Came to see Randy Rogers and spent 40 minutes parking - go ahead and save $10 and a LOT of walking by parking near the gas station down the street. Â Luckily the venue was amazing, the show was perfect, and the drinks were reasonable ($5-7 for alcohol and $2 for bottled water). Â Looking for a place to crash? -read my review on the holiday lodge at canyon lake.
Review Source:This is a good tubing place if you bring your own tube and don't want to go through the hassle of renting from the many tube places which line this street.
The horseshoe area water was very cold and slow moving and it took roughly 3 to 4 hours to do one semi circle. The rapids were at the very end and full of sharp rocks.
We came here last night for the first time to see Kyle Park and The Band Perry- the experience was AMAZING. We must have lucked out, as the vibe throughout the entire crowd was great and it seemed like everyone was having a really good time. No overly pushy or obnoxious people save one older drunk man. Here are my tips and random pointers that may or may not be helpful to know:
1. The show will go on, rain or shine. I imagine if we are having hurricane-like rain and winds this may not be the case, but last night it was. Having this in mind, if you are going to a show before/after/during rain, I strongly recommend not wearing sandals, as there are many spots in the venue as well as the parking lot that will get extremely muddy. Having said that, the parking lot will become a slippery, muddy mess with enough rain, so watch your step and don't drive stupid.
2. Parking on site is $10. I think this is a little steep for this type of venue, but it is what it is. We arrived 30 minutes before doors opened, so we were able to be shown to a spot pretty close to the front and with no delay. I advise that you hang around for a little bit once the show is over if possible to avoid the cluster that awaits you in the parking lot- we waited about 20 minutes and were able to get out of the lot within 8 minutes after exiting the venue. We ran into no traffic coming to and from Austin.
3. If you're boozing, the bar lines move fairly quickly. They do not do well drinks, but they do have some good premiums starting at $6- this is the least you'll pay for a drink if you're not a cerveza fan like myself. I'm sure this varies from bartender to bartender, but we had some really strong pours. Tip your bartenders well guys; they'll take care of you! They do accept cards at the back bars as well.
4. The port-o-potties in the very back did me good- I've never seen a cleaner one, ie I was not scared to sit down for fear of contracting something. BTW, if you're using the bathroom, lock the dang door- if someone walks in on you, that is YOUR fault. Sheesh.
5. There are a few places you can grab some grub on grounds- they do burgers and what not right next to the bar lines below the sky boxes. There's also a food trailer that was open even after the show was over close to the parking entrance. Can't comment on the food or prices as we didn't hit them up, but next time!
6. If you're not claustrophobic, get as close to the front of the stage as possible. This is the most energetic, and in my opinion, engaging area to be in. If you're with a friend, take turns peeing or grabbing drinks so that one of you can hold it down without losing your position. The VIP seating area seemed meh...you can still see the stage, but from my personal experience, it ain't a show if you're not up close yelling and dancing along.
Overall, everything went right for us the first time around and we will definitely be back to catch more shows!
Badly run website, office and venue.  I will avoid this venue  and have an unhappy story about the office and management for any word of mouth conversation- you know the best advertisement.  Stay in Austin, San Antonio or wherever you are from or fly/drive to another venue.  The event I bought tickets to was the Train concert with Mat Kearney.  Central Texas had heavy rain that day, the concert was around sunset.  I called mid day to ask if the show was cancelled.  The woman working in the office stated they were a "rain or shine" venue and the concert would go on.  I called back again to ask if the parking was hard top or off road dirt/mud and inquired again if the show was on.  She said it was mud/dirt and that people park off road on the street out of the mud and that they are rain or shine. We dressed for mud.  She was wrong on every account.  The venue was not safe in the rain and the band did not play.  Who wants to be electrocuted or have their expensive equipment ruined?  Whitewater did not post on their website, they did not call or text!  We drove abut 80 miles and were turned away.  Noticed "no parking" roadside signs and a gravel type parking lot as well as a hard top parking area for anyone interested. There may be mud and dirt within the parking lot, but I didn't see it that way. Also, the traffic to get into the venue/parking does not have a dedicated lane, so expect some build up.  Parking is $10.00. The web site will not tell you this.
