Blog: What’s New

Leander Mural Adds to Austin Area Insta-Worthy Destinations

Posted on by leanderchamber

What trip doesn’t include memorable photos? They may be one of the best souvenirs you can get on your travels! The hilarious outtakes you and your best friends capture trying to get the one perfect instagram ready picture may actually end up being your favorite!

Adding to the many memorable Austin area Instagram worthy locations is the recently finished Leander Mural located at the corner of Crystal Falls Pkwy and Leander Drive. This community beautification project was sponsored by local businesses and individuals and completed by renowned local artist Libby Bratt and has turned into the local selfie hotspot!

Get the perfect Selfie

Ready to take your trip and capture the perfect selfie? Check out these tips for getting it just right!

  • Pick the Right Time of Day!
    • The sun can be brutal on the eyes and make awkward shadows, aim for early morning, or try hitting the golden hour. The golden hour usually hits one hour before sunset and adds that dreamy, romantic feel to your pictures! Bonus, catching the golden hour for selfies is the perfect time for pre-dinner pictures! Check out this dining guide to see where to head after your pictures to satisfy those hunger cravings!
    • For an even more ethereal quality, trying getting there during the blue hour, though “hour” here is a misnomer. The blue hour is the 15-20 minutes before sunrise or after sunset! Using this delicate lighting can add mystery to your photos! Looking for something fun to do after your sunset photos? Check out local hot spots, like Leanderthal Distillery. A full list of fun places can be found here!
  • Bring Your Sense of Humor!
    • Stiff, uncomfortable poses and forced smiles don’t make the best pictures. Try getting into weird positions on purpose and let the laughter make the photo!
    • Try bringing a prop or pet! It can be easier to relax when you have something to hold or a pet to calm you!
  • Try it Horizontal, we think you’ll like it!
    • You don’t need fancy equipment to get a great photo, your phone camera will work great, but your natural instinct might be to hold your phone the same way for pictures that you do for talking on it. In this case, that might not be the best way to go! Try switching to horizontal instead of vertical!
  • Pick Your Spot
    • The mural is very long, you don’t have to get the whole thing in your photo! Pick your favorite area and zoom in on your gorgeous faces!

We are so excited to be one of the sponsors of such an amazing project! We can’t wait to see your photos! Be sure to tag us when you post them!

Old Town 5K – June 5

Posted on by leanderchamber

Runners – Ready to add some hardware to your medal rack? This year’s annual Old Town Street Festival 5K presented by Cedar Park Regional Medical Center kicks off a real after-party that goes until 11 p.m.! This notoriously fast race runs through the historic and scenic Leander Old Town and ends winding through the festival streets filled with cheering fans and festival goers! Ready to sign up? Click the button below to reserve your spot!

Sign Up here

Leander Hill Country Trail Trip

Posted on by leanderchamber

Ready for a relaxing adventure through the scenic Hill Country where the journey is just as important as the destination? Then grab your favorite road trip companions and get ready to tour the historic Hill Country Trail!

No matter where you plan to start your trip, you will want to begin with your Texas Hill Country Trail Passport! You can pick one up at any of the passport destinations or have one mailed to you to begin the excitement of planning your trip here!

At each of the 34 destinations you will find history, beauty and community! Visit each one and receive a unique stamp in your passport! Keep your filled passport as a great moment of a fantastic trip, or mail it in after you collect at least 24 destination stamps before December 31, 2021 to receive great Hill Country prizes!

Mail completed passport to:

Texas Hill Country Trail Passport
PO Box 93041
Austin, TX 78709

If you are already planning a trip to Leander, what better time than during their fantastic Old Town Street Festival! Happening Saturday, June 5 from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. in the famed Old Town District of Leander, the Old Town Street Festival draws in thousands of locals and visitors looking for fun, shopping and, of course, delicious food! Read more about the festival and the live music line-up here!

Looking for more historical sites to complete your Leander Hill Country Trip?

