Less than a half-hour away is Pedernales Falls State Park. It helps that there are now few locations, including in the Dallas and Austin airports, in case you can’t make it to Driftwood. We first visited several years ago after seeing the restaurant featured on Top Chef, and we return whenever we can. We hadn’t had enough BBQ yet, so we headed to the famous Salt Lick in nearby Driftwood for dinner. Because the parks system limits the number of people at any one time, the pool never feels overrun or crowded. Either way, it’s a welcome break from the heat. The water, which comes from a natural spring, is what some would call refreshing and other might deem a bit on the cold side. We wandered down the trail (it’s about a quarter-mile uneven hike) to the swimming hole and plunged in. The pool itself is the result of the collapse of an underground river, so it has a unique formation with a waterfall and a natural cave-like structure, so you can get away from the sun, if you choose. The pretty landscape and cool waters of Hamilton Pool draw people from all over central Texas and beyond because it’s a fabulous place to swim, but it’s one of the most beautiful places to visit in Texas. It was time to head to another one of the most famous swimming holes around, Hamilton Pool. So as much as we loved lazing around at Treaty Oak, we needed to cool off. One of the realities of a trip to Texas is that it’s warm more often than not. Treaty Oak is a great place to enjoy life for a few hours. And like any good Texas joint, there is also a food truck serving BBQ. When you need something to sop up the drinks, there’s an on-site restaurant offering everything from poached pear salad to shrimp and grits. You can tour the distillery and chat with the bartenders. In addition to the drinks, there are picnic tables and lawn games, and there’s frequently live music. Yes, they make some wonderful whiskeys and gins, and their craft cocktails are killer, but Treaty Oak is not just a place for spirits-the area they lovingly call “the ranch” is a great place to hang out and it’s completely family-friendly, too. The idea that Treaty Oak is just a distillery is a little bit misleading. It’s clear that each one of these buildings was a source of pride for its congregations who spared no expense in making them as lovely as possible. Mary’s Church of the Assumption in Praha - has stars that grace the ceiling and walls and a beautiful white altar gilded in 24 karat gold. With stained glass from Germany, outstanding statues, and remarkable paintings, this heavily-adorned church lived up to its name. A renovation has quieted the “music,” but it’s still a pretty sight.Īfter a 6-mile drive, we arrived at the “Queen of the Painted Churches,” St. Supposedly, the bridge got its name from the noise it made when cars drove over it. To reach the next stop, we crossed over the locally-famous Piano Bridge, which is one of only a few remaining iron bridges in the US. Even without lights on, the sanctuary felt like it glowed from within. Admittedly, it was something I had never known I was missing, but the colors were spectacular. Although access to the small interior is limited by a gate, a stop here gave us a look at the bluest indoor sky we’d ever seen. Our second road trip stop-and my favorite-was Saints Cyril and Methodius Church in Dubina.

The sanctuary of Saints Cyril and Methodius Across the landscape of the Hill Country, these 20 unassuming churches look like any small-town place of worship on the outside, but, inside, the craftsmanship is outstanding. The painted churches of Texas are not the kind of sites one might expect to see here. Otherwise, get back on the road for a quick trip to the area’s painted churches. If you have time, take a walk by the gorgeous Fayette County Courthouse, which dates from 1891, or head to Monument Hill for more historic sites, including a stately stone home and the remains of one of the first breweries in Texas. I like the cherry and apple the most, but you can’t go wrong. These award-winning fruit pastries reflect the area’s Czech heritage (more on that to come), and they’re delicious. The 90-year-old Weikel’s Bakery is a great place for a mid-morning snack of their famous kolaches. Make a pit stop in the town of La Grange on your Texas roadtrip. Day 2: See Painted Churches and Jacobs Well For a fun place to stay, check out Junk Gypsy’s Wander Inn or the nearby Coyote Station Lodging.

The road tripper texas