The City of Grapevine and the Grapevine Convention & Visitors Bureau extend a warm welcome to all attendees of the American Correctional Association who will be participating in the Winter Conference at the Gaylord Texan Resort and Convention Center. Surrounded by rolling pastureland and overlooking beautiful Lake Grapevine, the Gaylord Texan pays tribute to everything Texas as only Texas can on a grand scale. As a guest of the resort, you’ll experience the best of the Lone Star State under signature glass atriums where you can dine, shop, socialize and be entertained among four and a half acres of lush indoor gardens. For rest and relaxation enjoy Gaylord's 25,000 square foot spa and fitness center with indoor pool, 18-hole championship golf, grotto-style outdoor pool and nightly live music. Take a stroll around the Riverwalk atrium, marvel at Palo Duro Canyon in the Lone Star Atrium or taste the Contemporary Southwestern creations of award-winning Texas chef Stephan Pyles at Ama Lur in the Hill Country Atrium. 

Grapevine is nestled between Dallas and Fort Worth, and is home to DFW International Airport. Historic Grapevine, Texas, provides visitors a convenient escape from the big city and offers business travelers more than 600,000 square feet of meeting space and more than 2,000 flights daily. Step back in time along historic Main Street and the Cotton Belt Depot, where shops, restaurants and artisans await. Hop aboard the Grapevine Vintage Railroad or kick back and experience one of nine winery tasting rooms. Play 81 holes of golf or take advantage of 7,000-plus acres of recreation on Lake Grapevine. Indoors or out, Grapevine has something for everybody.

When you are on Main Street in downtown Grapevine, be sure to look at the top of the beautiful City Hall building. There you will see an eight-foot-tall bronze statue of the Grapevine Night watchman whose lantern lights up at night. The Night watchman served as Grapevine's only law enforcement professional for more than 50 years. This statue is a tribute to his service and holds a special point of prominence in the community. Do not miss seeing the original town jail, or "calaboose" as it is called in Grapevine. Now located at the corner of Main and Franklin streets, this small cement cell was used until the early 1950s primarily for overnight needs. Step inside the calaboose, close the iron-grate door, and then snap a photograph. Read the interpretive marker at the site, too. Grapevine has come a long way since its early days of incorporation and now has one of the finest, most progressive police departments in Texas. Visit Grapevine's museums and you will see plenty of community pride in the displays of articles relating to law enforcement.

History

More than 160 years old, Grapevine boasts a colorful and proud heritage that began in 1844 one year before Texas became a state. Since then, the city has experienced tremendous growth, but its friendly, proud spirit is still evident in a lovingly restored downtown where folks wave and say hello to visitors on the street. Walking tours through the very "strollable" downtown which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places allow visitors to see Grapevine's past first hand. At the Historic Cotton Belt Railroad District, visitors can step into a restored Cotton Belt Train Depot from 1888 that serves as the Grapevine Visitors Information Center and is home to the Grapevine Historical Museum. Throughout the District, visitors can see artisans demonstrate their skills at a variety of crafts, from glass blowing to bronze art.

The Cotton Belt Depot also continues to operate as a working train depot for the Grapevine Vintage Railroad the city's popular excursion train led by the oldest continuously operating steam engine in the south, "Puffy" (circa 1896). The Grapevine Vintage Railroad travels along the historic Cotton Belt Route between Grapevine and the Fort Worth stockyards. Passengers enjoy riding in authentic 1920s and 1930s Victorian-style coaches as they take a step back in time and experience train travel as it was in the glory days of the expanding West. Pull into the Fort Worth Stockyards Station and you will be right in the middle of the Stockyards National Historic District where the Old West comes alive. Call ahead to check the schedule, pricing and charters. Cotton Belt Depot is located at 705 S. Main St. For more information, call (817) 410-3123 or visit www.GVRR.com.

Entertainment

Grapevine's Main Street entertainment district is anchored by the beautifully restored Palace Arts Center, which includes the fully-restored Palace and Lancaster

theatres. The Palace Theatre, built in 1940, houses the Grapevine Opry one of the best country and western music reviews this side of Nashville. The Palace and Lancaster theatres are also home to a number of different performing arts groups and anchor Historic Main Street's always bustling entertainment scene, which includes live music in several venues on evenings and weekends.

In 2006, Grapevine's entertainment sector added a new jewel in the form of Glass Cactus a state-of-the-art night club overlooking Lake Grapevine. With live music five days a week, late-night entertainment until 2 a.m. and picturesque views of the lake from deck-top bars, Glass Cactus is the premier upscale night spot in the DFW Metroplex.

Winery Tasting Rooms

As a hub of Texas' bustling wine industry, Grapevine is the only place in the DFW Metroplex with a 10-acre vineyard and nine winery tasting rooms. Texas is now the fifth-largest wine-producing state in the U.S., and Grapevine has served as an innovator and leader, with award-winning wineries and winemakers calling its city home.

Shopping

Be it quaint boutiques or big department stores, Grapevine has enough shopping to satisfy even the most experienced purchasers. Whether on Historic Main Street or at one of the city's shopping centers, Grapevine offers options for any shopper's taste and budget. There is an incredible array of unique gift ideas in our Historic Downtown where you can find antiques, arts and crafts, galleries, wine, gourmet foods, home furnishings, boutiques, and handcrafted items in the Railroad District. Finally, to round out your shopping experience, visit Grapevine Mills the largest value-oriented shopping experience in the Southwest and Bass Pro Shops Outdoor World, with more than 200,000 square feet dedicated to the great outdoors, or the Grapevine Towne Center.

Dining

Visitors can easily refuel or simply relax with a wonderful meal in one of Grapevine's more than 200 restaurants. Grapevine has enough culinary variety to satisfy any palate or budget. From fine dining to fast food, Italian to Tex-Mex, fried chicken to Chinese, tearooms to Texas barbecue it's all available in Grapevine. For a complete listing of restaurants, please call 1-800-457-6338 or visit www.GrapevineTexasUSA.com.

Recreation

Not only is Grapevine home to fine shopping, restaurants and attractions, it also offers a host of recreational opportunities for visitors. Golf enthusiasts can hit the links at Grape-vine's top-ranked golf courses, including the Dallas Cowboy's Golf Club, Grapevine Golf Course and Bear Creek Golf Club. Grapevine is also home to the innovative Texas Indoor Golf Facility, which features simulated golf action on famous courses in a climate-controlled setting.

Lake Grapevine, a 7,000-plus acre recreational lake, is a center for boating, water-skiing, wind surfing and other aquatic activities. Lake Grapevine is also the perfect place for boating, fishing, camping and picnicking. With 146 miles of rolling shoreline and more than nine miles of wilderness trails, Lake Grapevine is one of the finest hike/bike destinations in the Dallas/Fort Worth area.

Visitor Information

The Grapevine Visitor Information Center is located in the Grapevine Cotton Belt Depot at 705 S. Main St. Hours of Operation are Monday-Saturday, 9 a.m.- 5 p.m.; Sundays,

12 p.m. - 5 p.m. For more information, call (817) 410-8136.

For additional information about Grapevine or any of its accommodations, attractions and events, please contact the Grapevine Convention & Visitors Bureau, One Liberty Park Plaza, Grapevine, Texas 76051, or call either 1-800-457-6338 or metro (817) 410-3185. Visit us on the Web at www.GrapevineTexasUSA.com.

Make plans to attend ACA's

2008 Winter Conference today!