Barton Creek Resort and Spa — the Ultimate Staycation

Barton Creek Resort and Spa — the ultimate Staycation

Did you know that the Barton Creek Resort and Spa was available to the general public?  Or that they have family activities each and every day?  Did you know that they have an indoor theater that shows kids movies?  Me either!   I assumed it was a private golf club and that there wasn’t really much of anything to do there other than golf and enjoy the infamous 19th hole.  Turns out, it’s quite family friendly and there is so much for a family to enjoy!  There is so much more to the resort than just golf. And they even have family packages made just for us (and by us, I mean all of us with kids)!   And if you fan their facebook page, you’ll see that they put out special promotions just for their fans.  They had a $150/night for a family of four which included breakfast for everyone (and just wait until you read about our breakfast)!

So — two weeks ago, my family had the pleasure of staying at the Resort and discovered that it was pretty much the ultimate staycation.   I was a little nervous about taking the family there because I feared that it really wasn’t family friendly.   After-all, it’s a very nice resort and I do have a two year old who still throws his body down on the ground when he doesn’t get his way.  But I was pleasantly surprised at how many activities there are for families and little kiddos!

There’s a movie theatre much like the Alamo Draft House with movies that show every two hours in the afternoons.   The movies started at 2 and went until 8 — with a different movie showing every two hours.   And the price of the food was beyond reasonable.  So, you can order your meal in and watch a movie right there at the resort.      

Better yet — send your significant other to watch the movie with the kids while you hit the gym or spa!

Their gym is as fancy as Lifetime Fitness but with fancier and more upgraded machines.   There is a television actually attached to each machine while you exercise vs. having televisions on the walls.  Plus, there is a view of the golf course!  There is also an indoor running track, a pilates reformer room, an indoor lap pool and group fitness classes.   They also have mommy and me yoga and dance classes!   If you aren’t a golfer — you can plan your day around the gym and then hit the spa.  The spa has an indoor sauna, steam room and jacuzzi. It’s perfect for the fitness guru. Take a run around the track, sit in the sauna and then get a sports massage.  I had one of the best sports massages while we were there.

There is also life-sized chess set for the kiddos, a play scape, miniature golf, a nature walk and of course, the pool.  The pool was filled with kids until well after dark.  The kids loved the fact that the restaurant menu for the pool was showcased on a kick-board.  They also have a s’mores on the weekends.  You could easily spend two  nights there and not do the same thing twice!

Although we didn’t golf — we had a lovely view of one of their four courses. I’ve never been much into golf — it’s too quiet of a sport for me … but if you happen to love golf, there is a Kids Club that is open seven days per week. We didn’t utilize the Kids Club but it looked like my two kiddos would have had a blast in there! The price was pretty standard for a resort — $15 per hour for one kiddo, $20 for two kids.

And of course, there was shopping. A lot of shopping. Yes — in the resort.   No need to go into town if you simply can’t live without Starbucks coffee or you forgot your bathing suit — because it’s all right there.  They had two very high end stores that sold top brands for cowboy boots, jewelry and clothes.   And they had a section to buy toys and clothes for kids.

My favorite part was the brunch. Of course, that is my favorite meal of the day! Wow. If you like to overeat at a breakfast brunch with waffles and pancakes and omelettes and fresh squeezed juice — this is the brunch for you!   Plus, if you get the family package, the breakfast is included!   AND – you don’t have to be staying at the resort to go to brunch. They have brunch every weekend and of course on special occasions like Easter and Mother’s Day. If you’re wondering, it used to be a private club and only members could eat there but once they added on to the resort back in 1998, they made the restaurants public! I’ve lived in Austin since 1988 and this was my first time eating there … but I could see that it would be so lovely to eat there for a girls brunch or a special occasion.  The view from the dining room reminded me of the view you get at Four Seasons.  Simply beautiful.  And, don’t worry about having your kids at the brunch — the room was filled with families.  The kids were loud and they fit right in!  And speaking of food, those of you who have food allergies or children with food allergies, the staff was very accommodating!

It was truly a home-away-from home feel with a short drive.  We had everything we needed and the kids had a blast.