No visit to the Texas Hill Country is complete without visiting the LBJ State Park and Historical Site. Lyndon Baines Johnson was the 36th President of the United States, serving from 1963 through 1969. He was the Vice President of John F Kennedy, and took over the presidency upon Kennedy’s death. Many, even most, baby boomers remember his presidency well since it happened during the tumultuous 1960s, and his part in escalating the VietNam War was extremely controversial. Johnson was a Democrat, a United States Congressman who became a Senator and the Senate Majority Leader. He was chosen as JFK’s running mate, and became President in 1963. Johnson’s “Great Society” and War on Poverty was his passion, sadly the war derailed his domestic policy. Johnson’s accomplishments tend to be forgotten now, but this is the President who passed Medicare and Medicaid, and created public television. He signed civil rights bills into law that banned racial discrimination in public facilities, at work and in housing. The Voting Rights Act prohibited certain practices in southern states used since Jim Crow laws to disenfranchise African American voters (now many of those same states have voter ID laws, which also tends to disenfranchise the African American Vote). The Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965 he signed changed the country’s immigration system by encouraging greater immigration from regions other than Europe, which is so much in the news in the 21st Century. Johnson’s presidency marked the peak of modern liberalism, and had he not been ruined by the war, it is hard to know what other programs and legislation would have been passed for the betterment of the citizenry. His wife, Lady Bird Johnson (also LBJ) is responsible for the Texas wildflower bloom every spring. [Read more…] about What to Do and See in the Texas Hill Country…Don’t forget LBJ!
Have You Ever Been to a Grape Stomp? Amazing fun!
The last Grape Stomp Event at Fall Creek Vineyards is on Saturday, August 26! Make plans and go!
I grew up with one image in my mind when it came to Grape Stomps at Winery Harvests: I Love Lucy, going deeper and deeper into her barrel of grapes! Also, there is a video out there of a woman in a super small barrel/bowl who fell off of a platform while stomping, and you don’t want to do that, do you? Don’t worry, there is a perfectly safe way to do a grape stomp…go to the Hill Country of Texas and enjoy the Grape Stomp at Fall Creek Vineyards in Tow, Texas, west of Austin! I was thrilled to be invited to the Grape Stomp Events at Fall Creek Vineyards. First, luncheon with celebrity chef, Jay Hunter, from the Horseshoe Bay Resort, then stomping grapes, followed by a fabulous wine tasting with Sergio Cuadra, the Director of Winemaking!
Driving to Fall Creek Vineyards from Dallas, I decided to take the scenic route instead of the horrible rush of I-35. From Dallas I took 67 to 281, and drove down to Johnson City (hometown of President Lyndon Baines Johnson), then to Driftwood, Texas, where Fall Creek Vineyards has a lovely, small vineyard of young grapes with a beautiful tasting room and a bed and breakfast. The vineyard is directly across from the entrance to the famous Salt Lick BBQ! I enjoyed exploring the vineyard, and spending a comfortable and quiet night. The next morning I drove to Tow, Texas, to the main Vineyard of Fall Creek. Tow is northwest of Marble Falls, and is in the real Texas Hill Country! I loved the drive, it was so beautiful.
At the luncheon, I met Susan Auler, one of the owners of Fall Creek, and she was absolutely delightful. Her warmth toward every visitor is a perfect example of Texas Hill Country hospitality! I was seated with fellow journalists, Ed and Glynnis, and we spent a lovely hour being treated to a two course luncheon. First, a beautiful salad, followed by the tastiest salmon dish I have ever had. Both dishes were beautifully plated. We enjoyed a lovely Fall Creek Vineyards Rose and a Merlot with lunch.
As wonderful as lunch was, I couldn’t wait to go and stomp on some grapes! Now, don’t worry, the grapes you stomp on do not go into the wine making. Two barrels were on a platform, full of grapes, and children and adults were thoroughly enjoying stomping! You can even buy a t-shirt to make your purple footprints on, showing that you stomped grapes at Fall Creek Vineyards.
Everyone was enjoying the events!
As fun as stomping was, I did have to hose off and head for the wine tasting with the Director of Winemaking, Sergio Cuadra. He showed us the vats where they “make” the wine, and we tasted out of the vats. The unfinished wines were almost creamy in color and consistency. The bouquet wasn’t yet strong, and the taste was a bit weak, but I actually enjoyed the unfinished product.
Next, we saw grapes that needed to be “pressed”. They are pressed three times a day, and I tried it, it is a little difficult!
