Another activity we look forward to while on vacation is the shopping expeditions we get to participate in during our travels. There is something wonderful about exploring the wares sold by stores we have never visited before, examining each piece carefully, trying to find the perfect souvenir to bring back to your home, and then when you do, smiling each time you catch a glimpse of the piece when it is resting in its place of honor in your house. We at I Love Dripping Springs have compiled this ultimate Dripping Springs shopping guide to help traveling shopaholics find all the things they will treasure the most during their unforgettable escape to Texas Hill Country.
When you shop local, you aren’t just finding prizes for family, friends, and yourself; you are contributing to the success of the economy, creating a chain of wonderful events that can change the lives of more people than you know. But it won’t be a sacrifice when you shop local in Dripping Springs, as the boutiques we are about to explore are filled with exciting treasures that you won’t find anywhere else.
Offering a bit of this, a touch of that, and a colorful selection of everything else, Cowgirls & Lace is unlike any shop you may have ever visited before. Selling home goods, body care, furnishings, toys, even fabric (so THAT is where the lace comes from!) their online store allows travelers to shop for their favorite items when they are reluctantly forced to return home at the end of their stay.
Also offering a little bit of everything, the Rural Home is a décor store with a historic twist, selling antiques as well as furniture, linens, home décor, and a selection of gifts you never knew you needed until they inexplicably jumped from the table into your hands.
The South is a complex state of mind and Revel Wilde reflects the complexity, selling, as does the other stores on our list, a little bit of everything you just can’t live without. Home décor, gifts for friends, apparel, and fine Southern goods just waiting for you to discover their worth.
Almost every town in the world offers that one area known as the shopping district and Dripping Springs is no exception. Historic Mercer Street, holds a host of shops and boutiques (as well as restaurants, but that’s another story) many of which are housed in historic buildings that have stood the test of time.
Run by sisters whose maiden name was Starrs, they call their store a Modern Day Department Store, in homage to earlier days when small towns all offered a Department Store considered a one stop shopping spot. Starrs on Mercer Street sells a little bit of everything, including women’s clothing, gifts, jewelry, and so much more.
If you ever had a picture in your mind as to what paradise looked like, we think it might look a lot like Vintage Soul. Another locally owned business offering women’s clothing, accessories, gifts, and home goods, if you can’t find what you are looking for in this sweet shop, you’re obviously not looking hard enough.
As we at I Love Dripping Springs all know, luxury is in the details, and Panache, a cozy and glamorous shop that survived opening during the pandemic, is in the know as well. Offering colorful art and dramatic accessories for home décor, this shop features an ever-changing selection of wares that all bear closer examination.
Remember that trip you took to Paris for your 50th birthday when you stood on the street outside Victor Hugo’s apartment, reveling in the fact that you were walking in the footsteps of a celebrated author? Or the trip you took to Key West and you not just toured Ernest Hemingway’s art deco home, but you also were able to sit in his favorite seat at Sloppy Joes, the local watering hole he made his own? Chances are you have souvenirs that you bought from those travels, an Eiffel Tower keychain, a tie-dye tank top emblazoned with the name Sloppy Joes, or even an etching of Hemingway’s home, all items that bring a smile to your face as they remind you of the good times you had on those trips of a lifetime. These Dripping Springs souvenir shops may not offer the panache of Hemingway or the style of Gustave Eiffel, but they will help you retain the memories of your serene and exciting Dripping Springs getaway.
There once was a time when General Stores were the hub of gossip in our small American towns, as well as places where shoppers could buy everything from fabric to peaches. Today, you have to go far to find a general store, but when in Dripping Springs, the Juniper Tree Market won’t be far from your Texas sanctuary. Selling souvenirs, gifts, and greeting cards, as well as jewelry, cookbooks, and even gifts for teachers, spending an hour or two in Juniper Tree will be memorable.
You won’t want to eat every meal at local restaurants and although our I Love Dripping Springs kitchens are fully equipped, you won’t find any food or drink in the heart of the home. Fortunately there are a large selection of markets and grocery stores that will allow our guests the opportunity to fill up the pantries and take at least one morning, noon, or night to stay at home and explore all the amenities we offer.
H.E.B. is our local grocery store, offering everything you need to stock your kitchen, bathrooms, and other rooms of your vacation home. Buy a bouquet of flowers for your bride, refill your prescriptions you left at home, and if you’re traveling over the holidays, order a pre-cooked meal to enjoy with your family.
Farmers Markets provide a different shopping experience, allowing guests to enjoy fresh produce, home baked goods, and arts and crafts pieces that can serve as gifts for your plant waterer back home or souvenirs of your trip. Dripping Springs Farmers Market is open on Wednesdays from 11-3.
Perhaps even more important than groceries is the bottle of wine that will accompany most of your meals at home and all of the sunsets you toast and although it is possible to pick up a bottle or two at H.E.B., if you don’t enjoy the Texas wines proffered from Bell Springs Winery, will you really be able to say you spent your vacation in Texas Hill Country?
Aching feet will be soothed, flagging spirits will be revived, and good times will be had when you tote all your purchases home to our I Love Dripping Springs vacation havens. Reserve your favorite escape today and find your joy in the comforts, style, and luxuries found within.
