Austin - Insider Guide 2026
15 Central Texas & Hill Country Day Trips
2025-09-22 06:58:20
Sip along scenic wine trails, shop and dine in charming small towns, spend a day tubing and hiking, sample locally made craft beers, tour fascinating historic sites and so much more.
1. DRIPPING SPRINGS Take a tour with the great-great-granddaughter of the founders of the 1850s Pound House Farmstead. Book a tasting of the signature olive oils and balsamic vinegars produced by the Texas Hill Country Olive Co. The gorgeous Tillie’s was named one of the 50 Most Beautiful Restaurants in America by People magazine. Enjoy a bite and a beer in the outdoor garden of the family-friendly Fitzhugh Brewing. Kids will love the splash pad at Route 12 Filling Station, serving up comfort fare like chicken fried steak. Cousin Louie’s Italian Restaurant is known for its family recipes and handmade pastas.
2. DRIFTWOOD Dig into pit-smoked pork ribs at The Salt Lick BBQ and enjoy live music on the patio with wine from next-door Salt Lick Cellars. Travel the Driftwood Wine Trail loop and discover eight renowned wineries. Sample smooth Texas spirits and reserve a tour spot at Desert Door Texas Sotol distillery. Hyper-local food and drink is the focus at the sprawling Vista Brewing ranch. Check out Hays City Store & Ice House for scratch-made Texas food, live music and craft cocktails like the elderberry frozen margarita. Austin’s popular Mean Eyed Cat has opened a Hill Country outpost of its Johnny Cash-inspired bar.
3. LAKEWAY Spend the day swimming, boating and bass fishing on Lake Travis. Relax with a pampering treatment at the Spa at Lakeway Resort. Practice healthy mindful eating on the patio at Hilltop Crossings Kitchen, located at Miraval Austin.
4. JOHNSON CITY Take a driving tour of the LBJ Ranch and walk through the 36th president’s boyhood home at the Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park. Enjoy Texas-inspired cuisine, craft beer and award-winning wines at the Old 290 Brewery & Restaurant, located at Carter Creek Winery Resort & Spa. Book the Select Tasting and sample five different Texas-grown wines at Lost Draw. Dine on seasonal fare and join a guided bourbon tasting in the Whiskey Shack at Garrison Brothers Distillery. In a refurbished mill, kids can explore high-tech exhibits and play in the Fossil Dig at the outdoor Science & Art Park at the Science Mill.
5. FREDERICKSBURG & LUCKENBACH Discover some of the Lone Star State’s best wineries and vineyards along Fredericksburg Wine Road 290, including nearby dining spots like the family-run Leroy's Tex Mex BBQ. Check out The Rescue, a new multisensory experience based on a true story that involved a submarine battle, at the National Museum of the Pacific War. Shop for gifts at the luxury boutique, then dine in the bistro at Vaudeville. Pick up souvenirs at the Old West-style Luckenbach Texas General Store, a former 1800s trading post. While in town, catch live music performed by regional musicians at Luckenbach Dance Hall.
6. BOERNE Explore charming shops, galleries and restaurants housed in historic buildings along the Hill Country Mile in Boerne. Enjoy casual eats, brewed-on-site craft beer and live music on the patio stage at The Dodging Duck Brewhaus. The kid-friendly Cibolo Creek Brewing Co. offers smallbatch brews and pub fare on its shady patio.
7. SAN MARCOS Go tubing, kayaking and snorkeling along the spring-fed San Marcos River, which winds through town. Take a seat in the mod Senza Maeso tasting room and cocktail bar to try sips featuring artisanal spirits. Sample fermented ales, traditional lagers and spontaneous caveaged beers at the family-owned Roughhouse Brewing. The industrial-chic CRAFThouse Kitchen & Tap features pub fare, local craft beer and live music. Try the award-winning handmade burgers and draft beers from around the world at The Taproom. Shop for deals at two area outlet malls: San Marcos Premium Outlets and Tanger Outlets.
