Friday, March 29, 2024

Vacation or Staycation: Lots to See, Do and Eat in Southlake this Summer

With an abundance of shops, restaurants, recreational activities, and nearby entertainment venues, Southlake is a year-round destination. But as the temperatures rise this summer, so do the promotional efforts to bring visitors to town and keep residents close to home.

The City of Southlake’s Economic Development and Tourism Department is leading the charge with its recently redesigned website, www.visitsouthlaketexas.com, which is intended to entice and educate tourists to the City, as well as City residents. Featuring an online calendar of events, shopping and dining directory, and the latest news from local businesses, Visit Southlake Texas is the City’s top tourism marketing tool. The website is supplemented by a Facebook page, www.facebook.com/visitsouthlaketexas, and a Twitter account dedicated to promoting special events, @StarsStripes12.

According to Jill Lind, Southlake’s tourism and marketing manager, a live video feed of Southlake Town Square was added to the Visit Southlake Texas website right before the City’s annual July 4 celebration, Stars & Stripes.

“A video camera was mounted on Southlake Town Hall and streams live footage of Rustin Park Pavilion onto the Visit Southlake Texas website. Now, people will be able see what is going on in Town Square 24/7,” said Lind.

Another important aspect of Lind’s job is to promote the Hilton Dallas/Southlake Town Square, which is the first and only hotel within the city and contributes a seven percent hotel occupancy tax to the tourism budget.

The Hilton Dallas/Southlake Town Square is offering several packages to lure vacationers to the city this summer:

  • The Great Getaway: Don’t settle for any getaway…make your next escape The Great Getaway. Save up to 40% when you book a stay at participating Hilton Hotels & Resorts by July 23, 2012 for stays through September 30, 2012.
  • Golf Package: Your golf package for two includes a one night stay and green fees for two golfers at Sky Creek Ranch in Keller.
  • Wine Tour: Board the Grapevine Wine Tour for a wine-tasting experience you will not soon forget. This four-hour excursion includes generous tastings at three award-winning wineries, a delicious dinner at one of the stops and transportation in our climate-controlled, 25-passenger shuttle bus. Every Grapevine Wine Tour is led by a professional, licensed tour guide who is friendly, fun-loving and well-versed in the history of Grapevine and Texas wine-making. We look forward to giving you a big Texas welcome as well as an unforgettable and unique experience from Grapevine Wine Tours!

Mike Hutchison, general manager of the Hilton Dallas/Southlake Town Square, announced the hotel is preparing to launch a new website to increase its visibility and bring more people to the property.

“One of our greatest advantages is being located near DFW International Airport and in Southlake Town Square. From here, guests can easily get to Fort Worth or Dallas, or stay right here in Southlake without the need for a car,” explained Hutchison, noting the Hilton Dallas/Southlake Town Square was just awarded the Certificate of Excellence from TripAdvisor for outstanding guest reviews. “Our new website will not only better showcase the property, but will include a section for area attractions and local events.”

Another big attraction in Southlake Town Square is Harkins Theater, which kicked-off its “Summer Movie Fun” program June 4 and continues through August 10. Kids can enjoy a movie a week for 10 weeks, for less than $1 per film. This summer line-up includes Happy Feet Two, Kung Fu Panda Two, and Mr. Popper’s Penguins.

Karla Chase, marketing manager for Southlake Town Square, is working with many stores, restaurants and businesses to host Fashion’s Night Out September 6, which is part of a national program to support local retailers. This year’s event in Southlake will include a runway fashion show, in-store special events, celebrity appearances, limited edition products, and complimentary food and beverage.

There are also many reasons to visit Southlake outside of Town Square, including several new dining establishments under construction:

  • Patrizio: The popular Italian restaurant with locations in Fort Worth, Plano, Highland Park, and Highland Village will open an 8,000 square foot facility along the S.H. 114 access road near Carroll Avenue.
  • Bonefish Grill: Southlake will soon be home to the only Bonefish Grill in North Texas when it opens later this year in The Shops at Southlake at the corner of Southlake Boulevard and Carroll Avenue.
  • Bottlecap Alley: With locations already established in Grapevine and Keller, Bottlecap Alley will open in Southlake at 2150 E. Texas 114 near Kimball Avenue later this summer.

The temperatures may be hot, but there are plenty of options to stay cool in Southlake this summer!

An image of a family bowling and dining

Photo of a solar eclipse