August 2013
Texas Hill Country lies roughly in the geographic center of the state. It’s an area of rolling hills dotted with oak and cypress that includes of all or part of 25 counties. If you started in San Antonio and drew a line northeast to encompass Austin and Georgetown, then west around Llano Falls, followed the Llano River south and west toward Junction, then swung southeasterly to Kerrville and Bandera, past Boerne and finally returning to San Antonio, you’d have roughly circumscribed Hill Country.
Elevations in the area range from less than 1,000 feet in the south and eastern areas of the Hill Country and generally rise toward the north and west, to reach more than 2,500 feet in Schleicher and Kerr counties, with most areas ranging between 1,400 and 2,200 feet.
Part of Mexico until the Texas Revolution (the Republic of Texas was established after the final battle of the conflict on April 21, 1836), the culture of the Hill Country began changing when German Prince Carl of Solms-Braunfels came to Texas in 1844 seeking suitable land on which his subjects could establish a colony. As the prince was a sport hunter instead of a farmer, he ignored the rich soils and flat terrain on the way up from where he debarked at Galveston and favored the rocky, wooded area north of San Antonio.
The first white settlers to push into the Hill Country were Germans led by John Meusebach, who guided some 120 settlers from Galveston 300 miles to the New Braunfels-Fredericksburg area in 1846. Seven thousand immigrants followed over the next few years, and by the first census of 1850, there were more people of German birth or parentage in Texas than there were Texicans (Mexican-Texans). In fact, German, or “Texas German,” a dialect of German that arose in the area, was the predominant language until fairly recently.
What to do
There are loads of things to do in Hill Country. From antique shopping to opera, hunting to hiking, from sampling wine to visiting a zoo, Hill Country has it all.
In San Antonio, you won’t want to miss the famed River Walk. The San Antonio River Walk is a network of walkways winding along the banks of the San Antonio River in downtown San Antonio. Lined by bars, shops and restaurants, the River Walk is an important part of the city’s urban fabric. Boat tours of the river are available.
Of course we can’t forget the Alamo! Originally named Mission San Antonio de Valero and famous for the battle that took place there in 1836, the Alamo is now a four-acre attraction that includes buildings, exhibits and gardens.
Austin is famed for its music scene; live music, and music in many other forms, is everywhere in Austin. There are more than 250 live music venues and music festivals throughout the year. You might even catch a live act while shopping at the local Whole Foods Market.
If outdoor activities are more your cup of tea, you won’t be disappointed. The hills, lakes, streams and rivers offer perfect places for camping, fishing, hunting, canoeing, kayaking, tubing, rafting, swimming, boating, skiing, climbing, riding, hiking, walking, bird-watching, bicycling or just touring in the country. Whew!
There are also scenic wonders aplenty, such as the Cascade Caverns and The Cave Without a Name near Boerne. The Enchanted Rock State Natural Area halfway between Llano and Fredericksburg features a pink granite dome rising 425 feet above ground.
Pedernales Falls State Park, just east of Johnson City, is less well-known but equally spectacular. Here the elevation of the Pedernales River drops about 50 feet over a distance of 3,000 feet, as it cascades over a series of limestone shelves.
If on the other hand a glass of wine is more your cup of tea, you still won’t be disappointed. The Texas Hill Country American Viticultural Area is the second largest in the United States, and covers an area of over 9 million acres. Fredericksburg is the unofficial wine capital of Hill Country and features wineries and wine shops with tastings. Or take a self-guided tour along one of the Hill Country wine trails—just be sure to bring along a designated driver.
If you’ve brought the kids along (or are a big kid yourself), you can spend a day riding the coasters at Six Flags Fiesta Texas near San Antonio, take in SeaWorld San Antonio or cool off at the Schlitterbahn water park.
If you’ve had enough of the great outdoors or it’s too early for a glass of wine, Hill Country offers ample opportunities for shopping and museum browsing. Interesting local museums include the Frontier Times Museum in Bandera which is dedicated to preserving the cultural heritage of Bandera County and the surrounding Hill Country. Exhibits vary from curiosities like a 2,000-year-old corncob to the Doane Gallery of Western Art.
The National Museum of the Pacific War in Fredericksburg is the only institution in the United States dedicated exclusively to the history of the Pacific and Asiatic Theaters in World War II. In addition to exhibits, artifacts and photographs, the museum holds regularly scheduled combat reenactments.
The Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center at the University of Texas at Austin was founded to increase the sustainable use and conservation of native wildflowers, plants and landscapes and includes gardens, trails and exhibits of art and photography with a nature theme.
Pilots will want to take some time at The Texas Air Museum at Stinson Field in San Antonio. This museum is dedicated to telling the story of Texas and San Antonio’s vital role in the development of military air power. The museum houses Katherine Stinson’s Bleriot among other planes, vehicles and artifacts.
Where to stay
Lodging in Hill Country runs the gamut from 4 ½ star hotels—Mokara Hotel and Spa in San Antonio and Four Seasons in Austin—to small bed-and-breakfast inns, and also includes dude ranches, resorts and major lodging chains.
As an aviator, one spot that is a must-stay is the Hangar Hotel in Fredericksburg. This boutique hotel is located on the Gillespie County Airport (T82) and boasts a World War II aviation theme. (For more information about the origin of this unique 50-room hotel, see Lyn Freeman’s article in our June 2011 issue. —Ed.)
Getting there
Accessibility for flyers is extraordinary, with more than a dozen airports available to General Aviation aircraft within a 100-mile circle from Austin to San Antonio and Kerrville to New Braunfels.
