If you like to visit one of the most breathtaking and extraordinary areas in the state, go and hop on your ride to the Texas Hill Country. This area in Texas is full of beautiful hills and mountains, green forests, a wide variety of flora and fauna, and unique natural and man-made tourist attractions. But the best part when visiting the Texas Hill Country is experiencing the state’s rich culture and traditions, revisiting its history, and experiencing fun and entertainment through its delicious food and excellent music.
There are many cities you can explore when you visit the Texas Hill Country, and you’ll also see a lot of small towns with many attractions to offer. So, if you decide to visit the Texas Hill Country, here is your guide to help you decide the best things to do in the Texas Hill Country.
Listed below are the 25 of the best things to do in the Texas Hill Country.
1. Swim in Jacob’s Well
If you’re into swimming, jump into one of the state’s most loved swimming holes, Jacob’s Well. Jacob’s Well, situated in a submerged cave in Texas, is an artesian well that’s about 140 ft. deep.
Its crystal clear water here is a bit cold and usually stays at 68 degrees. Note that Jacob’s Well is close during winter, so it would be best to schedule your visit during the warmer seasons in Texas.
2. Have a relaxing day at Hamilton Pool
Among the most breathtaking places to explore in the state is Hamilton Pool. This place offers stunning views, which attracts thousands of people yearly.
The Hamilton Pool is located on a nature preserve, so you can do a lot of outdoor activities, such as hiking, swimming, or having a picnic. One of its best features is its waterfall that rings water to its natural spring pool.
When visiting this place, prepare the right shoes as you’ll expect a lot of walking and hiking in the area.
3. Hike the Enchanted Rock
Another natural attraction in the Texas Hill Country is the Enchanted Rock. This mountain is 425 ft. tall and is made of pink granite.
Hiking in the Enchanted Rock is definitely a strenuous activity, but it will only take, more or less, an hour. After reaching the peak of the Enchanted Rock, there are still other great hikes you’ll surely enjoy, making this hike worth your time and effort.
4. Explore the Pedernales Falls State Park
Pedernales Falls State Park, located on the riverbanks of Pedernales River, is among the famous attractions in the Texas Hill Country. Here, you can do many activities like camping, hiking, horseback riding, and swimming in the river.
You can spend the whole day in this state park and not get bored as there are a lot of activities to enjoy. However, if you have a limited time, you can still access many interesting sites within the area, which you can reach by simply doing a little bit of walking.
5. Visit the Natural Bridge Caverns
Natural Bridge Caverns is also one of the most popular natural attractions in the Texas Hill Country. It’s just outside of New Braunfels, which is also home to many interesting sites.
The Natural Bridge Caverns was discovered by four college students in 1960 and has been visited by thousands of tourists ever since. The cavern’s deepest part is about 180 ft. below the surface and consists of many beautiful and astonishing natural rock formations and large chambers.
6. Drive through the Willow City Loop
If you’re visiting Texas between March to May, you’ll be lucky to see the beautiful bluebonnets along the Willow City Loop. Bluebonnets are the state’s wildflowers that bloom from March until May.
The drive to the Willow City Loop offers views of rolling hills, beautiful landscapes, and riverbeds. And you’ll be lucky to see purple poppy mallow and red and yellow Indian blankets if the area gets good rain. Having a road trip on the Willow City Loop is an amazing thing to do in the Texas Hill Country.
7. Go wine tasting in Fredericksburg
The Texas Hill Country has many wineries, and Fredericksburg is home to great ones. Fredericksburg is considered Texas’ Wine Country for a reason, and it’s because of its number of places where you can witness winemaking and go wine tasting.
Some of the top wineries in the city are Lost Draw Cellars, Becker Vineyards, and Augusta Vin. Augusta Vin is a beautiful winery in the area with a patio and deck that offers spectacular views of the vineyard.
