where to travel right now
October is full of vibrant events happening all over Texas. From popular music festivals like Austin City Limits Music Festival and the Texas Jazz Festival in Corpus Christi, to new museum exhibitions debuting in Arlington and San Antonio, there is a wide variety of events to check out this month.
San Antonio travelers can explore dozens of Hill Country wineries with a Texas Wine Month passport, or stay local with a River Walk boat tour exploring Día de los Muertos-themed sculptures. Plus, locals can start preparing now for a remembrance 5k run at the end of the month.
Here are our top 12 picks for summer Texas travel events, hotel news, and more in October.
Austin
The far flung Austin suburb of Georgetown is getting a bold makeover with the development of a new 18,000-square-foot mural at the city's new parking garage located at 502 S. Main St., just steps away from the iconic downtown square. Graffiti artist and muralist ARCY designed the large-scale piece to honor the legacy of Georgetown's historic Chisholm Trail. The new mural comes as the city prepares for its Month of the Arts celebration from October 16-18. Festivities include a sculpture tour, the Autumn Art Stroll, and the fourth annual South Main Arts Festival. All events are family friendly and free to the public.
Austin visitors who aren't coming to town for ACL Fest or the Formula 1 weekend can instead take in two laid back, self-guided home tours taking place in October. The first is the Austin Landscape Artistry Showcase & Residential Garden Tour, which will allow visitors to explore some of Austin’s most stunning private landscapes for one day only on October 18. The second tour, the 39th annual AIA Austin Homes Tour, is an October 25-26 weekend tour showcasing 10 custom-designed homes throughout the Austin area. Tickets for the Austin Landscape Artistry Showcase are $23.17 per person, and tickets for the AIA Austin Homes Tour range from $16.82-$132.87.
The stops on these Austin home tours combine avant garde ideas with practical elements, bringing art home. Vista Lane by Cuppett Kilpatrick Architects, via AIA Austin/aiaaustin.org
Photo courtesy of Visit Corpus Christi
In the Hill Country
October is known as Texas Wine Month, and nonprofit trade organization Texas Hill Country Wineries is celebrating with its month-long Texas Wine Month Passport event. The passport provides complimentary tastings at more than 45 participating Hill Country wineries, as well as exclusive discounts on bottles of wine to take home. Passport holders can visit up to four wineries each day in October, with a limit of visiting each winery once during the event. Texas Wine Month Passports are $85 for individuals and $120 for couples, and can be purchased online.
The Fredericksburg Food and Wine Festival is returning from October 21-26, and there are still tickets available for various food tasting events, including the Grand Tasting Event at Marktplatz on Oct. 25. The annual festival showcases over 75 Texas wineries, breweries, distilleries, and culinary partners, and features live music performances, live demonstrations, and more. Ticket prices vary, and can be purchased online.
Houston
The Blossom Hotel Houston has officially rebranded and joined the Curio Collection by Hilton, beginning a new chapter for the four-year-old hotel. The 16-story property contains 267 rooms, the renowned Total You Medical Spa, all-day restaurant Blossom Reserve, and the Plum Skybar & Lounge. From October 2025 to March 2026, hotel guests will receive 1,000 Hilton Honors bonus points per night when they book their stays. Nightly rates begin at $167 in October.
Travelers needing a refreshing autumn-themed spa day can try one of the new fall treatment specials at the Thompson Houston hotel spa, which includes a pumpkin enzyme renewal facial and a "Drift into Light" massage. The new treatments are part of the Thompson Spa's "Tailored Touch" collection, which are personalized for each individual guest. Prices for the autumn spa specials range from $205-$445.
Along the Gulf Coast
The 64th annual Texas Jazz Festival, known as the longest continuously running free jazz festival in the world, is returning to Heritage Park in Corpus Christi from October 17-19. Three stages will be constructed for live performances from musicians from all over the U.S. Visitors can expect plenty of entertainment in between sets, such as local vendor markets, food booths, and more. The full act lineup and performance schedule can be found on the festival's website.
At home in San Antonio
The Briscoe Western Art Museum will unveil its new historic exhibition, Going to Texas: Five Centuries of Texas Maps on Friday, October 3. Curated by Texas businessman and philanthropist Marty Davis and his wife Yana Davis from their personal collection, the exhibit includes 64 maps showcasing the evolution of Texas' landscape and history. Maps date as far back as 1548 and as recent as 2006. The exhibit will be on view through January 19, 2026. Non-member admission prices range from $8-$16 per person, and admission for children 12 and under is free.