I really didn't like the way the venue Whitewater Amphitheater blamed the cancellation of the show exclusively on the band (in the email I received two days later). Â The venue took no blame. Â I saw three buses which might have been the band and a friend of mine talked with a crew member. Â The band showed up, the setting was unsafe, they did not play. Â
If a show is rained out, or it is 110 degrees, whatever the cause- if the structure can not handle rain or shine, it leaves room for improvement. Â Don't blame it on the band! Â Post on your website- cancellations, mention the parking situation! Â
They have room for improvement. Â I gave them 2 stars because the kind man diverting traffic into the parking lot for a U turn seemed genuinely sorry for the trouble and kept things moving.
You can pretty quickly tell when a business is run poorly and when their only priority is to make a dollar at the expense of their customers. We bought $90 tickets to see two bands: TRAIN and Mat Kearney on Sept.16th. The concert was cancelled without ANY prior notice. NOTHING on their website until long after the scheduled start time. Their excuse? the rain. NO email notice, nothing on their website, No one answering the telephone. Only one guy at this venue, telling people who were arriving to the concert to simply go home, concert is cancelled. People drive in from long distances to see a concert. Funny the tickets say NO REFUNDS or CANCELLATIONS. LOL Apparently this applies only to this venue I guess. I would absolutely NEVER see a show here. Total disregard for their customers.
Review Source:I would not hesitate to visit this venue again after the Girl Talk show I attended a couple weeks ago. Yes, it is a bit of a hike from Austin and yes, we got lost, but the amazing acoustics, plethora of bars, availability of food, and overall good time completely makes up for all of that.
We didn't encounter the parking problem that a lot of the other reviewers seemed to. After we found our way to where we needed to be, we pulled into the venue parking lot, forked over our $10 and walked straight to the gate (which opened later than posted on the website and happened to be, perhaps, 5 minutes after we arrived)... no fuss, no muss.
A few tips:
- Print out the directions from the website, don't trust your GPS (mine may have just been having an "off" day, but just in case)
- The VIP standing section is a raised area just behind general admission with a separate bar. IMO, not worth the extra money per ticket. The other bars are well tended and I never waited more than a few minutes for a beer.
- Use the port-a-potties in the back... they run out of toilet paper last
- Stick around for a bit after the show... we managed to catch another act on a different stage and dance for another hour or so, thusly avoiding the outflow of traffic (and the bar stayed open!)
- Have fun! Dance!
My hubby took me to see GirlTalk last night at Whitewater. Before we got there, I wasn't too excited about a venue that didn't allow blankets or chairs to be brought in with you (I have been spoiled by all the outdoor venues around Austin). But, I was pleasantly surprised once we got inside.
The Amphitheater is located along the banks of the river, but there is a fence that doesn't allow you to get into the river. There are large trees around and the grounds are crushed gravel. There are three different levels of in front of the stage, with the lowest being the nearest. The second level requires you to pay extra... not sure why. We stayed in the third level, this level goes all the way back to the bars at the back. There was plenty of space here to dance and move around as well.
The sound was absolutely amazing. The bass was loud, the treble crisp and everything in between was fantastic!
The crowd was great, too. Most everyone was there from Austin. 101X was a sponsor. Didn't see the normal crowds we do in San Antonio, and that made us very happy. Who would have ever thought that there would be such a huge difference in people from these two cities!
We aren't drinkers, so we partook of a lot of water,, the bottles were only $2 each, not too expensive like other venues.
Many people talked about the difficulty with parking and getting out of the lot. There are numerous other places to park in the area (they charge $5-$10) that allow you to skip that hassle. We looked at the website and the alternative ways to get to the amphitheater. We ended up parking about half a mile away and it was a very easy walk. Â After the concert ended, we were in our car, headed home, in less than 15 minutes! And, there was no traffic to speak of on the road.
All in all, I was very happy with Whitewater. I look forward to going back to see more concerts.
They really went after the druggies, but abandoned a confused woman without a ticket in the middle of the dark parking lot. Â Women, this isn't a safe venue.
Can't say I recommend this particular venue. Â This was easily the worst venue I've ever been to. Â Parking was $10 to park on site, which still means you're walking half a mile to the stage. Â For parking, DO NOT park onsite. Â The offsite parking is cheaper AND closer.
