The Texas Hill Country, spanning 25 counties in Central and South Central Texas, is vast, wide open, and beautiful. Even those who call other parts of Texas home flock to the Hill Country for green, hilly escapes, particularly in the springtime when the bluebonnets and Indian paintbrushes awash the hillsides, and in June when peach season is at its peak. With wineries, pick-your-own orchards, small-town rodeos, state parks, swimming holes, and country dive bars, there are endless possibilities for a good weekend in the region. There are also a handful of pretty special places to hole up and call home while you’re visiting. Whether you’re looking for a treehouse or a (non-criminal) jail cell, here are a few of our favorite Hill Country getaways where we like to call it a night after a solid day of adventures.
1. Geronimo Creek Retreat | Seguin, Texas
Geronimo Creek Retreat is another boutique Texas accommodation with multiple lodging options onsite. There are two treehouse cabins that can sleep up to six, as well as well-furnished tipis with two-to-three beds in each, including a kitchenette. Common areas include a hot tub, large dock, a guest lodge with a big-screen TV, ping-pong tables, bottomless board games, and a cozy sofa.
The property is beautiful, situated on an elbow of the jade-hued, catfish-filled Geronimo Creek, where you can fish, swim, canoe, or kayak. Geronimo Creek provides stand-up paddleboards, kayaks, and a rope swing. There are firepits and outdoor seating areas scattered about the property, so it’s a great place for groups traveling together. Bring groceries, take full advantage of the grill, and have an outdoor dinner after a day spent on the water.
2. Camp Comfort | Comfort, Texas
Once a bowling alley and social club, Camp Comfort is now comprised of four rooms and two cabins overlooking another cypress-lined creek. The bowling alley itself was converted into four well-equipped rooms, hand-designed and built out by the husband-and-wife owners. With cozy beds, antlers, exposed wood, and the best kitchenette I’ve yet to find, and TVs in the bathrooms, Camp Comfort maintains its rustic appeal with modern amenities. Meanwhile, the two creekside-facing cabins, greet you with Pendleton blankets, jacuzzi tubs, and one cabin with a loft.
The entire compound has a very summer camp-like vibe, with a fire ring in the middle of the property, which the owners get going for guests each night. With s’mores kits ready to go, all you need to do is relax next to the fire and roast marshmallows in the moonlight. Some nights, you may be lucky enough to find yourself serenaded by well-known Texas musicians on the property’s small stage. And as a sidenote: Comfort is a charming, quaint Texas town. Take the time to venture less than a mile into downtown for the town’s famous Comfort Pizza; if you’re taking it to go, be sure to call ahead because locals often reserve dough. Yes, it’s that good.
3. Liney Moon | Dripping Springs, Texas
Near the entrance to Pedernales State Park, Liney Moon is an 8-acre property with a main house for rent, ten cottages, and an Airstream trailer—all named and themed after local businesses. Conveniently located near several wineries, a distillery, and the state park, Liney Moon is a perfect lodging option for those who want to explore Texas vineyards and natural beauty. Nearby, Pedernales Falls has endless hiking trails and its namesake falls, which flow through giant rock formations along the Pedernales River. There’s an outpost just down the road—a small bar and convenience store, that just happens to have one antique piano and a whole lot of cowboys passing through.
The quirky cottages at the Liney Moon compound are all well-furnished, cozy, and support local businesses like Treaty Oak (a distillery), the Musician’s Woodshed (a music shop), the famous Salt Lick (BBQ), and Proof & Copper (a nearby restaurant). Liney Moon also provides transportation packages for those adventurers who plan to imbibe along the way. We can certainly raise a glass to that. Bottoms up, cowboys and cowgirls.
4. The Cell Block | Clifton, Texas
A single-cell jailhouse in the heart of downtown Clifton, Texas is one of the state’s most unique accommodations. With a history rich and debaucherous, the space has been converted into a space that the owners deem “luxurious solitary confinement.” With complimentary liquor and wine, brought to you by partnerships that The Cell Block has made with a local winery and distillery, and a vinyl collection that includes “contraband albums,” the experience should be the best night you’ve ever spent in the slammer.
Even more, the jailhouse has a rooftop deck overlooking Clifton’s Art Alley, where you can enjoy a single-malt scotch while watching painters legally go about their tagging. Once you’ve served your time, take your time exploring Clifton. A charming town, you’ll find an old theater, small-town BBQ, and a winery within steps of your jailhouse doors.
5. Cypress Valley Canopy Tours | Spicewood, Texas
Outside of Spicewood, Texas, Cypress Valley Canopy Tours offers more than a ziplining adventure through cypress treetops. There are also several treehouses throughout the property that allow you to sleep in those same treetops. The outfit’s first treehouse—Lofthaven—is a particularly wonderful place to stay. The “treehouse” is actually a yurt built around an ancient cypress trunk, connected to land by a drawstring bridge. Overtop the creek below, you’re literally in the forest canopy (and anyone who’s seen an old Texas cypress tree knows just how tall these trees grow).
A wraparound porch gives you the opportunity to kick back with a good book, open a bottle of wine, and relish in the green that surrounds you. At night, you’ll hear the cries of coyotes and, if you’re lucky, you might even spot a ringtail cat. Another bonus: just across the bridge is a separate kitchen and bathhouse literally built into the side of the cliffside; the owners created a bath within the rock, that acts as a waterfall while you bathe. In the treetops. Need we say more?
Written by Ashley Halligan for RootsRated and legally licensed through the Matcha publisher network. Please direct all licensing questions to legal@getmatcha.com.
