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Austin, TX – West Side
Lajitas/Big Bend Ranch State Park
Graham, TX
Blanco, TX
Blanco is that little town in the Hill Country that you could drive through in 5 minutes, or spend a week exploring. Those that are in the know travel here to spend a day or longer diving into the history, blue water, and food. To download the episode or purchase it on DVD – CLICK HERE.
CULTURE
The first thing most notice when they visit Blanco is the Old Blanco County Courthouse which was built in 1886. While it looks very official, it only served as the county courthouse for 4 years, because in 1890 the authorities moved the county seat 14 miles up the road to Johnson City. Today this old building serves as a museum, a gathering place, and a movie set. If you walk upstairs into the courtroom, you can feel the presence of Rooster Cogburn (aka Jeff Bridges) from the 2010 film “True Grit.”
If you love movie history or just history in general, then you’ll want to head to the Blanco Buggy Barn Museum which showcases over 100 different buggies from around the globe. Many of the buggies have been used in films such as “Gone With the Wind,” “There Will Be Blood,” and “Abe Lincoln: Vampire Hunter.” It’s amazing to look at how the technology progressed during the era of horse-drawn transportation. If you arrange it early, the owners will take you on a buggy ride around town.
Blanco’s biggest modern-day contribution to Texas culture is to the growing Texas craft beer scene. If you’re into craft beer, then you’ve heard of Real Ale Brewing, or at least Firemans #4, it’s most popular variety. Many don’t realize that it’s brewed down a dirt road in the heart of Blanco. They offer great tours of their facilities and brewing processes on weekends but even if you don’t take a tour, you can visit their tasting room and sample one (or more) of their dozen or so brews. I highly recommend sampling some of their barrel-aged “Mysterium” series, where they let beer sit in wine and whiskey barrels. It comes out completely different.
If you’re more into Texas wildflowers than Texas beer, then you’ll be happy to know that Blanco is the “Lavender Capital of Texas” and during the summer months, you can visit lavender fields to pick your own puffs of the purple stuff. I highly recommend Hill Country Lavender. Not only do they offer a really great picking experience, but they also sell all of their lavender products on site, so you can stock up on sleep-inducing and bug-repelling lotions, creams, and soaps.
Lastly, there’s a hill country tradition that exists ONLY in a number of small German communities across Texas. It’s 9-pin bowling, and is done in private bowling clubs. It’s different than traditional 10-pin bowling in that the pins are set up in a diamond and bowlers get extra points if they leave the middle one standing. It’s very fun but hard for an outsider to experience. UNLESS – you are in Blanco on a Saturday night, when the Blanco Bowling Club is open to the public. Make sure to call ahead and let them know you are coming, as they’ll need to make sure a pin-setter is on site. This is such a rare game that there are NO machines to do the work, so high schoolers earn extra cash setting up pins after folks knock ’em down.
FOOD
No trip to Blanco would be complete without a trip to the Redbud Cafe on the square. This local favorite mixes fresh sandwiches, baked cookies, and craft beer to become the most charming cafe-bakery-bar combo in Texas. They make perhaps the best reuben sandwich I’ve ever had, and in the winter they make amazing potato chip cookies. Seriously, try them.
If you’re in the mood for Bar-B-Q, then make your way to Old 300 BBQ. This is a very Texas kind of joint smoking up brisket, sausage, ribs, pork loin, and more over live oak wood. You’ll love it. If you’re in town on a Saturday, you can sample their special “Akaushi” beef brisket made from an amazing flavorful and rare bovine breed.
OUTDOORS
The biggest outdoor attraction of Blanco is definitely the Blanco River where folks do everything from swim to paddle to fish, and just generally relax beside the calming blue water. The river flows right through the middle of town where you’ll find Blanco State Park – the best place to jump into the Blanco.
Dripping Springs, TX
As with many hill country towns, it isn’t so much what’s in town, but all around town. This is especially true with Dripping Springs the “Gateway to the Hill Country.” To download this episode or purchase it on DVD – CLICK HERE.
But before you head to the hills, there are some things in the town worth checking out. First off are the namesake springs of this small town which sit on the private property of the Homestead B&B. Just knock on the door, and the owner is usually happy to show you around. However, Start the day off right with breakfast at Rolling in Thyme and Dough. A delicious breakfast and lunch spot tucked away in an old house right off Highway 290. The egg/sausage/pesto croissant is phenomenal. Later in the afternoon, you might want to grab a fresh pint of craft brew from The Barber Shop serving house-made brews and Texas brews from all over the state.
To experience the beauty of the Texas Hill Country, there are 3 must-do activities just north of town. The first is Hamilton Pool, an amazing natural grotto that is also some of Texas’s most magnificent swimming holes. Make sure you arrive early, or else you might be waiting in the parking lot for hours to get in. While Hamilton Pool is well-traveled, the second activity is as untouched and pristine as possible. This is West Cave Preserve. Take a guided nature tour down to this stunning grotto and cave and be taken into a world far away from human hands. Finally, if you want to jump into the hill country full-on, then there’s no better place than Milton Reimer’s Ranch, this private ranch turned public park is an outdoor playground with everything from fishing to mountain biking to some of the best rock climbing in Texas.
