Have a meal in Gruene overlooking the river and hit the antique shops. Below New Braunfels, the Guadalupe widens and flows into several Lowland Lakes (as opposed to the Highland Lakes) near Seguin that offer fine bass fishing east of San Antonio.

A 90-minute drive northwest of San Antonio lies Fredericksburg, known for authentic German architecture, food and shopping. And to the west are the Frio and Nueces river canyons. There are a number of resorts in the Concan area, as well as the highly popular Garner State Park. The fishing is stream-fishing, and the fish you'll catch are small, feisty bass and perch. Aaron Riggings -- (830) 486-5629 -- guides fly-fishing and conventional-tackle trips on several of the clear-water streams for which the Hill Country is famous.

The Highland Lakes chain starts northwest of Austin with Lake Buchanan and meanders down through lakes Inks, LBJ, Marble Falls, Travis, and Austin and Town Lake. Each has its own mystique and its own brand of fishing. The upper four are famous for striped bass and white bass, Austin is the best largemouth lake on the Colorado River, and Town Lake offers T-shirt reading along the lakeside trail and quiet fishing for bass and perch in sight of downtown. Only trolling motors are allowed on Town Lake. Recreational boaters and skiers can be a problem to fishermen on Austin.

NORTH TEXAS
The Dallas/Fort Worth area is characterized by commerce and by cultural entertainment. But it's known to kids of all ages as the place where Texas amusement parks originated -- Arlington's Six Flags Over Texas. The five Texas Six Flags parks rank third in popularity with vacationers.

Arlington also offers the opportunity to be a military pilot in a flight simulator (Air Combat), drive a Desert Storm combat tank (Funsphere) and get wet and wild at Six Flags Hurricane Harbor water park. Both Dallas and Fort Worth have zoos and aquariums and Fort Worth has the Stockyards National Historic District. I'm ever thankful that when I went to Billy Bob's in the Stockyards, the mechanical bull was broken. Or I might have been.

Sports rank high in the Metroplex, and Ameriquest Field in Arlington is a must-stop destination for baseball fans when the Rangers are in town. Racing fans will want to catch the action at Texas Motor Speedway. And there's a Bass Pro Shops in Grapevine. Lots to see and do.

And there's lots of water!

How do I fish thee? Let me count the lakes: Granbury, Squaw Creek, Worth, Eagle Mountain, Benbrook, Grapevine, Lewisville, Lavon, Ray Hubbard, Mountain Creek, Joe Pool, Arlington -- and these are all within a short drive from Arlington. Joe Pool is right down the road from Six Flags. Lewisville was selected as the site of a B.A.S.S. tournament last year -- and they don't choose fished-out losers.

A little to the north, but still within reach, is Lake Ray Roberts. To the southeast are Cedar Creek and Richland-Chambers. Due east is Tawakoni and farther east is the famed Lake Fork, which has produced 34 of the top 50 largemouths ever caught in Texas, including our last two state-record fish.