Category: Family Fun

It’s time for another edition of the Keep It Kyle Pie Series that proves how Kyle earned its nickname as the Pie Capital of Texas. You’ll find food establishments and restaurants all over Kyle pushing out delicious pizza and dessert pies.

Next up is Aviator Pizza. You’ll find it at 856 Kohlers Crossing Suite 305 Kyle, TX 78640.

About Aviator Pizza

First opened in 2014, the pizza place is locally owned and operated that offers sourced craft pizza and a Texas craft beer bar. The Kyle location is Aviator Pizza’s third. The restaurant also has locations in Elgin, Austin’s South Congress neighborhood, and Parmer Lane in Austin.

Check out Aviator’s Yelp page with the mouthwatering photos. Looks like a party for the taste buds waiting to happen!

What’s on the Menu at Aviator Pizza?

You’ll find a menu full of specialty pizza options. Aviator Pizza makes all the sauces and uses fresh-made dough and ingredients. Gluten-free options are available in the 12-inch. Check out the South Austin pizza with its red sauce base, prosciutto, goat cheese, wild arugula tossed in their homemade honey balsamic wine vinaigrette.

You’ll find the traditional favorites including vegetarian, Margherita, meat lovers known as Meat Almighty, and Hawaiian. They also have Major Tom with a red sauce base, pepperoni, sage sausage, red onions, green peppers, and fresh portabella mushrooms. Buffalo chicken, BBQ grilled chicken, spinach, and chicken fajita are available.

Another original is Ground Control with many of the same ingredients as Major Tom and adds pit-smoked ham, ground beef, and black olives. Garlic lovers, check out the Flying Garlic with its garlic butter base and grilled chicken.

What do you get when pizza and nachos get together? El Nacho pizza with a red sauce, ground beef, olives, jalapenos, cheddar, and tortilla strips. It’s nacho your ordinary pizza! The menu contains vegan and vegetarian options like sriracha Brussel sprouts and goat cheese. They have vegan cheese for substitutions.

Non-pizza options consist of focaccia, calzones, and salads. The grinder sandwiches are a simple sourdough hoagie. And dessert? Bowl us over with their cinnamon dessert selections. These use Aviator’s crust topped with a cinnamon sauce base and homemade cream cheese icing. OK, we’re done here as we need to run out and get some for ourselves!

More Kyle pies:

• MOD Pizza
• Fox’s Pizza Den
• Ilario’s Italian Cuisine

To stay on top of great resources from Kyle and nearby, connect with us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. Looking to move? Explore the inventory of new homes in Kyle or contact our Crosswinds team.

May is a great time to go hiking. Not one bit of winter cold remains and yet it’s not hot as Texas can be in July and August. Here are some of the great places to go for a hike near the Crosswinds Community in Kyle. Many of these are just a 30-minute drive from Kyle.

Barton Creek Greenbelt

Starting at Austin’s Zilker Park, Barton Creek Greenbelt (3755-B S Capital of Texas Hwy, Austin, TX 78704) offers some of the best hiking trails in Texas with seven miles of trails. Hiking on its trail, you’ll see limestone cliffs, dense foliage, and bodies of water. Visit the website for its access points and additional information. Kyle residents can go from their doorsteps to hiking within 30 minutes.

Lady Bird Lake

Ten miles of trail awaits you at the Ann and Roy Butler Hike-and-Bike Trail located at Lady Bird Lake (1820 S Lakeshore Blvd, Austin, TX 78741). People rave about the park’s view of Austin, waterside scenery, and granite pathways.

McKinney Falls State Park

Less than half an hour’s drive from Kyle, McKinney Falls State Park (5808 McKinney Falls Pkwy., Austin, TX 78744) is a sight to see with Onion Creek flowing over limestone ledges. You’ll explore a whopping nine miles of trails. If you’d like to push a stroller, there are almost 3 miles of hard surface trail.

After you finish your hike, you might have an urge to take a dip in the water. There’s nothing like a refreshing swim after an energizing hike.

Jacob’s Well Natural Area

Open year-round, Jacob’s Well Natural Area (1699 Mt. Sharp Rd., Wimberley, Texas 78676) features more than 81 acres surrounding the spring. Fans laud its ecological splendor, limestone cliffs, and native vegetation. Every hiking trail has something different to see.

You can finish off your hike with a swim in the Trinity aquifer. Its temperature remains at 68 degrees Fahrenheit year-round. Swimming is available between May and October.

Future: Great Spring Trail

While this trail is in the works, it’s worth knowing about as it opens sometime in 2022. This trail is part of one continuous trail that runs from San Antonio to Austin. In Kyle, it will go from the Blanco River and meet up with Plum Creek.

The City of Kyle has already received a grant award for the trail from The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. Stay tuned as we’ll post updates when it makes progress.

