We’re back with three more Sunday drives to get you out of the house while still practicing your social distancing.
This time, we’re heading into the Texas Hill Country on Interstate 10, so the drives are longer but even more beautiful, taking you on twisty, turny country roads and through small picturesque Texas towns.
We’ve again included several can’t-miss stops for each and, with help from the Express-News’ trusty Taste team, a recommended restaurant to grab a bite.
Advertisement
Article continues below this ad
A word of warning, however: Hill Country businesses often keep limited hours, so call ahead before you go. Fortunately, the roads are open 24/7.
Kerrville Loop
The longest route in the bunch, this one begins and ends in Kerrville, passing through burgs like Medina, Vanderpool and Ingram.
Advertisement
Article continues below this ad
It also passes by the front door of Lost Maples State Natural area. This time of year, the bigtooth maples there should just about be at the peak of their fall color change. Check the park’s Fall Foliage report at tpwd.texas.gov/state-parks/lost-maples for up-to-date info. Also, like in the best restaurants, reservations are recommended to get into the park, especially on busy weekends. Call 512-389-8900 to make sure you don’t miss out.
Don’t miss:
Lost Maples Country Store: 33533 RM 187, Vanderpool, 830-966-3568, lostmaplesrvandcamping.com. More a working grocery than a cutesy odditorium, LMCS serves a community that doesn’t have a big-box store on every corner. For travelers, it’s a welcome opportunity to gas up, get something to drink and maybe buy some jerky.
Lone Star Motorcycle Museum: 36517 RM 187, Vanderpool, 830-966-6103, lonestarmotorcyclemuseum.com. With more than 60 motorcycles on display, some more than 100 years old, this museum is sure to get your motor running.
Stonehenge II: 120 Point Theatre Road S., Ingram, 830-367-5121, hcaf.com/stonehenge-ii. On the grounds of the Hill Country Arts Foundation, the re-creation stands 90 percent as high as the mythic original — but probably three times the size of the one from “This is Spinal Tap.”
Advertisement
Article continues below this ad
Where to go for a bite: Hill Country Cafe: 806 Main St., Kerrville, 830-257-6665, Facebook: Hill Country Cafe. Start (or end) your drive at this cafe that has a small-town atmosphere with home-cooked food to match.
Willow City Loop
Advertisement
Article continues below this ad
If you’ve ever climbed Enchanted Rock, you’ve likely driven RR 965, a scribble of a road that runs north from Fredericksburg, past the 400-foot-high pink granite dome and on to Texas 16.
You might be tempted to skip the Willow City Loop cutoff and continue on Texas 16 to Fredericksburg. Don’t. The narrow winding road takes you through some of the oldest geology in the state, with deep canyons and picturesque meadows that burst with color during wildflower season.
Don’t miss:
Blue Skies Retro Resort: 13372 Texas 16, Willow City, 830-515-4787, blueskiesretroresort.com. If you want to spend the night, you can’t do better than one of five reissued Shasta travel trailers. All have private yards and bathrooms, outdoor showers and a shared pool and covered pavilion with a propane grill. Trailers sleep two to three people and prices range from $100 to $351 per night.
Pecan Grove Store: 5244 Texas 16, Fredericksburg, 830-990-4433, pecangrovestore.com. Look for the Sinclair dinosaur logo out front. Part service station, part diner, part live music venue. Check the online calendar for performance schedules and try the Dino Burger made from a half-pound of ground chuck, not dinosaur.
Advertisement
Article continues below this ad
Kuckuck’s Nest: 3150 Texas 16, Fredericksburg, 830-997-9707, kuckucks-nest.co. A Bavaria-inspired gift shop and boutique, the Cuckoo’s Nest, as the name translates, is the place to satisfy all your imported lederhosen needs.
Where to go for a bite: Emma + Ollie, 607 S. Washington St., Fredericksburg, 830-383-1013, emmaolliefbg.com. Chef Rebecca Rather’s new breakfast-and-lunch bakery and cafe is a salve for those who miss her Rather Sweet Bakery. While the dining room is still closed, a small outdoor patio is available for sit-down dining.
Dance Halls and Wineries Loop
You’ll see plenty of wineries, dance and music halls and even some longhorn cattle on this up-and-back route between Interstate 10 and U.S. 290. These are some really narrow roads, so put your phone down and pay attention.
Don’t miss:
Saint Tryphon Farm & Vineyards: 24 Wasp Creek Road, Boerne, 830-777-6704, sainttryphon.com. Named one of the Hill Country’s 10 Best Wineries in the Express-News’ “2019 Top 100 Dining & Drinks” guide, the family-run winery’s specialties include mourvèdre, trebbiano and pétillant naturel.
Luckenbach Texas General Store, Bar & Dancehall: 412 Luckenbach Town Loop, Fredericksburg, 830-997-3224, luckenbachtexas.com. The unincorporated Hill Country town immortalized by Waylon Jennings’ classic, “Luckenbach, Texas (Back to the Basics of Love)” is still a music mecca with a full calendar of performances. For $1.60, you can also buy a Luckenbach decal to humblebrag about being there.
Old Tunnel State Park: 10619 Old San Antonio Road, Fredericksburg, 866-978-2287, tpwd.texas.gov/state-parks/old-tunnel. After the old Fredericksburg and Northern Railway abandoned this tunnel bored through solid rock, a colony of 3 million Mexican free-tailed bats have since taken up residence. Visitors can watch as the bats emerge each night from May through October, but reservations are required.
Where to go for a bite: Black Board Bar B Q, 1123 Sisterdale Road, Boerne, 830-324-6858, blackboardbarbq.com. Named the second-best barbecue in the area, Black Board does brisket with Waygu, sausage with wild boar and creamed corn with Brussels sprouts. It’d be worth the drive even if the scenery wasn’t as spectacular. Pick up a bottle of red from St. Tryphon just up the road to pair with your ’cue.
Richard A. Marini is a features writer in the San Antonio and Bexar County area. To read more from Richard, become a subscriber. rmarini@express-news.net | Twitter: @RichardMarini