Summer months can be hot in Hill Country, but fall weather is moderate, with daytime temperatures in the San Antonio area remaining in the mid-70s and low 80s well into October. The average first freeze isn’t until early December. Then after two or three months of what Texans call “semi-winter,” it’s spring, and fields of bluebonnets, the state flower, are blooming.
The Texas Hill Country is a great place for a vacation or a day trip. In fact, we like it so much that we’re heading there this September and we invite you to join us. See the sidebar on the right for details. Until then, auf wiedersehen, adios and “buh-bye.”
Jennifer Dellenbusch is president of the Piper Flyer Association. Send questions or comments to editor@www.piperflyer.com.
RESOURCES >>>>>
Accommodations
Four Seasons Hotel Austin
98 San Jacinto Blvd
Austin, TX 78701
(512) 478-4500
fourseasons.com/austin
Hangar Hotel
155 Airport Rd
Fredericksburg, TX 78624
(830) 997-9990
hangarhotel.com
Mokara Hotel & Spa
212 W. Crockett St
San Antonio, TX 78205
(866) 605-1212
mokarahotels.com
Attractions
San Antonio River Walk
Downtown San Antonio
thesanantonioriverwalk.com
The Alamo
300 Alamo Plaza
San Antonio, TX 78205
thealamo.org
Texas Hill Country
American Viticultural Area
winespectator.com/wct/region/rid/110
Museums
Frontier Times Museum
510 13th St
Bandera, TX 78003
(830) 796-3864
frontiertimesmuseum.org
National Museum of the Pacific War
340 E Main St
Fredericksburg, TX 78624
pacificwarmuseum.org
Texas Air Museum – Stinson Chapter
1234 99th St
San Antonio, TX 78214
(210) 977-9885
texasairmuseum.org
Natural Areas
Cave Without a Name
325 Kreutzberg Rd
Boerne, TX 78006
(830) 537-4212
cavewithoutaname.com
Cascade Caverns
226 Cascade Caverns Road
Boerne TX 78015
(830) 755-8080
cascadecaverns.com
Enchanted Rock State Natural Area
16710 Ranch Rd. 965
Fredericksburg, TX 78624
(830) 685-3636
tpwd.state.tx.us/state-parks/
enchanted-rock
Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center
4801 La Crosse Ave
Austin, TX 78739
(512) 232-0100
wildflower.org
Pedernales Falls State Park
2585 Park Road 6026
Johnson City, TX 78636
(830) 868-7304
tpwd.state.tx.us/state-parks/
pedernales-falls
Family Fun
Six Flags Fiesta Texas
17000 IH-10 West
San Antonio, TX 78257
(210) 697-5050
sixflags.com/fiestaTexas
Schlitterbahn
New Braunfels Waterpark
400 N. Liberty Ave
New Braunfels, TX 78130
(830) 625-2351
schlitterbahn.com/nb
SeaWorld San Antonio
10500 SeaWorld Dr
(800) 700-7786
San Antonio, TX 78251
seaworldparks.com/en/
seaworld-sanantonio
-SIDEBAR-
Hill Country Airports, FBOs, Fuel and Car Rentals
Austin Bergstrom Intl—Elev. 542 ft., Runways 17R/35L, 12,248 ft., ILS. FBOs: Atlantic Aviation, Signature. Avgas/Jet. All major rental cars.
Austin Lakeway Park—Elev. 909 ft., Runways 16/34, 3,930 ft. Avgas.
Austin Horseshoe Bay—Elev. 1,093 ft., Runways 17/35, 5,978 ft. Avgas/Jet.
Boerne Stage Field—Elev. 1,385 ft., Runways 17/35, 4,390 ft. Texas Skyways. Avgas. Car rental: Enterprise.
Fredericksburg Gillespie County—Elev. 1,695 ft., Runways 14/32, 5,002 ft. FBO: Fredericksburg. Avgas/Jet.
Georgetown Municipal—Elev. 790 ft., Runways 18/36, 5,000 ft. 11/29, 4,100, NDB. FBOs: Aero Centex, Longhorn Jet Center, Century Turbines. Avgas/Jet. Car rental: Enterprise, Hertz.
Johnson City Harris Ranch—Elev. 1,188 ft. Runways 18/36, 4,600 ft.
Johnson City—Elev. 1,515 ft. Runways 17/35, 6,291 ft. Private, permission required.
Kerrville Municipal/Schreiner Field—Elev. 1,617 ft. Runways 12/30, 6,000 ft.
Llano (pronounced YA-no) Municipal—Elev.1,102 ft. Runways 17/35, 4,202 ft.; 13/31, 3,209. Avgas/Jet.
New Braunfels Municipal—Elev. 651 ft., Runways 17/35, 5,364 ft.; 13/31, 5,352. RNAV. Avgas/Jet.
San Antonio Intl—Elev. 809 ft., Runways 12R/30, 8,502 ft., ILS, RNAV. FBOs: Million Air, Signature Flight Support, Landmark, Asertec. All major rental cars.
San Antonio Stinson Municipal—Elev. 577 ft. Runways 09/27, 4,845 ft.; 14/32 4,125. FBOs: San Antonio Aviation, Stinson Jet Center. Avgas/Jet.
San Marcos Municipal—Elev. 597 ft., Runways 13/31, 5,603 ft; 08/26, 6,330 ft.; 17/35, 5,214. FBOs: Berry, Redbird Skyport. Avgas/Jet.
Source: Airnav.com
