Kerrville
I've got to be honest with you, I was expecting to arrive in Kerrville and find a charming historic downtown area, bustling with artisan shops, handmade furniture and cowboy apparel -- so many people had told me how wonderful Kerrville is.
Kerrville is located two hours west of Austin - 1.25 hours northwest of San Antonio.
We drove around for awhile and then finally parked and searched on foot. We found a nice little downtown area with one or two blocks of historic buildings and shops. For whatever reason, on the weekend we came many were closed.
Kerrville is definitely worth a visit, but it's for different reasons than many people expect. Instead of a slew of quaint downtown shops beckoning you in for a visit, Kerrville offers the Museum of Western Art. This is located across the river and less than a mile away [Highway 16 to Highway 173 (Bandera Highway) then 1/2 mile on the right]. The docents here are what make this museum a treasure. If you will allow them to guide you, they might walk you through the process of making a hand cast bronze statue -- or they may tell you about the current exhibit on loan and the family it belongs to.
They had a great exhibit for younger museum goers with an interactive tale of one family's travels westward on the wagon train. A pioneer child's diary is used to tell the story, relating how much weight they were allowed to bring, and what they had to leave behind. Your teens might find this exhibit juvenile. My 10 year old loved it.
Kerrville offers the Hill Country Museum and the Kerr Arts & Cultural Center. Both of these are located right in the hub of historic downtown. The Hill Country Museum is housed in a beautiful, historic, victorian mansion [226 Earl Garrett, (830) 896-8633].
Kerrville is less about shopping and much, much more about enjoying the arts.
What I really want to experience and will likely do this year is take in a show at the Point Theatre (Smith-Ritch Outdoor Theatre), located under the starry night at Hwy. 39 at Johnson Creek in Ingram.
Kerrville has many cultural outlets for its citizens and visitors, a symphony, theatre productions and museums. Kerrville embraces a mature soul ready to slow down and enjoy the amenities they have to offer.
Kerr Arts & Cultural Center represents over 600 members with displays of photography, painting, ceramics, woodwork, jewelry and more. [228 Earl Garrett, (830) 895-2911].
Finally, Kerrville is blessed with an amazing climate and the beautiful Guadalupe River at its doorstep. See Parks section below.
James Avery
James Avery set up shop in a two-car garage with a $250 investment and started crafting handmade jewelry - the year was 1954. Today, you can visit the James Avery campus just a few miles outside of Kerrville and take home a treasure from the retail shop.You can also find his handcrafted lines in his retail stores in several states and on the internet.
The best part of my visit was going into the Visitor Center (open Mon-Fri from 9am-4pm) and watching the jewelry being handcrafted through the glass viewing window. I was especially impressed with how the jewelry is crafted from the lost wax method. The campus is sprawling and beautiful. James Avery W ebsite.
Entrance to Visitor's Center
Directions: From Kerrville, head West on I-10 and take Exit 505, headed North towards Harper. You'll see the sign for James Avery about 1/2 mile up the road on the right.
Kerrville-Schreiner Park
A 500 acre park which offers swimming, fishing and boating. Campsites are available along with rest rooms and showers. $3/per person.
Directions: From Hwy 16, continue South. Make a left turn onto Loop 534 (Veteran's Hwy) and follow this for several miles. Cross the Guadalupe River and park is directly on your left.
Kerrville Kayak & Canoe
130 W Main, Kerrville, TX
Phone: (830) 895-4348
Rent Kayaks, Canoes and Pedal Boats to explore the Hill Country
Louise Hays Park
The park offers a natural pool created by the Guadalupe River, right in the heart of downtown. You can cross the river by foot bridge to Tranquility Island. Admission is FREE.
Directions: Continue through Kerrville, south on Hwy 16/Sidney Baker South over the river and make the first right onto Thompson Drive. Park is on your right.
Louise Hays Park
Riverside Nature Center
Walking paths, butterfly gardens, wildflowers, native plants and demonstration garden [150 Francisco Lemos St. (830) 257-4837] Riverside Nature Center Website.
Map to Riverside Nature Center.
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.