And to cap off an exceptional day, head south of Dripping Springs to the town of Driftwood, TX and take down a big, honkin’ plate of some of the best BBQ in Texas at – The Salt Lick.
Kemah, TX
The town of Kemah may be small, but it’s just one tiny piece of the massive establishment that is Houston, and part of the Houston subset known as “Bay Area Houston”, consisting of Kemah, Clear Lake, La Porte, League City, Nassau Bay, Seabrook, and Webster. In truth, it’s very difficult to visit one without visiting the others. And why would you want to? As this area is packed with Daytripper goodness.
The largest attraction in the area is by far Space Center Houston, which is the official visitor’s center of NASA’s Johnson Space Center. Since the 1960’s this spot has been the brain center for space travel, overseeing the Apollo missions to the moon all the way up to the current trips to the International Space Station. You could literally spend all day here between the historic museum, space games, ISS demonstrations, mission control tours, training facility tours, and eating astro-ice-cream. But one thing you definitely don’t want to miss is walking beside the Saturn IV rocket which is identical to the ones that took humans to the moon. TIP: you dont have to buy a ticket to the Space Center to see the rocket, just ask for the NASA side gate that allows admittance to Rocket Park. Another incredible museum in the area is the Butler Longhorn Museum, which tells the story of how this ranching family saved the Texas Longhorn from becoming just another bull. Hook Em.
Your trip to space, will undoubtedly bring you back hungry, and Bay Area Houston has some of the best food on earth. For an amazing sandwich, take the astronauts lead and head to Hoagie Ranch, which is a favorite amongst the space walkers. I recommend everything! For a delicious burger look no further than Tookies, and dont miss out on their famous Pelican Eggs. But being so close to Galveston Bay, you cant miss the seafood. My favorite, laid-back, waterfront shrimp-spot is Bubbas Shrimp Palace in nearby San Leon. There are few better ways to spend the evening than watching the sunset over the Bay from Bubbas beach while chomping on a full platter of all-you-can-eat shrimp.
To experience the natural side of the Bay, I recommend a visit to the Armand Bayou Nature Center, which boasts being one of the largest urban wilderness areas in the United States. Since being protected, the wildlife and plant life of Armand Bayou have exploded. This includes the gator population. So swimming isnt such a good idea, but taking a canoe or kayak trip around the bayou is. I recommend a guided pontoon ride and Breakfast on the Bayou” with resident naturist Mark Kramer. Another option is to take grab a tour from Pinky’s Watersports in Clear Lake. They can answer any questions and will do all the hard work.
And as the sunsets on your incredible day, follow the lights to the Kemah Boardwalk. This entertainment/amusement/dining/good-time spot is full of energy. And whether youre riding the carousel, braving the roller coaster, listening to live music, or eating at one of the many restaurants, this place is sure to please. Dont miss the Friday fireworks.
Natural Bridge, TX
While Natural Bridge isn’t a town, it is a great place to spend the day. The two main attractions are Natural Bridge Wildlife Ranch to feed the exotic species of this African safari in the middle of Texas. This is your chance to feed a buffalo or a ostrich from the comfort of your car. Make your next stop Natural Bridge Caverns to descend underground into the depths of Texas and see largest show cave in Texas. Seriously, this is impressive.
For food, I recommend the burgers at the Wildlife Ranch cafe, but if you want to step away, dive into a Bracken Burger at the Bracken Store Cafe.
If you are ready to wash off, head north and dive into Canyon Lake. Overlook Park offers the best swimming, but Comal Park is the place to take kids since it has a smooth pebble beach. For food, head to Frank’s Bait and Tacos. You’ll love it, just don’t order the bait taco.
South Padre Island, TX
If you thought this beautiful island town only existed for a couple weeks in March during Spring Break think again. To download this episode or purchase it on DVD – CLICK HERE.
This beach community makes for one heck of a day trip (even longer if youve got the time). Yes, there are lots of condos, beach shops, and bars to keep the college kids busy, but the rest of the year, South Padre Island is a relaxing oasis that rivals the best beach towns in America. So, heres what to do.
Sun and sand lovers have lots of options. I would start by taking a sand castle lesson from Dennis Barrett, the Sand Slave himself. CLICK HERE to set up a lesson. On the beach side of S. Padre, I also recommend a surf lesson from South Padre Surf Company. Turns out you dont have to go to Cali to catch some waves. On the bay side, take a snorkeling trip on the Southern Wave Catamaran. Youll be amazed how clear the water is, and you might even see a stingray. If you prefer the wildlife above the water, check out the South Padre Birding and Nature Center.
When hungry, head to Pier 19 for breakfast. Their shrimp omelette is one of the greatest breakfasts Ive ever put in my mouth. A more traditional, yet still delicious breakfast is at Teds. For fried seafood, look no further than the island stalwart Dirty Als. And when you need some food, drinks, and relaxation on the beach, Claytons is the place and boasts the biggest beach bar in Texas.
As the nightfalls, if you have an strength (and courage) left, head to the Gravity Adventure Park which bungee jumping, go-carts for adults and kids, as well as my favorite the REVERSE bungee. You gotta try it to believe it.
HOTELS OF CHOICE Claytons Resort for a vintage beach front hotel and Inverness for a beach-front, family friendly condo with kitchen and lots of sleeping room.