Not only that, but the local law enforcement is more concerned with protecting the business of the place than protecting the people near it. Â My wife and I found a woman weeping by herself in the middle of the poorly lit parking lot. Â When I informed the police officer on site, she responded coldly by saying that the woman had been kicked out three times. Â I don't know how their local sheriff's department is run, but my understanding is that their job is to protect people primarily. Â If the woman was trying to steal from the venue, they should have arrested her and put her in jail, not left in the middle of a dark, deserted parking lot to be vulnerable to whoever, and to be a HUGE liability to the venue when an incident does occur. Â We had to convince the security there that human life was more important than their earnings as a venue. Â
Also, their law enforcement was far more aggressive about drugs than any I've ever seen. Â Neither I nor my wife smoke pot, but honestly, it seems like the priorities are out of place arresting a pot smoker, and then leaving a woman in the middle of the parking lot to be raped.
Oh, and their beer selection leaves something to be desired.
I am confident that I will never return to this venue. Â
I give two stars because they have pretty trees.
They have no idea what customer service is!! Â
I am pregnant and have been struggling with very bad morning sickness. Â Due to their no outside food policy, they will not permit crackers to be brought in. Â I called and spoke with the manager and she was very rude, and even questioned my decision to attend a show there. Â I told her I didn't think that they would be so discourteous and rude to deny someone with special medical needs what they need.
Needless to say, I will not be giving this venue anymore of my money!!
because of the positive reviews I had read on yelp, I decided to drive 13 teenagers from Houston to see Skrillex May 26, 2012. Â
The venue is absolutely gorgeous with a canopy of trees all around and the grounds were clean. The river runs right along this place, almost through it. Â Sound was perfect. Drinks were reasonable compared to other places ($6 mixed drinks, $7 premium mixed, $2 sodas or bottled water). Â Longest time I waited in drink line was 5 minutes. They had plenty port-a-potties, and the longest I stood in line for was 5 min despite show being sold out and at capacity. All staff and police were courteous and helpful and working hard. Â I wouldn't hesitate to drive from Houston for another show.
Only negative is parking. Â Two lane road into the venue that backs up big time. Expect to take approximately 30 min to get in the venue once your car is about 2 miles away from the venue. We hung around for 1 hour afterwards (Whitewater had a DJ for what almost seemed like a cool after party) to let most of the crowd leave. Â
Even with the show being a sell out, you didn't feel like you were packed in tight (unless you wanted to push your way to the stage). I stood in the back with plenty of space and could still see the stage well and had a great view. Â
Wish this place was was Houston!!!!! Our outdoors Woodalnds Pavillion is just TOO BIG and you don't get an intimate show feel like you do here.
I came from Houston to see Ghostland Observatory and, boy, WHAT A SHOW! Not only did they rock but this was the perfect venue to see them live. It seems that a lot of more popular bands are starting to play at stadiums which make it very difficult to get the full concert experience. Being front and center in the outdoor, open stage is exactly how you should enjoy a band. Parking wasn't too bad but I came very early so I had plenty of time to spare. Being located right next to the river, you can watch or, if you bring your swimsuit, swim in the river while you wait.
About an hour before the show, people started lining up outside the gates to get in. Booths were set up near the entrance after entering the gates and were giving out free promotional material. They do not let you enter after leaving the venue so be advised. Essentially this is a flat field with a raised bar area towards the back. VIP can enjoy the show up from the second floor and everyone else can cram next to the stage. If you get there early, you can get pretty close up which, in my opinion, is worth it.
Overall, I wish that more venues were like this in Houston. This isn't the greatest place but the fact that it's outdoors really helps make the experience more enjoyable. I think it was worth the travel seeing Ghostland so if anyone ever gets the chance, this is my plug for them. Great show, good venue! Will not hesitate to come back.
this place is awesome. great name venues. but the parking is horrible if you try to park at the whitewater amphitheater, but if you go just past the entrance to whitewater and over the bridge there is a place called Andy's Tube Rentals and they charge the same $10 as whitewater to park. The walk is very short and it is alot easier to get out of the parking lot. It took us only 5 minutes at the most to walk to the entrance of whitewater amphitheater and there is no wait getting out of the parking lot when you leave. They people there are great and they stay there the whole time watching your vehicle until the venue is over. I would recommend parking at Andy's Tubes to anyone going to Whitewater for any concert
Review Source:Hey free concert! Not really - apparently free or paid concerts also carry a $10 parking charge, which I thought was absolutely crazy given the parking lot was dirt and gravel! All I could think of was "Thank you Nutty Brown for not nickle and diming on the parking." I am offended that I had to pay $10. Yes,I take it personal along with the hundreds of others that paid. The $10 takes away from the beer money, the food expense, and the merchandise options. This isn't Six Flags or Sea World - it's a concert venue out by the river.
