If you're looking for a place to escape the heat, get yourself to Wimberley! We just came back from a refreshing weekend in Wimberley, full of fun in the water; from swimming to fishing to floating, we did a bit of it all!
The Lodge at Cypress Falls main entrance and outdoor pool in Wimberley, TX
We stayed at The Lodge at Cypress Falls, which was a truly unique and and relaxing place. The Lodge has all the amenities; the only thing it's missing is a full restaurant (which may be due to COVID). But not to worry, they have a food truck on site that sells BBQ sandwiches, hot dogs, chips and refreshments if you don't want to drive into town.
BBQ brisket sandwich from the food truck parked next to the Cypress Falls Swimming Hole
I'll share some info on what we did and where we stayed below. One tip - this is a place you need to plan ahead for. To get in the water at both Blue Hole Regional Park and Jacob's Well, you'll need to have a reservation. Although not as much a problem for Blue Hole, weekend dates for Jacob's Well sell quick when they go on sale in early Spring.
Same goes for dinner reservations! Although the population of City of Wimberley is only about 3,000 residents and the adjoining City of Woodcreek is about 1,750, restaurants in Wimberley are bustling on a Saturday night in July! I almost always make dinner plans in advance, but mistakenly thought that being a small town, we'd be able to get in easily. Needless to say, we ate food "to go" from H-E-B both nights...so not much to report on the dinner scene from this trip, unfortunately.
LODGING
50 Marina Circle
Wimberley, TX
I loved the vintage vibe of The Lodge at Cypress Falls; the lodge only has 22 rooms and has it's own private swimming hole, in addition to an outdoor pool. We spent time in both the swimming hole and the pool during our visit. Nothing stands out about the pool (other than the super cute Wimberley mural) but the swimming hole is something special.
Someone was very excited to go fishing at the Cypress Falls Swimming Hole in Wimberley, TX
A short walk down the hill from the lodge is the Cypress Falls Swimming Hole, located on the largest portion of Cypress Creek and sits against Eagle Rock, a large rock face you can walk around and jump off into the water. In addition to swimming, you can also float (they have kayak, steel boat, and paddleboard rentals) and fish the waters. We tried our hand at fishing the evening we arrived and the next morning, both with terrible luck. We caught one tiny perch with hot dog for bait (as recommended by the lodge). Large fish were around, but we think a spinner or a lure might have attracted the older, wiser fish...
Fishing the Cypress Creek with a rental boat from the Cypress Falls Swimming Hole
Although outside alcohol is not allowed at the swimming hole, they have an excellent assortment of beer, seltzers, frozen drinks and wine for purchase at the Eagle Rock Draft House. I love that most of their choices are from local sources. The deck at the draft house is a perfect place to take in the views, if you want to stay dry, too.
Seen at the Cypress Falls Swimming Hole - note the fun canned wine + beautiful view of Eagle Rock
If not at the swimming hole, we were relaxing in the Dark Skies Tavern while at The Lodge at Cypress Falls. Usually a tavern is not someplace I'd love to take my little one, but this tavern was equipped! They had a shuffleboard table, darts, jukebox, and cornhole inside - all the fun things! Just outside the tavern is an adorable outdoor area where you can also enjoy a nightcap. The tree swings were a hit.
The vibe inside the Dark Skies Tavern is like no other...fun things to do, drink and see!
To be honest, the rooms here are basic and we had very low water pressure in our shower, which made washing my hair a long process - but it didn't damper our stay at all. The entire staff was SO friendly and welcoming to both human and dog children (they are pet friendly!). Sherry was just the best - she goes above and beyond to make sure you have everything you need.
Although we spent most of our time at The Lodge at Cypress Falls, we had reservations at both the Blue Hole Regional Park and Jacob's Well over the weekend.
100 Blue Hole Lane
Wimberley, TX
Enjoying the shallow waters in Blue Hole - perfect for wading and floating in Wimberley, TX
Swimming at Blue Hole Regional Park runs from May to the end of September and reservations are divided into 2 time slots each day (9 AM - 1 PM, 2 PM - 6 PM). Admission runs from $12 for adults (13-59) to $6 for youth (4-12), seniors (60+) and military. Kids under 4 are free.
