When I was a kid my family traveled cross country from Los Angeles to Miami by car – twice, not once. We weren’t crazy, I just think we were Cubans being called to the closest we could get to our native hot and humid climate. Well, maybe a little crazy.
The trip from LA to Miami was long, but I remember Texas the most because the state seemed never ending. Brush and desert surrounded us for hundreds and hundreds of miles for what seemed like days. Although I did not think about it much over the years, I now realized that my early impression of Texas formed an unconscious conclusion that all of Texas was flat, dry and hot all of the time.
However, in spite of that belief, I had always wanted to visit Austin, Texas. So I did. My belief turned on its head as soon as I arrived in Austin. Austin was gorgeous. I soon discovered a wonderful town called Lago Vista about 40 minutes northwest of Austin. This beautiful lakeside town has almost everything, beaches, boating, fishing excellent schools, views, proximity to Austin. There are five parks, a boat ramp, covered fishing area, tennis and basketball courts, playground, swimming pool, campground, fitness center and even a club house.
I was extremely impressed with the beauty, rolling hills and tree-laden scenery of the area and thought it a good idea to share my experience with all of you. There are several large boating lakes adjoined to parks. Lago Vista is a fairly small town with a CVS and a large grocery store with delicious apples.
Because it is a small town, restaurant options are limited, but I am sure choices will increase in the next few years. The Italian restaurant has excellent food. My favorite was the Gnarley Bar in Point Venture, about 5 minutes from Lago Vista. It’s my favorite, not for the food, but for the uniqueness, views and locations. The restaurant is not on land - the two-story building floats in the Marina. To reach the restaurant, you walk the long marina ramps. You will be rewarded with gorgeous views to the restaurant and more beautiful views along with a friendly staff once you arrive. Save your left-overs to feed the huge catfish that hang around with open mouths (literally) waiting for leftovers from restaurant clientele. That alone is worth the visit – see my video to believe it. The pictures below are of the restaurant.
Lago Vista is a very fast-growing community with new construction everywhere. Not surprisingly, this once hidden gem has been discovered. I was amazed at the low home prices and that you could still purchase a nice building lot for a very reasonable price. I was so impressed with the area, I purchased a nice lot for myself to possibly build in the future.
I look forward to returning to Lago Vista in the near future and I hope the city keeps its beauty and charm throughout its growth.
