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    Pitch a tent

    9 gorgeous places to camp in Central Texas for a quick getaway

    Melissa Gaskill
    Aug 13, 2018 | 9:06 am

    Perhaps you're looking for one last outdoor adventure before summer ends, or maybe the prospect of cooler fall nights has you dreaming of, well, dreaming in a tent. Either way, it's easy to make it happen in Central Texas.

    With its natural beauty, rolling hills, and picturesque vistas, the area is teeming with places to enjoy the great outdoors with a camping adventure. Pitch a tent at a primitive campsite, or rent a cabin in the woods. Regardless of your style, these nine spots are perfect for a camping getaway.

    Bastrop State Park
    Famous for its extensive loblolly pine forest, better known as the Lost Pines, Bastrop State Park was ravaged by forest fires in 2011 and 2015. It remains a great spot for camping though, with 35 full-hookup sites, 19 electric-only sites, and 16 tent-only and six walk-in sites. Choose one of the latter and you won’t have to share your peace and quiet with air conditioning or TV noise. Some of the longer hiking trails are closed, but seven miles remain open. The hilly, 12-mile Park Road 1C between Bastrop and nearby Buescher State Park by car or bike is a contrast of recovering and still-forested areas. (And don’t even think about throwing that butt out the window.)

    Black Rock Park
    Enjoy swimming, kayaking (rentals available), and bank fishing at this Lower Colorado River Authority park on the west shore of sprawling Lake Buchanan. Or just float. Overnight options include cabins, tent camping, or RV sites. For land-based recreation, choose from a playground, horseshoe pits, and a volleyball court.

    Canyon of the Eagles
    A 940-acre park on the northeast shore of Lake Buchanan, Canyon of the Eagles offers tent camping at wooded Chimney Slough and at Tanner Point, and hike-in-only sites on a small peninsula. It also has an RV park if a real bed is more your groove. Tent campers have access to the RV bath house and amenities including a swim beach, nature programs, observatory, and 14 miles of hiking trails. And if you suck at camp cooking, there’s a great restaurant on site.

    Inks Lake State Park
    This state park, a classic Texas Hill Country landscape, has nearly 200 campsites, many on the shore, and 22 cabins (two ADA-accessible). Oh, it also has a lake, of course, where you can swim or paddle in a large, no-wake zone (paddleboats, canoes, and kayaks available for rent). Fish for sunfish, catfish, and bass from two piers or the shore — no fishing license needed — and clean your catch at one of two cleaning stations. Plus, there are nine miles of hiking trails. The park store sells all the essentials and there’s even a food truck that sells snow cones, root beer floats, nachos, hot dogs, and more.

    Lake Bastrop North Shore Park
    The LCRA maintains two parks near the 900-acre Lake Bastrop, just outside the town of Bastrop, both relatively untouched by area fires in recent years. The North Shore park sports an inflatable aquatic playground along with watercraft rentals, picnic areas, hike and bike trails, and a camp store. Tent and RV camping available, and coming this fall, Airstream rentals.

    Lake Bastrop South Shore Park
    This 176-acre park has RV campsites; 18 five-person cabins with electricity, heat and AC; and a bath house. The lake is popular for fishing, swimming, and boating, with on-site rentals of canoes, kayaks, stand-up paddleboards and Corcls, small round boats impossible to tip over. Hike a 2.5-mile loop, or a four-mile trail through the woods that connects this park and Lake Bastrop North Shore. Or, channel your inner Jordan Spieth on the new miniature golf course.

    Lake Georgetown
    This Army Corps of Engineers-built lake on the San Gabriel River has four camping areas: 142 sites at Jim Hogg Park on its north side, with restrooms and showers; 59 at Cedar Breaks on the south side, with restrooms and hookups; 27 primitive sites at Russell Park to the west of Jim Hogg; and 10 primitive sites at Tejas Camp on the far western tip of the lake. Except for Tejas, the parks have swim beaches, boat ramps, and fishing docks. Hike all or part of the 26-mile Goodwater Trail encircling the lake, traversing woods, rocky hills, and open fields, past a number of springs.

    McKinney Falls State Park
    A state park within the Austin city limits — who knew? And it's a pretty sweet state park at that, with 81 campsites, six cabins, nearly nine miles of hike and bike trails (including 2.8 of them paved). Onion Creek is also open for both fishing (no license needed) and swimming. Plus, the area is home to one of the oldest bald cypress trees in Texas, clocking in at more than 500 years old, 103 feet tall, and 195 inches around. Try and hug that.

