AUSTIN, Texas — Spectrum News' South by Southwest coverage kicked off Thursday night with a press preview of HBO’s anticipated "Westworld" activation, a hyperreal version of the infamous town of Sweetwater.

HBO spared absolutely no detail to make this experience as authentic and memorable as possible.

At our pick-up point, the Eastside Tavern on Cesar Chavez St., we were checked in by Delos models, dressed head-to-toe in white. Delos Inc. is the corporation that owns the fictional park. Onsite, an eerie self-playing piano performed the late Chris Cornell-fronted band Soundgarden's hit, "Black Hole Sun." 

Next, we ascended up a set of stairs to find more Delos employees, offering food and drink. It is here we were assigned our cowboy hats — some black, some white. And we’re not talking flimsy costume versions, either — these are Stetson caliber — the first indication that HBO wasn’t messing around.

Anna and I pose with our freshly selected black hats before the journey.

One of the biggest questions for me was, what about our train ride in? How are they going to fabricate that experience? Did HBO construct a secret railroad? Judging by the quality/care that went into this activation’s setup, it wouldn’t have suprised me in the least.

Sorry to disappoint, but no secret railroad. We boarded tour buses and head for the highway. Journalists ‘not from around these parts’ got a healthy dose of I-35 during rush hour — the part of the SXSW experience few talk about. While the whole thing was estimated to take a little over 2 hours, the traffic added an extra 45 minutes or so.

As we approached what was presumably the location, the lights on the bus kicked off, and an orientation video rolled. “Live life without limits" it boasted, with picturesque scenes of our favorite "Westworld" characters as shiny happy people, thriving in the wild, unkempt West.

The video cut off, and at that moment, the driver made a sharp right turn that landed a rear wheel of our bus into a ditch — “Is this part of it?,” we passengers asked, under our breath. Several minutes passed. We waited. And we waited. The bus was slightly lifted to one side, mind you, and the sun was quickly going down. 

What felt like an eternity finally ended with the bus driver throwing open the door. And, at a tilt, we deboarded for an experience that eventually would make the bus incident feel like small potatoes.

An illuminated tent tantalized off in the distance, a glowing WestWorld sign to our right. We walked down a dirt path to a velvet-curtained tent, which was parted for us by more white-clad hosts to reveal a sterile room where a Delos employee stood before a glass case of weaponry, only to say, “Welcome to Westworld,” with a slight grin on her face.

Behind her, a long, white hallway (which, in retrospect, wasn’t all that long), down which we made our way toward the black, unmarked door at the end. Once opened, a train platform was revealed.

The Black Ridge Limited! There was a train! Bright and bustling inside the cab, dedicated actors portraying hosts shared their rambunctious stories, warning us to "watch out for this guy," "to mind the white light in the cemetery." What did it all mean?

Time seemed to stand still as we walked through the stationary train cab. Once we stepped off, in our peripherals, the Mariposa Saloon.

Real horses, cowboys, even the sheriff lined the rocky road of the town's Main Street. A fight ended with a gunshot off in the distance. We retreated through the swinging saloon doors, greeted by prostitutes, a warm Blackjack dealer and player who, if you’re not careful, will steal your chips from right under you.

And, of course, just as you'd expect, the booze was flowing. Old fashioneds, gimlets, whiskey or tequila...stiff and steady.

If you go, as you wander through this mystical town, it won’t take you long to realize just how intricate it all is. Telling tombstones, personalized correspondence, glimpses into the dark behind-the-scenes goings-on.

Other highlights included an old-time photograph studio with outfits galore. More drink and cowboy eats (brisket, beans in tin cans, smoky jerky) can be found inside the Coronado Hotel.

There was even a  Samurai warrior sighting — a Season 2 hint, undoubtedly. His presence in Sweetwater perhaps indicates that Delos will lose even more control as hosts wreck havoc, and that the Samurai bleed over into Sweetwater, blurring story lines.

Ramble at your leisure, and once you've had your fill, head over to the station at the edge of town to catch your ride back.

We found ourselves realizing the draw of the "life without limits." We felt the power of the guests surge through our bodies. Did we have to leave? Let's be the black hats we were assigned: One more drink, a few more clues. 

But as we learned from Season One, "These violent delights have violent ends"  — something we weren't willing to stick around and find out. 

PS. You get to keep the hat — a nice consolation prize for the pangs of sadness that come over you as you board the bus back to reality.

According to HBO, production on the Westworld park experience started in November 2017, and it took a 40-person crew five weeks to build. In total, 58 different vendors had a hand in the production.

The cast features 60 actors, 6 stunt people and 5 bands, scouted primarily from the local Austin area, in addition to 6 local horses. To find out how you can experience this activation, visit here.