We had the 2-6 PM time slot and arrived for the last hour and a half. The area was still fairly full, but starting to clear out. We spent most of our time convincing our daughter to get in...and then floated around in the tube, which was super relaxing. If you want to be more adventurous, you can test out the rope swings along the edge.
If you 're unable to get a swimming reservation, you can also check out the other recreational areas such as the hiking trails, playground, picnic areas, and sports fields that are open to the public in the park.
1699 Mt. Sharp Rd.
Wimberley, TX
Jacob's Well, part of Hays County Parks system in Wimberley, TX
Personally, Jacob's Well was a bit of a let down for me. All of the pictures I had seen made it seem much more majestic... To get to the well, you must take a short walk from the parking lot to get to the top of the rock ledge. When we arrived, there were people all over and at almost all times, someone was just standing next to the edge of the well...so to me, it just felt crowded.
I'm also super shy in most public situations, so it took the park closing warning to finally motivate me to jump in. The rocks around the well are super slippery, so I'd recommend water shoes if possible. I'm certainly glad we went and got to see it, but I found Blue Hole to be more enjoyable.
Rates for Jacob's Well are $9 for adults (13+), $5 for everyone else, with the exception of those under 5 being free. Time slots for Jacob's Well are only 2 hours long starting from 10 AM and closes at 6 PM.
Since The Lodge at Cypress Falls did not have a fitness center, I tried to find additional outdoor space in the morning to burn some energy. On the first morning, I drove just over a mile to the First Baptist Church parking lot to run the Winters Mill Parkway trail. This trail is about 2 miles along the main road and extends further into the Blue Hole Regional Park. This was a really nice groomed trail, but be mindful of your stepping as it's loose gravel.
Winters Mill Parkway Trail is great for walking/running/biking
On the second morning I was told to check out Old Baldy. I had the impression it would be a hike, so I packed a backpack and a bunch of water. To my surprise, it took less than 10 minutes to walk up, take in the sights, and walk back down... The 218 step hike up is certainly worth the 360 degree views of Wimberley, but is not a hike in my books, if that's what you're looking for.
Pathway leading up to Old Baldy - a beginner walk for some great views of the Wimberley area
Although we struck out for food in Wimberley, we had wonderful wine experiences both on the way in and on the way out of town.
On the way to Wimberley, we had planned to eat lunch at Altstadt Brewery. I had the impression that they were pet friendly, but upon arrival we were told we could only be served at the tractor museum across the driveway, which had minimal to no food options. A bit flustered, needing a place with food that was pet and kid friendly, we ventured down to Kuhlman Cellars. What a wonderful mishap.
18421 E US 290
Stonewall, TX
Enjoying the brisket grilled cheese and 2017 Hensell Rosé in the pet + kid friendly picnic area at Kuhlman Cellars
Although kids are not allowed on the upstairs (covered) patio, we were able to sit down near the vines at the picnic tables at Kuhlman Cellars. We opted for a bottle of the 2017 Hensell Rosé, which to our delight contained 48% Hand Harvested Cinsault from Phillips Vineyard, 46% Hand Harvested Grenache from Farmhouse Vineyard and 6% Roussanne from Farmhouse Vineyard - our friends in Brownfield.
The bistro menu was small, but mighty. We ordered the BBQ brisket grilled cheese which came with chips and a salad - probably the best grilled cheese I've ever eaten. The staff was incredible and even took time to get our pup a treat. We certainly will be back to taste some more!
On the way home, we had to make another stop, of course, and ended up at Longhorn Cellars.
315 Ranch Road 1376
Fredericksburg, TX
Enjoying the wine + the views at Longhorn Cellars - also pet + kid friendly!
At Longhorn, we did a formal tasting. The Viognier was our favorite white and really loved the Syrah and Tannat, as expected. We also took home a few bottles of the Alicante Bouschet, which was really peppery and bold! After the tasting, we took a cold bottle of the Viognier outside on the patio. Unfortunately the longhorns were in a pasture over, but they do have stunning longhorns on site. Again we appreciated their open arms to our little ones (2 + 4 legged).
So grab your suit and head to Wimberley. If you're not a planner and fail to get reservations at Blue Hole or Jacob's Well - you can still find plenty to do in the water at The Lodge at Cypress Falls. In fact, be sure to set time aside to check out all they have to offer - it's a perfect place to enjoy time together outside!