Horseshoe Bay Resort has been on our travel list for a while.
200 Hi Cir N, Horseshoe Bay, TX 78657
As the wife of a golf addict, Horseshoe Bay was high on the list because it's consistently listed as a top golf destination for public courses in all of Texas and has more than one course. In fact, the resort has 4 different courses you can choose from.
We were there for a quick weekend and traveling with friends, so we only had time to play the Ram Rock course. I'm not qualified by any means to critique the course, but in terms of things I know, it was an amazing experience!
My reasons why:
The resort offers a shuttle to the course and back.
Our toddler was welcomed without judgement.
Beverage carts were readily available.
The attendant at the halfway house was friendly and genuinely nice - extremely impressed with the service.
The course was very well maintained and beautifully designed.
The view from Hole #1 and in the cart at The Ram Rock Course- Horseshoe Bay Resort, TX
Too busy to take any other photos at The Ram Rock Course - Horseshoe Bay Resort, TX
In addition to the golf, there is so much more to do at the Horseshoe Bay Resort.
I loved our stay in the Palm Villas. We had a 1 bedroom unit which felt like a small apartment. We had our own entrance from outdoors, which I prefer. When you walk in, you step into a "great room" with a kitchenette and living room. The bedroom and bathroom were both located off of this main room.
Unfortunately due to COVID, we had a limited experience. The Jungle Kids Club, which offers activities for kids potty trained up to 12 years old, was closed. We also opted to eat mostly takeaway food , so we missed out on the true dining experience here during our stay.
We also avoided the spa, but I was able to workout at the Fitness Center, which was conveniently located within the Palm Villas. The facility consisted of two floors of equipment, so I had the whole upstairs to myself in the mornings.
Another change due to COVID precautions was the requirement to book pool reservations in advance. We were unable to get into the Hotel Pool but we loved the Yacht Club Pool 'beach'. Here they have a sandy area with seating along Lake LBJ. This area was particularly nice because this section of the lake was against a small barrier that created a shallow, calm area for kids to play in.
The Yacht Club Pool also has one of the largest hot tubs in Texas that looks like a volcano filled with hot water lava - it's coolest hot tub I've ever seen and of course, I forgot to take pictures of it. We didn't make use of this unfortunately, because dipping into a hot tub when it's 100F + outside is not super enticing...
One benefit of staying in the Palm Villas is that you have additional access to small pool within these villas, reserved for Palm Villa guests. The friends we traveled with also had children, so we ordered pizzas from the resort to this pool and spent a good amount of time here one of the nights.
Hanging out in the sandy area along Lake LBJ at the Horseshoe Bay Resort
A weekend is not enough time to experience all the amenities at Horseshoe Bay Resort. Still on the list are the rest of the golf courses, the 18-hole Whitewater Putting Course, a pontoon boat rental, evening s'mores outside (they ran out of supplies 5 minutes into the 'start time'), and dining at any of the restaurants! Hopefully we can update this posting soon!
424 County Rd 404 Spicewood, TX 78669
Although this gem was not in Horseshoe Bay, it's located about 20 miles east of the Resort. Like many hotels, check in was not available until after 3 PM, so we drove here on the first day to make the most of our time while waiting to check in.
Krause Springs has 32 springs on the property, several of which feed the manmade pool and the natural pool which flows into Lake Travis. We opted out of the manmade pool to keep our distance from others. The natural pool is just a short walk down from the manmade pool with a few areas of slippery and uneven footing. I highly recommend grippy footwear!
Walkway down from the entrance and cooling off in the natural pool at Krause Springs.
They allow you to bring your own float, food + drink (with the exception of those in glass bottles). Those interested may also book camping reservations on the property.
Near the entrance, they also have a large garden area. We saw people inside reading quietly and took a quick walk to check it out - it's beautiful.
Exploring the gardens at Krause Springs
The property here was gorgeous, but I found it to be quite crowded. We went on a Friday afternoon, so perhaps an alternate time would be better! Admission was $8 for adults, $5 for kids (4-11 yrs) and free for kids under 4.