Texas’ capital city may have emerged as a tourism darling in recent years, but a city just 25 miles north of Austin offers similar Hill Country charm while forgoing the crowds and traffic of the big city. Georgetown, founded in 1848, is home to Southwestern University and 50,000 residents. For visitors looking to experience the heart of Georgetown’s appeal, a trip to the historic downtown square should be the first order of business. Victorian-era buildings line what’s been called the most beautiful downtown square in Texas. The square is lined with specialty shops, antique stores, artistic hotspots and eateries. This charming picnic area at Reunion Ranch is open from April 1 through October 31 and accommodates up to 5,000 guests.
Georgetown values its local artists, and the town’s artsy vibe is readily apparent on the downtown square, where sculptures and murals brighten the public space. Festivals and special events—like an annual open-air dinner on Main Street and the popular Red Poppy Festival every April—enhance the convivial atmosphere. Cultural mainstays include the vintage Art Deco Palace Theater, which offers live theatrical performances in a historically rich setting.
The new Georgetown Art Center, located in a historic firehouse, features works by national as well as local artists. The studio portion of the center hosts art-related programs and classes. The historic building was originally used not only for the fire department, but also for city hall and the town jail. The building is one of the few remaining examples of 19thcentury city hall fire stations in Texas.
The downtown area brims with locally owned restaurants and cafes, many of them featuring locally raised meat and produce. Monument Cafe presents itself as a classic roadside café but includes many organic and locally sourced menu items and offsets its fried fare with lighter options like kale salad and jalapeño coleslaw. Nearby, 600 Degrees Pizza goes beyond typical toppings, producing pies brimming with the likes of basil pesto and smoked gouda. For Mexican cuisine, El Monumento offers made-from-scratch Mexican fare, including green chile pork stew and grilled fish with garlic aioli.
For a sweet treat, Galaxy Bakery and Coffee House offers locally roasted coffee and baked goods along with homemade jams and icings. The menu includes tempting treats like chocolate brownie cookies, lemon crunch muffins and cranberry orange scones. Galaxy also offers wedding and special occasion cakes and cupcakes.
The charming city is attracting attention from meeting and event planners, thanks to its plethora of meeting and event space. The Sheraton Georgetown Texas Hotel and Conference Center, projected to open by July 2016, will anchor a high-end, mixeduse 32-acre development called The Summit at Rivery Park. The seven-story, four-star hotel will include 222 rooms, alongside a 30,000-square-foot conference center.
“The Georgetown community couldn’t be more excited about the Sheraton Hotel and Conference Center,” says Cari Miller, Georgetown tourism manager. “We’ve waited a long time for the perfect partnership to deliver such a first-class product. We invited everyone to come see what we’re up to.”
GEORGETOWN BY THE NUMBERS
50,000+ POPULATION
1840 THE YEAR SOUTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY WAS FOUNDED
180 HOMES AND BUSINESSES LISTED ON NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES
7th FASTEST GROWING CITY IN THE U.S.
No. 2 PLACE TO LIVE AND LAUNCH A SMALL BUSINESS (FORTUNE MAGAZINE, 2008)
Reunion Ranch
Reunion Ranch offers 35 acres of outdoor event space, accommodating up to 6,000 guests, says Jay Pearce, president and co-owner of Reunion Ranch. On the property, 100-year-old live oaks stretch their branches into a natural and memorable ceremony backdrop. And the outdoor space, known as the picnic grounds, is available April through October, offering breathtaking views of Hill Country sunsets. Reunion Ranch’s year-round indoor venue, Saddlecreek Crossing, offers 10,000 square feet of space, seating up to 600. Soaring ceilings, a towering fireplace and a wraparound deck create a warm atmosphere.
Unique team-building activities like Whacky Olympics, Sporting Clay Shoots and Cowboy Campfire Cook-offs, among others, are offered on the picnic grounds. Fireworks shows and bonfires with singing cowboys are other outdoor entertainment happenings.
Williamson County Courthouse
In the heart of Georgetown’s historic district, the grand Williamson County Courthouse makes for a memorable event venue. The fourstory structure, built in 1911, is constructed with beige brick and limestone trim. It is outfitted with triple-arched stone entryways topped with one Ionic column that reaches to the upper floor. Crowning the building is a large copper dome featuring clock faces on all four sides; it is topped by a statue of Themis, known as Lady Justice, and surrounded by stonework cornices.
Inside, the courthouse features polished terrazzo floors made with bits of marble and granite. Curved stairways with iron grille railings provide an impressive backdrop. The interior is decorated with photographs and paintings of people who have held county office.
A number of the courthouse’s stately rooms are available for rent. The entire courthouse event space provides capacity for 475 people. The District Courtroom, featuring a wraparound balcony, wood floors and high ceilings, has room for 200, while the smaller Commissioner’s Courtroom holds 100. Each elegant rotunda has a maximum capacity of 50 people. Small groups of up to 25 find sophisticated meeting space in the Conference Room.
“My favorite space is the District Courtroom,” says The Williamson Museum Executive Director Mickie Ross. “When you walk through the wooden doors, you feel like you are on the set of To Kill a Mockingbird, and you can easily imagine all of the important events that happened in the room. It makes whatever you are doing there feel like you are making history yourself.”
The Union on Eighth
Just two blocks from the downtown square, The Union on Eighth boasts an industrial vibe. The 85-year-old building functioned as a blacksmith shop, an Oldsmobile dealership and a transmission shop before turning to its current role as a special events venue. The building’s rich history speaks through hand-hewn beams and the mellowed patina of its metal exterior. Glass garage doors flood the space with light while nodding to its automotive history.
“It was our goal to have a space that cultivated conversation and a feeling of warmth, so when people step into The Union, they felt like they were home,” owner Katy Bohls says. “I think we accomplished this by salvaging all we could, restoring the pieces that were dilapidated and enhancing the small things that give The Union such incredible character.”
The main hall and courtyard feature 6,000 square feet of event space. An airstream provides hip groom’s quarters. A catering prep kitchen makes way for special meals, and a mixologist is available to create one-of-a-kind cocktails. Outdoor festoon lighting and complimentary valet service for events with over 75 guests provide additional luxe touches.
The Page House
Sitting atop a hill overlooking Georgetown, The Page House was built in 1903. The house, designated with state and national historical markers, is one of the few original Queen Anne Victorian mansions still standing in central Texas. Serving as a family home for many years and a polo training center in the 1930s, the home now hosts special events, says owner Jane Best.
The three-story frame structure features detailed architectural touches, such an octagonal tower on its southeast corner, Doric columns, wooden balustrades and transoms over the doors. The interior of the mansion evokes the elegance of days gone by.
Outside the main home, smaller structures— such as a Victorian gazebo, pavilion chapel and wooden bridge spanning a koi pond—serve as picturesque backdrops.
The facility accommodates weddings of up to 150 as well as any number of smaller events including teas, socials and parties, adds Best. The property’s polo barn, now refashioned with tile, holds up to 100 guests, serving as a unique venue for corporate meetings, parties, and small celebrations.