An 1853 map shows a very large Bexar County. MuseumOfTheBigBend.com
San Antonio's Día de Muertos celebrations kick off as early as October 5 with boat cruises to explore the alebrije (spirit guide) sculptures decorating the River Walk, plus the annual Day of the Dead River Parade on October 24. Muertos Fest will take place the same weekend as the parade and will include a musical tribute to Grammy-winning conjunto legend Flaco Jiménez. A community 5k run and family walk is scheduled for October 25 at 7 pm, and visitors are encouraged to write their loved one's name on a remembrance wall and add a photo to the community altar.
Dallas-Fort Worth
The Arlington Museum of Art will debut its highly anticipated Game of Thrones exhibition on Saturday, October 4, featuring more than 60 original costumes, props, and behind-the-scenes images from the popular HBO series. The family-friendly exhibition includes Daenerys Targaryen’s regal dragon-scale gowns and Jon Snow’s battle-worn Night’s Watch gear, among many others. Non-member tickets are $20 for children and $25 for adults, with additional discounts for military, seniors, and groups. The exhibition will run until April 5, 2026.
It may only be October, but The Adolphus in downtown Dallas is skipping ahead to December with reservations opening for its 2025-26 Holiday Tea season starting on Tuesday, October 7, at 10 am. The hotel's venerated Holiday Tea events – boasting a sumptuous three-course meal, a complimentary glass of bubbly, and an assortment of loose leaf teas – are an iconic part of what makes Dallas so jolly during the festive winter season, and tickets sell out within minutes. Holiday Tea services at The Adolphus are $85 per person, and will begin on Wednesday, November 5, and run through January 11, 2026. Reservations can be made via Resy or by calling The French Room directly at 214-651-3615.
Award-winning interior design firm Tihany Design has completed renovations on 126 West Tower guestrooms at The Joule, a luxury hotel in the heart of downtown Dallas. Tihany Design originally designed the hotel when it opened in 2008, so it's safe to say The Joule's Neo-Gothic aesthetic is still in good hands. In addition to "functional updates," a press release revealed that the West Tower guestrooms now contain contemporary color palettes, European walnut paneling, bespoke furnishings, custom artwork, and much more.
HOTEL NEWS
San Antonio’s Project Marvel may not yet be a done deal, but Alamo City’s hotels are already putting on their Sunday best for a surge in tourism. The Grand Hyatt San Antonio River Walk at 600 E Market St. is the latest downtown property to reveal a glow-up, in this case, a $9 million rework of its lobby, restaurants, and public spaces.
Photo courtesy of Grand Hyatt San Antonio River Walk
The new lobby at Grand Hyatt San Antonio River Walk is full of midcentury charm.
The renovation adds some midcentury swank to the lobby with honeyed woodwork, sculptural seating, and marble floors. From there, guests can click-clack to three new dining concepts: Italian eatery Moda Fare, coffee shop Spoonful Provisions, and Tejas Lounge.
Moda Fare is designed in chic neutrals.Photo courtesy of Grand Hyatt San Antonio River Walk
Moda Fare has been serving Italian classics since late June, when it replaced the hotel’s Bar Rojo. Gone are the glossy tiled columns and hot pink amoeba chandeliers, replaced with sweeps of marble, faux shagreen club chairs, and an of-the-moment bleached tambour bar.
The hotel’s former café, Perks Coffee, got its own boost. Now named Spoonful Provisions, the space is clad in yet more marble, midnight blue tiling, and a lush floral wallpaper. The coffee program was upgraded, too, with locally roasted beans.
Lastly, the bar — redubbed Tejas Lounge — serves Texas spirits, cocktails, and light bites. It is in full view of the lobby, so guests can peek at the handsome new checkout desks and looming chandeliers.
Tejas Lounge is open to the lobby.Photo courtesy of Grand Hyatt San Antonio River Walk
“We are so excited to provide our guests with these impressive updates; these renovations reflect our commitment to providing an exceptional stay for every guest who walks through our doors,” said Ryan Fender, General Manager of Grand Hyatt San Antonio River Walk, in a release. “The completion of this project brings comfort and convenience to our guests and celebrates traditional Texas flavors and hospitality in a luxurious setting.”
The new interiors also raise the stakes in a renovation arms race currently sweeping San Antonio’s hotels. On September 22, downtown’s Gunter Hotel debuted a $57 million revamp, following in the footsteps of Hyatt Regency River Walk, Mokara Hotel & Spa, and the newly reminted Signia by Hilton La Cantera Resort & Spa.
