Planning your annual vacation can be a bit challenging, as you spend hours pouring over vacation destinations, accommodations, and of course, airline fares that you are hoping you can keep in check. You need to ensure that your entire family can take off the week together, you have to be sure that the home you rent is large enough and comfortable enough for everyone to enjoy, and you simply can’t take a vacation without knowing what seasonal activities there are available for you to do. Fortunately, you have the destination chosen already—Dripping Springs—and you know you would never settle for less than what I Love Dripping Springs has to offer for your vacation home away from home, so for now, all that is left to discuss is the season! Summer and fall are the most popular vacation times, but did you know that Dripping Springs is an all-seasons vacation destination offering excitement, fun, and adventure throughout every month of the year? This guide, our ultimate guide to Dripping Springs and everything you can see, do, and fall in love with during the winter and spring months will help you narrow down your departure dates!
Winter is often thought about with a mixed bag of emotions throughout most of the country. Everyone dreams of a white Christmas and that first snow is so clean, pure, and beautiful you can’t help but be entranced. By mid-January, however, icy roads, numb fingers and toes, and high winter utility bills have you dreaming of warmer locales, and although Dripping Springs can get cold and has been known to offer a rare snowstorm during the season, the temperatures tend to stay in the moderate range, letting visitors explore the landscape without going into hypothermia!
Stay close to home and discover the joys of hiking through the Hill Country on trails that range from easy to moderate and leave the difficult hikes for those who don’t understand that vacations are for relaxing, not killing yourself scrambling over boulders and losing your breath on higher altitude trails! Reimer’s Ranch Lower and Upper River Trail, for example, is only about four miles long, looping around to bring you back to where you started and offering scenic views of the river as you make your way along its expanse. There is no shade on this easy trail, making the cooler days of winter the perfect time to enjoy the hike, and if you insist on upping the intensity of your hike, its relatively low elevation gain of 196 feet makes the trail a popular one for runners.
There are many different ways to enjoy the short days of winter, however, and on the coldest days, we love to warm up from the inside out with a visit to Treaty Oak Distilling, located at 16604 Fitzhugh Road. Forget about putting all that extra effort into wearing the right shoes, layering your clothes as the day grows warm during your hike and then begins to cool again, and spend a lazy afternoon sitting, sipping, and sampling the whiskeys and cocktails found at the Treaty! Their online store allows you to continue sipping your newest obsession long after you return home, and whether their Treaty Oak Ghost Hill Texas Bourbon or their Treaty Oak X Whiskey Meyers Red Handed Bourbon is your favorite, you can order refills whenever you want.
Whiskey can be a little much to handle for some travelers, but that doesn’t mean you have to skip the entire sipping experience, not when the Side Car Tasting Room and the Bell Springs Winery are located just a few minutes from your I Love Dripping Springs seasonal sanctuary! Offering sophisticated Texas wines in charming and tranquil surroundings, your entire winter escape could happily be spent in either of these places without you feeling you have missed out on a single adventure—not that we encourage skipping the other fun things you can do in Dripping Springs, but it is nice to take a break from the hustle and bustle of vacation life every so often!
So far, you have spent your winter getaway hiking and drinking—it sounds like the perfect getaway to us—but there are events that take place in the winter that you won’t want to miss, starting with Christmas on Mercer Street on December 4th. This festive event allows visitors to get an early start on their Christmas shopping, and as you explore the shops filled with gifts, décor, and more than a few Texas souvenirs, you can sing along to your favorite Christmas tunes, enjoy some yummy treats, and get teary-eyed over the pictures your youngsters took with Santa. The annual tree lighting ceremony takes place in the evening, and if this happy experience doesn’t fill your holiday spirit tank extra full, we don’t know what will!
Dance your way into the new year of 1971 when you spend New Year’s Eve with Madam Radar & the Reverent Few at the One 2 One Bar (1509 S. Lamar Boulevard #600 in Austin). And yes, we said 1971, because this very special show is all about the music and clothing of the early 70s, and after the last year or so of the millennium, we are all eager to take a step back into the past!
Instead of fighting your way through snow, sleet, and ice at home in February, you can celebrate the 50th anniversary of West Side Story on February 26th at the Long Center for the Performing Arts with a live performance conducted by Peter Bay. Winter in Dripping Springs is the gift that keeps on giving, and we at I Love Dripping Springs are proud to offer a soft place to land at the end of every day!
