Wandering Around Wimberley

For my May travel column, I knew exactly where I wanted to wander: Wimberley, that quiet, tree-shaded, swimming-hole-rich paradise that every other idyllic pocket in Texas is measured against. The peaceful Hill Country town, best known for its swimming holes and lively town square, was ravaged by floods last year, and I was eager to return to all my favorite haunts (Blue Hole, Old Baldy, and the Corral Theatre among them) and show my support the best way I knew how—by spending a weekend shopping for antiques, eating pie, and lazing by the water. Here are a few of the highlights of my latest excursion to Wimberley, which I hope inspire your own wanderings.

For this month's Wanderer column, I headed to Wimberley. It's been nearly a year since record-breaking floods devastated the area over Memorial Day weekend, but I'm happy to report that the Hill Country's Little Bit of Heaven is as idyllic as ever. Will be sharing a few of my favorite sights & bites here over the next few days, but check out our full Trip Guide too on TexasMonthly.com/travel-home before your next visit! -@jordanbreal #WimberleyStrong #CypressCreek #Texastravel #theWanderer #TexasTripGuides

A photo posted by Texas Monthly (@texasmonthly) on May 2, 2016 at 2:25pm PDT

#TexasTripGuides | The views of #CypressCreek off the patio at the Leaning Pear in #Wimberley will tide you over until that skillet of roasted chicken and green-chile-and-bacon grits hits the table. Plan on a slice of triple chocolate cake (made by the nearby Sugar Shack Bakery) for your first dessert…and then later in the afternoon, a $2.75 wedge of goodness from the Wimberley Pie Company for your second. -@jordanbreal #Texastravel #theWanderer #WimberleyStrong

A photo posted by Texas Monthly (@texasmonthly) on May 3, 2016 at 9:37am PDT

#TexasTripGuides | Each of the 12 studios at Wimberley's @HotelFloraandFauna has a kitchenette, a stash of reasonably priced snacks (no highway robbery by minibar here!), and towels for the pool. I was also happy to find a "welcome" bromeliad, a record player (+ records by the Boss and Diana Ross), and vouchers for breakfast pastries at the Sugar Shack Bakery, a short walk away. (There were also complimentary earplugs, which turned out to be a necessary amenity since the walls were a tad thin.) If you've got a big group in tow (or kids younger than 12), consider its sister property @CypressCreekCottages. -@jordanbreal #Texastravel #theWanderer #WimberleyStrong

A photo posted by Texas Monthly (@texasmonthly) on May 3, 2016 at 7:59pm PDT

#TexasTripGuides | The boutiques and restaurants along Wimberley's irregularly shaped square have seen record foot traffic lately. At Creekside Vintage, you'll find the cheerful kitsch of the fifties, sixties, and seventies, like big-eyed owl figurines, Jello-centric cookbooks, and tiki mugs. (I made off with a shiny gold elephant.) If you're looking for an excuse to go this weekend, the popular #WimberleyMarketDays, which has been held since 1964, is set for Saturday, May 7. -@jordanbreal #WimberleyStrong #Texastravel #theWanderer

A photo posted by Texas Monthly (@texasmonthly) on May 4, 2016 at 6:11pm PDT

#TexasTripGuides | There's a lot to love about #Wimberley but no visit there is complete without a trip to the water. There's the famed swimming spots, of course: Blue Hole (opening this weekend), with its rope swings and shady picnic areas, and Jacob's Well, known for its karstic spring and chancy underground caves (the season opens May 30 but make a reservation now). But don't pass up a chance to drive along River Road to survey the Blanco (pictured). Yes, last year's floods have forever altered the landscape but as one local put it to me, "It's not better or worse" now, "just different." And still plenty beautiful. -@jordanbreal For the full Wimberley Trip Guide, plus many others, head to texasmonthly.com/travel-home! #WimberleyStrong #theWanderer #texastravel

A photo posted by Texas Monthly (@texasmonthly) on May 5, 2016 at 9:38am PDT