Charming Towns
The Texas Hill Country and its towns are defined more by landscape than zip codes. Meandering highways stretching over endless rolling hills and valleys mimic the fluidity of its rivers. The trees, mostly live oak and cypress are jungle-like in their volume.
Bicycling through the rolling hills, tubing on the meandering waterways and finally ending the day on the deck of our favorite restaurant, dining on fajitas, sipping on margaritas and enjoying the endless sunny days.
The landscape is lush in most places. The hills are swathed in trees, grasses and shrubs. And in this beautiful setting, criss-crossed with rivers, creeks, natural springs and lakes sits the wonderful towns of the hill country.
Austin sits right on the edge of the hill country. It's the state capital and a mecca for good food and entertainment. The Colorado River, renamed to Lake Austin as it travels on its way through the city, provides spectacular sites to fill your days.
Heading West on Hwy 290 from Austin, you'll hit Dripping Springs. This town calls itself the gateway to the hill country. South of Dripping Springs is the very popular Wimberleyand Driftwood home of the Salt Lick BBQ. Continue west on Hwy 290 from Dripping Springs and you'll pass through Johnson City (President LBJ's namesake), the ever-so-tiny Stonewall (birthplace of LBJ) and come out on the other side to bustling Fredericksburg. Rich with German roots and corresponding architecture.
North of Johnson City is Marble Falls and Burnet. To the South is Blanco.
Take a detour just a few miles from Fredericksburg and you can experience Luckenbach-- the place where you're likely to see guitar picking all through the day, free of charge. Be careful, you'll fly right by this small oasis if you don't stay alert.
Head further west from Austin to the towns of Kerrville becoming known as a cultural hotspot and as home to more and more retirees. Comfort and Bandera, the cowboy capital of the world are nearby. To the east of Bandera is one of my favorite hill country towns, Boerne (pronounced Bernie).
Del Rio (to the southwest), San Saba and Bend (to the north) and Lampasas (to the northeast) encircle the Hill Country at its perimeter.
Head from Austin, south on Interstate 35 and hit Buda, Kyle, San Marcos, New Braunfels and Gruene.
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.
I've matured a little and see the value of having some good food along the way, and a destination in sight. And as a mother, there needs to be some physical activity, other than lifting a margarita glass to my lips, to keep the kids entertained. A little margarita, a little sun and a lot of water and big shady oak trees make for a perfect family vacation.
