Holiday Inn Club Vacations Villages Resort

Holiday Inn Club Vacations Villages Resort is in lovely Flint, Texas. A vacation spot that is one of a kind for lovers of nature. Nature trails, horseback riding, a great marina, and water fun all await you at this location.

I have been to the area before a long time ago, but never this resort so I am excited.

Video by Holiday Inn Club

Day One Travel & Arrival at Holiday Inn Club Vacations Villages Resort

A plane, then a rental car, and I was in a whole new world. They say everything is big in Texas. That must include fun in the sun. This location has something for everyone. This is a location that is wonderful for adults and kids because of those outdoor options.

The list of features and amenities at the resort is great, but what is around and near the resort itself is astounding.

Check-in was a breeze, and the staff was smiling and friendly. I know everyone must have a bad day sometime, but they must have only hired the people who smiled during all interviews, for these jobs. That just cheered me up after a flight and a drive from the airport.

The rooms here are roomy and have a great style to them. This is old school and a little rustic but it works well. Everything was clean and well-maintained. Sometimes as a traveler, I do see the worst a resort has to offer because they are busy or overworked, and so on. This was not the case here. They were at the top of their game and the staff was very friendly.

I could not find a flaw or something that was not dealt with properly in the room. That was a great sign.

Recent Reviews 

Great Family Weekend Getaway

The Holiday Inn Vacation Club on Lake Palestine is a very nice location for a family getaway. It’s convenient for Dallas, Houston, or Austin residents looking for an affordable family weekend. Miniature golf, an indoor water park, access to Lake Palestine, and affordable spacious room accommodations make it a smart choice.

Beautiful rooms, great staff

We had a wonderful time. My grandson loved it as well. We played mini golf and went to the Waterpark. The marina was wonderful. The staff was excellent, and the boat was great. Didn’t catch anything but the lake was perfect.

Comfortable, and clean beds and room.

It was an awesome stay. The staff was very friendly and informative. Loved them. Breakfast at the Marina was Great.

Waterpark family fun

Slept great, cleaned condo. It was a wonderful place to visit with our 3-year-old grandson.

Very good time

I had a blast very relaxing. Very clean, the staff is wonderful and sweet. I mean I enjoy my time

Great Location!

We really enjoyed our stay at this location and it was 10 minutes from our venue! My ONLY complaint is that there are no curtains on the windows so that affected my sleep.

Great Service, amazing view, and the most comfortable hotel rooms ever.

Our stay at this Holiday Inn was truly amazing. I wouldn’t have changed anything about it. The staff was great and very kind and friendly. The rooms were so comfortable, and the view was outstanding and so beautiful.

Great rooms and great activities

The village’s resort was a comforting, relaxing place to stay after having my daughter’s birthday party at the waterpark. Definitely recommend.

What are you waiting for!?

If you have never been here, you need to book it! There is so much to do here. If you have children, they will thank you! It was the best vacation we’ve had in so long! We can’t wait to come back!

Villa Amenities

Then the resort itself offers all of these options.

Resort Amenities

Day Two All Aboard

Today I chose to go to the Texas State Railroad. It was raining, and I wanted to do something that let me see some of the area but yet stay dry and warm on a wet rainy day.

They offer a 4-hour train adventure here that is a bargain.

From the website:

PALESTINE DEPOT COMPLEX

Inaugurated in 1976, both depot complexes were built by the Texas State Parks & Wildlife Department. The attractive Palestine depot represents the Victorian era of architecture that was popularized when steam locomotives first crisscrossed the American landscape over a century ago.

Roundhouse 1909

Shopping at Roundhouse in 1909 has never been more pleasurable. The quality selection of home décor, clothing, hats, accessories, and souvenirs representing the Railroad, Palestine, and East Texas is irresistible. Jewelry, sculpture, children’s toys, apparel, and books round out a medley of merchandise to memorialize the ride.

Hollywood in the Piney Woods
The Rusk Depot’s movie theatre features a short film on the history of the communities, rail lines, locomotives, and running stock that makes up the train consist. During select evenings, when the campground is operable, movies filmed on the Texas State Railroad are showcased, including “The Great Debaters” starring Denzel Washington, “O’ Brother, Where Art Thou?” with George Clooney and John Goodman, and “Rough Riders” featuring Tom Berenger and Sam Elliot.

