Lone Star Scenery

Texas Hill Country is an anomaly in a state which is otherwise pretty darn flat. The area is rich with pretty landscapes, early American history, Tex-Mex culture and echoes of the story of Lyndon Baines Johnson, the country’s 36th president. The starting point for any tour of Hill Country is San Antonio, perhaps the most beautiful and atmospheric city in Texas. Long a crossroads of history and a meeting place of cultures, the country’s ninth largest city is a melange of flavors, sounds and sights. Most notably, San Antonio is the site of the Alamo. Located in the heart of downtown, the Alamo continues to stand as a repository of Texas history and a monument to the 189 volunteers who died there in 1836 during a 13-day siege against 1,800 Mexican troops.

In a city filled with things to do and see, the River Walk is San Antonio’s leading tourist attraction. It comprises about three miles of scenic stone pathways lining both banks of the San Antonio River. In some places, the River Walk is peaceful and quiet; in others, it is an energetic conglomeration of restaurants, bars, hotels and strolling mariachi bands.

History buffs will want to visit the King William Historic District, a quiet leafy neighborhood filled with Victorian mansions built by leading German merchants in the late 19th century. The city is also home to the San Antonio Missions National Historical Park, the site of five missions founded in the early 1700s. It’s the perfect place to explore the city’s roots and Spain’s influence on this part of the country. The San Antonio Zoo and Aquarium, featuring the country’s third-largest animal collection and El Mercado, the largest Mexican marketplace outside of Mexico, are entertaining and educational family stops.

After a healthy dose of San Antonio, it’s time to take to the roads heading to Hill Country. The first stop in Hill Country is Bandera, known as the “Cowboy Capital of the World.” It’s surrounded by numerous dude ranches where you can take to the saddle for a few days of cowboy fun. Rodeos, country western music and horse racing are regular pastimes.

In Kerrville, make a stop at the Y.O. Ranch, one of the most famous ranches in the nation and home to one of the nation’s largest registered herds of longhorn cattle. But, go figure, it’s also home to zebra, giraffe and more than 30 other exotic species, all of which can be spotted on guided tours of the property.

You’ll find streudel, bratwurst and German beer in Fredericksburg. This quaint Teutonic community is a long-time favorite with shoppers, bed-andbreakfast lovers and sausage sages. Work off all those German delicacies at Enchanted Rock State Natural Area, site of the largest stone formations in the West.

Stonewall is the birthplace of President Lyndon B. Johnson. Visit the Lyndon B. Johnson State Historical Park, where you can catch a guided tour of the LBJ Ranch. You can also visit the Sauer- Beckmann Farmstead, a farm that recalls the early 1900s. Near Stonewall is Johnson City, named for LBJ’s grandfather, Sam Ealy Johnson, Sr. LBJ moved here from Stonewall when he was five years old. The headquarters for the Lyndon B. Johnson National Historic Park is here, as is the former president’s boyhood home.

Before moseying on back to San Antonio, hit the Hill Country hotspot of New Braunfels. Gruene (pronounced Green), formerly a town in and of itself, is now a neighborhood in New Braunfels. From its founding in the 1870s, Gruene was a happening place with a swinging dance hall and a busy cotton gin. But when the boll weevil arrived here during the Great Depression, Gruene became a ghost town. Today, Gruene is alive again with small shops and restaurants as well as the state’s oldest dance hall. Gruene Hall is as lively today as it was in the late 1800s. Burlap bags draped from the ceiling dampen the sound, 1930s advertisements plaster the walls, and a US flag with 46 stars still hangs over the dance floor.

Pick up a souvenir of your time in Hill Country in New Braunfels, the self-proclaimed “Antique Capital of Texas.” New Braunfels recalls its German heritage with many festivals and the name of its waterpark, Schlitterbahn, which means “slippery road” in German. Water lovers can also canoe, raft or inner-tube down the city’s Guadalupe and Comal rivers. Finish your Lone Star adventure by heading back to San Antonio, which continues to beckon with its sizzling summer Tex-Mex menu of events, culture and cuisine.