5 Things to Love About Texas Hill Country

by  on  in Wandering Traveler
The peace-filled, other-worldly retreat that is Tres Lunas Resort
The peaceful, other-worldly retreat that is Tres Lunas Resort

A warm welcome, oppressive summer heat, animals skipping across remote dirt roads, heavy German influence and old world architecture, BBQ, wineries and whiskey… just a few of the adventures had in Texas’ wild Hill Country.

The Renaissance Man and I took a road trip this August, stayed in one of only two guest rooms at the utterly remote, retreat-like, peaceful Tres Lunas Resort. The resort is off a few miles of dirt roads alive with jackrabbits, massive bugs, deer and cows. I’ll let my photos and captions tell the story.

OTHER-WORLDLY RETREAT: TRES LUNAS RESORT

Watching sunsets and deer - the main evening activity (besides swimming in the warm pool) at Tres Lunas
Watching sunsets and deer – the main evening activity (besides swimming in the warm pool) at Tres Lunas
Tres Lunas in the morning
Tres Lunas in the morning
Tres Lunas' inviting decor pulls from Southwestern and Mexican style with classic European and modern art in the austere yet comfortable two rooms
Tres Lunas’ inviting decor pulls from Southwestern and Mexican style with classic European and modern art in the austere yet comfortable two suites
A little chapel outside the front door
A little chapel outside the front door of Tres Lunas
Gracious husband-wife hosts, Craig & Carol Conlee, serve delicious, home-cooked meals (request when you book) that Craig cooks himself from what is fresh at the market that day
Gracious, delightful husband-wife hosts, Craig & Carol Conlee, serve delicious, home-cooked meals (request when you book) that Craig cooks himself from what is fresh at the market that day
On the few mile dirt road to Tres Lunas, you might need to ask some cows to move
On the few mile dirt road to Tres Lunas, you might need to ask some cows to move
Tres Lunas' lobby
Tres Lunas’ lobby
Gazing over Tres Lunas' property
Gazing over Tres Lunas’ property

DELICIOUS MODERN AUSTRIAN FOOD: OTTO’S

Charming Otto's with a front patio
Open since July 2013, charming Otto’s is a Fredericksburg gem and rarity amid generally dated, lackluster menus around town (http://ottosfbg.com)
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After a lovely, spice-cured salmon gravlax ($14), I savored this duck schnitzel ($26), an inspired twist on the Viennese (Austrian) classic featuring breaded duck breast over spätzle and rotkohl (red cabbage) in a kirsch (cherry) demi-glace accented by duck cracklins
Otto's charm - hip, modern, fresh and comforting at the same time
Otto’s charm – hip, modern yet comforting at the same time
The wine and cocktail list is surprisingly savvy at Otto's,
The wine and cocktail list is surprisingly savvy at Otto’s with whisk(e)y flights and wines from Alsace, Austria, Germany, Sicily, TX and Piedmont, Italy. Though I appreciated the Zwack Sour (featuring Zwack, Hungarian herbal liqueur) and Parsley Martini, I especially loved the perfectly-executed Lepzig ($8), showcasing a house dry vermouth with muddled sage and fresh lemon. It’s a beauty. Many a big city bar can’t get a cocktail this right.

HILL COUNTRY WHISKEY: GARRISON BROTHERS

Garrison Brothers Distillery, outside the tasting room (www.garrisonbros.com)
Garrison Brothers Distillery (www.garrisonbros.com)
And believe me, you'll want this soup... it's some tasty Texas bourbon
And believe me, you’ll want this soup… it’s some tasty Texas bourbon
Visiting the Garrison Bros' stills
Visiting the Garrison Bros’ stills

SMALL TOWN WITH GERMAN ROOTS: FREDERICKSBURG

Fredericksburg in bloom (and the oppressive heat)
Fredericksburg in bloom (and oppressive heat)
Fredericksburg's historic structures: Old St. Mary's Church
Fredericksburg’s historic structures: Old St. Mary’s Church
Fredericksburg's main street
Fredericksburg’s main street
The beautiful Vaudeville building houses a sophisticated decor shop and a fantastic international wine shop, bakery and coffee house - with (by far) the best coffee in town - in the basement
The beautiful Vaudeville building houses a sophisticated decor shop and a fantastic international wine shop, bakery and coffee house – with (by far) the best coffee in town – in the basement
The basement at Vaudeville
The basement at Vaudeville is home to their delightful bistro (www.vaudeville-living.com/gourmet/bistro), a culinary gem in Fredericksburg
Beers at locals' favorite, the old school German restaurant and inn, Friedhelm
Drinking beers at locals’ favorite, the old school German restaurant and inn, Friedhelm (it’s a huge, multi-room, beer hall-esque restaurant) – PS: don’t expect craft beers, just your basic, big brand, low-quality US beers
Tasting Texas wines sat the friendly Texas Wine Cellars on the main drag: Beckers, Hilmy, Four.O, Brennan’s Rose, Grade Creek, Peaches & Studebakers
Tasting Texas wines at the friendly Texas Wine Cellars on Fredericksburg’s main street – wine highlights were from Beckers, Hilmy, Four.O, Brennan’s Rose, Grade Creek, Peaches & Studebakers

BBQ COUNTRY: COOPER’S in LLANO

Widely considered the "real deal" by many Texans, the remote Llano location of Cooper's (a good 30 minute drive from Tres Lunas) is hardcore Texas BBQ
Widely considered the “real deal” by many Texans, the remote Llano location (there are other less consistently raved about Cooper’s locations) of Cooper’s is hardcore Texas BBQ and a barbecue lovers’ destination
You choose your meats from the pit outside - conveniently, you can take a little slice of everything from sausages to brisket to ribs and try all
You choose your meats from the pit outside – conveniently, you can take a little slice of everything from sausages to brisket to ribs
While I prefer Killen's outside of Houston above all TX BBQ (www.theperfectspotsf.com/wp02/2015/11/15/10-top-places-to-eat-in-houston) — and found Cooper's often oversalted — the smoke on the uber-greasy meats was perfect, the staff and crowd so friendly and small town - like entering another world entirely
While I prefer Killen’s outside of Houston above all TX BBQ (www.theperfectspotsf.com/wp02/2015/11/15/10-top-places-to-eat-in-houston) — and found Cooper’s meats often oversalted — the smoke on the uber-greasy meats was perfect, while sitting at long picnic tables under animal heads with friendly, unique staff and regulars felt like entering another, small town, decades-past world