    Pedernales Falls State Park
    Famous for its falls, this park 32 miles west of Austin also has 69 campsites, plus a four-person hike-in primitive site and an equestrian group camp. Swim, tube, or kayak in the river (only in designated areas below the falls), hike the six-mile Wolf Mountain trail or bike 10 miles on Juniper Ridge Trail. The picturesque falls cascade over 300-million-year-old limestone, part of the Marble Falls formation and the southwestern flank of the Llano Uplift. Don’t know what the heck any of that means? You need a basic Hill Country geology lesson (asking a park ranger is a good place to start), or bone up on history instead at nearby Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park and LBJ State Park & Historic Site.

    Pedernales Falls boasts 69 campsites, plus a four-person hike-in primitive site and an equestrian group camp.

    Pedernales Falls State Park camp hike hiking river creek
    Pedernales Falls State Park/Facebook
    Pedernales Falls boasts 69 campsites, plus a four-person hike-in primitive site and an equestrian group camp.
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    Best of the South

    Southern Living lauds Hill Country hotspot among best towns in the South

    Amber Heckler
    Mar 13, 2026 | 3:32 pm
    Vareines Kirch in Fredericksburg
    Photo by Steve Rawls
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    The famous German Hill Country town of Fredericksburg is getting the spotlight as a must-visit destination in Southern Living's 2026 South's Best Awards.

    Fredericksburg claimed the coveted No. 3 spot in the publication's ranking of the Best Small Towns in the South.

    The annual awards are determined through third-party online surveys of Southern Living consumers from July 9 to September 9, 2025. Over 17,000 respondents rated their favorite places across the South, the report said.

    The top two best small Southern towns were St. Augustine, Florida (No. 1), and St. Simons Island/Golden Isles, Georgia (No. 2).

    Specifically, Southern Living gave a nod to Fredericksburg's growth and the recent addition of The Albert Hotel, which opened in 2025. The Albert Hotel was ranked the 10th best new hotel in 2026.

    "The city’s premier full-service luxury hotel revives a cluster of 19th-century landmarks, from a historic saloon to a former pharmacy that is now a cafe, deli, and artisan market," the report said. "Alongside the 105 minimalist guest rooms, a holistic spa and a limestone pool provide moments of quiet relaxation."

    The Albert Hotel pool We all need a relaxing day poolside at the Albert Hotel pool oasis.Photo by Chase Daniels

    As the Fredericksburg area grows, Southern Living said, it still maintains its cozy, small-town feel.

    "Fredericksburg still wears its German heritage on its sleeve, evident throughout Main Street architecture and a lively cluster of biergartens and long-running seasonal festivals," Southern Living wrote. "Wine lovers will feel particularly at home thanks to more than 100 wineries and tasting rooms scattered throughout town and the surrounding countryside."

    It's no wonder Southern Living decided to locate its 2026 Idea House there.

    Popular events like the Fredericksburg Food & Wine Festival and locally focused programs like the Texas Hill Country Wineries wine passports draw in crowds from all parts of Texas. The town is about a five-hour drive from downtown Dallas, which makes it a great weekend or spring break escape. North Texas travelers might even spot small patches of bluebonnets during their road trip through the Hill Country.

    No matter which route you take, travelers should make a pit stop through another small Texas town called Marble Falls, which is home to one of Southern Living's most legendary Southern restaurants: Blue Bonnet Cafe. According to the report, its longstanding staff members embody the idea of "southern hospitality" every day.

    "There’s one real reason the Blue Bonnet Cafe is so widely respected: The folks who run the place have been holding this small-town diner to high standards for years," the report said.

    Blue Bonnet Cafe opened in 1929 and was later bought by the Kemper family in 1981, who still own and operate it today. Southern Living recommends ordering one of the blue plate specials, and a slice of pie is a mandatory treat.

    "With 15 options — from luxuriously creamy to bright and fruity — you’re guaranteed to find one you’ll love," the report said.

    Blue Bonnet Cafe in Marble Falls, Texas Ordering a slice of pie is a requirement, not a suggestion.Blue Bonnet Cafe - Marble Falls, TX/Facebook

    The only other Texas destination to earn recognition in Southern Living's annual awards was the iconic Franklin Barbecue in Austin, which was crowned the best barbecue joint in Texas by the publication's readers.

    "Fans from around the world queue up for hours to experience the craftsmanship that has made Franklin a barbecue celebrity," the report said. "Flawless prime-grade brisket with a sweet, tangy glaze is still the showstopper here, and it’s accompanied by the quintessential Central Texas lineup of pork ribs, turkey, and jalapeño-Cheddar sausage."

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