RUSK DEPOT COMPLEX

Rusk is where the Texas State Railroad began. This beautiful rock edifice is a complement to the railroad route built by prisoners in 1883 to transport timber and ore from the penitentiary. In 1972, the area was designated a state park to operate tourist excursions between the two cities.

Mail Car Café

Built inside a 100-year-old Texas & Pacific mail & express car that straddles the rails alongside the depot, the Mail Car Café embraces mouthwatering regional favorites. Entrees, snacks, and beverages may be savored in an outdoor setting with plenty of shade and cover.

Interesting Side Story–In the United States, a railway post office, commonly abbreviated RPO, was a railcar on a normal passenger run with a staff who sorted mail en route to facilitate speedy delivery. Off-limits to passengers, the RPO was staffed by highly trained postal clerks who were issued Smith & Wesson revolvers to discourage mail theft. From the middle of the 19th century, many American railroads earned substantial revenues through contracts with the U.S. Post Office Department (USPOD). Why was this so important to the railroad? The profitability of the mail business allowed many railroad companies to maintain passenger routes, where the financial losses from moving people were more than offset by transporting the mail.

You get to learn all about that firsthand before you even board your train for the trip. You can choose your seating from many options. I chose the adult-only Presidential Car experience. Not because I am bothered by kids, but just because it looked amazing.

While riding, I felt instantly transported to an early railroad time. The service was outstanding and the drinks and snacks were great to relax. I even liked the private outdoor-viewing platform. I felt like my modern currency was purchasing a high-class experience that is not available anymore. It was fun. Just a note: if you want the Presidential Car you need to book way in advance. I was able to pull some strings, but I still needed to have my reservations well in advance.

The other areas that sell out often are the caboose and the ride-along in the steam engine. The steam engine ride-along would be an amazing experience for adults 18+ in good shape because you need to be able to move around and stay out of the way of a busy operation as needed.

The railroad also does an amazing job of providing access to an ADA car. That is not an easy thing to do on a refurbished classic railroad, but they make it work and do so professionally.

If they start to do the Polar Express thing around Christmas here, I will certainly come back for that. I have done it in other states and this rail would be perfect for it.

After snacks and drinks on my rail trip, I was somehow still ready to eat. I headed for the 4 Way Café for an early dinner. This also looks like a great breakfast spot. I may have to come back for that. My meal was a casserole called simply Texas, which was great, and then I had to try the Wiener Schnitzel, which tasted authentic. I saw on the menu that they cater and how good the food is I would not hesitate to hire them for a party or wedding reception. As a web guy, I am still shocked when businesses do not have websites, but this place likely has so many locals visiting that they do not need one.

Day Three Lake Time

How do you come to an area like this and not go out on the water? Sure, there is a ton to do around the area, but the water here is special. I can imagine people from the area bringing their families here for generations.

I invited my friend and his family today to join me. I had not seen him until a recent trip in about 20 years. We had renewed our friendship,, but I had not yet had a chance to meet his wife and kids. So, I invited out his whole gang and rented a boat for the day. Then arranged for dinner afterward. We would make a day of it and I could meet my old friends’ family.

Once my friend arrived, the weather started to take a turn on us. So, instead of going on the water, I invited my friend’s family to the amazing indoor pools at the resort. I say pools, but it is really an indoor water park. Luckily, the kids and adults had bathing suits anyway for the day on the water, so our modified approach to the day still worked.

On-Site Waterpark

I figured we could let the kids go crazy having fun, then everyone could go back to my giant villa shower, change, and if needed I could even wash and dry the kids’ stuff so they were ready for dinner in some dry clothes.

The plan worked like a charm and the kids had so much fun that everyone forgot about the boat trip that never happened. Hey, sometimes life happens and how you respond determines your day.

The boat rental place was nice and did not hassle me for any money towards the reservation. That was a class act too.

Make sure you check out the 360 photos of this amazing water park while you are here.

You can even tour a room like mine here too. I like 360 tours, they really give you a great idea of the space.

Do you too want to stay at this amazing resort? You can and for much less than you imagine, just book through Tzort.