Freelance Writer
CYNTHIA J. DRAKE
RECENT ARTICLES
TRAVEL + LEISURE
SOUTHERN LIVING
-
16 Best Lakes in Florida for a Sunny Escape, February 2023
-
12 Southern Trips We Can't Wait To Plan For Next Year, November 2022 (also on Yahoo! Life)
-
Finding the Pearls of San Angelo, Texas, September 2022
-
Lubbock, Texas Comes Alive with Art, Wine, and Fine Cuisine, August 2022
-
McAllen, Texas Delights with Innovative Cuisine and Vibrant Art, August 2022
-
El Paso, Texas Is a Treasure in the Borderlands, August 2022
-
10 Best Resorts in the Florida Keys, July 2022
-
10 Best Florida Beaches for Families, June 2022
-
10 Best Florida Beaches for Couples, June 2022
-
Winter Haven Offers a Unique Florida Adventure, March 2022
-
Family-Fun Things to Do in Orlando Beyond Theme Parks, March 2022
-
How To Plan Your Next Visit to Dallas, Texas, March 2022
-
Fill Your Stay in College Station, Texas, With Food, Wine, and Fun, March 2022
-
Conroe, Texas, is the Perfect Combination of Small-Town Charm and Natural Delights, March 2022
-
Why Topo Chico is Big in Texas, April 2017 (first appeared in Extra Crispy)
TEXAS MONTHLY
Fort-Worth based Dickies celebrates 100 years, October 2022
At Long Last, a Prom Night to Remember, April 2022
Checking in to Funky Town (Fort Worth), a profile on entrepreneur Jonathan Morris, March 2022
See also: A Hotelier's Guide to Fresh Fort Worth.After a Year Off, Tamaladas Return to Texas, December 2021
A Joyful New Read Celebrates Galveston’s Bygone Black-Owned Restaurants, August 2021
When You Wish Upon a Meal (The Rose Table's Disney Dinners), July 2021
7 Nostalgic Texas Hotels With Vinyl Record Collections, May 2021
The Great Roadside Motel Comeback, April 2021
AAA MAGAZINES
-
Exploring New Mexico’s Earthship community, AAA Explorer, March 2023
-
6 Most Romantic Cities in Texas, e-newsletter, January 2023
-
6 Ways to Learn About New Mexico's Pueblos, e-newsletter, September 2022
-
New Mexico's Flamenco capital, AAA Explorer, July/Aug/Sept 2022
-
Barbecue with Egyptian Flair, AAA Explorer, July/Aug/Sept 2022
-
Feature: Georgetown Texas Food Crawl, AAA Explorer, April/May/June 2022
-
9 Texas museums with jaw-dropping outdoor art spaces, May 2022
-
A Railway Revival in Santa Fe, AAA Explorer, April/May/June 2022
-
Lovely Lavender at Los Poblanos Historic Inn & Organic Farm in Albuquerque, AAA Explorer, April/May/June 2022
-
A Tiki Speakeasy, Austin Tiki Tatsuya, AAA Explorer, April/May/June 2022
-
Pickleball in Style, Recess Pickleball, AAA Explorer, April/May/June 2022
-
Take a Music Road Trip Across Texas, e-newsletter, March 2022
-
Riding into the Sunset in New Mexico, AAA Explorer, Jan/Feb/March 2022
-
A Hill Country Holiday, AAA Explorer, Winter 2021
-
Grapevine's Harvest Hall, AAA Explorer, Winter 2021
-
San Antonio Tamalada, AAA Explorer, Winter 2021
-
Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta, AAA Explorer, Fall 2021
-
Holiday light displays: Where to see farolitos and luminarias, November 2021
-
Where to Find the Best Leaf Peeping in Texas, e-newsletter, October 2021
-
Feature: The Stockyards Ride Again, AAA Explorer, Fall 2021
-
Explore Black history in Galveston, AAA Explorer, Fall 2021
-
Living the dream (Dreamland in Dripping Springs), AAA Explorer, Fall 2021
-
8 cool skills you can pick up on your next Texas vacation, e-newsletter, August 2021
-
Cover story: Five hotels that embody the Texas spirit, Texas Journey, March/April 2020
-
Feature: Amazing amenities at Texas hotels, Texas Journey, March/April 2020
For more of my AAA articles click here.
FAMILY VACATIONIST
9 Texas Family Resorts with the Best Kid-Friendly Amenities, September 2022
HOUSE BEAUTIFUL
TRAVEL MARKET REPORT
TEXAS HIGHWAYS MAGAZINE
San Antonio's Project Pollo, October 2022
Nonprofit Hugs Café in McKinney Offers More Than Sandwiches and Cookies, January 2022
Have Yourself a Merry Little Weekend in the ‘Christmas Capital of Texas,' Grapevine, December 2021
Simple, Elevated: San Antonio's Carnitas Lonja, October 2021
9 Unusual Ice Cream Flavors to Try in Texas This Summer, August 2021
One Travel Writer’s Journey to Get the COVID-19 Vaccine Led to One of Her Most Memorable Texas Trips, April 2021
The Owners of This San Antonio Bakery Are Carrying On Their Mother’s Legacy (San Antonio's La Panadería), March 2020
13 Trips to Take in Texas in 2020, January 2020
15 Small Towns to Visit Now, August 2019
Mesquite bean flour from Cappadona Ranch, August 2019
For more of my Texas Highways articles click here.
