2017 Bucket List: 5 Texas Hill Country Trips

At this time of year, we often reflect on what it is we want to accomplish and do in the days and months ahead. We look to opportunities for travel and new experiences, promising ourselves to make good on the chances we let slip through our fingers in the past. Why not take the opportunity to make 2017 the year that you finally “get away from it all” and travel through the Texas Hill Country? Instead of daydreaming and bookmarking websites that will forever remain as “favorites” on your browser instead of favorite family memories or solo road-trip fun, we’ve got a list of a few unique spots to travel to this coming year that will help you clear your mind, clear out of your vacation rut, and get you into the hills – the Texas Hill Country that is! And then you can scratch one more (or five more) thing off of your 2017 bucket list.

1. San Antonio in Spring

Photo: Flickr/Pedro Szekely

If you’re looking to experience a little bit of everything, why not check out San Antonio in the springtime? Not only is the infamous Riverwalk the most romantic, colorful, and beautiful place to stroll or take a boat ride, but the downtown core is loaded with touristy things to do, it’s easy to get around (walk, cab, or trolley) and the weather is perfect. Market Square is a great place to tour, your food choices are fantastic, and there’s also the opportunity to catch a Spurs game (they have plenty of home games in the later part of March/early part of April). If you like concerts, the AT&T Center plays host to several genres (check their schedule prior to planning your visit), and there are a number of hotel options ranging from economy to luxurious, providing all the amenities you could possibly need.

2. Bandera to Get Your “Cowboy” On

Photo: Flickr/Heather Cowper

Known as the “Cowboy Capital”, Bandera has several dude ranches that can help you blow the dust off and answer the cowboy call that you’ve been hearing from your cubicle these past few years. Trail rides, chuck wagon meals, and really getting hands-on (if you like) with horses are all a part of the authentic experience. If you’re more of a looker than a doer, you may want to check out the Frontier Times Museum, check out a rodeo, or visit one of the local honky-tonks to hear some real Texas troubadours. The town itself keeps a weekly event calendar that you can check before your visit, and they also provide recommendations for accommodations. Simply taking the opportunity for a horseback ride through the beautiful Hill Country scenery while you’re there might give you the refreshing experience you’re looking for.

3. Girls Getaway or Guys Night out in New Braunfels

Photo: Flickr/Jeff Gunn

With the Comal and Guadalupe Rivers, Canyon Lake, and a waterpark, New Braunfels is the perfect setting for a get-together with friends. Couple that with good ole fashioned hospitality and you’re in for a great time. There’s good fishing, craft beer tours, honky-tonks, and dance halls. While you’re there, you can’t miss Gruene Hall, wine tours, and tastings, and yes, some amazing food. Some of the best Texas Hill Country barbecue can be found in New Braunfels, together with mouth-watering steak dinners, and fresh farm-to-table venues.

4. Comfort: For the Outdoorsperson in Us All

Photo: Vimeopro

Comfort has a name that can’t be overlooked when considering where you need to visit in the Texas Hill Country. Synonymous with great hunting, fishing, and camping, Comfort has become a target for outdoors-people throughout the state as well as the country. Located along the Guadalupe River, it’s also a central hub for some of the Hill Country’s most scenic road trip routes. From here, visitors can travel on day trips very easily to Kerrville, Boerne, and Bandera through some one-of-a-kind scenery. The town also beckons the antique lover, bed & breakfast fan, and wine enthusiast. Comfort has many popular events throughout the year that are listed on their Chamber of Commerce website, and for history buffs, it’s also home to the Treue Der Union Monument!

5. Luckenbach to Get “Back to the Basics of Love”

Photo: Flickr/Gino

Small is beautiful. Therefore, Luckenbach has boatloads of beauty! And beauty is a language of love, is it not? In terms of population, you won’t regret taking your love on a trip to a town where the two of you won’t be bothered (no need for a “privacy please” sign here). And what the town might lack in inhabitants, it completely makes up for with old western style (something you and your sweetheart might appreciate). Luckenbach has two main buildings and a retired zip code. The working saloon/old post office/general store holds your interest through the day, while the dance hall keeps you twirling by night. And with a small souvenir store, the two of you can shuffle through the Texas Hill Country feeling reinvigorated, renewed love, and really enjoying your new salt and pepper shakers with the town’s motto: “Everybody’s Somebody in Luckenbach.”