Lifestyle

Thanksgiving Blessings in the Texas Hill Country

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Tony Maples Photography

 

The Texas Hill Country stimulates gratitude to a resident or to a traveler’s heart. The area provides a colorful, inspirational holiday for all, especially the first time visitor.

A large family gathering may not be in your plans this year. How can you escape loneliness, enjoy the holiday, and express thanks? The answer lies in the Texas Hill Country. Take a drive to charming surroundings and remember the reason we celebrate the day.

Thanksgiving Blessings in the Texas Hill Country

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Pilgrims feasted in 1621 after enduring hardship and want. Years later, in 1863, Abraham Lincoln made Thanksgiving an official day with a proclamation. “Now, therefore, I, Abraham Lincoln, President of the United States, do hereby appoint and set apart the last Thursday in November next as a day which I desire to be observed by all my fellow-citizens, wherever they may then be, as a day of thanksgiving and praise to Almighty God, the beneficent Creator and Ruler of the Universe.”

Thanksgiving Blessings in the Texas Hill Country

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In the Hill Country, one can respect the day as Lincoln intended. Autumn sights in this region of Texas calm the soul and a list of blessings come effortlessly to mind.

Lodging

Thanksgiving Blessings in the Texas Hill Country

Photo: http://www.innofthehills.com/gallery-en.html

At home or away, the first item on the list of blessings is comfortable lodging. Start your getaway to the Hill Country at the Inn of the Hills in Kerrville, a lovely place of relaxation, good food, and reflection. The Inn of the Hills delivers unforgettable moments.

Whether you stay at the Inn of The Hills, or one of the accommodations in Kerrville, you’ll find incentives for wholehearted appreciation. Here are a few more reasons to remember the season.

Weather

Thanksgiving Blessings in the Texas Hill Country

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The mild temperatures in the Hill Country tend toward perfection. No need to pack heavy winter clothing. A light jacket is all you need.

Restaurants

Thanksgiving Blessings in the Texas Hill Country

Photo: http://www.innofthehills.com/gallery-en.html

The Inn of the Hills features a large traditional buffet on Thanksgiving Day between 11:00 and 2:30. You’ll find time-honored turkey, ham, cornbread dressing, and a bevy of salads to choose. Don’t forget the desserts. Adults: $34.95, Children 7-12, $12.95, six and under dine free. Reservations may be required. You don’t have a large buffet in mind? Kerrville offers a host of restaurants from Chinese to Mexican to barbecue and everything in between.

Nature

Thanksgiving Blessings in the Texas Hill Country

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A hazy day provides a sense of tranquility. Benefits from nature include lowering blood pressure, reducing stress, and improving sleep. These are circumstance to be thankful for, right? Most find it difficult to believe the phenomenon for wholesome results can be produced by merely gazing at a picturesque scene. Try it. See if it works for you.

Thanksgiving Blessings in the Texas Hill Country

Photo: jimolive.photoshelter.com

Water and color soothes the beholder. Sit for hours at a similar spot. Take a picnic lunch. Unwind. Appreciate. Enjoy the vivid colors sunshine brings.

Bring your camera. Opportunities to capture landscapes abound in every direction and give you a sense of awe. You’ll take memories home—grateful for time well spent in respite and meditation.

Breathe fresh air as you leisurely walk around parks and lakes. Stop as you go along and welcome the beauty. If energy compels you toward more athletic adventures, longer hikes await. Kerrville – Schreiner State Park Trail provides a variety of paths. Like to run? Visit www.mapmyrun.com/us/kerrville-tx for a list of sprinting routes.

Texas is a large state, but Kerrville can be easily reached. From Dallas, drive 250 miles, Houston, 260 miles, Amarillo, 449 miles, and El Paso remains the farthest city at 492 miles.

Give thanks in the numerous small and large churches in Kerrville. If a formal service isn’t for you, admire the variety in architecture.

A few people worry about medical needs when they travel, but no need to fear. If a health emergency occurs, Kerrville hosts the Peterson Regional Medical Center, as well as a large number of urgent care facilities and clinics.

After a day or evening of reflection, enjoy art, shopping and theater. Be sure to visit the Hill Country Arts Foundation. You can see Chaps! A Jingle Jangle Christmas at their theater. No performance scheduled on Thanksgiving Day, but presentations take place between November 20 and December 5. Check with the Hill Country Arts Foundation for availability and times.

From November 1 to the 28, Kerrville will feature the Texas Furniture Makers’ Show. You will find makers and craftsman displaying their abilities.

Let go of worries at the Kerrville Hills Winery. Several events are planned during November. On their event page, you’ll find a list of activities including wine tasting and food to enjoy.

The Inn of the Hills features a western bar with live entertainment on weekends.

Thanksgiving Blessings in the Texas Hill Country

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Spend this thankful season in the Hill Country. Pray. Relax. Unwind. Have fun. Remember the reason for the day. Observe Thanksgiving in Kerrville and moments of gratitude will wash over you. Return home grateful for the beauty you experienced and the blessings in life.