OMNI BARTON CREEK RESORT & SPA ANNOUNCES HOLIDAY IN THE HILLS PROGRAMMING By Brian Weis

OMNI BARTON CREEK RESORT & SPA ANNOUNCES HOLIDAY IN THE HILLS PROGRAMMING

Texas Hill Country luxury resort to host festive celebrations, magical light displays and family experiences this holiday season

By Brian Weis

WHAT: Omni Barton Creek Resort & Spa, the premier Texas Hill Country destination just 20 minutes from downtown Austin, is excited to announce its Holiday in the Hills programming for 2025. Resort guests can stroll the Holiday in the Hills Light Trail, marvel at nighttime snow shows, enjoy live holiday music, attend festive mixology classes and watch their little ones light up as they experience Santa's Workshop, story time with Mrs. Claus and visits from Santa & Mrs. Claus. The resort has also introduced exclusive holiday packages, including the new Austin Lights & Delights experience featuring access to Austin's top seasonal attractions, and a Magical Memories offer, providing guests with special savings on holiday stays.

While most Holiday in the Hills experiences are reserved exclusively for resort guests, the Christmas Day Brunch, Art of Mixology: Merry & Bright class and Barton Creek Live: Holiday Unplugged performances are open to both the public and resort guests.

The Holiday in the Hills 2025 lineup includes:

HOLIDAY OFFERS

Austin Lights & Delights
Omni Barton Creek's new signature experience, Austin Lights & Delights, features exclusive access to one of three local holiday spectacles: wander glowing gardens at Luminations at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, skip the lines at Austin Trail of Lights at Zilker Park with VIP Zip Pass entry or enjoy a festive drive through Peppermint Parkway with a Circuit of the Americas Fast Pass. This package is available weekly from Dec. 5 to 31 and includes admission to one attraction plus a gourmet hot chocolate kit delivered to your room. Guests can book their Austin holiday experience at 512-329-4018.

Magical Memories
Guests can secure their holiday escape with the resort's limited-time Magical Memories offer. Book by Jan. 4, 2026, to enjoy up to 20% off accommodations and a complimentary $25 food and drink credit. This special offer is available for stays from Nov. 14, 2025, through Feb. 28, 2026 - perfect for celebrating Thanksgiving, Christmas or New Year's Eve in the Texas Hill Country.

EVENTS OPEN TO THE PUBLIC & RESORT GUESTS

Christmas All-Day Brunch
Celebrate the magic of Christmas with a festive brunch at Blind Salamander, available from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 25. Gather with loved ones in an elegant Texas Hill Country setting and toast to the season with warmth and holiday cheer. Pricing is $135 per adult and $45 per child (ages 6-12), excluding fees and gratuity. Reservations are required and can be made via OpenTable. This experience is open to the public and resort guests.

Barton Creek Live: Holiday Unplugged | Friday and Saturday Nights
Settle into Jim Bob's Lobby Lounge for live acoustic performances of your favorite holiday classics. With cozy cocktails, festive cheer and talented musicians, it's the perfect way to unwind this season. Open to the public and resort guests, Barton Creek Live: Holiday Unplugged takes place every Friday and Saturday evening in December.

Art of Mixology: Merry & Bright
Celebrate the holidays at the Art of Mixology: Merry & Bright class from 2 to 4 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 20, at Blind Salamander. Guests will shake, stir and sip through two seasonal cocktails: the Cranberry Rosemary Gin Fizz and the Chocolate Peppermint Martini. Learn creative garnish ideas, batching techniques for entertaining and flavor pairings featuring cranberry, rosemary and spiced cider. Guests will enjoy complimentary small bites, seasonal cheer and the festive glow of the Hill Country as they master the art of the perfect holiday cocktail. Open to the public and resort guests; tickets are $53.98 per person and available on Eventbrite.

RESORT GUEST-ONLY EXPERIENCES

Holiday in the Hills Light Trail
From Nov. 30 through Jan. 3, resort guests can embark on an illuminated journey through trails along Fazio Foothills Golf Cart Path and Longhorn Lawn from 5 to 9 p.m. nightly. This experience showcases the Texas Hill Country transformed by holiday lights and festive ambiance. The adventure concludes with glow-in-the-dark miniature golf at Santa's Magical Toy Shop.

Holiday in the Hills Snowdown
Experience a Texas-style winter wonderland from 6 to 7 p.m. every Thursday through Saturday in December on Lady Bird Lawn. This production features dazzling lights and whimsical snowflakes, creating the perfect backdrop for holiday photos by the sparkling tree and fire pits. Guests are encouraged to share their moments on Instagram by tagging @OmniBartonCreek and using #AtTheOmni.

Breakfast with Santa & Mrs. Claus
Beginning Dec. 6, families can enjoy a festive holiday breakfast at Texas Spice while meeting Santa and Mrs. Claus. This dining experience, taking place from 9 to 11 a.m. on Dec. 6, 13 and 20, offers guests the chance to capture cherished memories. No reservations are needed, as seating is available on a first-come, first-served basis.