8. Make a trip to the Guadalupe River
Another great place for water activities is the Guadalupe River. It’s known for its cold water, perfect for kayaking, tubing, and swimming.
Tubing is the most popular activity in the Guadalupe River, and several places in the area offer rental services for tubes and transportation. Some of the rental sites are Rockin River and Texas Toobs.
9. Spend the whole day on Canyon Lake
The Canyon Lake, or the “Jewel” of Texas, is the perfect place to spend the whole day out in the sun. It’s a great place for swimming, scuba diving, and boating. There are also several fishing spots in the lake where you can catch fish like the Guadalupe bass and Smallmouth bass.
The beautiful turquoise water of the lake makes it more enticing for swimming. However, if you prefer not to dip in the water, you can spend time on several golf courses in the area.
10. Enjoy live music at Luckenbach
Luckenbach, the smallest town in the state, offers great and entertaining live music performances. The town welcomes visitors with a friendly atmosphere, accompanied by lively music from different local artists.
If you’re a music lover and a huge fan of Waylon Jennings’ Luckenbach, Texas, you should probably visit this town.
11. Enjoy water activities at Lake Travis
After visiting downtown Austin, hop in your car and drive an hour to another water attraction in the Texas Hill Country, the Lake Travis. The lake is more than 19,000 acres wide and a popular destination for water activities, such as skiing, surfing, swimming, and wakeboarding.
You may also rent a boat and enjoy the beautiful water and the breathtaking scenery in the lake. And if you have money to spend, you can see the Lake Travis with a birds-eye view by availing of the helicopter guided tour.
12. Visit The Alamo
The Alamo, one of the five San Antonio Missions, is among the popular attractions in the Texas Hill Country. This is a historical site as it was where the Battle of the Alamo in 1836 happened.
There are several plaza attractions in The Alamo, as well as gift shops to buy souvenirs. It would take about an hour to explore the whole site, but all in all, it’s an excellent place to visit.
13. Watch a show at Gruene Dance Hall
Gruene is one of the best places to visit in the Texas Hill Country. Here, you’ll see the Gruene Dance Hall, where you can watch dance shows, live music performances, and many other events.
This dance hall is the oldest in the state, and it continues to serve people high-quality performances every time. It’s best to visit the dance hall at night as it welcomes different performers every night.
14. Eat barbecue in Lockhart
Your visit to the Texas Hill Country wouldn’t be complete without trying the state’s world-class barbecue, and the best place to eat barbecue is in the Barbecue Capital of Texas – Lockhart.
Eating a delicious barbecue is perfect after a long day at the beach or a full day of outdoor activities. Lockhart, the state’s barbecue capital, offers scrumptious barbecues that you should try.
Some of the popular barbecue restaurants in Lockhart that you should visit are Black’s Barbecue, Chisholm Trail BBQ, Kreuz Market, and Smitty’s Market.
15. Have a dip at Krause Springs
Another natural attraction in the Texas Hill Country is the Krause Springs, which is home to 32 natural springs in the state. There are also waterfalls and man-made pools in the area, which attract thousands of people yearly.
Since Texas has warm weather, Krause Springs operates for ten months, from March until the end of the year. It still depends on the weather patterns in Texas, but the spring doesn’t usually operate from January to February.
16. Visit Texas’ smallest town
They say, “Everybody is Somebody in Luckenbach!” and probably it’s because Luckenbach is the smallest town in the state. Despite being small, the town still offers a lot of great things and a unique experience to all the people visiting.
Luckenbach is known for its bar and restaurants, the Luckenbach Dance Hall, and live music performances.
17. Explore the beauty of Garner State Park
Another amazing thing to do when you’re in the Texas Hill Country is to explore the beauty of Garner State Park. There are a lot of activities to do, such as climbing Mount Baldy or swimming or tubing in the Frio River.
Aside from these two, there are still a lot of sites to visit in Garner State Park. You might find it overwhelming to explore the whole state park, but it is definitely worth visiting.
