Destination Guides - Southpoint.com Blog

Bodie: Ghost of a Town

Antique Car Museum near Bastrop, TX

I'm a sucker for old cars. So when I saw that the Central Texas Museum of Automotive History was just down the road from our stay at 9e Ranch B&B in Smithville, I was attracted like a moth to a flame.
Cars of yesteryear had class, finesse, PERSONALITY not found in the vanilla cars today.

You will see a everything from an old Texaco gas station, gas signs, license plates, and of course cars of all makes and models from 1903 to current day. The placement of cars has no rhyme or reason that I could see. No matter, they're all treasures. Here a towering 1940s Ford pickup is parked next to a vintage Rolls Royce. A 1957 Chevy screams out to you to drive it (orange UT colors are naturally prevalent here).

This 1911 Napier "Garden Car" in the second photo above was a British status symbol of it's day for the rich to show off, and was exceptionally made. Note the wicker seating and back cover.

The 1959 Ford Edsel is here, a product of extensive Ford research that went awry. Note the unusual color original to the car. Compared to the cars today it is far from what I would call ugly. One of the oddest cars on display is the 1924 Delage D.I. made in Paris, France. Note the wood grain finish This car was discovered on a Netherlands farm in 1975. There were less than 10,000 of these cars made in the Delage D.I. series. An earlier model of the Delage won the 1914 Indianaplois 500.
Join our Facebook pages and view more vintage cars from the Central Texas Museum of Automotive History.

Read about our visit to 9E Ranch Bed & Breakfast in Smithville just 2 miles from the antique car museum at Rosanky.

Bastrop, Tx: Old Soda Fountain & Visitor's Center

   
I love old authentic soda fountains like the one at Lock Drug Store on Main Street with the old marble counter and interior dating to 1905. The second photo is of the soda fountain the way it originally looked around 1905. The cabinets, marble counter, and most of the interior is still the same. Here they will mix you up a treat however you like it. I decided on a frosty shake, except instead of milk had them add Dr. Pepper with the vanilla ice cream. Good combo!

Across the street is the Visitor's Center housed in the old First National Bank Building, circa 1889. The old bank vault is still there, and the walls are lined with vintage photos. The lady there can fill you in on all the historical places to see. Watched a brief film here on the history of Bastrop. Be sure to get the pamphlet on the historic walking tour of downtown.
   
Just 12 or so miles down the road on Hwy 304 off of Hwy 71 is the Central Texas Museum of Automotive History, a priceless gallery of the best in American and foreign automotive ingenuity and engineering. More about it tomorrow. Like our Facebook page to see more photos, and read more about our stay at the 9e Ranch B&B on Hwy 304.
   

Exploring Bastrop, Texas

Bastrop is one of those sleepy little towns that has done an excellent job of preserving their heritage (it doesn't hurt to be on the Colorado River and within 30 minutes of Austin either). Over 130 buildings in town have historic markers. Bastrop is one of the oldest towns in Texas. First inhabited by settlers in the 1830s, the town blossomed along the Colorado River.
 
Besides the antiques and touristy shops and plenty of things to do outdoors (there is the Colorado River and four parks within a stone's throw), there are lots of great eating places. My first thoughts were BBQ, but the wife wanted lighter fare so we opted for homemade food at Maxine's.

Had a tasty burger with lots of ice water served from Mason jars (it's hot out there), with homemade coconut cream pie to round out the meal. Photos and memorabilia line the walls of simpler times. An old bicycle hangs over the doorway. By the kitchen are three cast iron skillets sized from small to large. The first one says "1st Warning." The mid-sized one states "Attitude Adjuster." The large one, the size that my Mom uses for making buttermilk biscuits says "Final Results."

More to come tomorrow on our visit to the incredible antique car musuem (like our Facebook page to see photos) just down the road.
Read about our new feature on the 9e Ranch B&B just 10 miles from Bastrop.

On a separate note, we are looking to re-add comments on the blog in the coming months. We had it years ago but had spammers. Looking to utilize a new system to take care of.

9e Ranch B&B - Rustic Cabins & Country Views

On our visit to 9E Ranch Bed & Breakfast in Smithville just 10 miles from the historic town of Bastrop, we were impressed with the log cabins, the horses, donkeys, playful cats, and don't forget Texas longhorns. The owners made us feel right at home. Head with us to the ranch as we discover a great hideaway.

The exotic Omni Mandalay at Las Colinas

Situated in the upscale business center of Las Colinas, the Omni Mandalay offers panoramic views of Lake Carolyn and the downtown Dallas skyline. The Omni goes to great lengths to impress. For our feature, we stayed in the Presidential Suite on the 28th floor. To say that the suite is massive is an understatement. At 2,890 square feet, it's larger than our house. I kept wondering what it was like here just the week before as the Green Bay Packers coach and team celebrated their Super Bowl win while staying here at the Omni.

Omni Mandalay Home of Super Bowl XLV Champion Green Bay Packers

Coming up later this month, we will visit the Omni Mandalay for a new feature, and will be highlighting the many unique aspects of the hotel. In 2009, Travel and Leisure Magazine added the Omni Mandalay to their World's Best Hotels for Families listing (one of three Omnis to receive the honor).
Omni Mandalay

With an exotic interior Burmese charm, spacious rooms, highly rated spa and restaurant, free self parking, and overlooking Lake Carolyn, the Omni Mandalay at Las Colinas in Irving offers an attractive choice when visiting Dallas.

Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum

Recently we visited the Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum in Austin. With three floors of interactive displays, exhibits, films, and the IMAX Theatre there is a lot of history to absorb on the Lone Star State.
Read about in our new feature and view a video overview here courtesy of the Museum:

Watch a sneak peak of the upcoming movie Born To Be Wild showing soon at the IMAX Theatre in the Bob Bullock Museum: