Texas travel

2 Texas Hill Country parks book places on new list of America’s best campgrounds

Two destinations in the Texas Hill Country have earned top spots in a new ranking of the country’s best campgrounds.

Yogi Bear’s Jellystone Park Camp-Resort: Guadalupe River in Kerrville grabs three honors in Campspot’s first-ever awards program, and Camp Fimfo Hill Country near New Braunfels scores two honors. Panelists from the outdoors industry picked the winners. Campspot is a booking platform for campgrounds.

Yogi Bear’s Jellystone Park Camp-Resort: Guadalupe River earned three awards:

Ninth-best campground.
Second-best campground for families.
Third-best camping sites (Riverfront Red Carpet RV Sites).

Campspot describes the Kerrville campground as “the perfect place for families to have the vacation of a lifetime. Whether you’re looking to kick back and relax or spend the day busy with fun activities, this [campground] is an ideal location.”

Amenities at the campground include Yogi Bear’s Water Zone and an 18-hole mini-golf course.

Highlights of the Riverfront Red Carpet RV Sites include electric, water, and sewer hookups at each concrete pad, as well as a cable TV connection, picnic table, fire ring, and charcoal grill.

The other regional winner is Camp Fimfo Texas Hill Country, which is east of Canyon Lake and north of New Braunfels. It ranks third among the top campgrounds for families and second for campground design. Features at Camp Fimfo include a swim-up bar, water slides, and outdoor movies.

“Step outside of the ordinary and … outside in general with a glamping or camping experience at Camp Fimfo,” Campspot says.

Camp Fimfo offers three types of RV sites and three types of cabins. At an average of $275 a night, the three-bedroom cabin is the priciest option. It sleeps 12, and comes with a full kitchen and private bathroom.

Jellystone features a variety of water adventures, from pools and hot tubs to waterslides and the giant Yogi Bear's Water Zone for kids.

Jellystone Guadalupe River/Instagram

Jellystone features a variety of water adventures, from pools and hot tubs to waterslides and the giant Yogi Bear's Water Zone for kids.

rankings vacation nature families

Airport News

Southwest Airlines to change policy on charging for checked bags

Southwest

Southwest Airlines

Dallas-based Southwest Airlines Co. is implementing a new round of changes — including charging travelers to check their bags. According to a release, the new initiatives reward the airline's most loyal customers while giving all customers more options.

Checked bags
Southwest will continue to offer two free checked bags to Rapid Rewards A-List Preferred Members and Customers traveling on Business Select® fares, and one free checked bag to A-List Members and other select Customers. Southwest will credit one checked bag for Rapid Rewards Credit Cardmembers. Customers who do not qualify for these free bag options will be charged for their first and second checked bags (weight and size limitations apply). Changes will apply to flights booked on or after May 28, 2025.

Rapid Rewards
The carrier recently adjusted the number of Rapid Rewards points Customers earn on qualifying flights. Customers now earn more points on Business Select fares while earning less on Wanna Get Away® and Wanna Get Away Plus® fares. Southwest Rapid Rewards, the carrier's loyalty program, will also introduce variable redemption rates across higher-demand and lower-demand flights.

A new Basic Fare
These strategic moves, aimed to deepen and reward loyalty between Southwest and its most engaged Customers, create new opportunities to reach consumers who value fare above everything else. To align with these changes, Southwest will introduce a new, Basic fare on our lowest priced tickets purchased on or after May 28, 2025, in advance of offering assigned seating and extra legroom options.

Southwest continues to widen its distribution channels to reach new Customers, with flights and fare products now available to book through online travel agency Expedia, beginning last month.

Flight credits issued for tickets purchased on or after May 28, 2025 will expire one year or earlier from the date of ticketing, depending on the fare type purchased.

These changes add to the initiatives already underway at Southwest, including the forthcoming implementation of assigned seating and extra legroom options and an initial industry-standard airline partnership with Icelandair that began on February 13, the same day the carrier's first-ever scheduled overnight redeye flights launched.

"We have tremendous opportunity to meet current and future Customer needs, attract new Customer segments we don't compete for today, and return to the levels of profitability that both we and our Shareholders expect," said Bob Jordan, President, Chief Executive Officer, & Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors at Southwest Airlines. "We will do all this while remaining focused on what's made us strong—our People and the authentic, friendly, and award-winning Customer Service only they can provide."

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