HILL COUNTRY, TEXAS
A PERFECT DAY
When you think of Texas, hills typically aren’t your first thoughts – they certainly weren’t ours! We were thrilled to discover that Texas not only has hills, but also an area with some elevation gains. Our day in Hill Country centers on Wimberley and Guadalupe State Park, with a few stops along the way. It’s the perfect escape from the city (be it Austin or San Antonio) to explore the slightly elevated region of Texas for a day.
How To Get TO HILL COUNTRY
Hill Country is easily accessible from both San Antonio and Austin making it the perfect place for a day trip or weekend stay. It’s about an hour and a half from San Antonio and two and a half hours from Austin.
Best Time to Visit HILL COUNTRY
Texas is a great place to visit at any time of the year, but spring and fall are our favorites. Summer can get pretty hot and during winter you’ll have shorter daylight hours for exploring.
Summer (June-August): Summer in Texas is hot, hot, hot! Average high temperatures hover in the mid-90s °F (35°C), with occasional days exceeding 100°F (38°C).
Fall (September-November): Temperatures gradually drop as we near the end of the year, with average highs in the low 80s °F (27°C).
Winter (December-February): Winters are generally mild, with average high temperatures in the mid-50s °F (13°C). Freezing temperatures are possible but infrequent.
Spring (March-May): Spring brings unpredictable weather, with warm days interspersed with occasional cool spells and possible thunderstorms. Expect weather to range from low 70s °F (23°C) to mid 80s °F (29°C) . Bring layers!
How Much Time Do You Need IN HILL COUNTRY
A day trip is the perfect amount of time to spend in Hill Country. It’s super easy to visit from Austin or San Antonio.
Morning
Breakfast
We started our day in Austin, so we grabbed a nice brunch from Two Hands. This small chain of Australian cafes started in New York, but now has a few locations scattered across mid to large cities in the USA. We used to live next to a Two Hands and it was our go-to spot for brunch – we once even sat next to Steve Aoki there! All that to say we’ve tried most things on the menu.
We love the Brassicas Salad (greens with hummus and a jammy egg), but if you’ve got the egg ick, the chicken bowl is also delicious, as well as the Two Hander Burger. Don’t sleep on the hashbrown or any of the drinks – depending on the time of day we’ll opt for a matcha, cold brew, or the turmeric chai latte – something a little different! The homemade lemonades are also top notch.
Guadalupe State Park
Start your day with a walk along cool blue water, under cypress trees. You can also camp, kayak, and fish in this park. We liked the Bald Cypress Trail. It’s an out and back trail, so you can turn around at any point. The whole walk you’ll be walking parallel to the water, under cypress trees. This trail has a lot of roots, which you’ll be navigating the entire journey. If you’re looking for something a little flatter, the Nature Trail is short and quick, with informative posters along the way describing the flora and fauna in the area.
Hike Old Baldy
Take the stairs right up to the top of Old Baldy for a view over Wimberley and Hill Country to see why this area is called Hill Country. It’s a short and steep uphill to reach a flat open rocky expanse. The perfect place for some water, a snack, and a view. There is a tiny parking lot at the base of the staircase with room for about ten cars. The walk up the stairs is only .2 miles and will take 10 – 20 minutes depending on your fitness level and how often you stop to admire the view.
AFTERNOON
Torchy’s Tacos for lunch
We’ve never had a taco we didn’t like from Torchy’s. This institution has 90+ locations between Texas and the surrounding states. While we feel a bit like sellouts listing Torchy’s, it’s a rite of passage to go at least once . . . maybe twice. If you’re vegan, you’ll love the Mofaux which is made with Beyond Beef. The Trailer Park taco has delectable fried chicken and shredded jack cheese – you can even make it “trashy” by skipping the lettuce and adding in queso.
Blue Hole Regional Park
Go for a swim in the refreshingly crisp, clear blue waters. You’ll be swimming right under cypress trees. How cool! You can also hike one of the loosely defined trails around the park. We did the Blue Hole Park Trail Loop trail which is 1.6 miles long and took about 30 minutes to complete. It was nice and easy and took us through some shaded woods, over some water and wooden bridges, and through a nice field. This is also the perfect place for a little picnic! Admission is free, but reservations are required in the summer for swimming.
NIGHT
Walk around Downtown Wimberley
Downtown Wimberley is a charming village known for its beautiful scenery, unique shops, and delicious restaurants. The heart of downtown Wimberley is the town square, which is surrounded by historic buildings and live oak trees.
Shop
Shop small at stores filled with locally made antiques, wine, clothing, toys, and more. Dine at one of the many restaurants. Downtown Wimberley has a variety of restaurants to choose from, including everything from casual cafes to fine dining establishments – we went to the Leaning Pear and split a wood-fired pizza and the Leaning Pear House Salad. We highly recommend both!
Visit the Wimberley Sculpture Garden
Unfortunately it was late in the day by the time we made it to the Wimberley Valley Sculpture Garden, so it was closed, but this was a highly recommended stop. This outdoor sculpture garden is located in the heart of downtown Wimberley and features a variety of sculptures from local artists.
Get Frozen Yogurt
End your day with some Frozen Yogurt from Wooden Spoon. They have tons of flavors and toppings to choose from, then they weigh your delicious treat to determine the price – think Pinkberry. The perfect stop before you drive to your next destination.
NOT DONE TRAVELING?
Check out our guides of nearby areas:
San Antonio
Austin