Outside of my issues with the parking the amphitheater itself was a nice venue. You could either get really close to the stage or sit back and just listen. They have VIP seats on a raised platform and even sky boxes if you dare pay the fee. The Skyboxes are pretty far but they do have you above the crowd and they have their own bar.
Ample bars all over the place to satisfy the needs and even though I didn't try the food - I heard good reviews from others who did.
Total love/hate here. Love the concept & design. Â Don't love the execution. The music experience itself is great. What comes before the show and immediately after - makes you question your decision to be there.
Pros:
-Spacious even when crowded
-Easy access to bars and local food (when adequately staffed - not always)
-Sloped yard means decent view from the back
-Horseshoes
Cons:
-Plenty of bars but all not open on a very busy night - long lines for drinks
-Service staff not all that friendly
-There's parking on property and yet they charge $10 ($5 wouldn't feel like as much of a gouge)
-After paying $10 to park, you might have to walk a LONG-ass way. Or worse, be shuttled.
-Even if you skip encore, plan on an hour in your car getting out of lot
-In summary: parking not well managed or thought out
Made it out here with some friends for the Girl Talk show (anyone who can mix Phoenix with Ludacris and make it sound fascinating is good by me)...the energy of the place was upbeat and positive. Â It's almost as though you are hanging out at someone's ranch, but with tons of bars everywhere. Â When we drove in there was a traffic jam of cars, but plenty of people on the property directing traffic. Â Allow yourself plenty of time because FM 306 + 2000 cars = clustercuss. Â Also, once you park it's a bit of a treck over rough terrain so wear wedges/sandals/boots. Â
Towards the back of the property there are plenty of patio tables so you can grab a drink and hang out until the show starts. Â The bar lines were never very long, except for right before the show. Â The venue is right on the river, so even though it was hot outside there was a breeze once the sun went down. Â
The bathrooms are port-o-potties, but they have them separated into men and women sections, which is nice since some venues in Austin just have a free for all. Â Soap at the sinks ran out pretty fast, so bring baby wipes. Â
My issue with the venue is after the show is over it is going to be at least an hour before you get back out to the main road. Â Normally, this is not a problem and I just hang out until the traffic starts moving. Â The police/sheriffs were so strict that after the music stopped everyone had to leave. Â It was pretty annoying knowing that instead of just chilling with a drink and waiting for traffic to move, we all had to walk our happy selves to the car and just sit and wait. Â
Even with that being said, I would attend this venue again and think that it has a lot of potential for some really great shows.
Pro: Went to a Girl Talk concert here. It was great, some may question going to see Girl Talk concert but it is about being with people, dancing and the music. Lots of energy and fun the whole show.
Con: Parking and the line getting in is the only thing I can count as negs. If you don't get there early you could spend 10-15 mins walking to and from your car. And the line getting in when I went was not managed well only 3-4 people checking tickets and 2 people putting wristbands on. For a concert with a large crowd you need 2-3x then number of people as that.
It's a shame that New Braunfels has an outdoor amphitheater and San Antonio doesn't. I don't mean that as a slam against New Braunfels, a city I love. It's more of a slam against San Antonio.
A big group of us went to watch a concert at the semi-new Whitewater Amphitheater near Canyon Lake last night. Watching an outdoor concert, even in the 100-degree heat, is ALWAYS a better option than watching it indoors. There's just something about live music and the outdoors. They fit.
I think back to the Verizon Amphitheater in San Antonio, which closed a few years ago. I saw some amazing concerts there - from the very first show with Tom Petty, to Counting Crows, to Robert Earl Keen, to Stone Temple Pilots. Now semi-popular or popular bands have three options in San Antonio: play at the AT&T Center (too big, horrible sound), Freeman Coliseum (yikes) or go small at the Majestic (weird place to watch a rock concert, tickets can sell out quickly). It's a shame.
