Texas Travel

5 relaxing couples' getaways an easy road trip away from Fort Worth

Whether couples have had to spend their quarantines apart, or Mom and Dad desperately need time away from the kids, a getaway-for-two is looking pretty good right now.

As Texas continues to reopen businesses and loosen restrictions, the local travel industry is ready to ramp up business. Hotels and resorts are implementing new precautionary protocols like reduced occupancies, enhanced sanitation efforts, and contactless check-in and room service. Boutique retreats somewhat off the grid are even more sought-after as travelers look to avoid large crowds.

Here are five Texas destinations perfect for a quick couple’s getaway, all offering vacation-caliber amenities with enhanced safety precautions. The best part: all are just an easy road trip away from Fort Worth.

La Cantera Resort & Spa, San Antonio
Set to reopen June 3 with enhanced sanitation initiatives, San Antonio's La Cantera Resort & Spa is ready to welcome back guests looking for a retreat from reality. Overnight occupancy will be limited to 50 percent, and capacity will be limited in all restaurants, lobby areas, and pools. This includes the tranquil adults-only infinity pool that offers private cabanas and expansive views of wooded bluffs. The Loma de Vida spa and wellness sanctuary will open June 1 for hair and nail appointments, to start. Note that the resort has temporarily suspended daily in-room housekeeping, but sanitation amenities will be included in guest welcome packets and in rooms. The La Cantera Resort & Spa app (coming soon) will allow for contact-free check-in and food and drink ordering throughout the property. Rates start at $199 per night.

The JL Bar & Ranch, Resort & Spa, Sonora
With just 32 accommodations sitting upon 13,000 acres, this luxe ranch and resort (about 280 miles southwest of Fort Worth) provides plenty of opportunity for social distancing. The property just celebrated its grand reopening on May 20 and is taking all the necessary COVID-19 precautions such as increased cleaning and sanitation. Guests can choose from one of 16 luxury cabins or 16 spacious suites, each combining rustic elegance with modern indulgences like custom-made furniture, lavish linens, and contactless room service. (There is a main dining room with a bar and lounge on site for those who wish to venture out.) Located on the outer edges of the Texas Hill Country about an hour south of San Angelo, the property has also just unveiled Archer’s Nest Villa, a six-bedroom private home that comes with butler service, a private swimming pool, home theater, and outdoor barbecue pavilion with outdoor kitchen. Activities range from horseback riding and shooting lessons to spa services and sunset cocktails. The standard rate is $599 per night, which includes breakfast. But now through July 8, 2020 visitors can book three nights at $399 and get a complimentary fourth night.

Sunflower Beach, Port Aransas
The new resort and residences development is just a short golf cart ride from the center of Port Aransas, now revitalized after Hurricane Harvey’s wrath swept through nearly three years ago. Pastel-colored homes and townhouses are available for vacation rentals, along with cute luxury beach cabins in a section called The Camp. Each cabin offers a private yard and indoor fireplace. Guests get access to two private pools (one is adults-only and both are at reduced capacity right now) and a regularly raked private beach area with a concierge that provides towels, sunscreen and water, and umbrella and chairs for rent. A bike or golf cart ride on the beach is easy with on-site rentals. Guests can stay nourished at Turtle’s Poolside Grill, a seasonal poolside café located at the property’s Beach Club. Cabins start at $250 to $300 per night and homes start at $375 per night.

Lucky Arrow Retreat, Dripping Springs
Contactless hotel check-in is just one precautionary perk at this Dripping Springs getaway, which features cabins, porch houses, and luxury yurts — those cute little circular tents that take “glamping” to a new level. Most of the 36 accommodations at this retreat on the outskirts of Austin are charmingly small, ranging from 200 to nearly 400 square feet with cozy and modern furnishings. The four-bedroom, three-bath Ranch House provides plenty of space for those who prefer more room to spread out. Outdoor activity is encouraged, with porch sitting overlooking the woodsy terrain at the top of the list. Guests can also take a three-minute walk to Lucky Arrow’s neighboring Bell Springs Winery and Bell Springs Brewing Company, both now open Fridays through Sundays. Rates vary based on day of the week, but start $109 a night for yurts and $149 a night for cabins.

Sage Hill Inn & Spa, Kyle
Take the long and winding road to peaceful seclusion at this Central Texas hideaway located about 25 minutes south of Austin. Each stay includes sweeping views, opulent amenities, and a three-course dinner and breakfast in bed delivered to your cottage or suite. There are 16 accommodations here, including one 2,000-square-foot, three-bedroom ranch house with a private fire pit and hot tub. Sage Hill’s on-site “Garden Spa” is named for the property’s towering garden, which blooms with giant zinnias and morning glories along with fragrant herbs and hearty vegetables. The pool is also open for a quick dip. Note that the property is typically adults only, but Sage Hill Inn is allowing family stays now through June 15. Rates range from around $320 to $640 per night for weeknight stays, including tax.

La Canera's Loma da Vida Spa will reopen June 1 for hair and nail appointments.

Photo courtesy of La Cantera

La Canera's Loma da Vida Spa will reopen June 1 for hair and nail appointments.

texas health vacation

Airline News

American Airlines launches new gate program to foil early boarders

Photo courtesy of American Airlines

undefined

Fort Worth-based American Airlines has launched a new system to catch passengers who try to sneak ahead in line.

According to a release, the airline is deploying a program in which technology is used to deter passengers who try to board before their official boarding group has been called.

Passengers who try to board early will not only hear a beep when they scan their boarding pass, but a tattletale message will pop up on the scanner, alerting the American Airlines employee of the passenger's correct group.

The airline trialed this modern technology over the past month at Albuquerque International Sunport, Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, and Tucson International Airport. It will now be deployed at more than 100 airports across the U.S.

If a customer boards before their assigned group is called, the new software will not accept the boarding pass and instead makes an audible sound to alert the gate agent and customer that the group has not yet been called. In these instances, the American team member will invite the customer to rejoin the line when their boarding group is called.

According to a story in the NY Post, airline employees have a name for these people: “gate lice."

A statement from American Airlines says that those passengers who are paying for early access should get their just desserts. People who are paying extra are mad when others get the same benefits.

"The new technology is designed to ensure customers receive the benefits of priority boarding with ease," it says.

Surely a factor is the way American Airlines' current boarding system has become an exercise in the haves vs. the have-nots, with nine levels of boarding groups, from elite status members and credit card holders all the way down to the Basic Economy nobodies. It's gotten worse since the pandemic, with extra charges applied to every element of flying, including a charge if you want to choose your own seat.

As an explanation of why people might do it, the NY Post cites a theory that travelers try to get ahead "out of a tendency of conformity and a sense of competition."

Public shaming is a powerful motivator, and Larry David fans would surely agree that line-cutters should always be called out — but in this case, there is an actual valid reason for trying to get a jump in line, and that can be summed up in two words: overhead bins.

Too many travelers place their luggage in overhead bins that are not located over their seats. Who has not seen the guy breezily stash his suitcase in whatever bin is closest? And this is an inequity that is not addressed by flight attendants, who admittedly have enough on their hands.

But the fact remains that if you get on the plane when your boarding group boards, the odds are slimmer that your designated overhead bin is going to have room for your suitcase.

If the airline is not going to enforce the overhead bin situation, then it's hardly fair to blame gate lice for worrying about where their suitcase is going to end up — or worse, whether they'll face the horror of having to get their bag checked at the last minute because some other passenger stole their overhead space.

airport