The Best Texas Hill Country Road Trip You’ll Ever Take
Texans love a good road trip, and it’s never too early to start planning one. But here’s the kicker – you don’t have to lift a finger. We’ve done all the dirty work for you! From hiking to tubing to cliff jumping, we’ve highlighted all of the best, must-do attractions of the Texas hill country. We won’t say it’s the most beautiful area of the state because all of Texas is breathtaking in different respective ways, but we think we can all agree that it’s at least the area most dense with nature activities. The entire drive is 189 miles – that’s 4 hours, 9 minutes, plus the time spent enjoying the beautiful nature the Lone Star State has to offer. Here is the best Texas hill country road trip you’ll ever take, all created by us just for you. We’ve got the google map right here with the exact directions and destinations.
We're starting off our trip at Jacob's Well, arguably the most famous swimming hole in Texas. Spend an hour or so in the water, maybe daring to swim over the well in hopes it won't suck you in and pull you down to its darkest depths. If you're really feeling adventurous, a few of the rocks above the well are positioned just right for cliff diving - if your jump is just right, that is.
Drive about 30 minutes and find yourself at Hamilton Pool Natural Preserve, a mystical grotto that you simply can't go without seeing if you live in Texas. There's a short hike from your car to the pool, but when you turn the final corner and this scene unfolds before your eyes, you'd be willing to hike up Mt. Everest if that's what it took to see it.
Next stop - Fredericksburg! You're probably pretty worn out by now from all the swimming, so the fact that the drive here is about an hour and a half is a blessing in disguise. And it's no boring drive, either - the road is lined with bluebonnets as far as the eye can see. Once you get to Enchanted Rock, you'll be amazed by its sheer, magnificent beauty and intrigued by the ancient secrets it harbors, like cave drawings depicting the magical glows and groaning noises apparently produced by the rock in the dark of night.
Your legs will be begging for a break after the challenging (but so worth it) hike at Enchanted Rock, so use the 90 minute drive to New Braunfels to gain as much strength back as possible! You'll need it for our next activity: cave exploration! The Natural Bridge caverns are one of several cave systems in Texas, and they're absolutely breathtaking. A tour guide will lead you through different rooms, some nearly as big as football stadiums. If you're feeling up to it, you can go on the Adventure Tour that will really have you feeling like an expert. You'll put on a hardhat, gloves, and a harness, practicing rappelling, climbing, and squeezing through the tiniest passageways imaginable. Whatever you choose, experiencing one of Texas's greatest underground wonders will leave you in awe.
It can get pretty stuffy down in the caves, so head right on over to Landa Falls and rent a tube (or toob, I should say) for a few hours. Put your feet up, close your eyes, hear the rustle of the leaves overhead, and let the river gently carry you along while you unwind after all the hiking and swimming you've done throughout the day.
New Braunfels and Gruene are practically the same place, so it would be a tragedy to forgo the short drive to the historic Gristmill. You're bound to be hungry after all that exercise, so a delicious beef tenderloin sandwich will hit the spot for sure. Enjoy your meal while looking out at the nearby river and feel content, knowing your day was well spent seeing all the best sights of the Texas hill country. To learn more, visit the official website for The Gristmill Restaurant.
Have you been to any of the places featured in our Texas Hill Country road trip? If so, share your thoughts with us in the comments below!
Did you know all these amazing places could be linked together so easily? It’s like they were naturally made to be woven into a single-day road trip. Stay tuned, Texas – we realize our state is humongous, so this is part of a series of road trip posts, each highlighting a different area of the state. Get excited! If the hill country is a bit out of reach for you to make a trip to, we’ll be featuring places near you soon!
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Katie Lawrence is a Southeast Texas native who graduated 18th in her high school class with a GPA of 4.25. She attended college in the Houston area and began writing for OnlyInYourState in 2015.
Today, Katie writes, edits, and performs several other tasks for OnlyInYourState and has never been more passionate about a job before. Outside of work, you can likely find her curled up on with a hot cup of coffee, practicing yoga, baking, or exploring the beautiful Lone Star State (in particular, the vast and mystical West Texas desert).