Meanwhile, up the road about 40 minutes, there's a venue that holds about 6,000 people. We were even in a skybox last night. Don't let the name fool you - it isn't something very luxurious. But it has seats for 15 people, a private bar and a small dance floor. More importantly, you're up above the rest of the crowd, which is a nice touch for a claustrophobic person like myself. Parking is a mess and cost $10 (they boxed us into our spot, but luckily a car had left before us so we got out), traffic is likely a nightmare getting out of there (we left early and avoided the huge crowds going the only way out - down a winding, two-lane road back to New Braunfels) and they have port-a-potties for bathrooms, but I can put up with those to watch a concert outdoors. Like it's supposed to be.
WHITEWATER IS THE FREAKING BOMB!!!! Cloth tubes, no tube rash, friendly staff and the best part is.....when you are done floating you can go to the concert afterwards and kick back and hang out with your friends. On a really busy concert night like Ghostland, which is the concert I went to, you had to wait in line for a little while but that's gonna be a duh because hello people their venue is the largest outdoor one in Texas holding like 5000 people or something like that. Do you expect to just walk straight in?! idiots. All I know is it was well worth the wait and I will definitely be back this summer. Speaking of, if staff reads this when is GLO coming back this summer. I can't wait to get tickets!!!
Review Source:TOTALLY awesome venue! Â We saw Stoney LaRue and Midnight River Choir there in Summer 2010.
===============
PROS:
Full bar - but they stop serving liquor early for some reason - I think it may have been 9pm or 10pm but not sure - I'm just a beer drinker so no big deal.
Plenty of bars - lines were not long AT ALL
PLENTY of room - even though there were a TON of people at the show, I didn't feel claustrophobic. Â
The general admission area in front of the stage is sloped just a bit, so you get a good view and are able to see over the people in front of you.
Sound was GREAT!
All of the staff was friendly and helpful - kudos to the management for getting such a good team in there.
Very fun, laid back place - they attract some REALLY good bands over the summer.
===============
CONS:
The traffic in and out of the place sucks. Â We knew this ahead of time and actually parked our cars at the WalMart in New Braunfels and took a cab there. Â We didn't want to drive in all that traffic on the dark two lane road after we had been drinking a bit. Â It's an added cost, but it's worth it to be safe - plus you get to kick back and laugh with your friends some more during the ride back - almost like an extension of the concert! Â
===============
Bottom line is, I will definitely be back for more concerts this summer - the traffic is the ONLY thing I had a problem with and the ONLY thing keeping them from 5 stars!
I love you WhiteWater. I have been to you many times now and after the Ghostland show on Saturday, I love you even more. I don't care that if I have to park miles away, or walk in the darkness. You are worth it. Your stage, your river, and your serving of Wahoos tacos is completely legitimate. It doesn't matter if I'm seeing Randy Rogers, Ghostland or Cross Canadian, everything about this venue is fantastic.
Come on people, you need a little hill country:-)
We went for Ghostland sold out show on Sat - took us 1.5 hours to move 2 miles - traffic was just stupid! No parking anywhere! Had to park at least 1/2 mile past venue and walk there in total darkness on the side of the hwy. I was unhappy with how far back I had to be - there is barely a slant so unless you want to get in the middle of the madness, you cant see the stage. The sound was good but extremely drunk girls kept slamming into me while walking around - they were super drunk from floating the river  all day and then showed up for the show. Unless you are super hammered - it gets old. So many better venues in my opinion but if you want to have a bender weekend - camp near by and walk to this place but get wasted before you do!
Review Source:The best large outdoor music venue I have ever been too. Me and some of my friends were at Whitewater the weekend of 6/12/10 for the Randy Rogers Festival.
The best part other than friendly people and good music was the amount of room at this venue. You could walk up to the front of the stage and listen to a few songs than take off and go throw washers in the back area. Wahoos tacos is on site and plenty of beer/liqour is available for a good price.
Just a heads up - If you have interest in floating the river while your in town you can get 2 for 1 tube rental coupons from the concert venue.