To stay on top of great resources from Kyle and nearby, connect with us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. Looking to move? Explore the inventory of new homes in Kyle or contact our Crosswinds team.

Beautiful weather has finally arrived and we’re all raring to enjoy the great outdoors. Probably more so this year than any other because of all that’s been going on. Here are Crosswinds in Kyle residents’ favorite parks closest to home.

Mary Kyle Hartson City Square Park

In 1880, two acres of City Square Park (101 S. Burleson Rd., Kyle, Texas 78640) made up the town center. Today, it’s a park that includes the grounds around City Hall and the Kyle Train Depot. The City renamed the park Mark Kyle Hartson City Square Park in 2011. The park holds marquee events.

Steeplechase Dog Park

Dog lovers can head to Steeplechase Dog Park (135 Hallie Dr, Kyle, TX 78640) with their fur babies. This park features 31 acres of open space and Plum Creek flowing through it. There, you’ll have access to a covered pavilion, playscapes, trails, baseball and football fields, disc golf, and basketball and sand volleyball courts.

Jacob’s Well Natural Area

For ecological splendor just 30 minutes from Kyle, go to Jacob’s Well Natural Area (1699 Mt. Sharp Rd., Wimberley, Texas 78676). The preserve is filled with more than 81 acres surrounding the spring where you’ll find limestone cliffs and native vegetation thriving. Open year-round for exploring, hikers can explore a variety of trails with things to see at each one.

It’s the home of the second-largest full submerged cave in Texas. The water comes from the Trinity Aquifer that flows its way from the underground cave system. The deepest part of the cave is 140 feet deep. Except for swimming, no reservations are needed to visit JWNA

McKinney Falls State Park

Located fewer than 30 minutes from Kyle, McKinney Falls State Park (5808 McKinney Falls Pkwy., Austin, TX 78744) is an oasis where you’ll find the waters of Onion Creek streaming over limestone ledges. This park contains almost nine miles of trails for a memorable hike or bike ride. It also has a 2.8-mile hard surface trail for those who want to push strollers or go on an easy bike ride.

You can also go fishing and swimming. No license is required to fish from shore in any Texas state park. Fans of camping have a choice of more than 80 campsites with water and electric hookups.

Gregg-Clarke Park

The Gregg and Clarke families ensured the community had a large park for recreation and special events. The result is Gregg-Clarke Park (1231-1301 W Center St, Kyle, TX 78640), a multi-use park that includes Kyle Pool, lit softball and baseball fields, tennis courts, a covered pavilion, walking trails, wide-open spaces, and shaded playscapes. It anchors Kyle Pool. Kyle residents can reserve Ash Pavilion for private events.

To stay on top of great resources from Kyle and nearby, connect with us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. Looking to move? Contact our Crosswinds team.

Welcome to another edition of the Keep It Kyle Pie Series to show you why Kyle is the Pie Capital of Texas. Restaurants and food establishments all around Kyle make incredible pies—both pizzas and desserts.

Next up is Ilario’s Italian Cuisine. You’ll find it in the HEB Plus Center on 5401 FM 1626, Suite 801, Kyle, TX 78640—just 11 minutes from Crosswinds!

About Ilario’s

Ilario is an Italian word that means cheerful, happy, and joyful. The restaurant aims to bring authentic Italian and New York-style pizza to Kyle. They make everything from scratch and use the freshest ingredients because they want your experience to be a joyful one.

Everyone who orders from Ilario’s will be happy. That’s because the Italian restaurant has all the favorites you’d want on the menu.

What’s on the Menu at Ilario’s Italian Cuisine?

Oh, my goodness, y’all! Just look at the photos of the pizzas and pastas. Salad lovers will find a medley of salad options. Popular salads like Caesar, garden, and large wedge are available. A couple catch our eye like Shelby’s Parmigiana Salad named for the owner’s daughter. This contains either Caesar or Garden Salad of your choice topped with golden strips of chicken parmigiana.

The other delicious-sounding salad is Ilario’s Honey Pecan Salad that blends crunchiness and sweetness. It has chopped honey pecans, raisins, and fresh raspberries with balsamic vinaigrette to bring it all together.

A kid’s menu and subs are available with options including meatball, Philly cheesesteak, chicken parmigiana, Italian, and chicken ranch. What’s an Italian restaurant without traditional dishes of lasagna, manicotti, spaghetti, and more? All of them show up on the menu. They also have a “Pasta Your Way” option to build your own or choose from fan favorites.

As for pizza, you can order traditional options or stuffed, like Calzone and Stromboli.  Calzones are similar to stuffed pizza in a pocket. Stromboli is a stuffed roll made with hand-tossed pizza dough, Ilario’s proprietary pizza sauce, and a bevy of ingredients.