8. NEW BRAUNFELS Float the day away at Schlitterbahn Waterpark in its new Schatze’s Storybrook Park, a kids’ area with more than 70 water features. Or grab an inner tube and bob along the spring-fed currents of the Comal and Guadalupe rivers that pass through New Braunfels. Sample Texas wines in the tasting room or covered pavilion at Dry Comal Creek Vineyards (adults only; tasting reservations recommended).
9. GRUENE Located within New Braunfels, Gruene is a designated National Historic District. Shop for cowboy hats and antiques, then dine on Tex- Mex dishes and barbecue, in the stores and restaurants that dot the Gruene Historic District, nestled on the banks of the Guadalupe River. See live music nightly at the 1870s Gruene Hall, Texas’ oldest operating dance hall.
10. WIMBERLEY The picture-perfect Blue Hole Regional Park features a forested swimming hole complete with rope swings, fed by the crystal-clear waters of Cypress Creek (swimming reservations are required). Watch a glassblowing demonstration and pick up a stunning art glass piece at Wimberley Glassworks. Enjoy seasonal American cuisine on the deck at The Leaning Pear. Search for treasures during Wimberley Market Days, the Texas Hill Country’s largest outdoor market, held on the first Saturday of the month from March through December, rain or shine.
11. LOCKHART The Barbecue Capital of Texas is known for legendary eateries like family-run The Original Black’s Barbecue, Kreuz Market with its cafeterialike dining room and Smitty’s Market, serving meats fresh from the smoker. Women-owned Barbs B Q, open weekends only, is a MICHELIN Bib Gourmand. Spend an afternoon on Lockhart’s town square exploring the quaint shops, galleries, restaurants and historic theater. Stop into Best Little Wine & Books, a wine bar and bottle shop with a cozy book nook. Fiddler’s Green Music Shop features a surprise cocktail bar called The Case Room in the back of the store (enter through the alley). Tour the Caldwell County Historical Museum, housed in the former county jail, and visit the ornate Caldwell County Courthouse.
12. BASTROP Follow a treelined nature trail to encounter realistic life-size dinosaur statues and shop for dino-themed gifts at Dinosaur Park. Hike, swim and fish in a magical forest setting at Bastrop State Park. Enjoy pizza, craft beer and live music on the big riverside deck along the banks of the Colorado River at Neighbor’s Kitchen & Yard. See a live musical at the Bastrop Opera House, a local landmark since 1889. Golf the award-winning, 18-hole course and unwind in the rejuvenating full-service spa at Hyatt Regency Lost Pines Resort and Spa.
13. ROUND TOP The tiny town of Round Top is a beloved shopping destination. A staple since the mid-1800s, Henkel Square Market is dotted with stores, eateries and galleries like Humble Donkey housed in rustic buildings. Across the street is the famed Royers Round Top Cafe, known for unique pies like the Sweet ‘N’ Salty with gooey chocolate fudge and caramel, sprinkled with sea salt. The shops at Round Top Village offer one-of- a-kind finds like handcrafted jewelry and American farmhouse antiques. The Blue Hills at Round Top antique show, featuring more than 100 curated vendors, is held in fall, winter and spring. Search for vintage treasures at The Original Round Top Antiques Fair, held every spring, fall and winter.
14. MARBLE FALLS Boat or swim in the calm waters at Lake Marble Falls. Hit the rugged off-road trails in a Jeep, motorcycle or ATV at Hidden Falls Adventure Park. Join the locals for homey blue plate specials and mile-high meringue pies at the Blue Bonnet Cafe, a Marble Falls icon.
15. SPICEWOOD Tucked into a bend of the Colorado River, Muleshoe Bend Recreation Area is a popular spot for fishing, swimming, hiking and mountain biking (electric bike rentals are available). The family-owned Krause Springs features 32 springs across 115 acres, including a lush natural pool. Owned by the legendary country star, Willie Nelson’s Cut-N-Putt is a scenic nine-hole golf course near the Pedernales River that’s adjacent to the singer’s recording studio. In addition to tastings of its handcrafted spirits, the family-friendly Iron Wolf Ranch & Distillery features live music on two outdoor stages, as well as indoor shows at The Den. Kids and dogs are welcome at Spicewood Vineyards, where you can taste award-winning wines paired with a charcuterie board.
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