4 More Things to Add To Your Texas Hill Country Bucket List

Continuing from the previous article “7 Things to Add When Making Your Texas Hill Country Bucket List,” here’s an additional list of amazing things to see and do in the Texas Hill Country. Make sure to pencil these in!

1. Watch a spectacular Hill Country sunset at Enchanted Rock.

Photo: www.reddit.com

The Texas Hill Country has some of the most amazing sunsets; however, voted one of the best is watching it from Enchanted Rock. It’s the nation’s second largest granite dome, next to Georgia’s Stone Mountain. This enormous rock is half-buried in the hills near Fredericksburg. It’s a half-mile walk to the top, and makes for an unforgettable experience.

Make your plans to take a little hike at the end of the day, about a half hour before sunset. You’ve never really seen a sunset until you’ve viewed it from this point. Not only is the view glorious, but the sounds are tranquil. This particular rock speaks, legend has it, the Tonkawa Indians and other Native American tribes swore they could hear strange noises at night. Scientists disagree and have studied every inch of this enormous rock. They believe the creaking noises are due to contraction of the rock’s outer surface as it cools. You decide while you enjoy the sunset.

2. Sleep in a mesmerizing herb garden.

Photo: aeqai.com

Add sleeping in an herb garden full of rosemary, thyme, and other fresh scents to your bucket list. This past week, scientist confirmed that smelling rosemary daily can increase your memory over 75%. There are many other herbs which can heal nearly any ailments.

You can stay in one of the newly opened Sunday Houses at Fredericksburg Herb Farm, (830) 997-8615. The cozy cottages are styled like the old-time “Sunday Houses” built by German farmers for weekend stays when they came to town for church and shopping. Owners Rosemary and Dick Estenson also added an elegant spa and restaurant to the herb farm that hides away on a residential lane just a few blocks from Frederickburgs’s Main Street.

3. Dig up your own precious Topaz.

Photo: www.gemselect.com

Who doesn’t like jewelry — and did you know that Topaz is the state gem of Texas? Anyone can go to a jeweler and purchase these colorful stones, or you can dig them up yourself in the Hill Country. It’s much more fun than going inside of a store.

Mason County, Texas is the only place where you can hunt for your very own Topaz. Often times you’ll find them just lying on the ground. Clear or blue-tinted stones are generally located close to the surface near granite, creek beds and ditches. There are guides there to help and teach you how to look for your perfect stone. You’ll walk away with a one of a kind. Hunt all you want at Lindsay Ranch, (325) 347-4052.

4. Bask in a luscious lavender field.

Photo: brushytop.com

If you’re looking for some aromatherapy, don’t go to the store and purchase a bottle; see and smell the real thing. The Texas Hill Country is rapidly becoming a hotbed for lavender farms. The type of soil and dry weather conditions, not to mention a lot of entrepreneurs, have produced many farms with thousands of plants to rival their famous cousins in France.

Head on over to the city of Blanco. If you roll down your car windows, you’ll begin to smell the wonderful aromas and perfumed fragrance of the fields before you even arrive at your destination. In mid-May the flowers begin blooming all the way through July. Scientist claim the smell of lavender helps with relaxing and sleeping. Many of the farms are open to visitors at the start of the blooming season. Blanco celebrates harvest time with the Blanco Lavender Festival, (830) 833-5101.

Of course, there are an incredible number of things which can and should be added to your Texas Hill Country bucket list. You’ll find more and more with every story in TexasHillCountry.com and in our print magazine, “Heart of Texas Magazine”. You can even subscribe online. Until next time, y’all have fun working on this one.