I've heard it compared to The Backyard in Austin but I've never been and there is nothing like this in Dallas. We came down for a Randy Rogers concert and really didn't know what to expect.
Whitewater is only 15 minutes west from I-35 and is pretty easy to find. Traffic can get backed up because the only way in and out is a two lane highway. Parking is $5 to $10. Â We came the weekend after the flood and weren't sure if it would still be opened, but all was well. Â
Picture this...sitting comfortably in a patio chair in the Hill Country, ice cold beer in hand, covered by huge trees, 85 degrees, cool breeze, a few yards from one of your favorite band, then they start to play your favorite song...at this point you realize life doesn't suck. This place is like having a concert in your backyard...three horseshoe pits, two sets of washer boards, a play set for the kids or the drunks, small acoustic stage, larger full band concert stage, and plenty of bar room to grab your beer. Huge trees canopy the entire acoustic stage area...absolutely beautiful on a Texas summer night.! It wasn't packed since our show was on the smaller stage but it was definitely busy. I highly recommend going for the VIP preferred seating for a small group or the reserved tables or sky boxes for the large groups. Once it gets busy you'll be thankful you have a seat. The last thing I noticed is that there are sheriffs everywhere with tazzer guns. Really didn't see the need since the crowd was pretty mellow but I guess if you get the right amount of Bud Light into Billy Bob the reason may arise.
Hands down this is the coolest music venue I've been to...where else can you listen to your favorite red dirt band live, with an endless supply of Shiner and toss horseshoes? Tickets are reasonable, beers are $4, dinner is included if you are in the sky boxes. Without a question I would make the drive from Dallas again for a show.
Friday night had us careening down I35 to take in a show at Whitewater. Â We didn't plan too well and got to the venue hungry. Â Well that turned out to be a good thing. Â Two really good tacos later, we grabbed more beers and took in the show.
Pros:
- good views even from the back
- great food!
- reasonably priced beers
- lots of bathrooms
Cons:
- lines for beer were a little long
- parking was a little squirrely, we paid $10 thinking that would help but we were still a bit of a hike to the venue. Â It also meant we left on the early side having noticed only one way out for all the cars parked there. Â
- dusty! Â
But I'll definitely return to see more shows there.
Took the drive from Austin to New Braunfels for the Ghostland Observatory concert on Friday night (7/17). It was like the Backyard in Austin all over again. However, this place felt bigger and roomier. And everyone was dressed casually like they just got off the Guadalupe River. We did General Admission tics but there are VIP booths that you can rent out too.
It was on FM 306 and was very easy to get to off I-35. The tickets for the show said doors open at 6:30 but my friend Wendy called ahead and they told her that there would be a DJ spinning for the opening act and that the show would start about 8:45 - 9 p.m. When we approached, it looked like traffic was slowing down around the 1 mile to venue mark per the GPS but it actually backed up about .50 of a mile. We got there around 8:30 p.m. So if you are coming from Austin, time it right or you'll be stuck in traffic.
Concert ended up starting at 9:30 and ended about 11 p.m. Light show was spectacular, especially among all the trees and you could see the stage from pretty much any angle. We found a spot that was just right of the stage with plenty of room to dance. The beer was cheap, I think it was $4 bucks for 16 ounces but I had awesome handmade Hornito's margaritas for $4 a pop and they were dee-lish!! Even brought home some souvenir plastic cups. The women's bathrooms (port-o-potties) were clean, the lines were shorter that the guys (for once) , and they even had plenty of hand sanitizer and sinks with running water.
We waited to leave once the crowd thinned out and then went to check into the hotel (rather than drive back to Austin.) I highly recommend this place and will definitely return.
This is the second season that they have held shows out at Whitewater on The Horseshoe. It is obvious that the owners have ambitious plans for this venue, as it seem they are continuing building out the infrastructure that is there.
There is a capacity of what seems like 4500 - a mixture of standing room and seats. If you stand, the sight lines are quite good from most vantage points. There are a few bars and currently Wahoos Fish Tacos is the food vendor for the property.
It's clean and well kept as well as a large staff that was even in the parking lot at the end of the night helping to move the traffic out of the venue and onto the main road.
While it seems remote, it's a straight shot from I-35 about 15 miles due west of Exit 191.