And dessert? Mama mia! With chocolate molten lava cake, cheesecake, tiramisu, cannoli, and cheesecake, it’ll be challenging to pick. One reviewer recommends the cannoli. Sounds good to us!

More Kyle pies:

• Fox’s Pizza Den
• Pizza Classics Kyle
• MOD Pizza

To stay on top of great resources from Kyle and nearby, connect with us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. Looking to move? Explore the inventory of new homes in Kyle or contact our Crosswinds team.

As y’all may know, Kyle is the Pie Capital of Texas. OK, if you didn’t know, you do now! Granted, the first kind of pie that comes to mind is the sweet version. Kyle specializes in pie of all kinds including many people’s favorite: pizza.

This town has an incredible medley of pizza. And one of those is Fox’s Pizza Den in Kyle, just 12 short minutes from Crosswinds, on 147 Elmhurst Dr., Kyle, TX 78640.

Welcome to the Den

Fox’s Pizza Den’s story begins with $500, a rented storeroom, and used equipment covered in snow and ice rescued from the scrapyard in Pittsburgh. Founder Jim Fox could finally make his lifelong dream of opening a pizza place come true. The first location appeared in his hometown of Pitcairn, Pennsylvania. From the first pizza sold, it only took six hours to completely sell out.

Fox opened a few more locations around Pennsylvania and incorporated Fox’s Pizza Den in 1974. Now the chain has more than 200 franchises in 25 states. Texas has only two locations and Kyle is the lucky recipient of one of them. Fox’s has been voted best pizza franchise of 1993 by the National Pasta and Pizza Association. It has received PMQ and Pizza Industry Enterprise (PIE) awards.

What’s on the Menu at Fox’s Pizza Den?

Fox’s pizzas come in multiple sizes ranging from the small 9-inch pizza to the Big One that’s 30 inches and contains a whopping 52 slices. Too much? Perhaps, the Big Daddy with 21 slices will do. Too hip for round pizza? Square is available in the Champ, which is 16 inches by 16 inches and contains 16 slices.

Their gourmet pizzas range from buffalo chicken and bacon double cheeseburger to steak rancher and veggie. Want something other than a slice? Stromboli, hoagies, and wedgies are available. Salad fans have a variety of options from tossed to taco salad. Sides include breadsticks, chicken tenders, chicken wings called Fox’s Wing Ditties, and wedge-cut fries.

If you save room for pie, they have round pizza cookies cut like a pie. Flavors include s’mores, brownie with chocolate chips, and the original. And for the non-pie kind of dessert, order cinnamon sticks.

As usual, this is making us hangry. We’re going to make like a fox to head to Fox’s!

More Kyle pies:

• MOD Pizza
• Pizza Classics Kyle
• Aviator Pizza and Drafthouse

To stay on top of great resources from Kyle and nearby, connect with us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. Looking to move? Explore the inventory of new homes in Kyle or contact our Crosswinds team.

You may be one of many who will opt out on traveling for Spring Break. Still, you may like to do something out of the house. Fortunately, Kyle residents have a great option that’s safe and takes you to the great outdoors. This might be the perfect time to venture out to Wimberley Zipline Adventures. They’re open, they’re outdoors, and they’re fun!

What’s Wimberley Zipline Adventures?

First, if you’ve never gone ziplining, prepare to have an amazing time. You do not need experience to enjoy ziplining. Their highly trained guides will set you up with the proper fitting equipment and take you through “flight school.” You will learn how to work with the equipment and practice.

Wimberley Zipline Adventures has one huge advantage over other ziplines. The Texas Hill Country views. This is your chance to soar in the air like a bird while admiring the surrounding hills, meadows, and canyons. The course contains 10 different ziplines ranging from 150 feet to 900 feet long. The ziplines run between two hillsides above the valley with a maximum height of 100 feet.

The adventure runs for 1 1/2 to 2 hours and requires reservations. You’ll find Wimberley between San Antonio and Austin. For Kyle residents, it only takes 30 minutes West to get to Wimberley. All of the action takes place on the Four Winns’ Ranch where the Winn family has lived since 1937. You can access the ranch off County Road 1492, south of the Village of Wimberley.

Are There Any Other Activities at Wimberley Zipline Adventures?

They’ve opened a Biergarten where you can take in the scenery while treating yourself to beers, ciders, spritzers, and sodas. What a perfect way to end the adventure. Before you schedule your adventure, check out the Wimberley Zipline Adventure FAQ. They answer every possible question including what to wear, what to bring, and more.

They’ll be adding ax throwing soon. Stay on top of the latest news on the Wimbelery Zipline Facebook page. We’re so ready to Cowabunga down the line!

Wimberley Zipline Adventures
376 Winn Valley Dr., Wimberley, TX 78676
(512) 847-9990
Office Hours: Everyday 10 am-5 pm
Tours daily. Reservations required.

