Someone told me about Christmas on the Island, so my wife and I went to Seguin, Texas for a weekend last Christmas to check it out. Once we made plans, we booked a stay for a couple of nights in one of the unique tipis at Geronimo Creek Retreat.
We didn’t want to waste any time, so we settled our bags, left the tipi, and headed over to Seguin for Christmas On The Island. I was going to change into my Indian outfit, but it was too cold.
What is Christmas On The Island, you ask? It’s like a walking trail of lights, but much more:
- It’s a beautiful, sparkling trail of lights on a small island on the Guadalupe River in Seguin, Texas. The location adds to making this a unique experience as the lights glisten on the river.
- It’s sipping hot chocolate and listening to some live music on Saturday and Sunday nights.
- It’s getting a free picture of sitting on Santa’s lap and giving him my wish list for Christmas (I asked for a new boat, but he didn’t commit to that one way or the other).
- It’s warming up around the firepit and meeting some new folks.
- It’s about hot chocolate and tasty cookies.
You must buy a ticket to experience Christmas On The Island. When you do, you’ll receive a designated hour-long time slot to enjoy the festivities. One reason for the time limit is that parking on the island is limited. Plus, it prevents overcrowding.
Arriving On Son’s Island
We arrived right on time and greeted by a colorful Son’s Island sign. Santa and Mrs. Claus enjoyed the evening in camp chairs next to their decorated vintage Airstream camper as we drove by. After driving across the bridge (only two cars at a time), we found a parking spot and entered the trail of lights. We knew were in for a treat as we drove across the decorated wooden covered bridge that leads to the island.
Colorful lights illuminate the entire islands. As you walk through the trail, you’ll see lots of animated and blow-up Christmas decorations ranging from a nativity scene to several Santas. That makes Christmas On the Island spectacular!
Plus, you’ll see teddy bears, Snoopy, and several other Disney characters.
Christmas On the Island Is Quite Colorful
As you navigate the trail, you’ll be surrounded by a variety of colored lights wrapped around trees and hanging everywhere.
Some of my favorite things at Christmas On The Island included hot chocolate, donuts and cookies, and sitting by the firepit listening to music while watching the kids talk to Santa.
You can learn more about Christmas on the Island by checking out their website. And if you want to know more about Son’s Island, check out our review.
Our Overnight Stay In a Tipi at Geronimo Retreat Creek
After our tour, we drove to the Power Plant Grill and enjoyed a great dinner and some drinks. The Power Plant Grill was once the municipal power plant for Seguin. It still has the large diesel engine in the dining room and a great outdoor patio with a fantastic view of a waterfall as the Guadalupe River cascades over the dam. The dam was used to create the hydroelectric power for Seguin.
If you’re looking for a really fun weekend getaway, read the Texas Outside review of Guadalupe River.
Stuffed to the brim and with Christmas decorations and sparkling light still flashing around my brain, we headed over to Geronimo Creek Retreat for a good night’s sleep in our heated tipi. Geronimo Creek Retreat is home to some really cool and unique lodging options. They’ve got 4 tipis, two treehouses, and six glamping tents.
We stayed in tipi #4, which looks out on a small pond. It’s great for sitting on the dock and enjoying a cup of coffee or a cold brew. There were two queen-size beds with bedside tables, a large couch, satellite TV, kitchenette with sink, a mini refrigerator, stovetop, and extra-large toaster oven/microwave inside our tipi.
We were happy the tipis were heated. It was 40 degrees that night and there were still some patches of snow along the side of our tipi. Air conditioning is provided for summer use.
Outside, there is a BBQ grill, picnic table, and lawn furniture. The restroom is outside the tipi in a stand alone building with an individual bathroom for tipi #4. It includes a tiled shower, toilet, and wash basin. We really enjoyed our stay and wish the grandkids had been with us. They would have loved it!
Geronimo Creek Retreat also has a number of amenities for you to enjoy during your stay. These include kayaks to use on the creek, a hot tub, recreation room with games and a big flat screen TV, a rope swing over the creek, horseshoes, bean bag toss, half basketball court, and more.
We Capped the Weekend With a Game of Golf
After a good night sleep and a delicious breakfast at Garcia’s, we were ready for a round of golf at Max Starcke Golf Course. Carved out of a pecan grove, this course’s front nine was opened in 1938. The back nine opened in 1980. It’s one of the few remaining park courses in Texas.
Similar to most early designed courses, the golf course is straightforward, short, and traditional with wide tree-lined side-by-side fairways. The conditions are good and the rates are reasonable. It’s suitable for play for all levels. Best of all, I didn’t lose a single golf ball or get sandy from the bunkers. To learn more, read our review and rating of Max Starcke Golf Course.
Our Christmas On the Island getaway was a fun weekend. I couldn’t wait to share this experience with the grandkids and friends. None of them believed we slept in a tipi until they found out it had double beds, AC, coffee maker, and satellite TV. That’s not exactly roughing it!
Unfortunately, Christmas On the Island is closed in 2023, but you should call Geronimo Creek Retreat and book a stay for a weekend. You’ll have a lot of fun.
Author: Mike Sharp
I have a passion for travel and outdoor activities, and now I'm enjoying retired life. I will continue my traveling, golfing, boating, and enjoying life all across the great state of Texas.