18. Visit the Colorado Bend State Park
Visiting the Colorado Bend State Park, a 5,328.3-acre state park in the Texas Hill Country, is another great thing to do in the Texas Hill Country. It’s located in the far south and offers a lot of beautiful sites, like the Gorman Falls.
Here at Colorado Bend State Park, you’ll be able to do boating, camping, hiking, fishing, and swimming. And with the size of this state park, you’ll definitely not run out of things to do during your whole day of stay here.
19. Explore Alsatian architecture in Castroville
As you know, Texas has been introducing its Czech and German heritage to the people. However, the state also has its French heritage, and you can learn more about this in Castroville.
In Castroville, you’ll see a lot of beautiful Alsatian architecture and the rich French heritage throughout the city and its people. One of the buildings that live out the French heritage of Texas is the 17th-century home, Alsatian Steinbach Haus. So if you want to learn and discover the French heritage of the state, then visiting Castroville is a great thing to do.
20. Spend a day in Lost Maples State Park
Lost Maples State Park is also a large state park in the Texas Hill Country, full of picturesque landscapes, rolling hills, and beautiful canyons. It’s a 1-hour drive from the west of San Antonio, Texas.
It’s best to visit Lost Maples State Park in autumn, from late October to Mid-November. The leaves change into a deep red color during this time, and many people, tourists, and locals alike explore and see the beauty of this state park. Aside from the trees, there are a lot of attractions in the Lost Maples State Park, like the winery and museum, which you can visit all year round.
21. Bat-watching at the Congress Avenue Bridge
The Congress Avenue Bridge in Austin is one of the best sites for bat-watching. It houses among the largest colonies of the Mexican Free-Tailed Bats.
The bats usually appear during the sunset, and they stay for at least two to three hours in the air. During the height of the season in the state, over 1.5 million bats fly around the area just above the Lady Bird Lake.
22. Glamping at Yurtopia
Go to the countryside and experience glamping at Yurtopia. The Yurtopian is located in the beautiful hills of Wimberley, and it is one of the best places to go in the Texas Hill Country. Glamping at Yurtopia allows you to have a relaxing getaway without giving up your comforts.
This place is about 26-acre wide and offers camping on their luxury yurts. Here, you can take time off from the busy city and enjoy the fresh air while watching the stars at night. You can also hike or explore the town of Wimberly and shop at the local gift shops or look for some delicious food.
23. Spend a weekend at Dude Ranch
Another fun and exciting thing to do in the Texas Hill Country is to spend a weekend at Dude Ranch in Bandera. If you’re up for some roping and riding lessons, then Dude Ranch is the best place to go.
Dude Ranch offers cabins, where you can stay and spend time with Mother Nature while learning many new things. They offer archery, roping, and riding lessons, as well as fishing adventures. And after a whole day of fun activities, you can visit their spa and enjoy a relaxing full-body massage.
24. Discover the Westcave Waterfall
If you’re looking for waterfalls to visit, the Texas Hill Country is home to the Westcave Waterfall, a spectacular waterfall in Spicewood. The Westcave Waterfall doesn’t allow visitors all the time, so it is important to schedule a guided tour during the weekend before visiting here.
The route to the Westcave Waterfall is considered a challenging one, and it’s probably a great place for hiking. However, note that they do not allow swimming in the waterfall, only admiring it in person.
25. Visit the Lyndon B Johnson Historic Park
Another historical attraction in the Texas Hill Country is the birthplace of Lyndon B. Johnson, the 36th president of the US. This historic park was where Lyndon B. Johnson was born, where his ranch is located, and where he was buried.
The historic park was considered the Texas White House, and it allows visitors from 10 to 5 pm every Tuesday to Sunday. It has free admissions, so it would be a perfect place to learn more about the life of the former president, Lyndon B. Johnson, from being a farm boy in Johnson City to being the 36th president of the country.