AUSTIN TRAVELS MAGAZINE
CRUISE CRITIC
Should You Take Your Kids on an Antarctica Cruise? January 2023
Just Back From Adventures by Disney in Antarctica, January 2023
These Are The 7 Largest Cruise Ship Suites At Sea, November 2022
How to Save Money on Specialty Dining on Cruises, October 2022
These Are The Most Expensive Cruise Ship Drinks At Sea, October 2022
Which Cruise Lines Offer Coke or Pepsi Products Onboard? September 2022
Which Cruise Lines Have Curfews for Underage Cruisers? September 2022
Carnival's 50th Anniversary Cruise 'Sailabration' Voyage: Just Back From Carnival Breeze, March 2022
Masks are Now Optional On Many Cruise Lines, So What's That Like? Live From Carnival Breeze, March 2022
Royal Caribbean At-Home COVID-19 Test Kit, November 2021
11 Things to Do the Week Before Your Cruise, November 2021
Booking a Cruise Onboard: How to Score Extras and Discounts, November 2021
Why Now? Pandemic Passengers Weigh In With Their Reasons for Cruising to Alaska, September 2021
Live From a Holland America Line Alaska Cruise During the COVID-19 Pandemic, September 2021
Behind the Scenes with Imagineers: Designing Disney Cruise Line's new Disney Wish, August 2021
Disney Cruise Line News: New Interactive Uncharted Adventure for Disney Wish Unveiled, August 2021
Just Back From: Adventures by Disney, a Family-Friendly Danube River Cruise, July 2019
For more of my Cruise Critic articles click here.
PARENTS
AUSTIN MONTHLY
MATADOR NETWORK
ULTIMATE FAMILY VACATIONS
Best of the West, Summer 2021
EDIBLE AUSTIN
Profile of Yolanda Nagy (a/k/a Farmers Market Guru ATX), March/April 2021
Austin-based Sourced offers cocktail kits in partnership with Balcones whiskey, March/April 2021
AUSTIN AMERICAN-STATESMAN
Immersive art experience Hopscotch opens in San Antonio, September 2020 [pdf]
Rent your neighbor's pool with Swimply, September 2020 [pdf]
Wining, dining, peaching and climbing: Visiting Fredericksburg during COVID-19, July 2020 [pdf]
Touring Weetzie Bat's Los Angeles, 30 years later, March 2020 [pdf]
Exploring Ann Arbor, Austin's Michigan cousin, July 2019 [pdf]
A Quest for Authentic People and Eats in Shreveport, May 2019 [pdf]
Building a Dream: Austin's Wayback Cafe & Cottages, May 2019 [pdf]
A First-Timer's Guide to Lubbock, October 2018 [pdf]
Nashville: Made in Music City, May 2018 [pdf]
Alabama Gulf Shores: Off the Hook, February 2018 [pdf]
LITHUB
ALASKA BEYOND MAGAZINE
Enjoying Austin, February 2020
A Texas Holiday Season, December 2019
San Antonio: Rolling by the River, March 2017
WESTJET MAGAZINE
An interview with an Esther's Follies cast member, September 2019
Raise the Roof, August 2019
TRIPSAVVY
Top 12 Restaurants in San Antonio, December 2019
FAMILY VACATION CRITIC
Disney cruise vs. Disney World, March 2020
7 Best Vacations in Texas on a Budget, January 2020
KidZania opens first U.S. location in Texas, December 2019
5 All Inclusive Family Vacations in Texas, November 2019
Best Personalized Luggage for Kids, September 2019
9 Best California Vacations With Toddlers, August 2019
9 Amazing Family Vacations That Will Take You Outside of Your Comfort Zone, June 2019
9 U.S. Motels That Are Almost as Fun as Resorts, May 2019
Best non-Disney hotels near Disney World, January 2019
What to pack for a family cruise, January 2019
Digital Detox Family Vacations, January 2019
What you should never let your kid do on a plane, December 2018
Surprising Benefits of a Kid-Free Vacation, November 2018
A Tongue-in-Cheek Guide to Surviving the Oregon Trail, October 2018
First prize, 2018 SATW Central States Awards: The Most Embarrassing Family Vacation Moments
First prize, 2018 SATW Central States Awards: This Way to Walley World: How to Recreate a Griswold Family Vacation
The Five Moms You'll Meet on Vacation
For more of my Family Vacation Critic articles click here.
AARP
Texas Hill Country Getaway, May 2018
HERTZ UK
What's so Great About San Antonio? August 2018
GOOD HOUSEKEEPING
THE POINTS GUY
FAMILY TRAVEL MAGAZINE
Great Wolf Lodge Halloween Fun, October 2018
Guide to Schlitterbahn, October 2017
An Epic Colorado Kindermoon, July 2017
THE COSTCO CONNECTION
Meal trains, January 2019
How to Play the Luggage Game, May 2017 (packing tips reprinted in May 2018 issue and Canadian edition)
WHERETRAVELER
SOUTHWEST: THE MAGAZINE
Spirit of Texas, April 2017
SAN ANTONIO MAGAZINE
Morgan's Wonderland, May 2018
History of San Antonio's Chili Queens, May 2018
EATER AUSTIN
SOUTHERN BRIDE
Newly Unveiled Trellis Spa Offers Jaw-Dropping Bridal Showers, September 2021
CONTENT MARKETING
Check out examples of my writing for national brands on my content marketing page.
ABOUT ME
My recent articles have appeared in Southern Living, Texas Monthly, Parents, House Beautiful, Good Housekeeping, AAA publications, Texas Highways, and Cruise Critic.
I wrote the book Budget Travel for the Genius in 2015.
I'm a proud member of
Society of American Travel Writers (SATW) and
American Society of Journalists and Authors (ASJA).
PUBLICATIONS & CLIENTS
