Texas Hill Country Road Trip

Pack up your car, grab the kids, leash up your dog, pack some necessities and it is time to hit the road for an amazing road trip through the Texas hill country. Where should you stop along the way? What route should you travel? What do you need to bring with you? Here is a guide for making the most of your road trip through the hill country.





Before you hit the road, you should be prepared with some essential road trip supplies. Having the right items packed will ensure that your trip will be a success. Plan ahead for what you may see or experience along the back country roads. Take a vehicle that is no stranger to off-roading. A truck or other four wheel vehicle is best. You never know when you’ll find some back country that is tempting enough to go off-roading on. Next, is the picnic basket. Pack a picnic lunch because you will want to stop for lunch and enjoy the beautiful scenery of the Texas hill country. A great picnic spot is the Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park. You may even want to hike at Enchanted Rock first and then enjoy a picnic lunch after you explore.





The most important item you should remember to pack is your camera. You will want to snap pictures of the many different colors of the state’s wild flowers. If you are planning your road trip during the spring, you will be one of many who stop near a bluebonnet patch on the side of the road to take pictures of your kids, your dog, and even yourself. A group shot in the middle of a hundred bluebonnets is something you can’t miss out on. You will likely see exotic animals, furry little creatures like raccoons, and other animals such as deer. The hill country has a lot of wildlife and beautiful flora that you will want to capture on your camera.





There are different routes you can take when driving through the Texas hill country. You can start in Austin or San Antonio, and make a loop around the hill country. If you start in Austin, you can take 290 West out to Dripping Springs and make way towards 281 going to Fredericksburg. If you are starting in San Antonio, you can take Highway 16 towards Bandera and then make way to Kerrville. Essential stops along the way should be to Enchanted Rock, Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park, Fredericksburg, Gruene, and New Braunfels. Another great place to stop is Luckenbach and be sure to have your camera in hand because you never know when Willie Nelson will show up for an impromptu concert. There are plenty of small towns to make stops in for shopping or exploring.





Another scenic route you should consider is the Willow City Loop, a 13 mile loop near Fredericksburg. The best time to travel this loop is between March and April when all the Texas native wildflowers are in full bloom. Willow City Loop is a private ranch road that has two lanes which winds through rugged terrain, canyons, springs, and some of the most beautiful views of hill country property. If you are in Fredericksburg, take Llano street about 13 miles to Ranch Road 1323 and turn right. Continue about 3 miles to Willow City and turn left on Willow City Loop. The loop will end on Llano street (SR 16).





You can map out your road trip in advance or start driving with a general direction in mind. Be sure to have either a map or GPS with you in case you want to explore and drive on hidden country roads. National Geographic mapped out a loop a around the Hill Country in an article titled, "Road Trip: Hill Country, Texas" From National Geographic’s Drives of a Lifetime Series (http://tinyurl.com/3xlo7ae). Their route started and ended in San Antonio, but you can map out any road trip that you desire.