Cool Off

Beat the Texas heat with a sizzling summer vacay to San Marcos

Summer in Texas means river time.

Photo courtesy of Visit San Marcos

The summer vacay vibes right now are strong, but a great getaway doesn't have to be far-flung. Keep your cool in San Marcos this summer with these refreshing ideas:

Run to the river
Did summer in Texas even happen if you didn't float the river? Besides grabbing a tube, cooler, and your best buds for a relaxing day on the crystal-clear, spring-fed water, you can also snorkel, kayak, standup paddle board, or even just sunbathe.

Head into the earth
Escape the sun by venturing underground at Wonder World Park for a tour of the Balcones Fault Line Cave. Besides being an exquisite 72 degrees year-round, the earthquake-formed cave is dotted with prehistoric fossils and huge boulders suspended in midair.

Afterward, check out the anti-gravity house, Texas Wildlife Petting Park, or the Texas Observatory Tower for awesome Hill Country views.

Embrace the AC
True Texans know to duck indoors when the summer heat gets too intense, and if you happen to start shopping while hypnotized by that sweet, sweet air conditioning, then so be it.

Score plenty of deals at the largest outlet mall in the United States and find one-of-a-kind treasures at boutiques around town.

Pick up some knowledge
Museums also crank out the chilly air, so pay a visit to the LBJ Museum (to learn about President Johnson’s time as a student in San Marcos) and drop in on the Wittliff Collection at Texas State University (for an afternoon of art, culture, and history).

Down a cold one
Cool off with a pint at one — or all — of San Marcos' three craft breweries: Roughhouse Brewing, Middleton Brewing, and Sean Patrick's.

Learn more and plan your perfect summer itinerary in San Marcos here.

Summer in Texas means river time.

Photo courtesy of Visit San Marcos

Summer in Texas means river time.

nature vacation museums promoted shopping

DART News

Here's the 411 on how to take the TRE to the State Fair of Texas

Photo by Marc Lee

The Fair Park station is one of DART's prettiest stations of all.

The countdown is on to the State Fair of Texas, taking place September 29-October 22, and Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) is here with transportation tips.

You can take DART and enjoy an air-conditioned ride without having to find parking or battling traffic and get dropped off at one of two gates on the fairgrounds.

Green Line
To get to the Fair, ride DART’s Green Line to Fair Park Station, located on Parry Avenue at the entrance to the fairgrounds, or to MLK, Jr. Station, located south of R.B. Cullum Boulevard and convenient to the Gate 6 entrance and the Cotton Bowl Stadium.

To get to the Green Line:

Southbound Red, Blue, and Orange Line passengers – transfer to the Green Line at Pearl/Arts District Station.
Northbound Red and Blue Line passengers – transfer to the Green Line at Akard Station.
Eastbound Orange Line passengers – transfer to the Green Line at Bachman Station.

Schedule
Extra Green Line trains will run between Victory Station and Lawnview Station Monday-Friday 9 am-3 pm, and Saturday-Sunday from 9 am-6 pm. During those hours, trains on that portion of the Green Line will run approximately every 10 minutes.

Every day during the fair’s 24-day run, all Orange Line trains will offer extended service to Parker Road Station.

All rail lines will operate on a 20-minute frequency until 10 pm daily.

DCTA
Customers using the Denton County Transportation Authority should check DCTA.net for departure and arrival times to connect at Trinity Mills Station to DART's Green Line.

Trinity Railway Express (TRE)
Trinity Railway Express (TRE) will operate on all four Sundays during the fair on a Saturday schedule.

TRE passengers can transfer to the Green Line at Victory Station. Look for trains saying, "Fair Park," "Buckner," or "Lawnview." Details are at TrinityRailwayExpress.org/StateFair.

DART tickets
A Local Day Pass is $6, and is good for DART Rail, local buses, and riding the TRE between DFW Airport/CentrePort Station and EBJ/Union Station. Tarrant and Denton County customers need a Regional Day Pass for $12. Details are available at DART.org/StateFair or by calling DART Customer Service at 214-979-1111.

Contactless payments
DART offers four contactless options for fast, safe, and convenient purchase of tickets.

1. GoPass app: Download the latest version of the app for free from the Apple App Store or Google Play. Just be sure to activate your DART pass before you board.

2. GoPass Tap card: Available at hundreds of participating retailers, GoPass Tap is the reloadable transit card that automatically gives you the best fare every time you ride. Simply tap your card to a reader on a DART rail platform or bus prior to boarding, and your fare is deducted automatically. (Note: GoPass Tap cards are valid for local fares only. GoPass Tap cards are not valid for travel on TEXRail, DCTA, or Trinity Metro.)

3. Credit or debit card: Buy your DART pass with any contactless credit or debit card. Just tap your contactless card to a reader on a DART rail platform or bus prior to boarding.

4. Mobile device: Using your preferred mobile payment app – such as Apple Pay, Google Pay or Samsung Pay – tap your mobile device to a reader on a DART rail platform or bus to buy your pass.

Save on fair admission with DART GoPass
Use the promo code provided in the DART GoPass app to receive $5 off fair admission Monday-Friday, or $7 on Saturdays and Sundays. Enter the code 23DART when purchasing your fair admission on the State Fair of Texas website.

Service changes
Fair days are always busy days on DART rail and buses. Please visit DART.org/statefair to view the special DART Rail schedules.

DART Alerts
DART makes it easier to keep up with transit information with My DART Updates. Register to receive important updates that make for a better riding experience. Subscribe at DART.org/email.

Two football games
Ride DART to the State Fair Classic between the Grambling State Tigers and Prairie View A&M Panthers on September 30. The Allstate Red River Rivalry game between The University of Texas Longhorns and the University of Oklahoma Sooners is on October 7.

traffic transportation