There is so much to see and do in the Texas Hill Country we could have stayed a month and not seen in all. Unfortunately, we only had about two weeks to explore this beautiful area in the heart of Texas. The hill country includes San Antonio and Austin and extends west about 200 miles. Driving through the area on mostly twisting, two lane roads we saw canyons and creeks, dance halls and wineries, historic sites and ranches, quaint small towns and old homesteads, green grass and more wildflowers than I ever imagined. We dined on barbeque and schnitzel and I bought a cowboy hat!
Our first home base in the hill country was Cranes Mill, a beautiful Corps of Engineers park on Canyon Lake near New Braunfels. We enjoyed driving on the country roads to explore the area. The bluebonnets were really starting to bloom and we saw more and more each day.
The first order of business was to eat some Texas Barbeque. One of my brothers lived in San Antonio for a few years and told us not to miss the Salt Lick in Driftwood, Texas. We started out our first full day in the hill country driving the back roads to have our first taste of brisket, ribs, sausage and turkey. After our delicious lunch we stopped to visit the Dr. Joseph Pound homestead. Dr. Pound and his family settled there in 1853 and raised 9 children. His descendants lived in the home continuously until 1983.
Salt Lick Barbeque
Buckboard used by the Pound family
Ball Moss on live oak at the Pound Homestead
Pound Homestead in Dripping Springs, Texas
On a beautiful sunny Friday we took a drive to Luckenbach and a winery near Fredericksburg.
Luckenbach, Texas
Luckenbach, Texas
Luckenbach Dance Hall
Music on a sunny Friday afternoon
Down in Luckenbach, Texas, ain’t nobody feeling no pain
Luckenbach, Texas
Fat Ass Winery, Fredericksburg, Texas
We enjoyed touring the LBJ State Park and Historic Site in Stonewall. Lyndon Johnson was our 36th president and spent much of his presidency at his ranch on the Perdanales River. Adjacent to the ranch is the Sauer-Beckmann Living History Farm, a working farm which recreates a Hill Country farm at the turn of the 20th century.
The driving tour of his ranch goes around the air strip where he would land in a small plane he called Air Force One Half because Air Force One was too large to land on the landing strip. President Johnson left the ranch to be enjoyed by all the people so there is no charge to tour the park.
Hog at the living history exhibit
Saddles at the LBJ Ranch
At the LBJ Ranch
In the show barn at the ranch
Bluebonnets on the LBJ Ranch
Air Force One was to big to land on the landing strip so he called this plane that flew him from Austin “Air Force One Half”
We also enjoyed visiting some of the towns in the area. Many of the older buildings in the hill country are made of stone because of the lack of wood for building.
Gazebo in New Braunfels, Texas
Henne Hardware in New Braunfels – since 1857
Comal County Courthouse in New Braunfels
One of the stone buildings in Fredericksburg
Home in Gruene, Texas
On a sunny Palm Sunday we strolled through the town of Gruene where we enjoyed music at one of the oldest dance halls in Texas. Our Sunday drive continued to the artistic town of Wimberley and a walk along the banks of the Cypress Creek.
Gruene Water Tower
Gruene Hall is one of the oldest dance halls in Texas
Gruene Hall on a Sunday afternoon
Gruene Hall on a Sunday afternoon
Sign in Wimberley, Texas
Totem beside Cypress Creek in Wimberley
Cypress Creek in Wimberley
Cypress Creek in Wimberley
While driving around we passed many interesting ranches and the Albert Dance Hall and Twin Sisters Dance Hall. Although we were still a little early to see the bluebonnets in all their glory we enjoyed seeing patches of them beside the roads.
Sculpture at the entrance to a ranch
Gotta love Texas
Bluebonnets near Stonewall, Texas
Bluebonnets near Stonewall, Texas
Bluebonnets and Indian Paintbrush
When we weren’t sightseeing we enjoyed our large lake front campsite at Crane’s Mill.
Cranes Mill Campground on Canyon Lake
We saw deer almost every day at Cranes Mill Campground
Deer, Canyon Lake
Sunset over Canyon Lake