And be sure to come by to see us here at the Leander Chamber of Commerce and Visitors Center! We can’t wait to meet you and stamp you passport! Who knows, we might even have some goodies to give you!

Leander Chamber of Commerce and Visitors Center
100 N. Brushy Street
Leander, TX 78641

Don’t forget to tag us in your posts! Use #txhillcountrypassport and #visitleandertx

Thrills for the Adventure Seeking

Posted on by leanderchamber

Leander, the placid community right on the edge of Austin, is known for its festivals and family fun, but did you know that Leander tops the Texas charts for adventure? In addition to homestyle restaurants and unique shopping, Leander is the perfect base camp for all your adventures, including one of the top-ranked skateparks in Texas!

When Skate The States was looking at the best skateparks in Texas, Lakewood Park in Leander, Texas was one on the top on their list!

“In typical Texas fashion, the skateparks in the Lone Star State are huge. In fact, Texas actually holds the largest skatepark in the USA! These skateparks are most definitely not lacking in quality either, and Texans should consider themselves lucky to have access to such great concrete playgrounds.”

-Skate the States

Skateparks in Texas may be known for their size, but Lakewood Park is not just Texas sized, it also has well planned amenities! For families seeking fun for teens, look no further than the Skatepark and Kayaking at Lakewood Park. You can read more about all the features of this expansive park in this post, or by visiting the City of Leander’s website here.

Lakewood Skatepark opened in late 2020 and has a unique design that meanders through mature oak and juniper trees. The skatepark features a variety of obstacles including a quarter pipe section, four stair set, flat rail, down ledge, banked manual pad, and a volcano. This is a great technical street plaza suited to skateboarders of all levels.

-Skate the States
  • Lakewood Skatepark
  • Lakewood Skatepark

Looking to add more thrills to your trip? Check out Zip-lining across Lake Travis on the longest zipline in Texas and other fun adventures here!

Ready to plan your trip? Find dining guides and lodging options on the Visit Leander website!

Living Leander Community and Job Expo

Posted on by leanderchamber

Living Leander means having pride in your community, and no event celebrates the spirit of the Leander Community more than the Living Leander Community and Job Expo.

Join us on Friday, April 30 from 4 – 8 p.m. at the Premiere Athletic Complex at 8220 183A, Leander, TX 78641 for fun events for the whole family and career exploration including a hiring fair and professional development classes.

Community Expo

Explore the Leander Community by visiting the many local businesses that will have booths, giveaways, and door prizes all evening!

Local Businesses to Explore!

Cedar Park Regional Medical Center
Premier Athletic Complex
City of Leander
Parks & Rec/HR
ACDI
AEPS
Collins Advanced Dermatology Institute
Community Impact Newspaper
HEB
Honda Leander
Modern Woodmen of America
N2 Publishing
St. David’s Emergency Center Leander 
#TheSmileDoc
Austin Community College
Band of the Hills
Belle’s Superior Movers
Bloom & Leaf
Cedar Ridge Alzheimer’s Specialty Care
Center Stage
Champion Kids
Chick-fil-A
The Darveau Agency
Dean Somerville
Dreamland Productions
Drive a Senior Northwest
Edward Jones, Greg Rollo
Elements Massage
Family First Express Care
Freedom Fun
Georgetown Behavioral Health Institute
Hill Country Community Ministries
Hills at Leander
Janice Presnell
Jocelyn Victoria Groce
Kepler STEM School
Kevin Harris Agency
Leander ISD – ESS
LEARNLEE Online Tutors
Lux Event Rentals
Movability
National Guard 
North Austin Physical Therapy 
Patriot Driving 
Pampered Chef– Beth Prickett
Phillips Skid Steering
R Bank 
South Wind Equestrian and Retreat Center
Standards Home Health
Texas Family Eyecare
The Crossover Cedar Park
The Learning Experience Leander
Tutelage Insurance Agency
Truly Superior Health
Way off Broadway 
WellMed
Whataburger
Wilco Wellness
Williamson County Republican Party 
Wine Shop at Home, Maria Gorman
Workforce Booths 
Yard Bash ATX

Career & job Expo

$500 No Essay Scholarship given at the expo

Grab your Expo Passport and complete a visit at all the required booths to be entered into a drawing to win a $500 scholarship.

