Texas was one of the states that we were most interested in discovering, not only the big cities but especially the Texas deeper, that of the small towns, the ranches, the cowboys and the barbecues. So we planned a 2-day car route to cross part of this enormous state. Here we tell you all about our roadtrip by Texas!

We leave from San Antonio having seen the most interesting points, The Alamo, as a symbol of the Texan union and its patriotism (here was the Battle of Alamo, between Mexicans and Texan secessionists), the area of River walk, with its bareitos and relaxed atmosphere and the San Fernando Cathedral. Apparently, San Antonio is a city with certain Spanish reminiscences, the truth is that it cost us to find them, but we found a bar with a Canarian name, and that is how the friendly Blas told us, the Spanish government sent a group of canaries to To occupy this territory, he convinced them by giving them titles and lands.

San Antonio was the starting point of our road trip through Texas, which would take us to tour the Country Hill area, to Dallas in two days.

- First day -

♠ Distance traveled: approx 175 miles
♠ Places of interest: Gruene, Lockhart, Wimberley, Blue Hole, Luckenbach and Fredericksburg.Austin, Hamilton Pool optional

From San Antonio our first stop wasGruene, a small town with three streets nothing more, but most picturesque. Its old wooden houses and metal plates house antique stores, cafes and restaurants, although the most important of the town is the one that hides behind its walls the oldest dance hall in the United States! It is easy to find, it is right next to the huge water tank, another symbol of this Texan corner. If you dare put on your hat, put on your boots and pop the board! And if not, then take some pictures and continue the roadtrip through Texas.

Town of Gruene, Texas

Oldest ballroom in the United States in Gruene, Texas

It deserves to follow the route until the world capital of texas barbecue: Lockhart, and try your luck in one of its local historical. We went toBlack's Barbecue, a damn past experience! It is a family restaurant that feeds everyone who wants it since 1932, loved by all the neighbors and not only by them: the president of the United States. Lyndon B. Johnson once hired them catering for a meeting at the Capitol. Other recommended sites are Kreuz Market, Lockhart Chisholm Trail BBQ or Smitty's Market.

Black's Barbecue, in Lockhart, Texas

If you have doubts about how a texas barbecue works We tell you, you'll see how easy, that's how we did it:

• Upon entering you queue to go directly to the area of ​​the sides, or the companions. You can choose one, two, three ... or whatever you want! First you have the cold ones and then the hot ones, you put them on your plastic plate and go straight on. Each one costs $ 1.99.
• Next you get to the meat area, the barbecue! There you have several types serving, you will see the prices right in front, usually for pounds. You can choose 1/3, 1/2 or the whole pound (1 pound = 0.45kg). For example, the ribs cost about $ 15 per pound, and the sausages charge them per unit, at $ 3.
• You order the meat that you want to be served at the moment, you also order the drink (which is a glass that you can then fill in as many times as you want in the room) and pay there. Eye, do not pay the tip!
• Then you go to the dining room and wing, to get purple! There you have the drink suppliers, also pickles, bread, onion and I don't know what else is available, cutlery, etc ...

What did we eat? As we only live once, we ordered 4 sausages (2 originals, one of garlic and another of jalapeño with cheese), half a pound of large ribs and another half of small ribs, 2 sides for each (macaroni and cheese, black beans) and mashed potatoes with very good gravy). Also a drink for both (we fill it as many times as we want). Total we paid $ 40 ... So it seems that it can be expensive, but in reality it is not ... We had 2 sausages left over and we left well eaten there! By the way, do not forget to weigh yourself before and after eating, there is a scale with a lot of tradition at the end of the dining room ... yes yes, right next to the horns!

Texas barbecue in Lockhart

We change the course to go to the Blue hole, which is not really a hole! It is a park (for a fee), with a beautiful river that passes between trees, the sea of ​​calm and perfect for a picnic (and the nap after). In summer season they enable it so you can take a dip, but when we visited it (end of May) it still couldn't be done, so we saved the $ 9 from the entrance. The site is cool, there is also a path through the surroundings that should be interesting. To arrive you have to go through another town anchored in the past, we did not have it in the plan and we were surprised! Is named Wimberley!