What a day! I had so much fun, and met many people from all over Texas at the different events I attended. The luncheon and wine tasting require tickets, so be sure and get them here. I had no idea how much fun events at Fall Creek Vineyards could be! A band played, people had food, sodas, and seating available and brought their children, grandparents and dogs to the event. There are goodies for sale, especially fabulous Texas wine. I had a wonderful adventure and I urge you to head down to Tow on August 26! Enjoy!
My thanks to Fall Creek Vineyards for hosting me, you can be sure I will be back!
Why you will love Lake Travis in the Texas Hill Country!
My husband and I have visited the Texas Hill Country a few times, and loved it. We plan to spend much more time in the area!
Ah, the longer we stayed on Lake Travis in the Texas Hill Country, the more I liked it! Lakeway is a wealthy, small town with all the amenities, easy to get around in, and deer are sighted on every single drive in the neighborhood! Only an hour outside of Austin, Lakeway is a gem. At this point the lake is full, the sun is shining, and it is time to get down there!
Where to stay? I recommend Lakeway Resort and Spa. My daughter had her bachelorette at the resort, and the young women absolutely loved it. They did not want to come home. I have yet to stay there, but it is certainly on my list. Lake Travis offers all kinds of lodging, but the Resort and Spa looks creme de la creme to me! Relaxing would be so nice, and kayaking and hiking would be perfect.
You know, the Texas Hill Country really does offer it all. Rustic, luxury, camping, ranching, whatever you are looking for, you will find it there. We have stayed on the lake, in Austin, and on a ranch. Loved every single stay and cannot wait to go back! I love all of the wildlife…and the not so wild life!
While we were in Lakeway we enjoyed a lovely dinner at Hudson’s on the Bend. We absolutely loved the restaurant, it is rustically charming with an elegant flair in its decor. They grow their own herbs, indeed, herbs were growing on the roof! The excellent sauces are for sale in the restaurant store, and so are cooking classes held by the chefs. The food is tasty as well as tastefully presented. I had a Crab cake with corn, cheese and avocado….delicious! If you are visiting Lake Travis, you should give it a try, I highly recommend it. There is also an Italian Beef place here called Chitown, as in Chicago, SHY TOWN, great for lunch, especially if you are from Chicago like my husband is! I’ve never met someone from Chicago who did not love Italian Beef….Randy cannot go by an Italian Beef place without stopping for one. I, on the other hand, don’t eat meat, so they certainly do not tempt me.
We took our dogs to the lake, and you can imagine how much two Golden Retrievers enjoyed that! They were hilarious, and they could have stayed in the lake for hours. The more I think about our time in Lakeway, the more I want to go back! I’m headed there soon!
Hamilton Pool in Texas is a great place to visit for Empty Nesters!
Texas Hill Country is for Empty Nesters!
Taking a hike around Hamilton Pool in the Hill Country is fun, and easy! Hamilton Pool is an historic swimming hole, about an hour outside of Austin. Hamilton Creek empties into the Pedernales River, spilling over limestone outcroppings to create a 50 foot waterfall. In Mexico, this would be known as a cenote. I thought it would be worth a look, and I was absolutely correct.
The pool is about a mile from the entrance to the trail. It is the Hill Country, so it is up and down, up and down. The path is rocky and uneven with plenty of gnarly roots. I had no trouble on it, actually, I love nature and I love paths like this. I am quite surefooted on uneven surfaces, it is only on smooth flat ground that I fall…or smooth steps. Hamilton Pool is one of those places where generations of people have enjoyed the “swimming hole”. The water is cool and green, and looks inviting, but unfortunately, there are times when one cannot swim because of high bacteria levels. Today was one of those days. There are signs that will tell you yay or nay!
After the hike, I could see why you would want a swim. Whew. So I checked out the caverns and the pool, and enjoyed some time just watching and listening to the waterfall. It is nice and cool under the roof of the outcropping. It was nice to actually sit behind the falls as well.
I headed back after 20 minutes at the pool (since there was no swimming I didn’t stay for a long time) and somehow, I missed the turn off to the main path back to the parking lot. Instead, I hiked an additional mile along the Pedernales River. I have no idea how I could have missed the main path….but I was in unfamiliar territory, and I thought, great, I can see myself lost, wandering along the river to the pool and back again for hours. I can hear Randy and the kids already, another “kooky” mom story! Fortunately, I managed to find the path again and headed up. And I mean UP. The Hill Country is very hilly indeed! So I did over 3 miles of up and down terrain. I can hear some snickering that 3 miles is not much distance. But hey, I am over 50 and I have a few health issues like having an erector set in my spine, 8 pedicle screws and rods holding it all together, so I am pretty happy with my hike this morning. I need action! Anyway, if you are near Austin, Tx or in the Hill Country, take a hike to Hamilton Pool. It is a beautiful place to relax.