Read more about the $500 scholarship in this post.

New This Year: Classes

Dress for Success with Kathryn Pantalion-Parker

Resume Writing or Interviews with Becki Ross

Professional Success with John Paulson

Professional Success with Craig Henry

Hiring expo

Come and explore the many career opportunities from Chamber businesses that are hiring.

ACDI
Cedar Ridge Alzheimer’s Specialty Care
Champion Kids
HEB
LEARNLEE Online Tutors
The Learning Experience Leander
Truly Superior Health
Parks & Rec/HR
Collins Advanced Dermatology Institute
Honda Leander
Center Stage
Chick-fil-A
Leander ISD – ESS
Wine Shop at Home, Maria Gorman

Entertainment

The Living Leander Community and Job Expo has fun activities for any age.

ACTIVITIES

Even the youngest kids will love the S.T.E.M. astronomy lesson where students will explore the Sun’s energy. They will learn the color spectrum and learn about ultraviolet (UV) and infrared (IR) light as they construct a bracelet.

Jump into your future on the bounce house & slide

Everyone will enjoy the astonishing star program in the Mobile Planetarium for an educational program that is geared for middle schoolers and high schoolers but brings fun for everyone! This activity is free and on a first-come-first-serve basis.

Stage Performers:

Center Stage

Champion Kids Day Out

Leander Music School

Way Off Broadway

Thank you to all our sponsors

Lakewood Park

Posted on by leanderchamber

Locals and visitors alike will love the features of this beautiful park. Amenities include a large pavilion with restroom facilities, splash pad, playground, dog park, fishing pier, lakeside pavilions, vehicle parking areas, trails, skate park, basketball and volleyball courts, and kayak rentals.

Location:

2040 Artesian Springs Crossing

Leander, TX 78641

Map

Hours:

Dawn to Dusk

Park Features:

The well thought out amenities of this park are a hidden gem in Leander.

Sports Courts & Outdoor games

Playground

Splash Pad

The Lakewood Splash Park will be open from the first weekend in April to the last weekend in October. Reservations will no longer be required for admission into the splash pad.

Fishing Pier and Boardwalk Overlook

Nature walk & Hike and Bike Trails

SkatePark

Off Leash Dog Park

Canoe and Kayak Rentals and Lake Put-In

Two person Kayaks, stand up paddle boards, life jackets, and oars are available to rent through PaddleEZ. Click here for rental information and lake rules.

Parties and Gatherings:

Any size gathering from a birthday party to a family reunion, Lakewood Park has the perfect space for you to reserve!

Reservable Spaces

Printable Lakewood Park Map

Download

For more information, visit the City of Leander Parks Page here, or call (512) 528-9909.

Leander Invites You to the Old Town Street Festival

Posted on by leanderchamber

Old Town Street Festival, taking place in the heart of Old Town Leander at 100 N. Brushy Street on June 5, is excited to announce this year’s schedule and music line-up. The annual festival will start at 11 a.m. with the Old Town 5K, arts and craft booths and the Kids Fun Zone presented by HL Chapman. Wade Hayes, presented by ACDI, will take the Old Town Grandstand at 6:30 p.m. The after-party with LC Rocks, presented by Texas Family Eyecare, will kick off at 8 p.m. 

The festival will have activities, shopping and, of course, live music, all day from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m., including Lucas Sousa, presented by Giddens Homes. General admission is free and tickets for the VIP section of the Wade Hayes concert and the roller skating rink can be purchased online here. Tokens for rides and kids activities can be purchased at the festival. Parking will be available at the Leander Metro rail station with buses providing transportation to Old Town or in the Leander ISD parking lots surrounding Old Town. Check back as we feature vendors and events all spring leading up to the festival!

Details and more information can be found on the Old Town Street Festival Site.

For more information about the Old Town 5K, check out this post or the official website here.

