Day Trips & Beyond: May Events Roundup

Long walk. Texans can once again take a short walk on a long pier on north Padre Island outside of Corpus Christi. On Feb. 24, Bob Hall Pier officially reopened after being destroyed by the winds and waves of Hurricane Hanna in 2020. Admission to the pier will be free through May 24. After that it will cost $3 to walk the pier and $4 per fishing pole. The new pier is 1,240 feet long; that’s just shy of a quarter mile. It’s 10 feet shorter than the Empire State Building is tall, as long as four Statues of Liberty, 157 feet longer than the Eiffel Tower, or 215 feet longer than the Waterline Tower in Austin, the state’s tallest building. The length gives anglers access to the offshore migration routes of fish cruising the coastline. Named for popular Nueces County Commissioner Robert Reid Hall, the original pier was built of wood in 1950 and was a measly 300 feet long until it was doubled in size two years later. The pier had to be rebuilt after hurricanes Carla (1961), Beulah (1967), Celia (1970), and Allen (1980). After Hurricane Allen the pier was constructed of concrete instead of wood and Horace Caldwell Pier in Port Aransas was rebuilt as its twin. Work is not quite complete on the pier in Padre Balli Park, and the road along the beach to the popular fishing spot is rutted with soft sand and tidal pools. Construction of a new restaurant building, concession stand, and parking lot is in the initial stages, but should be completed by late summer. The best way to access the pier is by Padre Balli Park Road.

Free access through May 24, Bob Hall Pier, Corpus Christi, www.nuecesbeachparks.com/padre-balli-park/bob-hall-pier

Bravo Hub City. It’s good to see Lubbock being recognized for the depth and diversity of its culinary offerings. The flat landscape is dotted with a roller coaster ride of good eating from classic American diner (Cast Iron Grill) to fried chicken (Dirk’s Signature Chicken & Bar), barbecue (Evie Mae’s Pit Barbecue), and a collection of family-owned ethnic restaurants. That’s why it was heartening to see the High Plains city honored when Finn Walter at The Nicolett was chosen as a Texas finalist for Best Chef by the 2026 James Beard Awards. Walter was a semifinalist in 2022 and his restaurant was included in the Best New Restaurants in America by Bon Appetit in 2022. A Lubbock native and classically trained chef, Walter brings a European accent to local favorites like lamb and rib-eye. Add to the delicious and creative menu a relaxed dining experience that includes a spacious dining room, an outdoor patio, and a greenhouse dining room. 

The Nicolett, 511 Broadway St., Lubbock, www.nicolettrestaurant.com

Travel Notes:   

Contagious conjunto. One of the major musical genres developed in Texas, conjunto music was carried around the world by the legendary Flaco Jimenez. The Grammy Award-winning accordionist and songwriter was born in San Antonio and passed away in 2025 at the age of 86. This year the Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center will honor Jimenez at the 44th Tejano Conjunto Festival in San Antonio from May 14 through 17 in Rosedale Park, 303 Dartmouth St. 

For art’s sake. Art lovers around the state have several world-class art museums to choose from, and some of the best are in Houston. This summer the Museum of Fine Art, Houston hosts a “must see” exhibit featuring a selection of modern masterworks by Pablo Picasso, Paul Klee, Henri Matisse, Alberto Giacometti, Paul Cezanne, and other figures of the postwar European avant-garde. It will be the first time to be exhibited in the U.S. for several of the art pieces. Picasso–Klee–Matisse: Masterpieces from the Museum Berggruen will be on view at the MFAH from May 20 through September 13. 

Room to roam. One of the area’s prettiest parks, Lockhart State Park has grown by 188 acres. Texas Parks & Wildlife Department recently announced the purchase of two adjoining parcels. The park now covers 453 acres that includes a swimming pool, campgrounds, playgrounds, and a nine-hole golf course built by the Civilian Conservation Corps in 1935. TPWD planning teams are working through development plans that will provide extra space for visitors to spread out and immerse themselves more fully in nature.

Wine & dine. Got plans for the summer? Texas Hill Country Wineries, a collective of local wineries, is launching Summer Season Pass. Running June 1 through Aug. 31, the pass gives wine lovers and summer travelers three full months to explore more than 35 participating wineries at their own pace, on their own schedule throughout the summer. This seasonal passport is the first of its kind, making it a genuinely new way to experience the third most popular wine region in the country. Passports are $65 for an individual or $100 for a couple’s pass. During a regular tasting room visit, the average tasting fee is $25/person. Passport holders can visit up to four wineries per day for a complimentary tasting and a 10% discount on purchases of three or more bottles. (Each winery may only be visited once.)

Like a local. A good way to find where locals go is to peruse the local publication’s annual “best of…” listings. The San Antonio Express-News/My SA recently released their Readers’ Choice Awards and it’s full of potential day trips. Take for instance where to find the best margarita (El Mirasol), the best Mexican food/Tex-Mex (Los Barrios Mexican Restaurant) or the best new restaurant (Mare E Monte Italian Restaurant). For out-of-towners not looking for local services, the Eat & Drink, Entertainment & Leisure, and People & Places categories are of the most interest. Check it out and then enjoy San Antonio like a local. And don’t forget that the finalists in the Best of Austin Readers Poll will be announced in the May 8 issue of The Austin Chronicle, and voting in the second-round finalist ballot will take place May 7-18. Winners will be revealed in the June 19 issue. 

Deep roots. The Austin area’s favorite adult beverage, Deep Eddy Vodka, announced that it will be closing its Dripping Springs tasting room on June 13. South of the capital city a few miles, the tasting room began as the spirit’s original production facility in 2014. Production was eventually moved to larger facilities in Buda and the stylish building on U.S. Highway 290 became a visitor center and tasting room in 2019. Deep Eddy announced that it will lease the space with an outdoor terrace and 38-foot bar to another distillery beginning on Aug. 1. 

Gulf Coast reminder. Nesting season for sea turtles along Texas coast has begun. Sea turtle nesting season typically runs from April through mid-July. Already Sea Turtle Inc. in South Padre Island has rescued 13 nests in the first month. If you see an injured or nesting sea turtle on the upper Gulf Coast call the Turtle Hotline at 866-TURTLE5 (866-887-8535). To report a sighting on the lower coast call emergency line for sea turtles at 956/243-4361. Sea turtle hatchlings in Texas, primarily the endangered Kemp’s ridley, emerge and are released from mid-June through August, with peak activity often in July. Public releases usually occur at sunrise, at the Padre Island National Seashore and Sea Turtle, Inc. 

Other May Events:

GULF COAST

HILL COUNTRY

PANHANDLE PLAINS

PRAIRIES AND LAKES

SOUTH TEXAS

OUT OF STATE

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Gerald McLeod has been traveling around Texas and beyond for his “Day Trips” column for more than 30 years. Keep up to date with his journeys on his archive page and follow him on Facebook.

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