A taste of Grapevine, Texas

I love it when my impressions are dispelled. It’s a human characteristic to form opinions whether based on fact or not. My initial opinion, or assumption of Grapevine, Texas was that it was just a suburb of Dallas—while that may be true to some degree, I learned they actually have an identity all their own.

With a historic downtown that conjures a western scene straight from the minds-eye of a horse-drawn wagon stirring plumes of dust as it passed through town more than a century ago. Or, the turning point for the illustrious folk hero duo Bonnie and Clyde (In the early 1930s a gun fight in Grapevine that left a police officer dead turned public opinion against the gangsters). To the living museums and vineyards, Grapevine is fast becoming a tourist destination with top-notch resorts and fine wine.

Today, in honor of its past, Grapevine has a Glockenspiel Clock Tower that features two larger-than-life characters known as the “Would-Be Train Robbers.” Several times a day these figures emerge from the Tower to commence what each believes to be the perfect heist. Visitors gather around to see this unique glockenspiel experience. Just as glockenspiels in Europe are rooted in history, Grapevine’s Clock Tower reflect the Western lore that many visitors from outside Texas find interesting and entertaining.

I was in Grapevine for the annual Travel Media Showcase conference and got but just a taste of what Grapevine has to offer. We stayed at Grapevine’s premier resort property, the Gaylord Texan and what I discovered was charm and hospitality around every bend in the otherwise flat plains of Texas.

The Gaylord Texan is nearly a city unto itself offering visitors everything under one roof—when I say under one roof, I mean their ginormous atrium that encapsulates guests into an environment that is utterly pleasing from the often uncomfortable weather. Like they say, “everything is bigger in Texas” and the Gaylord Texan is no exception.

The sheer size of the Gaylord might be intimidating to some, but those like me who love the adventure of discovery, find the property intriguing and I enjoyed seeing all the amenities and tranquil settings (sand castle sculptures, scenes distinctive of Texas, water falls, streams and more). The overall theme of the Gaylord Texan showcases scenes that highlight the history of Texas in a way that captivates the guest.

The Travel Media Showcase (TMS) is one of my favorite travel conferences of the year and is also one of the most well organized on the circuit. This is a smaller and more intimate conference, almost family-like as many of us have been attending for years. It could be compared to a family reunion of sorts. I learned that this year over 700 travel bloggers/journalists applied to attend the conference and only 100 or so were selected.

I recently announced my partnership with Travelocity, who happened to be one of the vendors at the event. As a matter of fact, five of the fifteen Gnational Gnomads were in attendance, 3 of whom I had never met, so it was pretty great getting to know them. One of my upcoming trips is to Indonesia and three of the Gnomads are traveling together.

TMS is structured to put travel journalists and bloggers in the same room as DMO’s (Destinations/CVB), to introduce one another through a series of 15min speed networking appointments and a host of familiarization tours and social events.

The first event was the opening ceremony and dinner at the Grapevine CVB Grand Hall, where we had a cocktail hour and dinner. Then, we all walked across the street to the train station where we boarded the Jazz Wine Train. Each car had brass instrument musicians playing jazz while we sipped local wine and caught up with old friends. It was a fantastic start to the conference.

The next morning after breakfast we began our speed networking. After a half a day of appointments we all boarded buses for local FAM (familiarization) trips around town. The FAM trips introduce attendees to the host city and focus on individual interests…there were probably half a dozen FAMs to choose from. Mine was themed “Back to the Future Grapevine.”

First up was lunch at a Grapevine institution, Tolbert’s Restaurant, a local mainstay serving up traditional Texas cuisine. Then we strolled the streets of historic downtown while stopping at a couple of museums where we learned of the rich history of Grapevine that dates back to the mid-1800s. Just before boarding the bus to our next stop, we caught the tail end of the “Would-be Train Robbers” appear out of the Grapevine Glockenspiel Clock Tower. I’ve seen these historical glockenspiels in Europe many times, but this was the first western themed one I had ever witnessed, and it certainly draws a crowd.

Our next stop was to Nash Farm where we continued our education of Grapevine’s heritage. This historic landmark brings history to life through exhibits, interpretive programs and touchable displays. The video below highlights these attractions quite well.

No visit to Grapevine would be complete without trying some of the local vino. Our final stop of the FAM tour was to Delaney Vineyards and Winery, a lovely venue not far from downtown. The winery is a bit reminiscent of an 18th century French chateau set amongst ten acres of lush grapevines. We tried two varietals and three blends, which included Cynthiana, Muscat Canelli and Texas Claret. While at Delaney’s I learned that Grapevine is now home to the Texas Wine Industry and is also the 5th largest wine producing region of the state. Given its agricultural roots (Texas A&M), it should be no surprise that Texas produces some pretty good quality wine.

That evening we went to the Glass Cactus bar at the Gaylord where we were warmly greeted by many local stakeholders, including the mayor himself, and one tall Texan!  Drinks were flowing, a great spread of Texas style food was served while a DJ spun dance tunes. A large patio with views of Lake Grapevine beckoned many of us to sit and take in the scene. The weather was overcast and unusually cool for this time of year, which made dining outside quite lovely.

A full day of speed networking and the closing ceremonies followed. During the cocktail hour there were clues on display as everyone tried to guess where next years’ TMS conference would be held. I thought for sure I had it figured out, but not only was I wrong, but I didn’t overhear a single person guess correctly. In true TMS fashion, the big reveal took place as a massive wall of doors were simultaneously opened, exposing blaring music and Joanne (TMS CEO) feverishly dancing on stage. Giant graphics highlighted the destination, finally letting us all in on the closely guarded secret that Cabarrus County, North Carolina will be the host next year.

It was a fantastic travel conference and a wonderful taste (if only a bite) of Grapevine, Texas. If you’ve ever been to Grapevine, Texas or the Gaylord Texan resort, please post a comment below and share your experience. Click here to see more of my photos from Grapevine.