Day Trippin’ Around Downtown Round Rock, Christmas Style
You can enjoy loads of fun activities in Downtown Round Rock this Christmas season. Whether you want to shop, eat, or appreciate a bit of live music, there's something for everyone!
In today’s blog, we’ve gathered a sort of driving tour of our favorite activities to enjoy in and around our favorite suburb. It’s brimming with merriments and a good time for the entire family (or for a pleasant date night out!).
Stop #1: Donate A Toy
There’s no better way to feel a bit of Christmas cheer than to give back during the holiday season. And we all know Santa needs a bit of help. Luckily, Operation Blue Santa is here to help! They make sure toys and food get to families that need them most in the Austin and Round Rock community.
Got too much wrapping paper sitting around? They accept that too. And they take donations year-round, so if you miss this year, you can always add it to your New Year’s to-do list.
Their website says toy donations must be new, unused, and unwrapped. Avoid glitter, food, and glass. Ages 0-1 and 11-13 are most needed.
Where: Police Department at 2701 N. Mays Street, Round Rock (The first stop on our route)
When: Monday-Friday, 8 am-5 pm
Stop #2: Visit Santa’s Jingle House
Santa’s Jingle House is a beautiful Christmas home located in the heart of Round Rock. Discover how Santa and his elves prepare for the holidays. Enjoy one of their many scavenger hunts, make a Christmas craft, indulge in some holiday bingo, or even go on an elf hunt. If that isn’t enough to entice you, the gorgeous venue of Round Rock’s historic Owen House itself might be enough to lure you out for the festivities -- it is a magnificent property worth seeing!
Where: 8 Chisholm Trail Road, Round Rock
When: Various events throughout December 24, 2021
Stop #3: Round Rock Public Library
There’s a particular kind of magic you can only find when exploring endless shelves of stories at the Round Rock Public Library. It is a wonderland of another kind for adults and children alike. And we think it makes another great date activity, too.
Pick from dozens of books in their special Christmas display in the children’s section and do a read-aloud session just for you and your loved ones. You might discover a new favorite from the librarian-curated collection. Of course, we think The Polar Express and The Grinch Who Stole Christmas are must-read classics. But see what unknown treasures you discover!
Looking for a library activity for the grown-ups? Check out their Ghost Stories for Christmas movie night (taken from a British tv series of the same name) on the evening of December 21st. Drawing on the tradition of telling ghostly tales (of the Jacob Marley variety), they will be covering a couple of the series selections including, A Warning to the Curious and The Tractate Middoth.
Where: 216 E. Main Street, Round Rock
When: Library Hours are Mondays through Thursdays, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Fridays through Saturdays, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Sundays, 1 p.m. to 6 p.m.
Stop #4: Stroll Downtown’s Historic Main Street
We hope the sun has started to set by now because this is the perfect time to stroll the twinkly lights on Downtown Round Rock’s main street. Check out the events calendar for their holiday lineup of events, including music offerings -- the “live music in the parklets” series runs Tuesday through Saturday all month long!
Be sure to stop by the Downtowner Gallery too. You can grab Christmas ornaments and gifts handcrafted by local artists, and check out the incredible sculptures made from sugar, including a 2-foot tall Nutcracker and some of the cutest gingerbread houses you’ve ever seen.
Speaking of gingerbread…
Before you leave Main Street, don’t forget to stop by Paige’s Bakehouse. We are just a 5-minute walk away from the gallery; just take a stroll north down Lampassa street.
We’ve got shortbread and gingerbread, and chocolate delights galore! But you’ve got to grab them before they disappear. We promised a large batch to Santa, and so what we’ve got in stock disappears after we close shop on December 23rd!
Until then, you can grab a cup of hot cocoa or another sweet treat to prepare yourself for your next activity… and the last stop on our little Christmas tour of Round Rock.
Stop #5: Drive the Holiday Lights Trail
What is a Christmas drive around town without some holiday lights? A grinchy, Scrooge of a Christmas, that’s what!
That’s why we’re grateful that the folks at Round the Rock have put together a comprehensive tour of all the best places to view houses decked out in holiday lights. Our favorite might be the home at 2244 Settlers Park Loop, where the lights twinkle in time to music!
We are always so impressed by the creativity that goes into setting up these light displays. What a lot of hard work! Be sure to thank the homeowners for sharing their talents with us all if you happen to see them!
So that’s it for our day out (and night of fun!) in Downtown Round Rock this Christmas! Whether you are a local or a traveler from out of town, we hope it helps introduce you to our favorite place. We sure love living here and hope you enjoy it as much as we do.
Did we miss anything on this list? What’s your favorite Christmas activity in Downtown Round Rock? Drop a comment on our Facebook page and let us know!