Fredericksburg Fun!

One of our favorite things about Texas is the difference in landscapes and cultures as we travel to various regions.  And one of our favorite regions is the hill country, right in the middle of our state!  Our trip last week to the Fredericksburg area for a family wedding was really fun! 

Bastrop Rental Cabin

Bastrop Park Overlook

Marc and I started out a day early, taking our time and enjoying some sites along the way.  We visited Bastrop State Park, a place in which we had camped when our family was young.  We knew it would look different… the 2011 fire tore through that part of the country taking most everything that would burn.  It lasted for weeks!  Now, 3 years later, the damage is obvious, but the park is coming back, and the parts that are open are lush and green.  We hope to stay in a cabin there soon.  We visited McKinney Falls State Park near Austin as well.– Mother Nature has dealt that area a bad hand, too, with the drought.  Not many people staying there, and some of the park is closed completely.

Upper McKinney Falls

We moved on to Buda, TX to enjoy dinner nearby and stay the night.  We had a GREAT Mexican meal in south Austin at Trudy’s  – really good margaritas!  

After a quick trip Thursday to a winery in Driftwood, we met up with more family the next day at The Salt Lick - simply the best bbq in the state!  Then on to Fredericksburg.

I was a little nervous because I had arranged for lodging for the whole family at a rental house, sight unseen.  We were hoping for the best, and we got it!  The house, called Enchanted Porch, is actually on a large ranch 9 miles north of Fredericksburg on the road to Enchanted Rock.  It sleeps 14, which was plenty of space, since we averaged about 8 people per night.  It turned out to be the perfect place for our family, aged 25 to 84.  Some highpoints include a large wrap-around porch, beautiful hill country views and sunsets, hiking trails, with wildlife and domesticated animals everywhere.  These included deer, songbirds, longhorns, llamas, and even peacocks in the distance.  We’ll never forget their call – sounds like a woman yelling for help. (glad they were in the distance!)  The inside of the house is beautiful pine, with a large kitchen, lots of restrooms, and furnished well.

 

 

Our family enjoyed trips to wineries & breweries, restaurants, main street shopping, Enchanted Rock, and our scenic drive to Boerne for the wedding.  The weather cleared on Friday night for that outdoor ceremony, and we all had a great time dancing and catching up with the bride and groom, Kristen & Zach, and the rest of the extended family. 

 






Visiting wineries is something we love to do on trips, especially near Fredericksburg, but we goofed on Friday when we decided to try all the new places popping up along 290.  Not a good idea.  Our advice now is to do the opposite!  The wineries we still enjoy most are those that have been around awhile, have knowledgeable staff, and beautiful scenery, patios, and tasting areas that have developed over the years.   Our favorite is BeckerVineyards, where we’re wine club members.  We were treated to a very nice tasting there, including an appetizer tray, and were escorted through the property for a tour.  They’ve built a new pavilion outside that they’re considering making a “members only” area.  Either way, it’s a nice addition right next to the lavender fields, which will be in bloom in the spring. (Sounds like a good excuse to go back!)

On Sunday, we all gathered at Bejas Grill for brunch – this place had great food, and also catered to the two dogs who were on our trip.  It's peach season, so on the way home we stopped to pick some up at a fruit stand, and everyone went their separate ways for the ride home. 

Thanks to Mom & Dad, Gary, Kimmy, Ryan, Kaitlyn, Eric, and two new friends, Claudia & Jimmy for a great mini-vacation, and congrats and God’s blessings to Kristen and Zach in their life together!