The Texas Hill country in spring-travel ideas

4/28/04 | myself

[birddog]

We (including my 7year old son) are driving down from St. Louis to San Antonio in the end of May for my brother-in-laws med school graduation. We are staying at the Menger for that weekend right on the river walk.

Since we are driving, we are taking the week off to spend tooling around the Hill Country. If anyone knows of a good "local" place to stay and any good local things to hit I'd be appreciative. We like state parks and outdoor activities. I've got the Texas travel guide so we have a few things lined up like Sea World, San Marcos and the glass bottom boat tours, Schlitterbahn and Lady Bird's wildflower center. I'm hoping there are a few blue bonnets still about, when do they peak?

We talk about moving to Texas at least once a day - maybe we need to start shopping for new jobs!

[birddog]

Thanks everyone!

[birddog]

Nita - thanks for the Texas Birthday letter you posted, my dh and I really enjoyed it. We are both born/raised and have always lived in the St. Louis area, but we both had tears well up on that one.

With all the Texas folks chiming in, I almost posted my travel question on it, but I didn't want to hijack your thread.

My back yard - you mentioned the hill country in spring... Where are your favorite places to go?

[kennedy]

Come on down to Marble Falls! Here are a couple of places to start.

http://www.lakesandhills.com/index_apr.htm

http://www.hill-country-visitor.com/default.asp/city/25

[pete anderson]

Salt Lick BBQ!
Enchanted Rock
Llano, Texas
Kerrvile
Te Oasis and Hippie Hollow on Lake Travis
San Marcos
The Guadalupe River for Rafting.

[deport]

Usually peak mid April or so. Good luck and enjoy

[lonestar]

New Braunfels

[wildbill]

You really should go to Fredericksberg. For the older folks there's lots of antique stores, a winery, and historic homes tours plus the Chester Nimitz museum.

A few miles outside of town is Enchanted Rock--a state park with a great walk to the summit and a view of the Hill Country that will take your breath away. Wear comfortable shoes and carry water.

If it's not too late in the year, there's a loop of roads that have some of the best wildflowers in the country. Also not too far from Lyndon B. Johnson ranch and park.

[Ben Chad]

Just returned from a weekend at Fredericksburg. Enchanted Rock was majestic. The wildflowers are in full bloom in the hill country.

[Deek]

I would recommend starting with one (or several) prickly pear margaritas on the river walk. All down hill from there...

On the other end of the spectrum is the "Texas Water Safari", a 100 hour 260 mile canoe race: http://www.tisd.net/~txws/ It starts in Aquarena Springs on June 15th in San Marcos (the beautiful spring feed head of the San Marcos River)

[birddog]

I grew some from seed last year as annuals, but they just didn't do well.

Great picture......

[birddog]

Enchanted Rock -sounds awesome. I'll look it up.

[okie01]

Let's go to Luckenbach, Texas
with Willie, Waylon and the boys.

********************************

Also, if you've a taste for barbecue, Lockhart is the barbecue capitol of the known world. Kreuz's (on 183, going N out of town) is probably the most famous, but I personally prefer Black's (downtown, just off the square). The links are from paradise...

Lockhart isn't in the Hill Country, but it's close by...and worth the trip.

[deport]

Don't forget your Blue Bell

[sinkspur]

Ya gots to go to Fredericksburg. Quaint, cute, with nice bed-and-breakfasts, and pure Texas hospitality.

The Admiral Chester Nimitz museum is a must see.

Then go down to Kerrville. Another scenic spot in the Hill Country.

[deport]

TAKING THE MYSTERY OUT OF SEED GERMINATION

[The Bat Lady]

Well of course I must tell my favorite natural wonder and it is FREE!

Try to get to Austin a little before dusk. Try to go when it hasn't rained in a while and from I-35 take the Riverside exit and go north on Congress and before you cross the bridge over the river (you will see the TX Capitol in front of you) there is a parking lot on the SE side of the river to park and wait for the bats to fly out for their dinner.

The area has some info about bats living under the bridge. they migrate from Mexico in the spring and have their babies under the Congress Ave. Bridge

By the end of the summer the babies will be flying and the bat flight will be twice as impressive.

Enjoy.

[birddog]

Great link! I didn't know they were winter hardy. I'm in zone 6, so annual usually means can't take the cold. I think I might have to start more seeds this fall.

[lonewacko_dot_com]

I think it should be pointed out that the "Hill Country" is named after the Henry Hill family. Most people think there are hills there, but there are not.

[Objective Reality]

Sea World is a dismal place. I'm no animal rights wacko, by any means, but I literally spent 90 percent of my time there apologizing to the exhibits. The unhappiest dolphins on the planet, and the rides suck.

Schlitterbahn will be fun for kids.

Fiesta Texas sucks. Just another Looney Tunes theme park. Blech.

Go to the RiverCenter. In fact, if possible, spend a couple of nights in one of the nice hotels on the RiverWalk. It's not as great as it oughta be, and with kids you can't go out and get hammered and then stagger back to your room, but it's a nice, nice place for the middle of a city.

I personally find the Austin Music scene to be utterly tiresome, and recommend steering well far way from it.

Driving all throughout the Hill Country is a great way to spend a day - everything between San Antonio and Fredericksburg. Wimberley is nice. None of it really screams "Vacation," it more whispers "Romantic Getaway."

Go to Enchanted Rock, just ouside of Fredericksburg. A supremely interesting place of beauty. Get up to the top and see the "Circle Of Life." Go early, or you'll get stuck up there after Sundown, and climbing down in the pitch darkness is Not Fun.

Pedernales Falls, if the river's up (it is right now). Like wandering about on the moon. Only there's water. NEAT.

People LOVE tubing the Guadalupe (see New Branfels, or San Marcos possibly), but I don't know if the tubin' places are open yet, and be advised - it's COLD.

Speaking of Cold, lots of people worship Austin's Barton Springs Pool as a god. Not me, but it's there.

[Amy4President]

Are you kidding?