Texas Hill Country

Limestone hills in central Texas between Austin and San Antonio, with German-founded towns, wineries, Texas barbecue and spring bluebonnet fields.

Texas Hill Country is the hilly terrain on the southeastern edge of the Edwards Plateau in central Texas, lying roughly west of Austin and San Antonio and spanning about 25 counties. It is not an administrative region. In the mid-19th century many German immigrants settled here, leaving behind towns such as Fredericksburg and New Braunfels. Highlights: Austin (the State Capitol, live music on Sixth Street, the bat colony under the Congress Avenue Bridge, Texas barbecue); San Antonio (the Alamo and the other Spanish missions, a World Heritage Site, plus the River Walk); Fredericksburg (German-style beer halls, peach orchards and dozens of wineries along Highway 290, part of the second-largest wine tourism region in the US); Enchanted Rock State Natural Area with its pink granite dome, Hamilton Pool, the town of Luckenbach and the LBJ Ranch; and in spring, bluebonnet viewing along roads such as the Willow City Loop. Most visitors drive. Spend 2 nights each in Austin and San Antonio and 2–3 days in the small towns and wine country in between, for 5–7 days in total. Summer temperatures can top 38°C, and you can cool off by tubing the Guadalupe and Comal Rivers. Lodging in the small towns is tight on spring-break and wildflower-season weekends.

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