Mirth at the Mall

We spent the good part of a recent Saturday at an outdoor mall, and I'd say it was a fun date. I think he would agree! It was Hill Country Galleria, where there's always something decorated and something going on, just for fun. This time of year, of course, it's all about Christmas!

It's a pretty drive to this outdoor mall, so you'll want to notice the decorated trees along the hillside by the highway as you go! The mall itself is very clean and pretty, with all sorts of stores for shopping. But... we bought nothing on this particular trip. We wanted to walk and enjoy the sights and fun.

In the middle of the mall (near the theater), there's a Christmas village set up with lined booths of

individuals selling wares. It's just a fun walk-through.

There's a Whole Foods on one corner, where wonderful cookies await, should you desire to enjoy one.

And just outside the store is a fire pit with nice comfy chairs for sitting...and people watching. So that, we did!

Of course, there are a few restaurants should you desire to eat at one. We just opted for a soda from Chisos Grill. But we definitely want to go back and eat there, on the patio, once warmer temps arrive again.

Down one sidewalk there's a ping pong table and a cornhole game, along with a place to take pictures. There's a machine, sort of like a gumball machine, where you can get more balls for the table tennis! We decided to toss the beanbags and play cornhole...and guess what? I won! Whoop!

We stopped in a few stores and wandered around. There are the usual big stores there, but there are also some unique ones as well. He enjoys seeing how these stores are decorated, he observes the architecture, and I go right to the clearance to see what's on sale!

I think we stayed there about 2-3 hours as we strolled hand in hand in this outdoor mall. It's a long drive from where we live, but it felt like we had stepped away from Austin for a bit, and into another bustling place of activity that was still so inviting and fun. This mall has done a great job of making it not only a place to find great deals, but a place to linger and enjoy and sip and play.

I'd say it was our kind of day!