New growth

San Antonio Botanical Garden sprouts new family-friendly attractions opening soon

Kids can get up close to nature at the new Family Adventure Garden.

Photo courtesy of San Antonio Botanical Garden

It took a little time to get there (and more than a little green), but the Family Adventure Garden at the San Antonio Botanical Garden will finally open on March 3.

The new interactive area will be geared towards kids, offering them a hands-on environment to learn about nature. The 2.5-acre space offers themed galleries representing South Texas regions such as Tumble Hill and Thunder Ridge. Each area boasts opportunities for play, from tunneling and climbing to a Muhly grass maze. Sand features, ponds, and forts are scattered throughout, practically guaranteeing that little ones will need a nap on the car ride home.

Education is also a key component. The Acequia Tank lets visitors discover how recycled water is harvested, while Limestone Ledge lets kids explore fossil imprints. The Prickly Pear Pavilion, the centerpiece of the Family Adventure Garden, acts as an outdoor classroom as well as a hub for birthday parties and other events.

The area is part of an eight-acre, $22 million expansion. In October 2017, the first phase debuted, with a new welcome building, the H-E-B Discovery Center, a culinary garden, and a teaching kitchen. The final phase of the expansion will include an education and event center, event lawn, a new administration building, and renovations to the historic Sullivan Carriage House.

The grand opening celebration will feature tons of activities, including speakers like Mayor Ron Nirenberg, live music, lawn games, and culinary demos. There will also be plenty of bites from food trucks and the new Rosella at the Garden restaurant.

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spooky szn

Texas ranks 3rd in new list of states most excited for Halloween

Pumpkin Nights/Facebook

Let's get spooky, Texas.

Is Halloween the new Christmas? Sure seems like it in Texas, which just earned top-5 status in a new study of the U.S. states that are the most into the Halloween spirit.

When it comes to doing up the spookiest holiday of the year, the Lone Star State comes in as the third-most Halloween-obsessed state in America.

The report by outdoor furniture retailer Backyard Oasis ranked all 50 states based on an analysis of search results for Halloween costumes, decor, candy, haunted houses, upcoming Halloween events, and more. State populations were also factored into the rankings to ensure the scores were "accurately comparable."

Texas ranked No. 3 with a composite score of 48.16 points, beat only by California, which ruled the list at No. 1, and New York, which came in at No. 2. The top two earned gilded costume crowns as the most Halloween-enthusiastic states.

According to the study's data, Texas is home to 47 haunted houses. The state has more than 75 Spirit Halloween stores in 2024, including nearly 30 in DFW, a dozen in Houston, half a dozen in Austin, and four in San Antonio.

Looking outside of San Antonio, there are approximately 3,000 Halloween-related events happening all around the state in October.

Many trick-or-treaters dream of getting full size candy bars for Halloween, but in a surprising twist, the study found that the most popular Halloween candy in Texas is actually Sour Patch Kids. The sour-then-sweet candy is also highly popular in New York and Illinois, the report says.

Here's how Backyard Oasis broke down the rest of Texas' score:

9,314,440 – Halloween costume searches in October 2023
1,168,320 – Halloween decoration searches
445,670 – Halloween candy searches

Backyard Oasis CEO Andy Wu said in the report that the spirit of Halloween isn't just about giving out candy or dressing up in fun costumes, it's about sharing in a "tradition that sparks creativity and joy across the U.S."

"Halloween is one of the most exciting times of the year, bringing people together through creativity and celebration," said Wu. "It's amazing to see how different states embrace the holiday in their own unique ways, from massive costume searches to thrilling haunted houses."

The top 10 most Halloween-obsessed states are:

No. 1 – California
No. 2 – New York
No. 3 – Texas
No. 4 – Florida
No. 5 – Illinois
No. 6 – Ohio
No. 7 – Pennsylvania
No. 8 – Indiana
No. 9 – Michigan
No. 10 – Massachusetts

The least spooky state in the U.S. is Wyoming, which came in at No. 50, joined by nearby states Montana and South Dakota. New Mexico (No. 46) and Vermont (No. 47) were the other two states on the list's bottom five.

The full report can be found on backyardoas.com.

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