The Hill Country
We’ve compiled the best of the best in The Hill Country - browse our top choices for the top things to see or do during your stay.
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We’ve compiled the best of the best in The Hill Country - browse our top choices for the top things to see or do during your stay.
Just a short jaunt from downtown Fredericksburg is this magical little herb farm churning out an endless variety of fresh herbs and serving guests culinary creations inspired by an edible garden. Fredericksburg Herb Farm offers blissful relaxation in its cozy B&B and spa and has created a vast array of heavenly scented candles, toiletries, cooking oils, and herbal rubs and marinades for cooking. One of the gardens is artfully designed in the shape of a star with an old windmill in the center. Each arm of the star represents herbs for specific purposes—medicinal, cosmetic, culinary, crafting, or ornamental.
Hand-built in 1933 by Hough LeStourgeon's company from stones gathered from the region, this popular tourist stop teems with oddities and relics—take, for instance, the two-headed goat or the mummified cow fetus. The collection here is truly eclectic.
With more than 5,300 acres of rolling hills, spring-fed creeks, and thick patches of live oaks, this natural park is a slice of backcountry paradise. Adventurers seeking an avenue for primitive camping, mountain biking, backpacking, limited fishing, and even horseback riding will find happiness here. The park is undeveloped, so you'll need to bring your own water, and you'll need to pack out what you bring in.
Nikhila Narra Davis co-founded Narra Vineyards in the Texas High Plains with her family, and together they sustainably farm 140 acres of grapes for some of the best winemakers in the state. Davis began experimenting making her own wine using lesser-known varieties like Teroldego, a red Italian varietal typically grown in northeastern Italy, and has now launched her own brand of wine under the label Kalasi Cellars. At the spacious, modern tasting room in northeast Fredericksburg, sheep keep the grounds free from weeds and a refurbished tuk-tuk promises rides down to the production facility. Wines like Malvasia Bianca and Muscat of Alexandria perfectly complement the Indian-inspired snack menu with offerings like samosas, tikka masala pizza, and a chaat sampler plate.
Sitting at the highest point in Kerr County and overlooking the beautiful Texas Hill Country, Kerrville Hills Winery was the first winery established in Kerrville in 2008. Built on the footprint of a Kerrville homestead, the tasting room features the building's original double-sided fireplace, winery-facing windows, and unique rustic warehouse decor. Award-winning winemaker John Rivenburgh has a passion for growing high-quality, sustainable Texas grapes, and has gained acclaim for his full-bodied reds like Tannat, Tempranillo, and the Sagrantino. After a wine tasting, grab a glass of your favorite selection as you watch the sun set behind the hills.
If you need a little relief from the Texas heat, a trip here will certainly cool you off. Just a few miles east of Marble Falls in Spicewood, the springs are actually two separate swimming holes on a private ranch opened to the public. From Highway 71, splash through a low-water crossing and up to a hilltop bluff with hypnotic views of rolling grasslands, sprawling oak trees, and an undisturbed horizon. Park your car near the main house and stroll down a flight of outdoor stairs to the spring-fed pools. Be prepared for the biting chill as your toes hit the water.
This city park just 3 miles south of downtown features 330 acres of rolling hills, five outdoor pavilions with large barbecue pits, baseball and softball fields, basketball and sand volleyball courts, and a golf course—plus a pool and a creek.
It's easy to feel confused, but the state park and the national park that honor LBJ are technically separate entities that operate in conjunction with each other. The national park includes Johnson's boyhood home in Johnson City proper, while the state park is confined to this property 14 miles west of town. This historic site encompasses the World War I–era Sauer-Beckmann Living History Farm, historic cabins and trails, and the LBJ Ranch, which includes the family cemetery where the 36th president is buried and the Texas White House, the home where LBJ and his wife, Lady Bird, lived before and after his presidency and often returned to during his time as the nation's leader. A self-guided tour of the ranch begins at the visitor center, and afterward you can hike the many park trails, fish the Pedernales River, picnic, and even take a dip in the pool during the summer.
Located right in the center of the city, Marktplatz is a park that wraps around the Vereins Kirche Museum, an octagonal building that was the site of the first church and the first school in Fredericksburg. It boasts picnic areas, play spaces, and a winter ice skating rink and also hosts various events and festivals throughout the year.
With cool aquamarine pools created from the picturesque Pedernales River shaded by towering cypress trees, this park brings a respite from the glaring sun on hot summer days, especially if you're here to partake of its water-based activities, like swimming or tubing. If you're here to burn calories with a long trek, you've also come to the right place. Hikers and mountain bikers can embark on 19.8 miles of trails, with an additional 14 miles of backpacking trails (hiking only). Fishing, bird-watching, picnicking, and camping are also popular here. Park facilities include picnic sites, restrooms (some with showers), a trailer dump station, and campsites (some with water and electricity, others that are primitive and must be hiked to, with a 2-mile or longer hike). No pets are allowed within the park.
Thousands of sun-beaten travelers seek refuge from the Texas heat each year at this 65-acre waterpark with more than 40 rides and family activities spread over six areas.
Located just south of downtown Fredericksburg, this collaborative concept evolved from a family-operated boutique winery called 1851 Vineyards before restructuring as Slate Mill Collective. The collective expanded the vineyard, winery, and tasting room to include 35 planted acres and a state-of-the-art wine-making facility. It’s also a great place for visitors to come for a production tour (with plenty of samples along the way) to learn more about the Texas wine industry. Afterward, head to the tasting room to enjoy labels from multiple local producers, like Wine for the People, Tatum Cellars, and C.L. Butaud.
Dedicated to preserving the authenticity of America's Western heritage, this museum not only showcases Western art from past and present artists, but also shares the rich and complex history of Native Americans, settlers, mountain men, cowboys, and tradesmen in the West through educational programs. Interactive seminars give youngsters a chance to build their own "home on the range" and see how difficult life was on the open frontier.
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