Last Labor Day weekend Brice and I took a little trip to the hill country. This part of Texas is our favorite place to explore because there is so much to do in all the little towns that make up the hill country. We visited Gruene, Wimberley, Dripping Springs, Driftwood, and San Marcos. All these quaint little towns are within 30 minutes of each other. With Wimberley being pretty much dead center we rented an air b&b with beautiful views of the hills and dreamy starry nights. Here is a breakdown of what we did in each town and just some of the amazing reasons you should visit.
Gruene
We started off by going to Gruene Friday afternoon. There are so many mom & pop shops so we walked around and explored those. My favorite was the year round Christmas store and the Gruene General Store that has all sorts of hidden gems. We stopped by Gruene Hall where you can find live music and dancing on the weekends. Then had lunch at The Gristmill, a wonderful restaurant with beautiful views of the hill country!
Wimberley
We stayed at an Air B&B here called Serenity and the name fit perfectly. We arrived to our condo to find a bottle of wine and two glasses awaiting us. We drank on our private patio and watched the sunset. Wimberely is filled with amazing restaurants and plenty of shopping; you could easily spend an entire afternoon there! We ordered pizza’s from Community Pizza and Beer Garden and they were to die for! Another favorite stop of mine is The Leaning Pair, great for lunch or brunch!
Dripping Springs & Driftwood
I put both of these towns into one because they are so close together and the main attraction for both are their wineries and breweries! There are so many to choose from so we started at Hawks Shadow. The view alone at Hawks Shadow was incredible! They have a beautiful space for wedding ceremonies and receptions. We were able to do a tasting as we sat on the patio with a cool breeze coming in (surprising for September in Texas!). Our sommelier was very knowledgable and told us about the history of the vineyard and all its grapes. They also offered us some bread they had made in house that morning to munch on! I highly recommend this as a stop for your next visit.
Our next stop was at Bell Springs which is a winery and brewery. There was live music and tons of outdoor space to spread out. We tried both the wines and had a beer flight. It was a perfect atmosphere and the drinks were delectable. They are also dog friendly! The owner even named a bottle of wine after his pup and called it The Needy Bitch; it was a very tasty wine and I bought the matching t shirt to go with it.
Our last stop of the day was at the Duchman Family Winery. This winery has a beautiful outdoor area with spread out seating and plenty of different wines to choose from. The restaurant there has incredible Italian food and I highly encourage you to make a reservation a few days in advance for dinner.
San Marcos
San Marcos holds a very dear place in my heart because it is where I attended University. I was so excited to show Brice all my favorite things about this cute little town. While the town has grown immensely since I graduated it still holds its small town charm. We went to brunch at my favorite spot, Palmers, there is a beautiful patio seating that feels so magical. The food there is incredible, I’ve never had a disappointing meal there.
Then we walked around Texas State’s campus and I showed him some of m favorite spots. It was the first time since I’d graduated that I walked around campus and it took me right back; I loved it! After this we decided to go back to wimberley to change because of just how hot it had become (the normal September weather in Texas).
After the afternoon sun had passed some we ventured back out to Roughhouse brewery right outside of San Marcos. I had never been before but I’m so glad we stopped by! There was live music, delicious beer, great snacks to order, and plenty of shade to sit outside. Our next stop was a fun bar and restaurant called Industry. We stayed for a few drinks and got some free queso! I tried one of the sour beers on tap and it was purple! I was so surprised and thought it was very unique.
The next morning we drove back through on our way home and stopped at my favorite kolache place, Dos Gatos! It’s a local favorite in San Marcos that I would recommend for a quick breakfast.
The hill country has so much to offer and I’ve only scratched the surface of what it has to offer! I can’t wait to return for another visit soon!