Blanco
Blanco is a sleepy little hamlet equidistance from Austin and San Antonio. It doesn't rank high on the list of bustling hill country towns, but it deserves a stop. Several antique shops, brimming with goods surround the county courthouse.
Blanco is located one hour southwest of Austin - one hour north of San Antonio.
What I like about this town is that the main retail area sits away from the busy hwy that 
runs through town. The kids can take a sprint across the courthouse lawn, to get rid of pent-up energy, while you browse through a few shops.
They are trying to restore and rev up the main street retail (which sits on the hwy), but I haven't seen much visitor interest yet.
I suspect prices may be more reasonable in this area than in other hill country towns because their retail traffic is lower.
Blanco State Park is located just a little further south on the hwy and sits on the
Blanco River. There was plenty of water when we were there (July 2006) and there were a half dozen folks in the water, lounging on blow up tubes. It's not a remote site, sitting near the hwy, but the river is tempting and the park is small so you don't feel like you've driven for hours to spend the weekend with the hordes.
Blanco Restaurants
Grab some fresh baked Apple pie at the Deutsch Apple, just off town square. Hours vary depending on when they sell out. They make their pies fresh every day, with pie crust "made from scratch."
Deutsch Apple
602 Chandler
P. O. Box 835
Blanco, TX 78606
corner of RR 165 & 163, just east of town square
Blanco Lodging
Blanco Settlement is what all RV Parks should aspire to. Sitting just a few miles 
outside of Blanco with the Blanco River running along one side and Ranch Road 165 on the other, the park is very clean, manicured and well-maintained. There are 20 RV sites, all with riverfront views. On-site laundry facility, restrooms and showers, picnic tables and BBQ fire pits. They also have 30/50 AMPs. I'm not sure what that means, but I'm guessing it'll keep your RV fully charged.
The well-stocked gift store is overflowing with high-quality items ranging from jewelry to candles to quilts. And flowers are bursting all over the property.
As an added bonus, they offer nine fully-furnished, air-conditioned cabins with riverfront views (when there's water in the river). The cabins' architecture is rugged and welcoming and set apart from the RV sites, each cabin is named to inspire relaxation and good times.
Blanco Settlement
1705 Ranch Road 165
Blanco, TX 78606
830-833-5115
Drive Times
Getting from one place to another takes time in the Hill Country. Texas is a big state and there's a lot of land to traverse. I've put together a drive time grid of how long it takes to get from one place to another.
Roadtrips through the Hill Country
The very thought of a roadtrip sparks energy in the air. As a college student, my best friend and I would stock the car with candy bars, sodas and enough clothing to last a week. We'd head off to Vegas or the mountains or sites yet unknown for an overnight.
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