Story Time with Mrs. Claus
Gather 'round with Mrs. Claus for a cozy holiday tradition, available from 5 to 6 p.m. on Dec. 6, 13 and 20 in the lobby. Little ones will be enchanted as she reads beloved Christmas classics, followed by a sweet treat of cookies and milk to end the magical story time.

Santa's Workshop
Step into Santa's Workshop, transformed into a festive wonderland where little ones can create holiday-themed crafts and bring their imaginations to life. This experience is available daily from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. in the resort's Houston Room.

12 Days of Christmas
Experience the magic of the season during Omni Barton Creek's 12 Days of Christmas. Each weekend brings surprise lobby activations from 3 to 6 p.m., featuring festive beverages, light bites and holiday cheer to delight guests of all ages. Available on Dec. 5, 6, 11, 12, 18, 19, 20, 23, 24, 25, 26 and 27.

For more information on Omni Barton Creek Resort & Spa's Holiday in the Hills programming or to make reservations, visit omnibartoncreek.com.

WHEN:
Holiday in the Hills Light Trail: Nov. 30, 2025 - Jan. 3, 2026 | 5-9 p.m. nightly
Holiday in the Hills Snowdown: Dec. 1-31, 2025 | Thursdays-Saturdays | 6-7 p.m
Breakfast with Santa & Mrs. Claus: Dec. 6, 13 and 20, 2025 | 9-11 a.m.
Story Time with Mrs. Claus: Dec. 6, 13 and 20, 2025 | 5-6 p.m.
Christmas Day Brunch: Dec. 25, 2025 | 11 a.m.-7 p.m.
Santa's Workshop: Daily | 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m.
12 Days of Christmas: Dec. 5, 6, 11, 12, 18, 19, 20, 23, 24, 25, 26 and 27, 2025 | 3-6 p.m.
Barton Creek Live: Holiday Unplugged: Fridays | 9-11 p.m. + Saturdays | 10 p.m.-midnight in Dec.
Art of Mixology: Merry & Bright: Dec. 20, 2025 | 2-4 p.m.
Austin Lights & Delights: Dec. 5-31, 2025 | Weekly availability
Magical Memories Offer: Book by Jan. 4, 2026 | Stay Nov. 14, 2025 - Feb. 28, 2026

WHERE: Omni Barton Creek Resort & Spa | 8212 Barton Club Drive, Austin, TX 78735
Holiday in the Hills Light Trail: Fazio Foothills Golf Cart Path & Longhorn Lawn
Holiday in the Hills Snowdown: Lady Bird Lawn
Breakfast with Santa & Mrs. Claus: Texas Spice restaurant
Story Time with Mrs. Claus: Resort lobby
Christmas Day Brunch: Blind Salamander
Santa's Workshop: Houston Room
12 Days of Christmas: Resort lobby
Barton Creek Live: Holiday Unplugged: Jim Bob's Lobby Lounge
Art of Mixology: Merry & Bright: Blind Salamander

Revised: 12/16/2025 - Article Viewed 79 Times - View Course Profile

About: Brian Weis

Brian Weis is the mastermind behind GolfTrips.com, a vast network of golf travel and directory sites covering everything from the rolling fairways of Wisconsin to the sunbaked desert layouts of Arizona. If there’s a golf destination worth visiting, chances are, Brian has written about it, played it, or at the very least, found a way to justify a "business trip" there.

As a card-carrying member of the Golf Writers Association of America (GWAA), International Network of Golf (ING), Golf Travel Writers of America (GTWA), International Golf Travel Writers Association (IGTWA), and The Society of Hickory Golfers (SoHG), Brian has the credentials to prove that talking about golf is his full-time job. In 2016, his peers even handed him The Shaheen Cup, a prestigious award in golf travel writing—essentially the Masters green jacket for guys who don’t hit the range but still know where the best 19th holes are.

Brian’s love for golf goes way back. As a kid, he competed in junior and high school golf, only to realize that his dreams of a college golf scholarship had about the same odds as a 30-handicap making a hole-in-one. Instead, he took the more practical route—working on the West Bend Country Club grounds crew to fund his University of Wisconsin education. Little did he know that mowing greens and fixing divots would one day lead to a career writing about the best courses on the planet.

In 2004, Brian turned his golf passion into a business, launching GolfWisconsin.com. Three years later, he expanded his vision, and GolfTrips.com was born—a one-stop shop for golf travel junkies looking for their next tee time. Today, his empire spans all 50 states, and 20+ international destinations.

On the course, Brian is a weekend warrior who oscillates between a 5 and 9 handicap, depending on how much he's been traveling (or how generous he’s feeling with his scorecard). His signature move" A high, soft fade that his playing partners affectionately (or not-so-affectionately) call "The Weis Slice." But when he catches one clean, his 300+ yard drives remind everyone that while he may write about golf for a living, he can still send a ball into the next zip code with the best of them.

Whether he’s hunting down the best public courses, digging up hidden gems, or simply outdriving his buddies, Brian Weis is living proof that golf is more than a game—it’s a way of life.