Outdoor Experiences
Retreats
Weddings
Outdoor Experiences
Retreats
Weddings
Visiting the Texas Hill Country in winter can be a magical experience. The mild weather, bountiful outdoor activities, and charming small towns make it a must-visit during the cooler months. We’ve compiled a list of things to do in Texas in winter that are a step outside the ordinary, with bespoke accommodations to match.
The city of Fredericksburg is one of the best places to spend the holiday season in Texas. This town, famous for its many wineries, has a rich German heritage. Each December, Fredericksburg celebrates Weihnachtszeit, the traditional German Christmas season, with festive decor, winter festivals, and plenty of wine.
Even if you’re not visiting during the Holidays, Fredericksburg is a cultural hotspot in the Hill Country. Each year, Fredericksburg hosts over 400 festivals and special events, in addition to regular live performances. There are also art galleries, museums, and boutique shops selling wares made by local artisans.
While you’re in Fredericksburg, consider booking a trip down one of the region’s wine trails. These adventures in vino are available in guided and self-guided varieties. You can also sample local flavors at one of Fredericksburg’s locally owned restaurants. It’s like visiting a year-round food-and-wine festival, but without the tiny serving sizes. If you’re a foodie, a tour of Fredericksville is one of the best things to do in Texas in the winter season.
Looking for accommodations that are both charming and a little tongue-in-cheek? The Wine Barrel Cabins, conveniently located a short distance from Fredericksburg, are a whimsical celebration of Fredericksburg’s claim to fame. Each cabin is themed to a different variety of wine, such as Rose or Chardonnay, with decor matching the color and character of its namesake. These boutique cabins are among Fredericksburg’s hidden gems.
Each cabin sleeps two guests and features a shower, kitchenette, and deck. Larger groups, or groups with children, can book a stay at the nearby Hickory Haus: a more traditional country house that sleeps up to eight adults.
Fishing is a year-round activity in Texas, with the winter months being particularly appealing. The mild weather makes fishing one of the best things to do in Texas in the winter, as you don’t need to worry as much about the scorching Texas sun.
Comfort is another of Hill Country’s many charming small towns, located just 45 minutes from San Antonio. This town’s inviting atmosphere makes it a popular destination on its own, as it’s home to one of the state’s most well-preserved historic districts. But for those who long for outdoor adventure, Comfort has another draw: it sits on the banks of the Guadalupe River.
The upper Guadalupe River is a popular spot for tubing and rafting during the summer, but during the winter, it’s a fantastic spot for catching trout. Thousands of the fish are released into the water in late fall, and they thrive in the cool, fast-flowing waters you’ll find in central Hill Country. However, trout isn’t all you’ll find in the Guadalupe. Catfish can often be found resting in the river’s eddies, while bass present a year-round challenge for the experienced angler.
If you want to go fishing in or around Comfort, you’ll need a fishing license. You can buy your license online or pick one up at a local retailer. We recommend visiting Lowe’s Market in Comfort, as it is the only location in town that offers both licenses and fishing supplies. You can also pick up drinks and snacks for your trip, because fishing is hungry work.
Even though it’s obviously named after the nearby town, Camp Comfort more than lives up to its evocative moniker. This former athletics club has been remodeled into a boutique, creekside resort, with luxurious accommodations.
Glampers looking for a bit of vintage flair can stay in one of two vintage aluminum trailers: an Airstream Bambi or a Spartan Manor. Both have been completely restored with high-end modern amenities while still maintaining that retro aesthetic. Choose between the sleek, futurist aesthetic of the Airstream or the rustic wood tones of the Bambi. Whichever you choose, you’re sure to be staying in comfort.
Looking for more legroom? The cabins at Camp Comfort are spacious and well-appointed, equipped with jet tubs, kitchenettes, and additional amenities like private porches and luxury mattresses. For the most space, consider booking the Camp Comfort House. It sleeps up to 10, and includes a private plunge pool and an additional Airstream for overflow.
Stargazing is one of the most popular things to do in Texas in the winter. Constellations like Taurus and Orion are at their peak, and you can even spot the distant spiral of the Andromeda Galaxy on clear nights. All you need is a telescope (or a good pair of binoculars) and a clear sky.