• More info: official website

Blue Hole, although I see it green ...

Small town of WImberley, Texas

If you have more time, it may be time to move on to the capital of Texas: Austin. We do not visit it, but here we leave you the most important visits:

• HOPE Outdoor Gallery
• Texas Capitol
• Cathedral of Junk
• Lake Travis and the Hamilton Pool. These two around Austin. The Hamilton Pool has an area that seems super photogenic, the bad news is that the entrance costs about $ 25. More information on its website.

Roadtrip by Texas

We follow the road trip through Texas through ranches, fields with alpacas (of both animals and straw), horses, cows, sheep ... even the odd deer that lies in the side of the road while they make their barbecue Private a lot of American black vultures (how nice!). The truth is that traveling the roads of Texas is like visiting a strange zoo, although in this case most animals are dead (deer, badgers, armadillos ...).

Hungry vultures sticking a feast

And we get toLuckenbach, that we would not know how to describe it ... It is actually one of the oldest towns in Texas, but at the end of the 20th century it was abandoned and put up for sale. Until in 1970 an association for the cultural protection of Texas bought it with the idea of ​​creating a fantasy town, an ode to the Texan spirit! The concerts started, the beer ran again and the buildings found a new use, now it is the perfect place to finish believing that yes, you are in the real Texas! There are no houses here, there are no bakeries, workshops, or motels ... what you find in Luckenbach are a few wooden shacks that serve as a bar, performance hall, souvenir shop and bathrooms ... The site is ideal to take a afternoon or evening, have a beer and enjoy a country concert, watch the events on their website.

Luckenbach, Texas

Luckenbach, Texas

The day is finished inFredericksburg, a town founded by Germans that conserves something of that country, especially in the menus of the restaurants and in the posters of the premises. We take a dip in the motel pool and toast with some craft beers, which tomorrow will be another great day on the roads of Texas!

Fredericksburg, Texas

- Second day -

♠ Distance traveled: approx 275 miles
♠ Places of interest: Enchanted Rock, towns like Strawn, Mingus and Gordon, Stockyards

Today he paints something quieter, although we will make more miles than yesterday. From Fredericksburg we take the highway 16 To the north, it is a whole picturesque road that makes its way between flower fields (if you come between April and May, it is probably even more impressive), some low tree forests and that as you travel through the state of Texas to The north shows how its passage is changing towards flatter and more arid areas.

A visit you can't miss is about 8 miles west of Highway 16. It's theEnchanted Rock, or "Enchanted Rock." a huge dome-shaped pink granite mole that rises in the middle of the plain. You can approach the road, but to enter the park and ascend it you have to pay $ 7. It is a recommended area for camping, hiking and climbing. If you have time on your road trip in Texas, this is a great place to spend the night.

Roadtrip by Texas

Enchanted Rock, Texas

Returning to Highway 16 you will go through a series of villages with such typical names like Cherokee, Comanche or De León. In this section, although there is no more important point or attraction, it is highly recommended to feel the true heart of Texas.

Roadtrip by Texas

At the junction with Highway 20 you have the option to continue straight to see more charming villages likeStrawn, Mingus and Gordon, or head straight to Fort Worth to visit its crown jewel:Stockyards. It is an enclosure with several buildings and streets set in the purest style of the far west, halls with concerts at night, surrounded on Fridays and Saturdays, museums, restaurants and eye ... the release of cattle! Ok, it's really not as impressive as we thought (nothing to do with a confinement of those we know from Spain), but don't tell me that the horns of those cows do not distress a little! It is called "The Herd" or "Cattle Drive" and is done every day at 12 and 16. Authentic cowboys with their boots and hats lead the cattle from one pen to another, which apparently was already done in times far away.

To enter the site you do not have to pay anything, the museums are at will (we believe) and see the Cattle Drive is free, what if it costs are concerts and rodeos. If you are interested, check their website and see the scheduled events. We did not reserve anything, but at the visitor center they offered us discounts for the rodeo and free tickets for the concert that night.

Stockyards, in Fort Worth

Stockyards, in Fort Worth

They wore platform boots ... for the record

- Travel map -

Video: 1600 Miles In Two Days - Road Trip To Texas And Back (May 2024).