Houston Life hit the road for a holly-jolly getaway to San Antonio — and trust us, this city does not play when it comes to the holidays. Reporter Melanie Camp packed up the HL crew, cranked the carols, and took a holiday road trip packed with twinkling lights, festive flavors, movie-moment landmarks, and Texas-sized cheer.

It’s fun to imagine the places I’d go, the things I’d do during a “perfect” weekend away in the most beautiful city in the state. What follows is one such “wish list” weekend trip.

Residents and visitors in San Antonio are in for a beautiful surprise as giant lanterns will light up the River Walk for two weekends in September for the Ford Parade of Lanterns.

The Woodlands is a great place for a family getaway with its outdoor activities, good eats, shopping and entertainment.

San Antonio’s River Walk is at its most spectacular in December when more than 2,250 strings of twinkling lights cloak towering trees and set bridges aglow.

San Antonio’s biggest cultural fair is finally happening after multiple delays due to COVID-19, KSAT reported.

Visitors crowd the River Walk in San Antonio, Thursday, March 18, 2021, as the city prepares to host the Women's NCAA College Basketball Championship. “We are regulated to our hotel can’t go off our hall, we can eat together, we can go practice together, otherwise you are in your room,” Lehigh coach Sue Troyan said. “You can’t go outside, you can’t walk around, can’t walk down the River Walk. While the players and teams are well aware of what's going on outside their bubble-like environment, there is little signage around town promoting the women's NCAA Tournament. AdThe NCAA just wants whatever happens outside of its control environment for teams remains outside of their bubble-like stay in Texas.

(AP Photo/Eric Gay, File)(AP) – A new national study adds strong evidence that mask mandates can slow the spread of the coronavirus, and that allowing dining at restaurants can increase cases and deaths. The CDC researchers looked at U.S. counties placed under state-issued mask mandates and at counties that allowed restaurant dining — both indoors and at tables outside. The scientists found that mask mandates were associated with reduced coronavirus transmission, and that improvements in new cases and deaths increased as time went on. Reopening restaurant dining was not followed by a significant increase in cases and deaths in the first 40 days after restrictions were lifted. “But when you take this gathered with all the other stuff we know about the virus, it supports the message” of the value of mask wearing and the peril of restaurant dining, he added.

Greg Abbott says Texas is lifting a mask mandate and lifting business capacity limits next week. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)DALLAS – The end of Texas' mask mandate is giving Lucy Alanis second thoughts about one of her occasional indulgences during the coronavirus pandemic: dining in at restaurants. Businesses in Texas shed rules, city leaders plotted new safeguards and the state's 5 million schoolchildren largely remained under orders to keep wearing masks, at least for now. The mask mandate, which has been in place since July, and occupancy limits on restaurants and retail stores end March 10. Houston Police Chief Art Acevedo said his officers will continue wearing masks.

SAN ANTONIO – The next time you visit San Antonio’s River Walk, expect some extra twinkle along the waterway. He said during the briefing thousands of twinkling lights highlight the River Walk’s beauty, bringing holiday cheer to residents and visitors every year. “If you’re like me, one of the things you look forward to most every year is watching the River Walk light up for the holidays,” Mayor Nirenberg said during the briefing. Several areas of San Antonio will also illuminate with holiday lights this year, according to KSAT. Do you plan to check them out this year in San Antonio?

For the first time in 30 years, visitors can kayak through a portion of the San Antonio Riverwalk, KPRC’s sister station, KSAT reports. During the two-hour experience, kayakers will be able to explore the business district portion along the River Walk. The experience is available on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays in October from 8 to 11 a.m. Visitors who chose to launch their own kayak are still required to make a reservation. According to KSAT, a portion of the funds from the kayaking reservations will go to the San Antonio River Walk Association to help fund future events.

SAN ANTONIO, Texas – Two victims of a deadly shooting that occurred Sunday night at a bar along the River Walk have been identified. Robert Martinez, 21, and Alejandro Robles, 25, were identified Monday as the victims of the shooting, according to the San Antonio Medical Examiner. The five injured victims are expected to survive their injuries, according to San Antonio police. The oldest victim is a 46-year-old woman and the other four victims are teenage males ranging in age from 16 to 19, according to San Antonio Police Department spokesperson Michelle Ramos. The five other shooting victims who were injured were taken to hospitals in San Antonio.