The Texas Hill Country is famous for stargazing, thanks to its relatively spread-out population and abundance of parks. One of the most iconic sites for stargazing is the Enchanted Rock State Natural Area, about 20 miles out from Fredericksburg.
You can get spectacular views of the night sky anywhere in Enchanted Rock, but there are ranger-guided night hikes and star parties on select nights, so you can safely access some of the best vantage points. Just be sure to dress appropriately. It’s not as cold in Texas as it is up north, but it’s definitely not shorts weather either. Be sure to wear layers!
You don’t need to take a trip to a park to see the stars at Onera Fredericksburg. All you need to do is look up. This forest sanctuary is located mere minutes from Fredericksburg, but is secluded enough to provide a clear view of the Texas sky.
Onera offers upscale, custom accommodations in a variety of architectural styles. However, for stargazing, you’re going to want one of the units with a rooftop deck. They’re designed for stargazing, offering unimpeded views of the twinkling lights above. However, every unit at Onera Fredericksburg is charming in its own way.
One of the more unique units is the Buckeye Bungalow. This safari-inspired glamping tent is fully insulated against the elements and has climate control, a private bathroom, and high-speed internet. However, its more rustic aspects lend it a distinct charm that sets it apart from a mere cabin. The signature feature is the hand-carved rock soaking tub, weighing over two tons. This tub is completely outdoors, with a clear view of the stars. Imagine relaxing in the bath, sipping a glass of local wine as you admire the spectacle of the heavens. That’s a vacation experience that is nothing short of sublime.
Horseback riding might be one of the most Texan activities there is. The Lone Star State is famous for its cowboys, after all, and winter is a wonderful time to act out those western fantasies. Horses thrive in the cooler weather, and the equestrian trails of Hill Country remain beautiful year-round.
Because horseback riding is such a popular thing to do in Texas in the winter, countless ranches offer horseback riding lessons and guided tours of the Hill Country’s gorgeous landscapes. A horseback ride is a fun way to explore Texas’s natural beauty and one of the most distinctly Texan activities.
Lone Star Ranch, located just outside of Austin, offers lessons, equestrian camps, and a variety of other outdoor adventures. There’s skeet shooting, ax-throwing, trick roping, and ranch rodeos. However, the real attraction is the trail rides across Texas’s incredible landscapes.
Not far from Lone Star Ranch lies The Liney Moon, a boutique retreat near the town of Dripping Springs. It consists of thirteen cottages and a larger cabin. The stars of The Liney Moon are the Horseshoe Cabins: a set of 10 casitas arranged in a horseshoe pattern around a central lot. Each cottage features a full bathroom, outdoor seating, and central heating and cooling.
The larger Stellar House is palatial, sleeping up to 22 people. This sprawling country house has multiple bedrooms, a full kitchen, a dedicated living area, and a covered outdoor area with its own kitchen. There are even queen bunk beds, providing plenty of space in a whimsical style.
The Liney Moon offers a wide variety of activities and amenities, including a private chef, on-site massage sessions, and tours of Hill Country’s many wineries. However, two activities will really appeal to your cowboy fantasies. The first is a direct partnership with Lone Star Ranch. The second is something more unique.
Alvies is a local purveyor of fine cowboy boots. They got their start selling boots out of an Airstream and continue that tradition with their private boot parties at The Liney Moon. Alvies Boot Fitters will bring a variety of boots and flip flops directly to the resort. Once you find the style and size you like, they’ll personalize them on the spot. You’ll be able to walk out with those boots the same day, just in time to break them in on a horseback ride. Or, you know, keep them pristine for nights on the town. Those are some nice boots, after all.
You may have spotted a throughline in our recommendations so far. They all highlight one of the spectacular natural sights you’ll see throughout the Texas Hill Country. That shouldn’t be too much of a surprise: we’re Nook Outdoors, not Nook Stay-Inside. However, there’s a lot of natural beauty that we have yet to highlight. Here are just a few examples.
Texas Hill Country is home to one of the largest bat populations in the United States, thanks to a local commitment to conservation. Despite their spooky reputation, Mexican free-tailed bats are actually quite charming and play a major role in controlling mosquito populations during the summer. They tend to avoid humans, but can be spotted throughout the region during warmer months.
