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The Floresville Destination is located in the southern portion of Texas. Cities constitute the majority of the destination, with the most notable being San Antonio in the region’s northwestern area. The destination’s namesake, Floresville, is situated nearly 35 miles southeast of downtown San Antonio.[2] Tourists are drawn to San Antonio frequently, as numerous attractions are featured throughout it, namely the San Antonio Zoo, Six Flags Fiesta Texas, the San Antonio Museum of Art, SeaWorld, and several parks, among other attractions. Moreover, the city houses nationally acclaimed museums, two of which are Smithsonian affiliates.[5] Floresville also offers a number of attractions, mainly those that pertain to the city’s historical significance, such as Rancho de las Cabras, Wilson County Courthouse, and Dewees-Remschel House.[3] To the north of San Antonio, the Government Canyon State Natural Area is found—an outdoor recreational park that receives a fair amount of hikers, bikers, and campers.[8] According to tourists who have previously visited Floresville and its surrounding areas, the “best time of year” to tour the city is from mid-May to early August and from late August to late September due to temperatures being relatively moderate throughout these months. These months are also suggested for those who plan on undertaking outdoor activities.[7]
Encompassing a portion of Texas’ southern region, the Floresville Destination comprises the following cities: San Antonio, Pleasanton, Castroville, La Vernia, Devine, Stockdale, Seguin, and Jourdanton, among others. Floresville, the destination’s namesake, is a city in Wilson County found slightly southeast of the destination’s most prominent city, San Antonio. Serving as the county seat of Wilson County, Floresville is currently home to an estimated total population of 7,431 residents. Since the most recent census in 2020, the city’s population, which at the time was about 7,203 residents, has increased by 3.17%. Floresville’s population experiences a growth rate of 1.03% annually.[1]
Floresville occupies a total land area of 7.72 square miles and is part of the San Antonio metropolitan statistical area.[2] One of the most notable aspects of Floresville is the annual Peanut Festival, which intends to “reflect the [city’s] tradition of agriculture.” On account of this event, the city is nicknamed “the Peanut Capital of the World” by many locals and visitors.[3] The Peanut Festival draws 10,000 to 15,000 visitors each year.[9] Beyond this event, the city of Floresville also offers a considerable number of museums and historical sites, namely Rancho de las Cabras, Wilson County Jailhouse Museum, Wilson County Courthouse, and Dewees-Remschel House. The Wilson County Courthouse dates back to 1884, when it was first constructed by an architect from San Antonio named Alfred Giles. The structure itself displays an Italian style and is constructed with locally sourced bricks. In 1978, the site was listed on the National Register of Historic Places.[3]
The largest city in the Floresville Destination is San Antonio, with an estimated population of 1,466,791 people as of 2023. San Antonio is the second most populous city in the state of Texas and the seventh largest city in the United States.[4] Annually, the city receives approximately 39 million visitors and 31.1 million overnight guests. According to San Antonio’s official website, the city is known for the Alamo, which is deemed “the number one tourist attraction in Texas.”[5] Visitors can reserve guided tours that take place inside the Alamo Church and the Ralston Family Collections Center.[6] Aside from the Alamo, San Antonio also features multiple theme parks, such as SeaWorld, Six Flags Fiesta Texas, and Morgan’s Wonderland, the latter of which is reportedly “the world’s largest ultra-accessible theme park designed for those with special needs.”[5]
The Floresville Destination is primarily composed of cities and urban districts. Open fields and pastoral areas are found outside the boundaries of these cities as well as a few bodies of water. Calaveras Lake, Victor Braunig Lake, and Mitchell Lake are located within the vicinity of San Antonio to the south of the city. Notably, the San Antonio River courses directly through San Antonio and flows to the west of Floresville.
On the northern side of San Antonio, a fairly significant site known as the Government Canyon State Natural Area occupies about 12,000 acres of woodlands with over 40 miles of trails for hiking and biking. Oftentimes, this designated natural area draws outdoor enthusiasts who engage in recreational activities, including geocaching, wildlife viewing, picnicking, hiking, and camping. The hiking and biking trails wind through some of the area’s diverse topography, such as grasslands and remote canyonlands. One of the most unique features of the Government Canyon State Natural Area is the dinosaur tracks that are nearly 110 million years old. These dinosaur tracks can be found along the Joe Johnston Route that leads to the Zizelmann House, which dates back to the 1880s.[8]
Over the course of the year, Floresville experiences temperatures that vary between the general range of 44 and 97 degrees Fahrenheit. During the summer, the daily temperature reaches around 90 degrees Fahrenheit on average, hence why some people who have visited Floresville during the summer have described the weather conditions as “hot” and “oppressive.” The hottest month of the year tends to be August, as the average daily high rises to roughly 96 degrees Fahrenheit. From November to February, it is regarded as the cool season, and throughout these months, the average daily high drops to below 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Though January is most commonly considered the coldest month of the year in Floresville, temperatures remain relatively moderate within the range of 44 and 65 degrees Fahrenheit.[7]
Circa the mid-18th century, western settlement in the area took place in the form of Christian missions. Consequently, the settlers in Floresville established Mision de las Cabras to function as a mission ranching operation for Mission Espada, which ultimately became the forerunner of the Texas Ranching Industry. Don Francisco Flores de Abrego—an early settler of the land—constructed his ranch about six miles northwest of the present site of Floresville.[2] By 1833, the town’s central area contained the home of the Flores family, a chapel, and a graveyard. Floresville was founded in 1867 and named in honor of Don Francisco Flores de Abrego’s family. Throughout the earlier years of the 20th century, the development of Floresville started to increase, and the economy was supported by the cotton and livestock industries.[9]
One of the Spanish colonial ranches that can still presently be found in Floresville is Rancho de las Cabras, which supported Mission Espada–the southernmost San Antonio Mission. Over 200 years ago, the ranch served as the home for more than 1,000 cattle and 4,000 sheep. The ranch currently offers tours for visitors.[10]
Andrew G. Pickett, a citizen who reportedly had a significant presence in the city, began raising peanuts in Floresville in the 1870s; however, it wasn’t until 1915 that peanuts became “a cash crop in the surrounding region.” The first Peanut Festival was held in 1938, becoming an annual tradition for Floresville. Today, the city is a market center for local producers of peanuts, cattle, and small grains.[9]
Olle Hotel is located in Flatonia, Texas, a town found in southwestern Fayette County. The hotel has a total 12 rooms available for rent, but it also has four separate houses that can be used by those who have a larger group. The property is used to guests staying for corporate events or on business trips, so they have a discount that can be available for such events, as well as areas specifically marked for meetings and several office items for guest convenience like printers and fax machines. Sitting at a population of 1,383 as of the 2010 Census, the area is known for its "Czhilispiel," a celebration of Czech people and their famous chili.
...Read MoreThe Dilworth Inn and Suites is a hotel with 14 rooms accessible to the public that can be found on the southern end of Gonzales, Texas. The town of Gonzales has been around for a long time and is best known for its history. The Dilworth Inn and Suites has its rooms on the second floor and an Italian bar and restaurant called La Vella Tavola on the first floor. The building has a history that dates back to the early 1910s, while the city dates back to times as old as the late 1700s. Emphasis has been placed on this history, which is a driving factor of the culture for both the property and the city of Gonzales.
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