Food

What is more on-brand for festivals than food? From healthy to indulgent, come try it all!

Shopping

Whether you are a serious shopper or a casual browser, Old Town Street Festival has over 100 vendors carrying everything from wine to knives, so you are sure to find something for everyone!

Activities

From the very young to the young at heart, Old Town Street Festival has activities for everyone. The petting zoo, rides and face painting are sure to bring smiles to little ones, and the live music and roller skating are great for all ages! Be sure to bring your own lawn chair and take it easy during the live music!

Texas Hill Country Wildflower Season Beginning

Posted on by leanderchamber

Winter storms can’t stop the beauty of the 2021 Texas Hill Country wildflower season, and there couldn’t be a better time to plan your trip to Leander, Texas!

The first bluebonnets are just starting to appear on roadsides and green fields across Texas, marking the beginning of spring and arguably the most beautiful time to visit Texas. Starting in March and running through early summer, flowers cover the landscape and brighten the sky as trees and fields take on vibrant color. 

The wildflower season typically begins in March and runs through most of June, with some flowers, like the Texas thistle which starts blooming in April and can be seen all the way through August, blooming all summer long!

Texas has a long history of preserving its natural vegetation and planting wildflowers along its roads and highways, creating beautiful drives that wind through the Texas Hill Country and wineries.

FOR MORE THAN 90 YEARS, the Texas Department of Transportation has worked to conserve and preserve the state’s wildflower species. Texas was among the first states to implement a program of planting wildflower seeds along the state’s rights of way.

Texas Department of Transportation

Conveniently situated between FM 1431 and TX-29 along the Texas Department of Transportation’s recommended wildflower drive, Leander is the ideal basecamp for all your favorite wildflower day trips and evenings spent relaxing. With its own unique wineries, distilleries and breweries, you can enjoy everything the Hill Country has to offer, right in Leander.

Texas Department of Transportation Wildflower Drives – Hill Country

Some of the beautiful flowers to be on the look out for include the Indian blanket, the winecup and, of course, the state flower of Texas, the bluebonnet.

  • Winecup by TXDDOT
  • Indian Blanket by TXDOT
  • photo by The Leander Visitor Center
  • photo by The Leander Visitor Center

The Texas Department of Transportation has created this guide to help you identify all the gorgeous flowers you see.

No Texas wildflower trip would be complete without the iconic photo sitting amongst the bluebonnets, and with fields and parks covered in bluebonnets, you can be sure to get your perfect shot in Leander. making your plans now, and let us know your favorite flower in the comments!

Your Ultimate Leander Spring Break Stay-cation Guide

Posted on by leanderchamber

COVID has taken too much from us already, we won’t let it have Spring Break 2021!

If you are like us, the word Spring Break now gives you involuntary shudders! Last Spring Break we began a journey that introduced new words into our everyday vocabulary, like “quarantine” and “mandate.” But we refuse to let COVID have Spring Break again, and aren’t we lucky to have so many amazing places right here in Leander! To celebrate, we’ve created the ultimate Leander Spring Break Stay-cation Guide! 

Your Stay-cation Destination! 

The Leander Holiday Inn Express and Suites

What would a Stay-cation be without a mini-getaway!  Pick a night and check out the Leander Holiday Inn Express and Suites. Even if you can’t travel far, you can still get away! With everything you could want from a Grab-and-Go continental breakfast that includes hot options (did someone say omelets??), to reservable gathering rooms for family fun, the Holiday Inn Leander is just the change of scenery you need! For more information, visit:

https://bit.ly/38teZwE

Shop Local in the Heart of Old Town Leander!

Check out these amazing stores you won’t find anywhere else!

  1. Wildfire Artisans

Have you ever shopped in a vintage AirStream while sipping coffee and eating homemade baked goods? If you have, you know exactly why it’s so amazing, and if you haven’t, it’s time!  Stop by Wildfire Artisans on a Saturday morning to get the full experience and see why the Wildfire Artisans is your new favorite shop. 