In winter, much of the bat population either migrates or goes into torpor, so you’re not likely to see swarms of bats soaring through the winter skies. However, February is the beginning of bat migration into the state, and as the weather grows warmer, you’ll see more of these elegant creatures take wing.
This paradoxically named cavern, located in Boerne, is one of the most spectacular natural sights in Hill Country. It is a limestone solutional cave, formed when rainwater and groundwater dissolved limestone deposits. The result is a surreal, organic landscape where the stone seems frozen mid-flow.
One of the highlights of The Cave is the Queen’s Throne Room, which is known for its incredible acoustics. The Cave hosts monthly concerts that take advantage of these unique properties, creating an auditory experience unlike any other.
Hill Country is home to many state parks and natural areas, ideal for hiking, biking, picnicking, and license-free fishing. The warm weather means that hiking trails are open year-round, and make for the perfect day trip if you want to spend some time in nature.
Pedernales Falls State Park is a must-visit, particularly for those interested in geology. The biggest attraction here is the falls themselves. The Pedernales River flows over limestone rocks, bubbling through cracks and crevasses like a natural fountain. While the slope is relatively gentle (a 50-foot drop over 3,000 feet), the effect of erosion on the 300-million-year-old limestone has created a unique geological landscape that feels almost otherworldly in places.
The sister location to Onera Fredericksburg, this boutique landscape resort offers hot tubs, an infinity pool, and some of the most beautiful lodging options in Hill Country. Onera Wimberley’s accommodations blend natural beauty with luxury, serving as an elegant accent to the surrounding forests.
Their Greenhouse accommodations are built into the hillside and feature vegetated roofs blooming with local flora. The Spyglass accommodations are treehouses with floor-to-ceiling windows, providing incredible views of the surrounding vistas. All rooms feature climate control to keep you warm during winter nights, along with kitchenettes, walk-in showers, balconies, and the aforementioned hot tubs.
Hill Country provides easy access to two of Texas’s largest cities. Austin is located entirely within the bounds of Hill Country, while the northern edge of San Antonio just peeks over the border. Both cities offer a plethora of winter activities, letting you add a cosmopolitan flair to your Hill Country vacation.
Austin bills itself as the Live Music Capital of the World, and it strives to live up to that reputation. If you go to any public space, there’s likely a musical performance taking place. This is doubly true if you explore one of Austin’s many bars, restaurants, and coffee shops. If you enjoy live music, visiting Austin is one of the best things to do in Texas in the Winter.
Austin is also home to some must-see specialty shops, owned and operated by local vendors. If you’re looking for a quirky twist on classic Western styles, Triple Z Threads is the place to go. Here you can find vintage clothes with custom embroidery. Pay tribute to Country Music royalty with a Dolly Parton pearl snap, or bring some chaotic energy to the party with an embroidery of a gorilla uppercutting a shark.
Down south of Hill Country is historic San Antonio, one of the most vibrant cities in Texas. While most famous for the Alamo, San Antonio offers a rich tapestry of music, culture, and winter fun.
In December, San Antonio transforms into a winter wonderland, with a spectacle of lights adorning the River Walk. You can even book a cruise down the San Antonio River to admire the festive decorations, in a ride that would make any theme park envious. You might even spot Santa and the missus, if you’re lucky.
For authentic Southwestern flair, a visit to Historic Market Square is one of the best things to do in Texas in the winter. Once a farmers’ market, Market Square is now home to dozens of specialty shops selling authentic Mexican crafts and cuisine. Every weekend, there are live performances and artists hawking their handmade wares. It’s the perfect day trip for those looking to explore the tapestry of local culture.
The Bygone is a former motor lodge, transformed into a 16-room boutique resort in the heart of Hill Country. Less than an hour from Austin, and just over an hour from San Antonio, the Bygone is perfectly positioned for your Hill Country explorations.
The Bygone features a sky deck for yoga and stargazing, a reading room, and multiple bars for sipping cocktails and spending time with friends. There’s also a heated pool overlooking the Hill Country, with private cabanas and cold plunge pools.
Whether your journeys take you to Texas Hill Country, the mountains of Wyoming, or the Big Island of Hawaii, Nook Outdoors can help you find luxury accommodations unlike any you’re likely to have experienced. Our curated collection of experiential hotels and resorts can elevate your winter vacation into an unforgettable experience. So browse our collection today, and take a step beyond the ordinary.
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