots how to be instructors in the T-1 Jayhawks.

When she sees young women come through as lieutenants, Burns’ biggest advice is to not be afraid to speak up. As someone who’s innately timid, she says that was one of the biggest lessons she had to learn. “There will definitely be tough days, but if I can do it, I think anyone can,” she says.