To stay on top of great resources from Kyle and nearby, connect with us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. Looking to move? Explore the inventory of new homes in Kyle or contact our Crosswinds team.

Big news for Kyle. Texas! They will have not one, not two, but three opportunities for golfing! And each one has a unique theme. Meet the disc golf and two mini-golf establishments that are open or coming soon to Hays County.

Memorial Mini-Golf and WWII Museum

You get two cool things in one place at Memorial Mini-Golf and Museum in Buda (1710 Farm to Market 1626, Buda, TX 78610), which is fewer than 10 miles away from Kyle. The museum wants to educate people about the Greatest Generation. They believe that no other war in history affected the entire world like World War II did as the website says:

“It was people who knew the difference between right and wrong/good vs. evil uniting and not backing down. When the USA joined in the fight, our military was ranked #18 in the world…behind Romania.”

The museum wants to honor ordinary people who did the extraordinary. And at the same time, they want to give families a place to go to have fun. And that place is on their mini-golf course. The mini-golf course blends history with each hole dedicated to a veteran of WWII, Korean War, or Vietnam. See photos of the course on Memorial Mini-Golf and WWII Museum’s Facebook page.

The Flying Armadillo Disc Golf Course

Now for a mini-golf of a different kind. The Flying Armadillo Disc Golf Course (3115 Hilliard Rd., San Marcos, Texas) offers disc golf, which combines mini-golf with flying discs. Instead of relying on golf clubs, you trade them for a more powerful tool: your arm. You’ll throw frisbees across four acres of land trying to get them into the basket instead of a hole.

The Flying Armadillo has two 18-hole courses and practice baskets. They also have a family-friendly mini-course that’s a par 2. If throwing discs isn’t your thing, you can try your hand at shuffleboard, foosball, bocce ball, cornhole, or pool (the billiards kind). You can cheer for your companions by catching the action from an observation tower. For the latest news, visit the Flying Armadillo Disc Golf Club Facebook page.

Putt Pub

Also in San Marcos within walking distance from Texas State University is the Putt Pub (307 S LBJ Dr., San Marcos, TX 78666). This one features an 18-hole mini-golf course filled with obstacles, games, and good vibes. The venue has two bars, indoor and outdoor seating, and food trucks.

Minors must be accompanied by an adult. The minimum age to play mini-golf is 16 with a guardian. To join the 21+ crowd, come after 6 pm. Check out the videos of the mini-golf course on Putt Pub’s Facebook page.

Want more ideas of fun things to do in and near Kyle, Texas? Connect with us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. Looking to move? Explore the inventory of new homes in Kyle or contact our Crosswinds team.

Looking to try something new and different in Kyle, Texas? How about disc golf? It only takes 20 minutes to get to Flying Armadillo Disc Golf Club in San Marcos. This is a full-service disc golf venue and pro shop. You don’t have to be an athlete or have experience to enjoy disc golf.

What Can You Do at Flying Armadillo Disc Golf Club?

The club offers more than disc golf. You can play Bocce ball, shuffleboard, foosball, cornhole, and pool. You can watch the action from a four-level observation tower. It’s also a great spot to take photos. A playscape, cooking grills, outdoor showers, and camping are available. Bring your pets as the facility is pet-friendly.

Flying Armadillo Disc Golf Club has two 18-hole courses and practice baskets. One is a family-friendly par 2 Mini Course. Udisc ranks it as No. 34 in the world. Think of it as mini golf for disc golf. On average, the holes are 100-feet long. It’s perfect for beginners and kids. Like mini golf, they have themed holes like the pond, tank, and Alamo holes.

The other is a 6,000-foot Big Course. Ranked 84th in the world by UDisc, the big course is a great way to explore the Texas Hill Country terrain. You’ll see giant oak trees and creek beds while traipsing across ever-changing elevations. All the baskets contain solar lights for night rounds.

Snacks and drinks are available. Beware it’s BYOB. Occasionally, they have onsite food such as BBQ.

What Is Disc Golf?

Like its name, disc golf resembles the golf everyone knows. Except, instead of a set of clubs and golf balls, players use a flying disc better known as Frisbee. In golf, the goal is to get the ball to the hole in the fewest strokes possible. The same goes for disc golf. Instead of hitting the ball with a club, you throw the disc.

Of course, a disc golf course will feature obstacles. Instead of sand traps and water, discs can end up in shrubs and trees. The player must make the next throw from the position where the previous throw landed. Elevated metal baskets are the “holes” in disc golf.

Go on and give it a try. They’re open seven days a week. Get some fresh air. For the latest news, visit the Flying Armadillo Disc Golf Club’s Facebook page. The address is 3115 Hilliard Rd., San Marcos, Texas 78666.

To stay on top of great resources from Kyle, connect with us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. Looking to move? Explore the inventory of new homes in Kyle or contact our Crosswinds team.