With extended Spring Break hours and offerings, this is the perfect time to visit!

Friday, March 19,  2-5 p.m. – Happy Hour Tasting and 20% Off Shopping Spree Saturday, March 20, 9 a.m.-1p.m. – Ditch and Toad Coffee & Cornered Market Bakery

https://wildfireartisans.com

  1. Smooth Village

Every Saturday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. you can visit Smooth Village and check out the coolest outdoor market in Leander. From food to flowers, this place has it all, and a Leander vibe that can’t be beat.

https://www.smoothvillage.com

  1. Patchouli Joe’s Book and Indulgences

If ever a book store had the possibility of being magical, it’s Patchouli Joe’s! 

https://www.patchoulijoesbooks.com

  1. Casa Costa

All that shopping is sure to work up an appetite! Drop by Casa Costa to grab a sweet treat and refreshing drink, without ever leaving Old Town Leander! If brunch is your jam, Casa Costa is your place to be! Their weekend brunch is sure to please.

https://www.casacostabakeshop.com/

Fun for the 21 and Up Crowd!

Leanderthal Distilling

Be sure to check out Leanderthal Distilling, Leander’s very own Uniquely Texas distiller. Fridays from 5-9 p.m. and Saturdays from 4-9 p.m., enjoy great drinks and a spirited atmosphere on site at Leanderthal, where they invite you to bring your own food and stay awhile. With both indoor and outdoor seating available, you are sure to enjoy yourself, wherever you’re comfortable! 

For more information, visit:

https://leanderthaltx.com

Amazing Free Activities

Leander is fortunate to have spectacular parks for your whole family to explore! Whether you are looking to rent kayaks or hunt for Dinosaurs, be sure to visit each of these unique parks!

  1. Lakewood Park

Leander’s newest park could be the ultimate adventure destination! Featuring a skate park, kayak launch and rentals, a huge playground for all ages, fishing spots, and an extensive trail system, there is something for everyone. 

https://www.leandertx.gov/parksrec/page/lakewood-park

  1. Dinosaur Hunting

Along the river bed on the South San Gabriel you can see evidence of Leander’s pre-historic community! Enjoy exploring nature and find some of central Texas’ wildlife, but keep your eyes open for DINOSAURS! On the riverbed you can see dinosaur tracks, one of Leander’s great historic sites!  This is private property, so please be respectful of the owners when you visit.

Want to visit more historic sites in Leander? Check out this link:

https://visitleandertx.com/attractions-activities/leander-historic-sites/

  1. Robin Bledsoe Park 

This 16 acre park is home to all the great outdoor activities you love! Whether you are looking for a playground or sports courts, this park has it all! Check out this link to see everything Robin Bledsoe Park has to offer!

https://www.leandertx.gov/parksrec/page/robin-bledsoe-park

Find Something Totally Out-of-the-Box!

Leander is filled with fun places to explore and adventures waiting for you! Check out these great  places that check all the Spring Break boxes!

Isle Acre Farms

Isle Acre Farms has so many activities that anyone can enjoy! You can enjoy a farm tour, a night on the farm, farm classes for the littles and so much more. Check out this link to see everything that’s available!

www.isleacrefarms.com

LifeStyle Photo and Video

Spring Break is the perfect opportunity to book a photo session! Whether you want a family session or just you and your pet, don’t miss this chance to capture the moment! 

Find them on facebook: @Lifestylephotoandvideo

Hand & Stone Massage and Facial Spa

Nothing says Spring Break like relaxation, and what could be more relaxing than a massage! Pamper yourself with a spa day to unwind and feel your best. With so many ways to decompress, finding your inner bliss will be a breeze.

For more information, visit:

https://www.handandstone-leander.com

We want to see your Leander Stay-cation fun! Drop us a comment when you explore Leander or tag us in your photos on Facebook or Instagram @leanderchamber, or using the hashtag #visitleandertx and don’t forget to follow us to stay up to date on all things Leander!

All businesses featured are members of the Leander Chamber of Commerce.