In addition to a deep and uninterrupted night’s sleep, one of life’s greatest luxuries is a hearty meal on a cold winter’s night, and although the temperatures rarely drop below freezing, you will still enjoy the delicious meals offered by some of our favorite Dripping Springs restaurants. Nothing warms your body and soul quicker than a spicy Mexican meal, and El Rey Mexican Bar & Grill is destined to be your new favorite spot! Offering cheesy goodness, karaoke, and live mariachi bands, every minute of your meal will be one you never want to end. When it’s good old-fashioned American comfort food you crave, however, Homespun Kitchen & Bar, located in the heart of Dripping Springs at 131 Mercer Street, has the meals you desire! Featuring juicy burgers, hearty chicken fried chicken covered with gravy that tastes like something your grandma made, and sweet treats made fresh every day, this all-American upscale diner will make your taste buds stand up and take notice.
Now that we have you excited about the winter months, it is time to take a step in a new direction, towards the promise and hope of spring in Dripping Springs. As cheerful flowers push their way through the dark soil and the trees begin to bud with dark green leaves, the warmer days are welcomed by visitors and residents alike. These are the days we want to spend outside as much as possible, enjoying the milder weather before the heat of summer takes over, and even rainy days are our favorite!
Take a brief road trip to the nearby big city of Austin and spend hours losing yourself in the history of the museums found there, staying dry and cozy while the rains fall outside. The Bullock Texas State History Museum, located at 1800 Congress Avenue, covers pretty much everything that has happened in our state over the centuries, while the Lyndon B. Johnson Presidential Library explores the man who was president for a brief and exciting time. And if history isn’t as important to you as the colors that surround you, the Contemporary Austin-Jones Center features the best of Texas when it comes to contemporary art! Thinkery Children’s Museum will help your children get excited about learning, and the Texas Military Forces Museum will make your military-loving husband actually happy about going to a museum!
Not every day is a rainy one in the spring, and on the best days, as we stated earlier, you will want to get outside and play as often as possible! Start with a visit to the Dripping Springs Farmer’s Market, located at 108 East US-90 and open every Wednesday from 3-6 PM. The market is open year-round, but there is a special kind of beauty found when you spend a spring evening walking up and down the aisles, purchasing fresh produce, baked goods, and arts and crafts made by the finest of craftsmen!
The best way to greet a spring day in this part of Texas is with a long walk along the greenest landscape you will find in our state—and yes, we are talking about golf! Dripping Springs Country Club is a world-class driving range and includes Top Tracer technology and a clubhouse serving icy cold beverages, but if you really want to get out and play the entire 18 holes, Austin has more than a few courses you are guaranteed to enjoy. The Grey Rock Golf Club and the Falconhead Golf Club are two of our favorite spots, but any of the courses you find in the area will satisfy your desire to chase the white and dimpled ball over all the course you choose!
Mercer Street in Dripping Springs is the hottest spot in town, offering a variety of shops, boutiques, and restaurants that will make your time in Texas all that sweeter. Home décor and women’s clothing with a flower child edge can be purchased from Vintage Soul, while Starrs on Mercer offers a little bit of everything that you never knew you needed! A cute pair of hoops to complete your outfit, a Prue scarf to ward off the chill on a windy spring day, even a colorful sippy cup to replace the one your toddler “accidentally” threw into traffic are all destined to make your day shine brighter and all can be found simply by exploring Starrs.
Vacation dining can often be hit or miss, but you chose I Love Dripping Springs for your accommodations, and our guides never let you down! Celebrate the season with a meal from Alice’s Restaurant (cue the Arlo Guthrie earworm now!) at Treaty Oak Distilling and find your newest happy place. Offering a taste of barbecue that will make your stomach smile, add a sip of your favorite whiskey and your day will be complete. Carnivores will get their meat fix in at the Garrison on Red River Road in Austin, a cheerful and upscale restaurant in which the chefs really know their way around a thick and juicy steak, but if you are the type who refuses to eat anything that once had a mother, Counter Culture at 2337 E Cesar Chavez Street in Austin is a vegan’s delight! Eat your favorite vegetarian dish at the restaurant or order it to go and enjoy it in the comfort of your I Love Dripping Springs seasonal escape.
No matter the season you choose to travel to the great state of Texas, spending your nights and evenings in the comfort of our vacation rentals promises to be the best part of your Dripping Springs vacation! Offering luxury amenities, comfortable furnishings, and incredible views of the Texas landscape, https://ilovedrippingspringsvacations.com/vacation-rentals/texas-hill-country-vacation-homes/?sort_by=randomour homes are designed to give travelers everything they could ever want or need. Reserve your favorite property today and make all of your vacation dreams come true!
